Insider NJ’s Morning Intelligence Briefing: 5/23/2023

Below is Insider NJ’s Morning Intelligence Briefing:

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “For the legislative leaders — any of them — to renege on this commitment would be absolutely catastrophic to the business reputation of New Jersey. When you have legislative leaders who renege on commitments, can you ever trust them when they say they’re going to do something?” – NJ Chamber of Commerce President Bracken referring to the CBT surcharge

TOP STORY: The Tortured New Jersey Odyssey of ‘Dick and Jane’

In Hanover, GOP candidates are coming to the defense of the school district over the parental notification policy.

In Belmar, the boardwalk thrives a decade after being rebuilt, according to TAPinto.

In Bridgewater, the mayor says the town won’t support residential units at the Bridgewater Commons Mall site, according to TAPinto.

In Denville, the town is turning to ‘digital chalking’ to nab parking violators, according to NorthJersey.com.

In East Hanover, voters will choose a mayoral candidate in the GOP primary, according to NJ Hills.

In East Orange, Mayor Green delivered the State of the City address, according to TAPinto.

In Flemington, the school budget was presented, according to TAPinto.

In Florham Park, Germerhausen, Johnstone, and Cali are pushing for ‘fresh leadership’, according to NJ Hills. Malone condemned ‘misinformation’ about the budget, according to NJ Hills.

In Franklin Lakes, the Ramapo Indian Hills BOE attorney quit, according to the Bergen Record.

In Green Brook, a mixed-use downtown development was approved, according to MyCentralJersey.

In Jersey City, the city is mulling a limit on cannabis dispensaries, according to the Jersey Journal.

In Newark, the city will make its e-scooter and bike program permanent, according to TAPinto.

In North Caldwell, financials for the September referendum were discussed by the BOE, according to NJ Hills.

In Old Bridge, Raceway Park is unhappy with redevelopment plans, according to MyCentralJersey.

In Paterson, a raise for the Housing Authority director drew objections, according to Paterson Press.

In Princeton, the teachers union refused to released a letter relating to a conflict with a former principal, according to Planet Princeton.

In Readington, the budget was re-introduced, according to NJ Hills.

In Red Bank, the municipal election results were officially released, according to TAPinto.

In Rockaway, a 18-month impasse ended with a new contract for cops, according to the Daily Record.

In Warren, the PBA endorsed Lazo in the GOP primary, according to NJ Hills.

In Wayne, the town launched a new emergency alert system, according to NorthJersey.com.

In West Orange, the council voted down the revised cannabis ordinance, according to TAPinto.

ICYMI: In Hanover, Pennacchio expressed support for school policy after Platkin’s civil rights complaint; in Paterson, Eastside Don Bosco went head-to-head at historic and reborn Hinchliffe; in Roxbury, book legal battle is lightening rod for candidates; in Fair Lawn, residents banded together to snuff out Nabisco implosion; in WNY, Sires thanked Stack as driving force behind his victory; Sires clinched victory as Cirillo concedes, both hit the streets in the final hours of the race; in North Bergen, Sacco romped to victory

AROUND THE WEB:

Is the Jersey Shore ours? Yours? Nobody’s?

Amy S. Rosenberg, Philadelphia Inquirer

• People sometimes arrive at the Jersey Shore like they’re expecting something more akin to a swimming pool, or the pool club they left behind in the ‘burbs.

Do these 4 rest stops on the way to the Jersey Shore live up to the people they’re named after?

Tommy Rowan, Philadelphia Inquirer

• Bruce Springsteen, essentially, said “Nah.” In 2021, as part of a reconstruction and renovation plan, New Jersey opted to rebrand nine Garden State Parkway rest stops, naming the service areas after members of the state’s Hall of Fame. Think Whitney Houston, James Gandolfini, Jon Bon Jovi, etc.

Don’t juice the numbers on the graduation test | Editorial

Star-Ledger Editorial Board

• A few months ago, a terrible bill was moving through the Legislature to eliminate the state test that New Jersey students must take to graduate. Thankfully, it did not succeed.

Less campaign spin, more transparency needed from Jersey City City Hall | Jersey Journal editorial

Jersey Journal Editorial

• The Jersey City Council is expected to approve a plan Wednesday to borrow $57 million over the next five years to make up for a whopping deficit the city administration is blaming on COVID-era revenue losses. Since it’s otherwise against state law to borrow to fill holes in a municipal budget, the city is relying on a 2020 law that makes an exception for COVID-related losses.

