NJ Replaces Funds Planned Parenthood Lost over Federal Abortion Edict

From NJSpotlight


Gov. Phil Murphy on Thursday signed a law that, for now at least, inoculates women’s health clinics run by Planned Parenthood and other agencies against the loss of nearly $10 million under an anti-abortion edict issued by the Trump administration.

Last August, Planned Parenthood, which runs 22 clinics in New Jersey, opted to forgo millions in federal funding over the administration’s so-called gag rule, which forbids agencies that take money under the Title X program from advising clients about abortion.

The bill — approved by the Democratic majorities in both houses in late 2019, over the objection of anti-abortion advocates — allocates state money to restore the $9.5 million that had been forfeited.

Continue Reading

NJSpotlight: A RIVER OF CASH: ANALYZING NJ’S MULTIBILLION-DOLLAR REVENUE STREAMS

Here is another article from NJSpotlight that I think is interesting and makes you go Hmmm.

Why is it so expensive to live in New Jersey? Where does all the tax dollars go once collected by the various entities around the state?

NJSpotlight attempts to tell us:

A RIVER OF CASH: ANALYZING NJ’S MULTIBILLION-DOLLAR REVENUE STREAMS
JOHN REITMEYER | JANUARY 30, 2019
A new report calculates the billions of dollars that flow through the layers of government in the Garden State annually

After analyzing the budgets of over 1,000 government agencies, a right-leaning think tank found that governments in New Jersey are raising more than $86 billion annually from taxes, fees and other revenues. That number does not include federal funds or the revenues of authorities and independent bistate agencies like the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (which alone has annual operating expenses of $3.3 billion) or the Delaware River Port Authority ($301 million).

The report, “Adding it All Up” by the Garden State Initiative, was a difficult endeavor. The decentralized governing structure of the state — with its hundreds of governments, municipalities and authorities — makes it virtually impossible for residents to get a sense of exactly how much the system costs to run on an annual basis. GSI had to analyze the budgets of numerous agencies, ranging from state and county all the way down to local sewerage authorities.

The total haul soars to well over $100 billion after funds provided by the federal government are added in. And it tops out at $121 billion once investment gains by the public-worker pension funds and revenue from all authorities that operate in New Jersey, including bistate entities like the Port Authority, are factored in.

The goal of the Morristown-based group’s complicated accounting exercise was to determine just how much it costs to deliver government services in New Jersey. The report also sets the table for a deeper analysis of whether residents are getting bang for their buck. The group is promising to issue follow-up reports exploring ways governments can save money with specific efficiencies. GSI believes it will be able to identify opportunities for at least $1 billion in potential cuts in the coming weeks.

“Taxes are already too high and cutting expenditures haphazardly just to lower costs will cause us to lose the great public services of our state,” according to the report, which was provided to NJ Spotlight in advance of today’s official release.

“The key is to find efficiencies that make government work better for everybody,” the report said....

Continue reading.

NJSpotlight: $15 MINIMUM WAGE ON VERGE OF BECOMING LAW IN NEW JERSEY

I know that raising the minimum wage to $15 hr in NJ, is a big topic right now and on the verge of becoming a reality once Governor Murphy signs the bill that is currently sitting on his desk.

There are pros & cons and people for or against the proposal on both sides; I happen to be for it but here's the thing, I don't believe it should be across the board. There should be a two (maybe three) tiered minimum wage based on age and seasonal employment that protect both low income earners and small business.

I feel that those that rely on "Tips" for income should have a standard minimum wage over and above whatever tips are earned, but less than the maximum $15.

Here is more from NJSpotlight:

$15 MINIMUM WAGE ON VERGE OF BECOMING LAW IN NEW JERSEY
JOHN REITMEYER | FEBRUARY 1, 2019

Governor says he’ll sign compromise measure approved in Legislature yesterday elevating wages of low-paid workers nearly 70 percent by 2024

Over the objections of Republican lawmakers, the Democratic-controlled Legislature easily approved a measure yesterday that will raise the state’s minimum wage for most workers to $15 over the next five years. The bill now goes to Gov. Phil Murphy, who’s promising to sign it within days.

There was little suspense heading into yesterday’s votes. The legislation was the result of a closely negotiated compromise involving Murphy, a first-term Democrat who campaigned on the wage increase, and Democratic legislative leaders who had been more qualified in their embrace of the concept.

GOP lawmakers pleaded with Democratic sponsors yesterday to abandon their deal with the governor, suggesting the proposed increase could lead to job losses and other unintended consequences. But the sponsors noted that similar concerns were raised in 2013, the last time the state changed its minimum-wage policies and the bill passed both houses easily, 52-25 in the Assembly, 23-16 in the Senate.

“If we make mistakes, we’ll address mistakes, but raising people out of poverty is not a mistake,” said Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-Gloucester).

Murphy responded quickly to the votes on social media, promising he would sign the wage increase Monday.

“Working families can’t wait,” the governor said.... 

