Below is Insider NJ’s Morning Intelligence Briefing:
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I don’t want to be the county leader, I don’t want to be the boss of Hudson County, I want to remain the state senator and mayor. When I ran for the chairmanship in ’18, that was a mistake … If you offered me the chairmanship today, I wouldn’t take it.” – Senator Stack backing Hudson County Executive Guy for HCDO Chair
TOP STORY: Platkin Telegraphs End of the (County) Party (Line) Ahead of Judge’s Ruling
Download and read Insider NJ’s annual Irish American New Jersey leaders list in honor of St. Patrick’s Day, compiled by Tom Barrett.
AG Platkin sent a letter to Judge Quraishi, ahead of the hearing in Rep. Kim’s lawsuit challenging the state’s ballot design, notifying him that his office will not defend the state statutes on primary ballot designs, calling the county party line ‘unconstitutional’. Platkin’s letter puts him at odds with the upper echelons of the Murphy Administration; the Governor’s Office countered that Attorneys General have a ‘general obligation to defend the constitutionality of statutes, despite their personal opinions’, according to Politico NJ.
A Rutgers Eagleton poll finds a majority of New Jerseyans believe teachers shouldn’t share a student’s transgender identity with their parents if the student doesn’t feel safe.
The NJDOL launched the ‘My Career NJ’ hub.
First Lady Tammy Murphy’s sprawling finances are on display in anew disclosure, according to NJ Spotlight.
A whistleblower claims the state allowed danger to persist at Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital, according to NJ.com.
Gun carry permit requests soared after the Supreme Court upended firearm laws, according to NJ Monitor.
The state is in talks to settle a lawsuit that aims to halt the storage of baby blood spots, according to NJ Monitor.
Morris County launched the ‘Arrive Together’ initiative, according to NJ Spotlight.
ICYMI: Menendez considering independent Senate run; Murphy’s approval 50%; Insider NJ’s Who’s Up And Who’s Down; COVID report released; poll shows clear majority want Menendez gone; NJ Dems back up SOTU; Murphy has higher name recognition but Kim has higher favorable ratings; Senate race promises historic results
Read Insider NJ’s Who’s Up And Who’s Down to see where the players stand in Jersey politics over the past week.
The HCDO awarded the ballot line in the Senate primary to First Lady Tammy Murphy. Camden County Democrats endorsed Murphy. Rep. secured the backing of the Atlantic County Democrats with 74% of the vote. The Morris County Democrats endorsed Rep. Kim with 85% of the vote.
Rep. Kim fired back at First Lady Tammy Murphy’s criticism on his voting record and absence rate.
Middlesex County Democrats announced their endorsed candidates.
Passaic County Commissioner Terry Duffy’s son, Sean Duffy, is considering an commissioner candidacy with off-the-line Sheriff candidate Jerry Speziale, according to TAPinto.
Senator Stack is backing Hudson Executive Guy for HCDO chair, saying current Chair Vainieri has ‘ripped the party apart’, as the feud with North Bergen intensifies, according to Hudson County View. Mayor Sacco responded to Stack’s comments, saying Stack is creating ‘unnecessary division’ in the county and that its ‘unfortunate that he is displaying’ paranoia.
Assemblywoman Lampitt is slated to succeed Camden County Clerk Ripa, according to NJ Globe. Sheriff Wilson won’t seek re-election, according to NJ Globe.
In CD2, Democratic primary candidate Tim Alexander was endorsed by the ‘Democratic Coalition of Ocean County’.
In CD8, Rep. Menendez gave a fiery speech at his fundraiser, according to Hudson County View.
GOP Senate primary candidate Curtis Bashaw won the Cape May GOP and Middlesex GOP county lines, according to SaveJersey.
ICYMI: Poll: Who will win the Dem Senate primary; Murphy secured the backing of MCDO; Murphy unleashed on Kim over TikTok; allies joined line lawsuit; Kim won Mercer Dems backing, won Ocean Dems backing, Murphy’s convention victory in Bergen, convention win in Somerset; Speziale blasted Adamo; Passaic Dems selected Adamo for sheriff, against off-the-line candidate Speziale; Fulop sees a ‘clear lane’; Murphy plans to ‘be everywhere’; Passaic GOP announced candidates
In Hoboken, Councilman Russo held a fundraiser, according to Hudson County View. The Democrats endorsed Rep. Kim for Senate and Mayor Bhalla for CD8 Congress. Democratic Chair Hodes announced her resignation.
