| | | | |  | | By Matt Friedman | | | Good Monday morning! The Rutgers strike is over. The governor announced in the wee hours of Saturday that the administration and unions had reached a "framework" agreement. This includes a 43.8 percent increase in how much part-time lecturers receive per credit, as well as increased pay for full-time faculty, increase minimum pay for postdoctoral fellows and benefits and better pay for teaching assistant and graduate assistant. Read more about it from Dustin Racioppi here. As I explained last week, I’m not doing any active reporting on this deal because of a potential personal conflict. But I also can’t ignore it. It’s got to be a political relief for Gov. Murphy’s administration, which took an early and active role in settling this strike, to see it over with after a week. And it’s a bigger relief for students finishing out the spring semester. So the next question is: Where will the necessary money come from? I’m not basing this on any inside information, but when you consider the timing of the framework — just as the Legislature is getting down to work on the next fiscal years’ budget — and the Murphy administration’s non-committal answer about how it “looks forward” to working with Rutgers on the budget process, I probably would not bet against the state stepping in with a bunch more funding. TIPS? FEEDBACK? Email me at mfriedman@politico.com. QUOTE OF THE DAY: "I said move social services out of Atlantic City and put it in … take it to Ancora … Move all social services out there … and all Atlantic City's problems are over." — Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small HAPPY BIRTHDAY — David Verducci, Conor Schmiegel, Micah Kleit WHERE’S MURPHY? Media: “Ask Governor Murphy” on News 12 at 5 p.m.
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CURABEEF WITH THE STATE — Cannabis commission declines to renew Curaleaf's annual licenses, by POLITICO’s Daniel Han: The Cannabis Regulatory Commission on Thursday declined to renew Curaleaf’s annual licenses to sell and grow recreational cannabis in a surprise vote that brings uncertainty to one of the largest players in legal marijuana in New Jersey. The move means Curaleaf will soon be cut off from selling recreational cannabis at at least two of its three dispensaries in New Jersey. The vote — which was contrary to the CRC’s staff recommendations — drew sharp backlash from Curaleaf, which suggested it may take legal action. Curaleaf’s stock price tumbled on Friday morning. “The CRC board’s Action today is as arbitrary as it is lacking in merit and legal basis,” Curaleaf said in a statement. … Houenou said that her decision was “difficult.” She cited Curaleaf’s announcement last month that it was shutting down one of its cannabis cultivation locations in Bellmawr — a move that caught many by surprise — as a contributing factor. Curaleaf Chief Compliance Officer James Shorris told the commission that all employees at the Bellmawr facility — except for five — were offered jobs at other Curaleaf facilities.
MURPHY URGED NOT TO LET THE RUGS GO ON, ERR… I MEAN, TO HIS HEAD — “Renovated N.J. Statehouse furnishings for Gov. Murphy, first lady offices cost nearly $500K, records show,” by NJ Advance Media’s Matt Arco: “New Jersey’s Statehouse in Trenton has reopened to the public after a nearly six-year, $283 million massive renovation that includes some swanky — and costly — furnishings to Gov. Phil Murphy’s office and a separate gubernatorial office currently used by First Lady Tammy Murphy. It includes $217,420 for three rugs, nearly $66,700 for curtains, $24,400 on sofas, more than $31,100 for two antique desks and $10,600 for a pair of chairs to go with them, along with $8,550 on lamps, according to records obtained by NJ Advance Media under the state’s Open Public Records Act. … All told, furnishings for the governor’s personal office and his outer office, along with the first lady’s office cost taxpayers nearly a half-million dollars, according to records. The historic building called for historic furnishings, Jennifer Sciortino, a Murphy spokeswoman, told NJ Advance Media. ‘Early in the renovation, the project’s design team and architects, in collaboration with the New Jersey Building Authority and Treasury’s Division of Property Management and Construction, stipulated that certain unique and historic areas of the Statehouse should contain what is referred to as Tier 1 or Tier 2 replica and antique furnishings of the Edwardian Period, in keeping with the historical standards of the early 1900s,’ Sciortino said.” THE ASSEMBLY WOULDN’T DO IT BECAUSE THEY HATE SPRINGSTEEN — “Bruce Springsteen Day is coming to N.J., Gov. Phil Murphy announces,” by NJ Advance Media’s Brent Johnson: “Sept. 23 is already an informal holiday of sorts in New Jersey. That is, after all, Bruce Springsteen’s birthday. But now it‘s official. Gov. Phil Murphy announced Saturday night he signed a formal proclamation marking the 23rd day of September as “Bruce Springsteen Day” in the rock icon’s home state. ‘Bruce Springsteen will forever be remembered as the voice of the Garden State, signaling to the world that New Jerseyans were born to run,’ the proclamation reads. … Murphy revealed the news during remarks at the inaugural American Music Honors awards at the Bruce Springsteen Archives and Center for American Music at Monmouth University in Long Branch.” —“Bruce Springsteen tests positive for COVID after sold-out N.J. show, report says” MENTAL HEALTH — “A state hospital ignored a mother’s pleas for answers. A