| | | | |  | | By Matt Friedman | Good Tuesday morning! I’ve always thought of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka as a close ally of Gov. Murphy’s. But during a rainy a Make the Road NJ rally Sunday in Newark, Baraka had some complaints. He said the city didn’t get enough aid from Trenton on violence intervention, affordable housing and lamented the city’s increased health insurance hike under the State Health Benefits Plan. This was all part of the lead-up to him calling for Murphy to keep the 2.5 percent corporate business tax surcharge that was instituted in the fiscal year 2019 budget, which expires at the end of the year, and which Murphy’s shown no appetite to keep. New Jersey could soon go from having the highest corporate tax rate in the country to just one of the highest. “We need as many resources as we can get, and those who have should pay,” Baraka said. “What’s ironic is that the governor knows this. At one point he agreed with this. And so we have to continue to get him to agree with it even on his way out the door.” Now that Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop has declared his candidacy for governor, I can’t ignore the 2025 lens. Baraka is arguably the furthest left of all the potential candidates we know of, and you can see him staking out that position on this issue. But as far as policy goes, there seems to be little appetite in Trenton to keep the surcharge. TIPS? FEEDBACK? Email me at mfriedman@politico.com. QUOTE OF THE DAY: ““I’m going to knock your teeth out, going to send you to the hospital.” — Paterson Councilmember Michael Jackson to Councilmember Luiz Velez WHERE’S MURPHY? In Paramus at 10 a.m. to highlight ARP funds for firefighter grants
| | | | 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. | | | | | |  | WHAT TRENTON MADE | |
LUCKILY NJ IS KNOWN FOR ULTRA-ETHICAL POLITICIANS — “More money, less oversight coming to NJ politics. What could go wrong?” by The Record’s Charles Stile: “As more money cascades into Trenton, there will be less time for ELEC staff and investigators to follow up on formal complaints, less time for staff to respond to investigative news stories and less time for ELEC to follow through on its own spot audits. An Assembly bill would provide ELEC a $1.5 million increase to beef up enforcement staff — but that's just a drop-in-the-bucket face-saving measure. Simply put, New Jersey's political world will be awash with more money, but with less time to track it and fewer incentives for campaigns to comply with regulations aimed at transparency — or accountability, another buzzword that makes hearts in Trenton swell with pride. This new law is not something that should make the Statehouse proud. It’s a pivot from an emphasis on vigilance to deregulation — and certainly far less vigilance.”
IN WITH THE OLD, OUT WITH THE NEW — “N.J. polluters will face strict new rules. But law won’t apply to old applications,” by NJ Advance Media’s Steven Rodas: “New Jersey adopted its landmark Environmental Justice Law in mid-April, better positioning the state to protect communities against harmful contaminants emanating from several kinds of facilities. But one thing is clear to climate activists so far: The law will not have the desired effect of blocking a number of recently proposed projects that applied before the new rules were finalized. The law — the first of its kind in the country, according to Gov. Phil Murphy’s office — was signed in 2020, but the state only last month finalized and adopted the specific rules, which can now be applied. … What does not fall under the law? Company applications for permits or new facilities within those parameters that were submitted prior to April 17, 2023. Those, instead, will be subject to looser regulations that follow the spirit of the law, but not the specifics, according to New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn LaTourette.” WATERFREXIT — New York budget includes plan to police the waterfront, by POLITICO’s Ry Rivard: New York’s budget agreement would create a new regulatory agency in the executive branch to replace the Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor, a bistate police agency that New Jersey is exiting following a Supreme Court ruling last month. The language, in one of the budget bills printed on Monday and expected to pass early this week, punts on one of the more vexing issues facing the two states, though, which is whether dockworkers licensed by New Jersey will automatically be allowed to work in New York. The budget said New York is “authorized to cooperate” with New Jersey, but does not require it. This could become an issue if the two states adopt different hiring standards. New Jersey is creating its own licensing system, to be managed by the New Jersey State Police, and is under pressure from the International Longshoremen’s Association and the shipping industry to license more workers WHALES— “Supporters, critics to talk New Jersey’s offshore wind plan at separate events on same day,” by The Courier-Post’s Joseph P. Smith: “New Jersey’s controversial commitment to increased reliance on offshore clusters of wind-powered turbines to provide electricity is the topic of a pair of competing public events on Wednesday, one by proponents and one by critics. Rowan University is hosting one event on May 3 at its Steve Sweeney Center for Public Policy on its Glassboro campus from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The theme is ‘Offshore Wind Technology in New Jersey: Sustainability, Emerging Markets and Policy.’ … Senate Republicans are holding their online hearing starting at 9:45 a.m. Wednesday. The Facebook Live event, announced on Friday, will discuss the potential connection between wind farm development and a ‘surge of whale and dolphin deaths.’” MENTAL HEALTH — School leaders worry for future of mental health programs amid youth crisis, by POLITICO’s Carline Petrow-Cohen: Superintendents and mental health professionals are worried Gov. Phil Murphy will take mental health services out of schools as part of his administration's plan to reshape the state's student support network. Under the current School Based Youth Services Program, mental health counseling and prevention programs are placed directly in schools for students to access. Murphy’s new model would serve more students but place resources in regional hubs throughout the state as part of what his administration calls a hub and spoke system. But school leaders are concerned about its efficacy. “There’s a million reasons why you need these services in schools,” said Julie Borst, executive director of Save Our Schools NJ. “When you have services inside a school, it makes a tremendous difference to those students.” —Q&A with Steven Fulop: Why he's running for governor so early, past mistakes and policy ideas —“Murphy budgets $100M to keep people at home, out of nursing homes, —“2022-2023 New Jersey Globe Power List” —“No replacement in sight for longtime vacancy on New Jersey’s top court” —“After Glassboro forest fiasco, lawmakers push DEP chief on next steps” —“Sawyer pitches herself as an effective legislator at Durr-less ‘debate” —“There's more to Gateway than tunnels. Here's why the smaller projects need to get funded”
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THE FEDS ONLY TRUST THE GORTON’S FISHERMAN — “Justices to consider case involving fishing boat monitor pay; lead plaintiff is from Cape,” by The AP’s Jessica Gresko and Mark Sherman: “The U.S. Supreme Court will take up the subject of who pays for workers who gather valuable data aboard commercial fishing boats. Justices announced Monday that they will take the case, which stems from a lawsuit by a group of fishermen who want to stop the federal government from making them pay for the workers. The workers are tasked with collecting data on board fishing vessels to help inform rules and regulations. The fishermen involved in the lawsuit harvest Atlantic herring, which is a major fishery off the East Coast that supplies both food and bait. Lead plaintiff Loper Bright Enterprises of New Jersey and other fishing groups have said federal rules unfairly require them to pay hundreds of dollars per day to contractors. ‘Our way of life is in the hands of these justices, and we hope they will keep our families and our community in mind as they weigh their decision,’ said Bill Bright, a New Jersey fisherman and plaintiff in the case.”
—“U.S. debt ceiling bill raises limit by $1.5 trillion. Here's how the NJ delegation voted” | | LOCAL | |
PROSPECT PARK — “Muslim NJ mayor demands answers after being turned away from White House Eid celebration,” by The Record’s Hannan Adely: “The longest-serving Muslim mayor in New Jersey said he was stunned after he got a call Monday afternoon disinviting him from an annual Eid al-Fitr celebration at the White House while he was in his car just miles away from the event. Prospect Park Mohamed Khairullah said he was informed that the Secret Service denied him security clearance and he could no longer attend the gathering of prominent Muslim leaders. ‘It's disappointing and it's shocking that this continues to happen under our Constitution which provides that everyone is innocent unless proven guilty. I honestly don’t know what my charge, if you want to put it that way, is at this point, to be treated in such a manner,’ Khairullah said in an interview. … It's not the first time was improperly profiled, he said. In 2019, Khairullah was held for three hours at JFK International Airport after returning from a trip to Turkey with his family.’" (Anthony Guglielmi, chief of communications for the Secret Service, later said: "While we regret any inconvenience this may have caused, the mayor was not allowed to enter the White House complex this evening. Unfortunately we are not able to comment further on the specific protective means and methods used to conduct our security operations at the White House.")