In Madison, the town plans to buy a electric van for senior services, according to NJ Hills.
In Mahwah, a cell tower could be ‘powered up’ soon, according to the Bergen Record.
In Morristown, the council heard a proposal for 150 apartments on Spring Street, according to Morristown Green.
In Oakland, Ramapo Indian Hills was questioned over supervisor staffing changes, according to the Bergen Record.
In Passaic, 8 are running for 3 BOE seats, according to NorthJersey.com.
In Princeton, the BOE hopes to extend the acting superintendent’s contract another year, according to Planet Princeton.
In Ridgewood, the town wants artificial turf on land that some say has Revolutionary War history, according to NJ.com.
In Roselle, the police chief was relieved of duties amid allegations of homophobic slurs, according to NJ.com.
In South Orange, supporters rallied for a principal accused of assaulting a student, according to NJ.com.
In Trenton, Governor Murphy spoke with the CEO of Starbucks regarding to impending closure of the downtown location, according to NJ101.5.
In Ventnor, the ad hoc Citizens Advisory Committee will be eliminated, according to Downbeach.
In Wayne, trustees put years of planning into the referendum proposal that was voted down, according to NorthJersey.com.
In White, cost and details emerged on the sale of the Jaindl farmland, according to Lehigh Valley Live.
In Wildwood, a statue of Rydell was approved for a park, according to the Press of Atlantic City.
ICYMI: In Trenton, officials hoping for Starbucks change of heart
AROUND THE WEB:
NJ open records law could be gutted. Here’s what NorthJersey.com has unearthed using OPRA
James M. O’Neill, NorthJersey.com
- Through New Jersey’s Open Public Records Act, NorthJersey.com has been able to inform readers about the numerous hazardous materials stored in their communities — many near schools and homes — and the emergency evacuation plans their towns have in place in the event of a disaster.
Trenton Starbucks closing has drawn more politicians than the hotel and hospital closings
LA Parker, The Trentonian
- Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Ewing) joined a letter writing campaign to Starbucks CEO Laxman Narasimhan this week, urging the company to reconsider its decision to close a Community Store in downtown Trenton.
Jesse Ventura could give Donald Trump a run for his money | Mulshine
Paul Mulshine, Star-Ledger Columnist
- As the two-party system descends into desuetude, let’s at least have a few laughs on the way down. Those laughs could come with the nomination of former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura for the No. 2 spot on Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s third-party ticket in the November presidential election.
Enough! Time to cut arms to Israel over Gaza | Moran
Tom Moran, Star-Ledger Editorial Board
- There was a day, long ago, when Americans could defend unconditional support for Israel. It was David fighting Goliath, a democracy struggling to survive against long odds, while offering credible peace plans designed to pave the way for a Palestinian state.
Will Murphy kneecap his own EV initiative? | Editorial
Star-Ledger Editorial Board
- There is no debate that we need to replenish the Transportation Trust Fund, that $2 billion annual bucket of money – separate from the general fund — that is used to rebuild New Jersey’s infrastructure. Without it, roads sag, bridges crumble, trains stop, and the economy seizes up. The only dispute is how you fund the TTF, which we haven’t had to decide since 2016.
The reasons why NJ Transit’s 15% fare hike will go ahead
Larry Higgs, NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
- With a 15% fare increase looming, will Gov. Phil Murphy’s proposed business transit tax solve NJ Transit funding problems and avert a fare increase? Up to now, funding NJ Transit’s operating budget has been a roller coaster over the decades, going up or down depending on the whims of the governor who’s in office.
N.J.’s Controversial Public Records Bill on Hold — But Concern Lingers
Matt Kadosh and Mark J. Bonamo, TAPinto.net
- At a state Senate budget hearing earlier this week, advocates for the media and transparency voiced their concerns about proposed changes to the New Jersey Open Public Records Act, and by Friday, March 15, the measure had been put on hold.
