News: Assemblymember: 18-year-olds voting was 'probably not the best idea'

Friday, May 12, 2023

Assemblymember: 18-year-olds voting was 'probably not the best idea'

May 12, 2023

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Was the 26th Amendment a mistake?

Assemblyman Ned Thomson (R-Monmouth) maybe sort of thinks so. To be clear, Thomson — who turned 18 in 1971, the year the amendment to allow 18-year-olds to vote was ratified — is sympathetic to the main reason for the change: That 18-year-olds could be drafted to fight in Vietnam but couldn’t even vote. And he’s not suggesting we repeal the amendment. He’s just not crazy about it.

“It’s my personal opinion that making it any younger than 21 was probably not the best idea, but I understand the reasoning behind it,” Thompson said during an Assembly State & Local Government Committee hearing Thursday while voting against a bill to let 17-year-olds vote in primary elections if they turn 18 by the general.

“At age 18, I remember myself as well as watching my children and their friends — their social interactions, their responsibilities were more to school, going to college … and not quite frankly being too concerned with what’s going on in politics today, except local possibly,” he said.

In a phone interview after the meeting, Thompson told me that he’s not trying to change the law of the land, but he doesn’t think anyone under 18 should vote. He also recalled being an Assembly aide when New Jersey changed its drinking age from 21 to 18 in the early 1970s, but then changed it back to 21 following a rash of drunk driving deaths.

“I was ecstatic. However, after about half a million kids who were 18 years old were drunk driving etc, they said you know what, maybe that’s not the smartest thing in the world. Not only did they change it to 21 in New Jersey, they changed it to 21 nationwide.”

My wife overheard the hearing and brought up what I thought was a valid point: Even if you agree with Thomson’s point that 18-year-olds aren’t concerned about politics, they have to face the threat of school shootings every day far more than previous generations. That alone warrants them having a voice in public policy.

TIPS? FEEDBACK? Email me at mfriedman@politico.com.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “If Bill Clinton could be the first Black president, I want to be the first Jewish president.” — Sen. Cory Booker speaking at a Jewish American Heritage Month event

POLL OF THE DAY — Just 6 percent of New Jersey residents think state politicians are “not at all corrupt,” according to a FDU poll. Nineteen percent say “a little corrupt,” 34 percent “somewhat corrupt” and 27 percent “very corrupt.” Voters approve of Gov. Phil Murphy’s job performance by a relatively narrow margin, 44 percent to 39 percent — down from February, when it was 48 percent to 36 percent. You can find more on The FDU Poll’s website.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Jack Barnes, Frank LoBiondo, Viri Martinez. Saturday for Megan Coyne. Sunday for Britnee Timberlake, Michael Aron, John Graham.

WHERE’S MURPHY? No public schedule

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WHAT TRENTON MADE

TILTING AT WINDMILLS — Whale deaths cause drop in support for offshore wind, poll finds, by POLITICO’s Matt Friedman: A political fight over whale deaths and offshore wind appears to resonate with the public in New Jersey, with support for wind farms dropping substantially when whale deaths are mentioned in the same question. A Fairleigh Dickinson University poll released Thursday morning found that before whale deaths were mentioned, New Jerseyans reported being split on whether the state should allow the development of the offshore wind farms, with 39 percent opposed and 35 percent in favor. But when the question was posed with mention of the dead whales and dolphins that have washed up on New Jersey beaches in recent months, opposition jumped to 46 percent and support dropped to 28 percent. “The argument that the wind farms are hurting cute, smart animals just craters support,” said poll director Dan Cassino.