HIGH-CAPACITY MAGAZINES, LOW-CAPACITY BRAIN — “East Brunswick GOP candidate who claims election was stolen arrested after alleged threats,” by MyCentralJersey’s Susan Loyer: “An unsuccessful Republican Township Council candidate, who allegedly threatened to ‘light up the Mayor and Town Council’ because he believed the election was stolen from him, is facing a weapons charge after police found 17 large-capacity ammunition magazines at his house. David Herrera, 32, has been charged with the fourth-degree crime of possessing a large capacity ammunition magazine. Though he was the high Republican vote-getter in the 2022 race for three seats on the Township Council with 6,950 votes, Herrera was still 1,700 votes shy of the low Democratic candidate. … The investigation into Herrera started on Feb. 15 when the FBI received an anonymous online tip of a threat of shooting against the East Brunswick municipal government, court papers say.” SALEM — “Moms of sons lost to gun violence demand change in N.J. city plagued by unsolved killings,” by Matt Gray for NJ.com: “As she surveys the spot where her son drew his last breath after he was shot two years ago, Alecia Hinnant thinks about the label she wears as a grieving mother. … isn’t alone on this chilly but sunny day on a desolate stretch of Wesley Street in Salem City. Other South Jersey mothers have joined her to share their stories. All have lost sons to gun violence in Salem and all want to see changes in this city of nearly 5,200 people in the middle of the state’s most rural county. The moms say Salem’s leaders aren’t doing enough to keep the streets safe, that police aren’t taking their sons’ cases seriously and that residents aren’t doing their part to share what they know about the killings.” GLENDA ROCK — “'No barriers': This North Jersey borough government is now led by all women,” by The Record’s Marsha A. Stoltz: ”Glen Rock became the only municipality in the state with an all-female mayor and council on Wednesday when Regina Viadro was sworn in as its newest member. "We believe we're the only active all-female government in the country," said Mayor Kristine Morieko. "We showed the young women who were in this room that night that there are no barriers to entry in our community." The borough also has a female administrator, clerk and borough attorney” —“Security starts checking IDs as Garden State Plaza implements new teen chaperone rule” —“Paterson police conducted a search of a home in 2017. Here's why a court ruled it illegal” —“Authorities: Man shot for leaning on a car at Elizabeth parking lot” —“Edison plans to outsource school crossing guards. Here's why” —“[Mercer County] Park ranger spent 300 hours at N.J. home when he was supposed to be on patrol, officials say” —L.A. Parker: “A Mayday in Trenton for better accountability” | | EVERYTHING ELSE | |
THEY SHOULD’VE NAMED IT AFTER HIS DOG — “Rowan University gets $30 million naming gift for New Jersey’s first veterinary school,” by The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Susan Snyder: “Gerald B. Shreiber said he used to bring dogs home and lie to his mother that they simply followed him. … That early fondness for dogs turned into a lifelong passion for animals that culminated Friday when Rowan University announced New Jersey’s first veterinary school will be named for Shreiber, board chairman of the Pennsauken-based J&J Snack Foods Corp., perhaps best known as the maker of the SuperPretzel line of soft pretzels. The school’s naming coincided Friday with an announcement that a $30 million gift from Shreiber will be used for scholarships at its soon-to-be-built Shreiber School of Veterinary Medicine of Rowan University.”
WATERSHED MOMENT — “Agency clarifies Frack waste ban in Delaware River Watershed,” by The AP: “An environmental group that accused regulators of weakening a ban on the dumping of fracking wastewater in the Delaware River watershed has dropped its federal lawsuit, saying its most pressing concerns have been addressed. Damascus Citizens for Sustainability sued the Delaware River Basin Commission in January, about a month after regulators voted to ban the disposal of drilling wastewater in a vast watershed that includes portions of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and Delaware. The lawsuit said regulators had quietly issued “extra-regulatory exemptions” after the vote that could have paved the way for the road spreading of contaminated fracking wastewater from so-called “conventional” well sites. … The basin commission denied Damascus Citizens for Sustainability's legal claims of a loophole, saying the group had misinterpreted regulatory guidance on the new ban. But regulators agreed to clarify policy language to make clear the ban approved in December includes wastewater from all kinds of fracking sites, not just unconventional gas wells.” TIME FOR SOME BANKING PROBLEMS IN FORT LEE — “FDIC hits Fort Lee bank with cease and desist order, cites 'unsafe banking practices',” by The Record’s Daniel Munoz: “Cross River Bank in Fort Lee was issued a cease and desist order by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. over allegedly “unsafe or unsound” banking practices” related to fair-lending laws. The Bergen County bank is a partner with many financial technology and crypto firms. The bank allegedly failed to establish and maintain ‘internal controls, information systems, and prudent credit underwriting practices,’ the FDIC said Friday. … The news comes on the heels of three recent bank failures this year — Silicon Valley Bank, Signature Bank and now First Republic Bank.” —“TikTok's 'Benadryl Challenge' sends Monmouth County teen to hospital” —“N.J. ranks in top 10 in nation for most expensive homes, latest data shows” —“Medieval Times retired falcon gets in shape, preens for kids at Popcorn Park in Lacey”
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