Rutgers student sues over ‘selfish and illegal’ faculty strike
Dana DiFilippo, NJ Monitor
- A Rutgers University student sued seven local and national faculty unions Friday for last spring’s weeklong walkout, accusing the labor groups of “a selfish and illegal strike” and demanding compensation for lost educational time. Jeremy Li, a commuter student at the New Brunswick campus who’s now a junior, wants a state Superior Court judge to declare the April strike illegal, arguing the 9,000-plus faculty who walked off the job are public employees barred by law from striking.
Siemens’ latest round of NJ cuts top 150
Jessica Perry, NJBIZ.com
- Another round of layoffs is hitting Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Inc. In a March WARN notice filing with the state, the company indicated cuts of 162 positions in Flanders. Effective dates range from September 2024 through March 2025. According to a company representative, the announcement is consistent with past reductions and part of a total 300 eliminated positions announced in November 2023.
ROI’s Women in Business honorees: Journalism profession well-represented
ROI-NJ Staff
- Journalists seemingly are supposed to be invisible, the people behind the scenes that bring news and information that is so vital to society. But, when ROI-NJ was selecting its ROI Influencers: Women in Business for 2024, the quality of journalists in the state was too overwhelming to ignore. So, we didn’t.
Payne to serve as keynote speaker at State of Black NJ Economic Summit
ROI-NJ Staff
- U.S. Rep. Donald Payne Jr. will serve as the keynote speaker for the State of Black NJ 2024 Economic Summit, to be held April 17 at the Crowne Plaza Princeton-Conference Center in Plainsboro. The annual African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey summit serves as a platform for dialogue on public policies and the economic impact on Black New Jerseyans and Black businesses in New Jersey as it relates to education, health, workforce readiness and attaining an equitable share of economic opportunities within the public and private sectors of the state.
An independent Menendez run could produce the first elect GOP U.S. Senate from N.J. in 50 years
Matt Rooney, Save Jersey
- This just got more interesting, Save Jerseyans… Multi-time indicted U.S. Senator Bob Menendez is apparently considering an independent run for reelection this fall; that’s according to a Thursday report from NBC News. “He is now making calls to allies about his record and career and is preparing to collect petitions to run in November as an independent, the sources said,” per NBC.
Op-Ed: Calling on Gov. Murphy to fill all seats on Environmental Education Commission
Allison Mulch, Lauren Madden, NJ Spotlight
- New Jersey’s 1.3 million K-12 students need the information and tools to address the complex environmental issues of the future including climate change and pollution. State leadership in environmental education can help ensure that in a few short years the next generation of young adults will enter the workforce and serve their communities prepared for the future.
Atlantic Shores offshore wind farm in New Jersey would have 157 turbines and be 8.4 miles from shore
Wayne Parry, Associated Press
- An offshore wind power project proposed for New Jersey would have 157 turbines and be located 8.4 miles from shore at its closest point, data released by the federal government Friday shows. The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management said it will begin an environmental review Monday of the Atlantic Shores project. It released key details of the project in announcing the environmental review.
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Insider NJ is a popular news source that provides daily briefings on the latest political and social developments in New Jersey. The Daily Briefing for March 18, 2024, covers a wide range of topics that are important to residents of the state.
One of the key highlights of the briefing is the announcement of a new initiative by Governor Murphy to expand access to affordable healthcare for all New Jersey residents. The initiative, known as the “Healthcare for All” plan, aims to provide comprehensive healthcare coverage to all residents, regardless of their income or employment status. This initiative is part of the Governor’s ongoing efforts to improve healthcare access and affordability in the state.
Another important topic covered in the briefing is the latest updates on the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. New Jersey has been at the forefront of the fight against the virus, implementing strict public health measures and rolling out a successful vaccination campaign. The briefing provides updates on the latest case numbers, vaccination rates, and any new guidelines or restrictions that may be in place.
In addition to healthcare and COVID-19 updates, the Daily Briefing also covers other important news stories from around the state. This may include updates on legislative developments, local elections, infrastructure projects, and more. Insider NJ’s Daily Briefing is a valuable resource for staying informed about what is happening in New Jersey and how it may impact residents.
Overall, Insider NJ’s Daily Briefing for March 18, 2024, provides a comprehensive overview of the most important news and developments in the state. Whether you are a resident of New Jersey or simply interested in staying informed about current events, this briefing is a valuable resource for staying up-to-date on the latest news and information.
