Below is Insider NJ’s Morning Intelligence Briefing:
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “Life in Jersey has become too damn expensive.” – Rep. Gottheimer launching his gubernatorial candidacy
TOP STORY: The Red-Shift 2024: Bergen County
Download and read Insider NJ’s 2024 Out 100: Power List by Jay Lassiter.
On Friday, Rep. Gottheimer officially launched his campaign for Governor, entering the Democratic gubernatorial primary next year. At his launch, Gottheimer honed in on affordability as a top priority, saying life in the state has become ‘too damn expensive’ and that he’s running to be the ‘lower taxes, lower cost Governor‘ while remaining committed to Democratic values.
This morning, Rep. Sherrill launched her candidacy for Governor, releasing an announcement video.
Governor Murphy applauded $300M in federal funding for NJ Transit improvements.
NJ voters favor social media warning labels.
Trump’s win is a sting for black NJ Democrats, with some saying the party ignored them and has paid a price, according to NJ.com.
A blue envelope can keep NJ autistic drivers safe, according to the Bergen Record.
NJ students are still struggling with post-pandemic learning loss, according to NJ101.5.
A SEPTA strike possibility looms, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Bergen County added 9,000 provisional votes to its overall count, according to the Bergen Record.
The Hudson County prosecutor’s office opened its own DNA lab, according to the Jersey Journal.
The Passaic Valley Water Commission held its first virtual town hall.
Rep. Van Drew condemned proposed tax hikes.
Rep. Pallone urged President Biden to protect coastal waters without active leases from further extraction, according to TAPinto.
ICYMI: Democrats lost strength; voters aren’t familiar w/ guv candidates; Murphy addressed the loss of Democratic strength on election day
Usually a Democratic stronghold, Bergen County shifted more red in the general election.
Six Assembly candidates joined Jersey City Mayor Fulop’s Democratic primary slate.
Rep. Gottheimer’s gubernatorial campaign scored a massive 100+ Bergen endorsements, according to NJ Globe.
Jack Ciattarelli is borrowing from the Trump playbook, kicking off a NJ barbershop tour, according to SaveJersey.
In LD21, former Summit GOP Chair Spurr is challenging Assemblywomen Munoz and Matsikoudis in the GOP primary, according to NJ Globe. Munoz and Matsikoudis announced endorsements.
In LD23, Assemblymen DiMaio and Peterson announced their re-election bids. The Somerset GOP is looking to retake an Assembly seat in the primary, according to NJ Globe.
‘Gen Z For New Jersey’ was launched to empower young leaders.
Brittany Wheeler was named Somerset County GOP State Committeewoman, succeeding Janice Fields, according to NJ Globe.
Grassroots Morris groups want Rep. Sherrill to run for Governor, according to NJ Globe.
ICYMI: Sweeney allies see path to victory; guv race taking shape; Baraka allies energized; firefighter unions split over guv race; Dems ready to find themselves; Hispanic Democratic dissatisfaction has grown; Bramnick faces difficult path; Ciattarelli sees advantages; Duarte looking ahead to 2025
Former Governor Christie will celebrate the 15th anniversary of his 2009 gubernatorial victory at Drumthwacket, according to NJ Globe.
Senate Minority Leader Bucco and Senator O’Scanlon called on the Governor to restore municipal aid.
Senate Minority Leader Bucco was honored with the ASAH’s Legislator of the Year Award.
The state is preparing to defend against Trumps deportation agenda.
ICYMI: Guv converged at housing conference; Haytaian passed away; Bramnick bucked his party
In Marlboro, sign-stealing has become an issue post-election.
In Guttenberg, the AG’s Office is investigating a fatal police-involved encounter.
In Atlantic Highlands, residents don’t want a wall to keep out the rising ocean, according to NJ.com.
In Cherry Hill, a school accidentally released the names of students who opted out of sex education, according to NJ.com.
In Lawnside, a racial slur scrawled on a fence prompted a police probe, according to Burlington County Times.
In Parsippany, a new winner emerged in the BOE race, according to TAPinto.
In Phillipsburg, the town will foot the bill on the dismissed indictment against a former councilman, according to Lehigh Valley Live.
In Roxbury, the population could grow by 5,000 due to affordable housing requirements, according to NJ Hills.
In Southamption, a new mayor was installed non-unanimously after the public left a meeting, raising transparency concerns, according to The Pines Barrens Tribune.
In Stafford, the schools superintendent was charged with a DUI, according to the Asbury Park Press.
In Swedesboro, a $23M apartment complex proposal promises to bring new vitality to the town, according to the Press of Atlantic City.
In Upper Township, employees disagree on morale, according to the Press of Atlantic City.
In Wayne, a tax appeal was settled with the former Toys R Us site, according to NorthJersey.com.
ICYMI: n Howell, GOP won election; in Marlboro, voters elected split BOE ticket; in Hoboken, Councilwoman Giattino passed away; in Howell, little unity w/in GOP; in Marlboro, tensions rising in the BOE race; in Somerville, JFK is on the ballot; in Randolph, council control at stake with huge significance
AROUND THE WEB:
Gottheimer’s bid for governor comes with big plans to cut taxes
Tom Bergeron, roi-nj.com
- Democratic Congressman Josh Gottheimer prides himself as being a Jersey guy – someone who loves Bruce and bagels, the Shore, the state’s diversity and its great schools. He also prides himself on being a straight talker, an elected official who actually listens to his constituents. So, as he announced his intention to run for governor Friday at the Runway Diner in South Hackensack, he said the biggest focus of his campaign will be an issue everyone can rally around: Making New Jersey more affordable. “Jersey has become too damn expensive,” he said. “We pay too much in taxes and too much just to live.