N.J. leader calls it ‘disgraceful’,” by NJ Advance Media’s Spencer Kent: “Diane Halstead was close to panic. More than two months had passed since she last saw her daughter. But no one at Trenton Psychiatric Hospital would answer her desperate calls. … Farooq, 28, had been involuntarily committed to the troubled facility in mid-September 2022 after a pattern of erratic behavior. … But weeks passed before Halsted could hear her vulnerable daughter’s voice. And it wasn’t until around Thanksgiving that she finally saw Farooq — albeit through a screen during a pair of video conferences. Those struggles were only the beginning of six months of endless phone calls, unreturned voicemails and frantic attempts to schedule a face-to-face meeting with those charged with Farooq’s care to discuss her condition and treatment.’” —“A brief electoral history of Steve Fulop” —“N.J. credit rating gets two more upgrades from Wall Street as state coffers overflow” —“State Board of Ed still deliberates lower passing score for high school exit exam” —Opinion: “A simple plan to get New Jersey back on track for growth” —Mulshine: “Phil Murphy’s playing political football at Rutgers - and the taxpayers are losing”
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—“After first quarter, New Jersey’s House delegation has over $22 million in the bank”
“Lautenberg still has nearly $90k in his campaign account. Here are some other ex-congressmen still maintaining campaign accounts” —“Could SALT deductions in NJ be allowed again? Proposed bill would mean yes”
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OH BABY BABY IT’S A WILDWOOD — “In Wildwood, the mayor and a commissioner won’t resign despite indictments. People are cheering them on,” by The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Amy S. Rosenberg: “In Jersey, you never know what you’ll get. Two of Wildwood’s three commissioners are under indictment on charges of fraudulently receiving state health benefits, including Mayor Pete Byron, who also pleaded guilty in federal court to tax fraud in March and is awaiting sentencing. … At the council meeting on Wednesday, Byron presided quietly, residents filled the chambers, rumors swirled, and a dozen people spoke passionately about the mayor … The residents were there not to bury Mayor Pete Byron, 67, a Democrat, but to praise him. … Now Byron, dressed Wednesday in a pastel suit and Wildwood-y paisley shirt, befitting the mayor of this reliably dramatic Shore town, has found himself in a situation not unlike Trump, who is seeking a return to office while under indictment.”
CASINOS TAKING BETS ON HOW LONG TRUCE WILL LAST — “Mayor Small, Sen. Polistina call a truce, vow to work together for Atlantic City,” by The Press of Atlantic City’s Michelle Brunetti Post: “The Democratic mayor and Republican state senator have decided to work together rather than continue to criticize each other, after a two-hour conversation on a local radio show. ‘A lot (of what I've said) has been taken as criticism,’ said state Sen. Vince Polistina, R-Atlantic, on Scott Cronick's Off the Press radio show on WOND last week. ‘I'm going to stop talking about those ... and try to focus on what we need to do to move forward.’ The resolution came near the end of the show, after Polistina and Mayor Marty Small had talked about some of their major differences.” KUDRICK WANTED UNDERLINGS TO KEEP THEIR EYES WIDE SHUT — “Retired Howell police chief had sex with female employee at work, she told detectives,” by The Asbury Park Press’ Ken Serrano: “More details have surfaced in the case against retired Howell Police Chief Andrew Kudrick, who was has been charged with official misconduct and other crimes involving the alleged cover-up of a sexual relationship with a woman working in the police department. … The allegations against Kudrick involved others in the department. In March 2022, an unnamed captain in the department, who authorities allege was threatened by Kudrick, gave a statement to Koutsouris in which he told the attorney that he informed Kudrick on Dec. 15, 2021, that he would be truthful in his testimony before Koutsouris. … On March 29, 2022, the captain was contacted by the department’s internal affairs officer who told the captain about a conversation he had with Kudrick. The officer recalled telling Kudrick that some of the officers in the department were concerned about testifying against the chief, according to the affidavit. Kudrick told the internal affairs officer that the captain ‘should be afraid of losing his pension after the investigation I’m about to start on him,”’ adding that Kudrick would ‘ruin him personally and professionally,’ according to the affidavit.” THE HUNT FOR RED DODD DOVER — “Former mayor James Dodd takes Dover to court over election nomination denial,” by The Daily Record’s William Westhoven: “Seven weeks away from primary elections in New Jersey, one key local race is already heading to the courts. Former Mayor James Dodd is challenging the decision of acting Clerk Rey Julve to deny his nominating petition for mayor as well as two of the aldermen candidates and two county committee candidates on his ‘Rescue Dover’ ticket. ‘Rumors and distractions are running rampant,’ Dodd posted on Facebook. ‘It’s clear my opponents in this race have gone to a new low in politics.’ Superior Court Judge Stuart Markowitz will preside over the hearing on Tuesday in Morristown Superior Court to determine if Dodd regains his position on the Democratic primary ballot in a crowded field for the mayor's office.”