—“29th dolphin since December strands itself in NJ”

STATE TO REQUIRE ONLY VOTERS IN ROSELLE’S MAYORAL RACE GET MORE VACCINATIONS — DOH not proposing mandatory Covid-19 vaccine for schoolchildren, agency says, by POLITICO’s Daniel Han: The Department of Health is not proposing adding Covid-19 shots to the mandated vaccination schedule for schoolchildren, an agency spokesperson said Tuesday evening. The remarks come as at least one GOP state senator and anti-vaccine advocates online interpreted a recent notice from the DOH as a step toward mandating the shots. “[T]he Department is not suggesting regulatory changes that would introduce new required vaccines (such as COVID-19 vaccines) for K-12 attendance,” DOH spokesperson Dalya Ewais said in a statement. A DOH slideshow regarding the immunization schedule for schoolchildren was sent to “stakeholders” earlier this week, with one excerpt proposing aligning “immunization requirements specified in this subchapter with the current [The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices] recommendations …. ”However, Ewais said that the remarks only applied to vaccines currently mandated — emphasizing that part of the slide that it was only for requirements “specified in this subchapter” — not to new ones.

NJ TRANSIT — “Could NJ Transit train engineers strike? Languishing salary talks move to Washington,” by The Record’s Coleen Wilson: “About 40 locomotive engineers hoisted signs and chanted for a better contract Wednesday morning outside of NJ Transit’s headquarters before the agency's monthly board meeting … The biggest sticking point holding up negotiations is over salary. Labor officials say they are among the lowest-paid when compared with commuter rail peers. Their starting rate is currently $39 per hour, while Amtrak, Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North pay around $50 per hour … The agency, however, is facing its worst fiscal forecast in history, with a nearly $1 billion hole predicted in 2026 … Negotiations over the new contract have landed in Washington, D.C., with the National Mediation Board in the process of figuring out next steps.”

—“Man who wanted a free train ride threw hot coffee in NJ Transit conductor’s face, police say”

TEMP WORKERS — “Businesses sue to overturn N.J. law giving temp workers new rights,” by NJ Advance Media’s Brent Johnson: “Staffing and business groups have filed a federal lawsuit against the state of New Jersey seeking to overturn a landmark new law giving temporary workers here sweeping new protections and rights. Gov. Phil Murphy signed the ‘Temp Worker Bill of Rights’ in February after labor and immigration advocates spent years fighting for it. The law took effect Monday … But the lawsuit from the New Jersey Staffing Alliance, New Jersey Business and Industry Association, and American Staffing Association argues the law is unconstitutional, vague, and ‘unreasonably exercises police power.’ The suit also claims it will 'lead to insurmountable problems, resulting in paralysis within the temporary staffing industry' and does 'not ensure a higher wage' for these workers … Garrett O’Connor, director of worker organizing and policy for advocacy group Make the Road New Jersey, said Thursday the lawsuit comes after ‘desperate attempts’ by the state’s business and staffing industry lobbies to stop the laws and is ‘an even more cynical and, frankly, pathetic, attempt to stop workers from gaining the basic rights they’ve already won.’”

HARNESSING THE FULL WEIGHT OF THE LAW — New Jersey and New York may soon outlaw weight discrimination. Here's why it matters, by POLITICO’s Caroline Petrow-Cohen: Lawmakers in New Jersey and New York have joined a growing effort to tackle weight discrimination, an under-discussed but pervasive issue facing the country. Bills pending in each state's legislature would combat anti-fat bias and raise awareness of a type of discrimination that experts say has played out in American society for decades. These efforts, if passed, would give overweight people a legal pathway to claim they were discriminated against … New Jersey state Sen. Andrew Zwicker (D-Somerset) introduced S2741 in June 2022, which would outlaw weight or height discrimination. Instead of creating a new law, the bill would expand the characteristics covered by the Law Against Discrimination to include height and weight, Zwicker said.