How this Paterson official is helping city residents rebuild their lives — after prison

Joe Malinconico, Paterson Press

• Pierre Graves was having a hard time finding work. “People say they are equal opportunity employers, but then you tell them you were in prison, and you get denied,” said the 55-year-old Paterson resident.

Dem lawmakers target book bans in public libraries as censorship rises

Dana DiFilippo, NJ Monitor

• Libraries and public schools in New Jersey would be prohibited from banning books — and would lose state funding if they did so — under new legislation introduced Monday. Public libraries would be required to adopt the American Library Association’s “library bill of rights” or a similar policy under the bill sponsored by Sens. Andrew Zwicker (D-Somerset) and Teresa Ruiz (D-Essex) and Assemblywoman Mila Jasey (D-Essex).

How Much Water is ‘Lost?’ Greenstein Wants the State to Find Out

TAPinto Hamilton/Robbinsville Staff

• State lawmakers want to know how much water is “lost” each year in the delivery of water to New Jersey customers in order to then find better ways to conserve it. Under legislation sponsored by Senator Linda Greenstein (D-Mercer/Middlesex) that was recently passed in the State Senate Energy and Environment Committee, water purveyors that serve more than 3,300 individuals would be required to conduct, and report water loss audits to the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

On the Agenda: Princeton, Can You Hear Me Now? Is This Better? Now?

Richard K. Rein, TAPinto Princeton

• Longtime residents of Princeton will remember the good old days, when Princeton sat in the sweet spot of modern communications. Halfway between New York and Philadelphia, Princetonians’ television antenna could pick up a television station from virtually every channel from 2 to 13 on the VHF dial and a dozen more on the UHF band.

NJ in slow lane on road to electrify buildings?

Tom Johnson, NJ Spotlight

• Hardly any climate initiative has stirred as much anxiety among people in New Jersey as the prospect of phasing out the use of natural gas to heat homes and to cook meals, leading top state officials to repeatedly deny any forthcoming mandates to do so.

Who’s testing the latest autonomous vehicle tech? The Port Authority. Here’s how

Colleen Wilson, NorthJersey.com

• When Angel L. Rios started working for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in 1987, the agency was beginning to introduce PCs to employees. Now, 36 years later, it’s testing an autonomous vehicle in his department.

Stranger stalking bill edges closer to law

Nikitia Biryukov, NJ Monitor

• Senate lawmakers on Monday unanimously approved an expansion of state protective order statutes to provide stalking and harassment victims a smoother path to recourse when they’re targeted by a stranger. The bipartisan bill would end a so-called “stranger loophole” that makes it more difficult — and sometimes impossible — for victims of stalking or cyber harassment to seek protective orders against people they’re not related to.

More reports of anti-Muslim incidents in NJ

David Matthau, NJ1015

• A new report finds the number of anti-Muslim discrimination cases in New Jersey has been rising. According to Dina Sayedahmed, the communications manager for the New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, there were 152 discrimination cases reported in 2022, compared to 104 in 2021.

Low reading levels among NJ students spark campaign to improve literacy

Jessie Gomez, NJ Spotlight

• After an alarming drop in reading and language arts test scores among students in New Jersey, state and local advocates are urging education leaders to develop a plan to improve literacy in public schools.

Pallone slams GOP default plan, says many in NJ would lose

Joanna Gagis, NJ Spotlight

• As federal lawmakers try to hammer out an agreement to raise the national debt ceiling and avoid a default on our bills, on Friday U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ) addressed constituents who stand to lose funding if the Republican-backed Limit, Save, Grow Act advances. The bill ties the increase of the debt ceiling to a 22% cut in spending over the next decade. At a senior center in Piscataway, Pallone discussed what the loss in federal funding with representatives of various organizations.

Welcome sign at Morristown church damaged hours after Pride Month flags are displayed

Kyle Morel, New Jersey Herald

• A sign outside the Church of the Redeemer promoting acceptance for all community members was damaged over the weekend, hours after church officials set up their annual flag display in advance of Pride Month. The sign in front of the Episcopal church on South Street, which features the message “All Are Welcome,” was split in half late Friday or night or early Saturday morning, said the Rev. Cynthia Black, the church rector.

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