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Read how American businesses are succeeding with Alibaba. | | | R.I.P. — “Ed Englehardt, longtime Passaic sheriff and GOP leader, dies at 93,” by New Jersey Globe’s David Wildstein: “Republican Edwin Englehardt, a legendary North Jersey political figure and monster vote-getter who served as Passaic County sheriff from 1974 to 2001, has died. He was 93. A hardware store owner and a member of the Paterson Police and Fire Commission and local Alcoholic Beverage Commission. … In March 2001, Englehardt resigned after the FBI opened an investigation into the Passaic County Sheriff’s Department amid allegations that he used his office for political purposes. … He was a U.S. Army veteran who served in the Korean War.” TRENTON ON THE TAKE? —“Ghosts of FBI raids past echo in Trenton,” by The Trentonian’s L.A. Parker: “$72,913,998. The City of Trenton received 72 million, 913 thousand and 998 dollars in federal American Rescue Plan funds across two payments. Just for the sake of accounting and accountability, now seems like a good time to find out how much money remains from our government COVID-19 jackpot. Plus, for sake of accuracy, city officials should explain how they have spent every dollar. Lately, my stomach rumbled sounds of corruption, similar to tones that arrived a decade back when an early-morning phone caller whispered— The FBI just raided Mayor (Tony) Mack’s house. … Plus, we know that federal investigators served a subpoena to City Hall last May. The Feds demanded extensive documentation about a $1.96 million Lead Hazard Reduction Demonstration federal grant and another $194,445 in Healthy Homes Supplemental funding to address lead hazards in 145 low-income housing units where children reside, according to a previous Trentonian report.” —“Holmdel can't save Big Bang theory's Horn Antenna unless it solves mystery of who owns it” —“Wildfire in Little Egg Harbor burns 1,600 acres before 100% containment Sunday morning” —“Hudson County judge remands Western Edge project back to Hoboken Planning Board”
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IF LORETTA WEINBERG PLANS TO WRITE A MEMOIR… — “Messages on life come out of creative writing class led by 96-year-old in Teaneck,” by The Record’s Megan Burrow: “At 96, Eva Barron still commands the attention of a classroom. Her assignments have changed slightly from her days teaching creative writing at Teaneck High School … Barron began her writing club at Arbor Terrace, the Teaneck apartment complex for seniors where she lives, just over three years ago, when she said she realized many of the activities for residents involved listening or watching, but not actively doing. ‘I thought, you know, they’ve had long and interesting lives. We all have something to contribute,’ she said. ‘People joke that old people don’t do anything but sit around and play bingo. We’ve proved them wrong.’”
A NEW JERSEYAN IN CHARGE OF THE VATICAN WOULD BRING TOGETHER THE SACRED AND THE PROPANE — “A surprising choice for the next pope. He should come from New Jersey,” by Rev. Alexander M. Santora for The Star-Ledger: “As soon as Pope Francis entered Gemelli Hospital for respiratory treatment, speculation began about which cardinals are in the running to succeed him. And now that the retired Pope Benedict has passed, Francis might even decide to resign if his health becomes an impediment. At age, 86, he seems to be slowing down physically. Though prejudice still exists against advancing a U.S. prelate to the papacy, Joseph Tobin, Archbishop of Newark, might break through that wall” —“[College of New Jersey] president is stepping down to become a professor at the school”
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