SOUTH JERSEY DEMS REPLACE GEORGE NORCROSS WITH GEORGE NORBOT — “Greenwald proposes bill to make deceptive AI audio or video in political campaigns a crime,” by New Jersey Globe’s David Wildstein: “Using artificial intelligence to create deceptive audio or visual media in political campaigns would be a crime in New Jersey under legislation being introduced by Assembly Majority Leader Louis Greenwald. To illustrate the ease of generating AI content now, Greenwald submitted an Op-Ed to the New Jersey Globe today advocating a ban on ‘misleading AI-generated image and audio’ that was entirely generated through AI technology. ‘We’re grappling with something serious here; the potential for a wonderful expansion of technology comes with it the very real dangers of misuse,’ Greenwald said. ‘AI technology exists that can manipulate voices and images to make it realistically appear that someone has said something they never did.’"

STRANGE HOW SO MANY NEWFOUND SEA LIFE ADVOCATES VOTED AGAINST THIS — “A year into NJ's plastic bag ban, what impact has it had?” by The Record’s Scott Fallon: “The law appears to have made a dent in plastic litter. Beach cleanups from Cape May to Sandy Hook last year run by the environmental group Clean Ocean Action showed a decrease from 2021 to 2022, with 37% fewer plastic bags, 39% fewer plastic straws, and 37% less foam waste. Clean Communities Council Chairwoman Linda Doherty called the results ‘astonishing.’ ‘We no longer see billions of single-use bags littering our waterways, parking lots and waste streams,' said Doherty, who is also CEO of the NJ Food Council — a powerful lobbying group on behalf of supermarkets whose support for the bag law was key to its passage. A group representing plastic bag manufacturers has argued that the most common substitute for flimsy plastic bags — reusable plastic bags with stitched handles — are less environmentally-friendly, saying they use more plastic and cannot be recycled. ‘Given all that, it’s not clear current policy is actually advancing sustainability in New Jersey,’ said Zachary Taylor, director of the American Recyclable Plastic Bag Alliance.”

—“South Jersey Dems stay mostly quiet on Norcross retirement story”

—“Murphy picks nine more Superior Court judges, possibly filling 45% of vacancies — if the Senate confirms them”

—“Help on the way? N.J. lawmakers tackle a dozen new bills to fix school staffing crisis”

—ELEC funding boost clears first legislative hurdle

—Fulop gets major transit union's backing

—“Bill to revamp New Jersey’s business tax gets mixed reception”

—“Left behind in school evacuations, students with disabilities demand more protection in NJ”

—“[Bergenfield] dealt a blow in court as a judge rules in favor of a police officer's lawsuit”

DON’T MISS THE POLITICO ENERGY SUMMIT: A new world energy order is emerging and America’s place in it is at a critical juncture. Join POLITICO on Thursday, May 18 for our first-ever energy summit to explore how the U.S. is positioning itself in a complicated energy future. We’ll explore progress on infrastructure and climate funding dedicated to building a renewable energy economy, Biden’s environmental justice proposals, and so much more. REGISTER HERE.

BIDEN TIME

SACPOENA — “Feds subpoena Sacco in relation to Menendez corruption probe, sources say,” by Hudson County View’s John Heinis: “The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York has subpoenaed state Senator (D-32)/North Bergen Mayor Nick Sacco related to their corruption probe of U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ). ‘As they always have, Mayor Sacco and the Township of North Bergen will comply with any inquiry they receive from law enforcement and will cooperate fully. We do not feel that it would be appropriate to offer any additional comment at this time,’ said North Bergen spokesman Nick Bond. Sacco, who was elected to his ninth term as mayor by a roughly 72-28 margin on Tuesday, received the subpoena in person in the early morning hours of Wednesday. Sources with knowledge of the situation, who spoke under the condition of anonymity, said that the North Hudson mainstay was not a target in the matter, but was instead given a notice to appear in front of a grand jury empaneled against Menendez. They also said that the federal authorities are seeking new information unrelated to to the Edgewater-based meat company IS EG Halal.”

