NJ News You Missed: Common Ground Edition
Catch up on what's happening around the Garden State and you'll be nobody's fool
Springtime means family holiday gatherings, community events, and more outdoor activities which offer bountiful opportunities for conversation. Given the current news whirlwind, you’ll likely be presented with banter about top headlines or potentially divisive controversies mixed in with typical family updates and anecdotes.
Here are a few things to consider while evaluating or consuming current NJ news:
Primary election day in NJ is a little over 8 weeks away. Be prepared for hot topics and media spin applied to local coverage. State and local lawmakers and the media outlets that support them will be gearing up to compete for your vote ahead of the June primaries.
Governor Murphy delivered his Fiscal Year 2024 budget proposal in February. NJ Senate and General Assembly budget hearings are currently underway, so negotiations between the governor’s office and legislators on issues or program funding which represent points of contention or political sway with voters will be amplified during the next couple months. The final budget has to be agreed upon and passed by June 30.
Elections for every seat in the state legislature - Senate and General Assembly - are on the ballot along with other county and local contests. Couple that with many state lawmakers retiring or not seeking re-election and it ups the ante for political activity and influence operations. Pile on current events related to the 2024 presidential race which have already captured a lot of public attention and a perfect storm emerges. We have a diverse state which models many targeted demographics for Info Age campaign tactics and messaging. Partisan strategists, pollsters and political action campaigns will likely take advantage of this opportunity and use NJ as a training ground or test market for various politically-charged initiatives and talking points amid races for hotly-contested or open seats during the months ahead. Buckle up!
Things are shifting into high gear as the weather warms up and social interactions increase. We want to hear your thoughts about what’s happening around our state including feedback and insights from your conversations. Reader comments are always welcome. And make sure you’re subscribed so we can invite you to upcoming subscriber-only chats here on Substack. Now…on to the NJ news that you might have missed!
Independent Voters Who Requested Mail-in Ballots Must Register With Democratic or Republican Party by April 12 (to Vote By Mail in June Primary Elections)
“A new law signed by Gov. Phil Murphy last year no longer requires county clerks to mail both Democratic and Republican mail-in ballots to unaffiliated voters on a permanent VBM list. Instead, those voters must either pick a party or vote in person.”
Paterson Police Department Taken Over by State; Senior NJSP, NYPD Officers to Lead Reform Effort
“Due to a number of events and concerns relating to the Paterson Police Department, there is a crisis of confidence in law enforcement in the City of Paterson,” said Attorney General Platkin…”Exercising control over the police department and bringing in nationally recognized police leadership for the department is the first step of a process towards a safer and more just City of Paterson.”
State Watchdog Agency: More Nursing Home Oversight, Intervention Needed to Protect Patients and Improve Care
“The new report from acting State Comptroller Kevin Walsh echoes those earlier documents in urging the state agencies that oversee Medicaid to shift their payment system to reward higher-quality care, instead of paying for residents to live in nursing homes regardless of the conditions…[he] also recommends the state Department of Health, which licenses nursing homes, ban owners and operators associated with these poor-quality facilities from obtaining a stake in other nursing homes.”
Massive Statehouse Restoration Project Nears Completion, Governor Murphy Moves Into Office
“The project to renovate the deteriorating executive wing of the Statehouse was first announced in November 2016. According to officials in the state Department of the Treasury, the $283 million project is on schedule and the entirety of the executive branch staff is expected to return to the Statehouse by the end of April.”
Law Providing Voluntary Autism, Communication Disorder Driver’s License Designation Heads to Governor’s Desk
“Interactions with police officers are stressful for drivers who don’t struggle with communication issues. For those who have autism or disorders involving speech or language, it can be dangerous, because they may not respond appropriately,” Dunn (R-Morris) said. “A designation of such a diagnosis on a driver’s license would help law enforcement recognize when a person may have trouble communicating and also reduce some anxieties for those drivers and their families.”
US Attorney’s Office: Essex County Senior Citizen Admits Role in Blockchain Tech Securities Fraud, Partner on the Lamb
“Through CG Blockchain Inc. and BCT Inc., Pardo and her co-defendant, Boaz Manor, touted a product called ComplianceGuard, which purportedly provided hedge funds with a blockchain-based auditing tool. Before starting these entities, Manor was convicted and served a prison sentence in Canada for crimes stemming from his previous role as a hedge fund manager. While raising money for these new entities, Pardo helped Manor – who changed his appearance and used aliases – hide his true identity and criminal past from investors.”
What Emergency? State Senator Calls For End to Pandemic Initiated, Excessive Executive Power Grab
“New Jersey’s ongoing state of emergency gives the governor and state departments the authority to keep unnecessary directives in place, and it allows the governor to continue spending billions in federal relief funds with almost no transparency or oversight,” Testa said.
It also allows Murphy to circumvent the Legislature and diminish its constitutional authority as a co-equal branch of government, he said.”
‘Election Transparency Act’ Passes: Some Measures Applauded, Others Questioned, Many Decry Perceived Executive Overreach, Partisan Power Consolidation
“The bill’s supporters say the proposed increases in donation limits are partly meant to combat the rise independent expenditure groups have made since Citizen’s United, the landmark 2010 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that barred limits on how much some of these groups could spend to influence races.”
“Recent opposition to the bill has centered around provisions that would drastically reduce the time allotted to the Election Law Enforcement Commission for investigations of campaign finance violations and allow the governor to replace the agency’s current commissioners without Senate approval.”
If You Haven’t Had Enough of the Clown Show Lately, the Circus is Coming to New Jersey in April
“A reputable international circus, Do Portugal Circus, is proud to announce its upcoming performances in New Jersey. The show will be held in Woodbridge Center in Woodbridge Township every day from April 7-23.”
“They are proud to be a show for the full family and are very family-friendly. Some of their acts include motorcyclists in the globe of death, swinging trapeze, aerialists, jugglers, hand balancers, and a funny clown. The circus is only human acts and there are no animals in any of their performances.”