Hochul’s blunders on congestion pricing | Editorial
Star-Ledger Editorial Board
- Kathy Hochul, an unpopular governor who has never been mistaken for a skilled politician, has given the green light for congestion pricing in lower Manhattan, a plan that could be implemented as soon as Jan. 5. If you value cleaner air, traffic reduction, the revival of a crumbling, century-old subway system and a new fleet of electric buses, you know this makes sense, and we have often praised congestion pricing as a smart strategy that has worked to cut pollution and relieve congestion from London to Singapore.
Give Trump this much: He warned us | Moran
Tom Moran, Star-Ledger
- In April, a poll conducted by the New York Times and Siena College found that about half of American voters agreed with this statement: “People who are offended by Donald Trump take his words too seriously.” So, when he promised to use the Department of Justice to prosecute “the enemy within” and named several prominent Democrats as his intended targets, lots of people shrugged it off.
Gov. Murphy doubled his income last year. Here are the details.
Brent Johnson, NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
- Gov. Phil Murphy and First Lady Tammy Murphy made about $1.4 million in income last year, doubling their earnings from the year before, when their stock portfolio took a nosedive, according to partial tax returns and a tax summary the governor’s office released Thursday. Murphy and his wife, who file their returns jointly, also paid about $598,000 in state and federal taxes, according to the documents, which cover 2023, the governor’s sixth year in office.
‘Drill, drill, drill’: New energy council signals Trump to prioritize energy production
Jacob Fischler, NJ Monitor
- President-elect Donald Trump’s announcement Friday afternoon that his pick for Interior secretary, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, would also coordinate a new council on energy policy is a sign the incoming administration will make energy production a core part of its domestic policy. Few details of the new National Energy Council were available Friday, as activists and lawmakers processed the surprise 4 p.m. Eastern announcement. But the move likely reflects a focus by Trump and his next administration on energy production, including fossil fuels.
Carstarphen: Dissecting the next four years for urban America
Vic Carstarphen
- Camden is a city of neighborhoods, built on the backs of the most resilient residents in the nation. As the results from the general election sink in and creep further behind us, I am now looking into the future with my colleagues in the state’s other urban areas. We are focusing on what another Donald Trump presidency will look like for the cities made up of mostly Black and brown people and what the policies will be during the coming tenure of the President-Elect.
Transit CEOs questioned about ‘summer of hell’
Brenda Flanagan, NJ Spotlight
- State lawmakers questioned the CEOs of Amtrak and New Jersey Transit Thursday, asking them to explain the transit debacles of this summer, when hundreds of canceled trains and infrastructure failures left thousands of rail riders fuming. “We just had another summer of hell on NJ Transit. And despite all that money, the rider experience continues to be deplorable. Just ask my constituents,” Assemblyman Chris DePhillips (R-Bergen) said at a hearing of the Assembly Transportation Committee.
Just accepting status quo means no progress
LA Parker, The Trentonian
- The it-is-what-it-is insight causes significant loathing. Despite its trite accuracy, please, allow this indulgence. The New Jersey State Prison is what it is, a place in Trenton that houses a fraternity of murderers, rapists, rapists-murderers, serial killers, etc. A Who’s Who of killers reside inside the New Jersey State Prison aka the most notorious adult care.
‘Ghost Bridge’ Visible in Empty Oak Ridge Resevoir
Jennifer Dericks, TAPinto Newton
- While New Jersey is enduring an historic drought, the moonscape of the empty reservoir visible from Route 23 is primarily due to the Newark Watershed lowering the water level to perform maintenance on the dam and gatehouse located off Oak Ridge Road, watershed officials said. Typically covered by water, a stone bridge with three arches has emerged and is attracting the attention of area residents. Dubbed the “Ghost Bridge” it was originally part of the villages that were sacrificed in the 1890’s to create the reservoir.
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Insider NJ’s Daily News Update for November 18, 2024
Insider NJ is a popular news source that provides daily updates on the latest happenings in New Jersey politics, business, and culture. On November 18, 2024, Insider NJ’s daily news update covered a range of important stories that are shaping the state’s future.
One of the top stories featured in the update was Governor Murphy’s announcement of a new initiative to boost small businesses in New Jersey. The governor unveiled a plan to provide grants and loans to small businesses that have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This initiative is aimed at helping small businesses recover and thrive in the post-pandemic economy.
Another key story in the update was the ongoing debate over education funding in New Jersey. The state legislature is currently considering a new funding formula for schools that would allocate resources based on student need rather than property taxes. This proposal has sparked heated discussions among lawmakers, educators, and parents, as they seek to find a fair and equitable solution to the state’s education funding challenges.
In addition to these stories, Insider NJ’s daily news update also covered developments in transportation, healthcare, and environmental policy. The update highlighted new infrastructure projects, healthcare initiatives, and environmental regulations that are shaping the future of New Jersey.
Overall, Insider NJ’s daily news update for November 18, 2024 provided readers with a comprehensive overview of the most important news stories impacting the state. By staying informed on these issues, residents of New Jersey can better understand the challenges and opportunities facing their communities and work towards building a brighter future for all.