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LOCAL

A DAY LATE AND $3 to $5 SHORT — “Ocean County commissioners to end 14-year opposition to a Homelessness Trust Fund,” by The Asbury Park Press’ Erik Larsen: “After more than a decade of resistance to the concept, the all-Republican Ocean County Board of Commissioners is expected to establish a Homelessness Trust Fund as soon as next month, Commissioner Gary Quinn said Wednesday. Under a 2009 state law that was last amended in 2019, counties may impose a $3 to $5 surcharge on each document recorded in their county clerk’s offices for the purpose of funding a homelessness housing grant program. Some New Jersey counties have reported revenues of up to $450,000 each year from the trust fund, while smaller counties have generated about $50,000 per year ... Previously, the county’s governing body had opposed implementing its own program on ideological grounds — arguing that the surcharge was tantamount to levying a new tax on the public. The news from the commissioners comes just days after the Asbury Park Press reported that the county Board of Social Services last year paid $1.5 million to the estate of a 29-year-old homeless woman who was murdered in a Seaside Heights motel room the agency had placed her in 2021.”

DUMPONT — “Dumont mayor 'blindsided' by council's dismissal of borough administrator,” by The Record’s Megan Burrow: “Christopher Tully, the Democratic deputy majority leader of the state Assembly, has been dismissed from his position as Dumont’s borough administrator. The Borough Council, which in January underwent a political shift when Republicans Doreen Aponte and Donald Morrell took office, voted to terminate Tully’s employment as administrator as of last month. Last week, the council appointed Jeanine Siek, the borough clerk, to serve as an interim administrator while the borough searches for Tully’s replacement … The Democratic assemblyman was named administrator by Mayor Andrew LaBruno, a Democrat, shortly after LaBruno took office in January 2020 … LaBruno on Wednesday said the council’s decision to dismiss Tully was political and lacked transparency.”

—“Investigation into [South Plainfield] police chief dropped due to lack of evidence”

—“Pleasantville school bus drivers say higher pay is needed to avert labor shortage”

—Opinion: “Power to the people-informed citizens snuff out Nabisco demo blast”

—“Sayegh swims in Central Jersey political waters”

—“Jersey City Council adopts fees on city swimming pools, but will keep it free for kids”

—“School bus carrying 20 [Warren] kids crashes after 80-year-old driver gets disoriented, cops say”

—“Newark’s Sharpe James, at 87, remains proud of Prudential Center”

GET READY FOR GLOBAL TECH DAY: Join POLITICO Live as we launch our first Global Tech Day alongside London Tech Week on Thursday, June 15. Register now for continuing updates and to be a part of this momentous and program-packed day! From the blockchain, to AI, and autonomous vehicles, technology is changing how power is exercised around the world, so who will write the rules? REGISTER HERE.

EVERYTHING ELSE

WE WANT A PITCHER NOT A BELLY SNITCHER — “Atlantic Cape baseball coach resigns after illegal communications devices found in helmets,” by The Courier-Post’s Josh Friedman: “Atlantic Cape Community College baseball coach Rodney Velardi resigned after 13 years leading the program on May 4, almost two weeks after the Buccaneers were found to have illegal communication devices in two of their players’ batting helmets during an 11-4 loss to Rowan College Gloucester County on April 22 … Suspicions first arose for Rowan College during the first game of the three-game series on April 21. Freshman pitcher Ethan Dodd approached his coaches after the game wondering if he had been tipping pitches during an 11-6 victory … He never would’ve thought about a communication device though until his first baseman, Felix Diaz, told him he could hear a voice coming out of a player’s helmet following the opening inning.”

—“New Jersey warehouses bloom in the Delaware River Watershed”

—“NJ Supreme Court tosses ex-Rutgers football player's interrogation in alleged murder plot”

—“Un-'bear'-lievable sighting! Bear spotted roaming streets, hanging in trees in Elizabeth”

—“Rare meteorite crashed into N.J. home, experts confirm after examining ‘thrilling’ find”

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Offering the best benefits in the industry is a big part of why so many UPSers stay at UPS. More than 50,000 drivers have been with the company for over 5 years. And 90,000 part-timers have been with us for over 2 years.

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