Continue reading 

NJ Spotlight's Interactive Map: Tracking The Gubernatorial Campaign Contributions

NJ Spotlight once again has put up an interactive map that shows us in which parts of the state this year's gubernatorial candidates received their campaign contributions from. Democrat Phil Murphy, has a clear money advantage over his rival Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno.

Here in Middletown, Guadagno has out fundraised Murphy by slightly more than $10,000 ($26,800 to $16,074).  Interestingly, $1,500 of which has come from the campaign account of Middletown's Stephanie Murray.  What does that tell you?

Either Guadagno is worried about the overall money difference between her and Murphy and shook down Murray's campaign for a $1,500 contribution or Murray's campaign thinks so little of its opponent, that it doesn't think it needs its money to win reelection. Maybe it's both.        

From 10/26/17 Friends of Stephanie Murray campaign ELEC report 

Who Contributed To Chris Christie's Failed Presidential Campaign? NJSpotlight's Interactive Map Will Tells Us

NJSPOTLIGHT created an interactive & searchable map that allows us to see who and how much an individual contributed to Chris Christie's failed presidential campaign.

There were more than 4,400 donors to Christie for President and the Super PACs. The lion's share of Christie's money came from New Jersey -- $7.3 million -- and neighboring states. However, Christie also got at least one donation from every state, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, except for Hawaii, New Mexico and North Dakota.

You can do a search of contributors a few ways; you can do a search by name, state, town or zip code. So if you want to see whether or not Governor Christie had  any friends in Monmouth County or Middletown contribute to his campaign you can do so easily.

I found several prominent Middletown residents who contributed to ‎Chris Christie or one of his Super PACs. Look and see if you can find anyone you know on the list.

The Cost of Inaction

The following is from Congressman Rush Holt's newsletter
9/26/14


Last Sunday, over 300,000 people gathered in New York City for “The People’s Climate March,” to demand action ahead of the UN’s Climate Summit, after the most recent report issued by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) provided an ever growing body of scientific evidence demonstrating humanity’s detrimental effect on our planet.

(Rush Holt)

As the climate changes, we must change with it. Last year, President Obama’s Climate Action Plan established a framework to address climate change by placing regulations on new and existing power plants, promoting renewable energy on public lands, and piloting climate resilient strategies in New Jersey and other Hurricane Sandy affected regions. I have long been a proponent of the need to address the causes and threats of climate change. Ultimately, the only way to ensure that we have safe, affordable energy in the long term is to make sure there are sustained investments in the domestic clean energy sector, increased funding for research and development to foster new sources of clean energy and improve energy efficiency, innovation in the private sector, and incentives for companies to develop sustainable energy technologies.

The science is strong, and we have a moral obligation to act. I hope that the collective voices of those who marched in New York last weekend will reach the ears of those in Congress who would deny the evidence that our climate is changing, and that human action is the cause. Climate change has already imposed huge costs in dollars and lives. The costs of inaction will be far greater.

The Affordable Care Act is Working

According to a recent survey conducted by the Urban Institute, about 520,000 previously uninsured New Jerseyans were able to obtain health coverage because of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The survey indicates that the number of New Jerseyans without health insurance fell by nearly half, from 21.2 percent a year ago to 11.5 percent this year. The ACA’s goal to prolong the life of Medicare by decreasing health costs is also being met: the law created incentives for healthcare providers and facilities to come together and create accountable care organizations (ACO’s), as doctors and hospitals who work together on behalf of patients will provide better care at less cost. In 2013, ACO’s saved Medicare $372 million. As more successful ACO’s are created, Medicare will see even more savings, which will continue strengthening and the solvency of Medicare for current and future seniors.

If you are looking to get health coverage, open enrollment begins November 15 and lasts until February 15, 2015. Additionally, you may be qualified for premium tax credits to help pay for insurance if your income falls below a certain level. For more information, and to sign up for a health plan at any point during that period, visit the HealthCare.gov website...


Sincerely,

Rush Holt
Member of Congress

A Good Night for the Democrats; The Dems pick up one seat in the Assembly, while the Republicans lose all key races, despite Christie's campaigning

While it wasn't such a good night for being a Democrat in Middletown or a candidate for state office in Monmouth County, Democrats did increase their majorities in Trenton and a consolidation vote between two Princeton towns to merge into one municipality to save on property taxes is looked at as an anomaly rather than the next wave of the future as many would hope for.

NJspotlight has a pretty good wrap up of last nights events worth reading today:

Despite tough, nasty contests in a few races and more than $25 million spent, very little changed in the New Jersey legislature on election night. The Democrats gained one seat in the Assembly and still control both legislative houses. The Republicans lost all the key races that they targeted and where Gov. Chris Christie campaigned.

In the most hotly contested races, Democratic incumbents James Whelan in South Jersey’s 2nd District and Robert Gordon in North Jersey’s 38th won by relatively comfortable margins.

And Richard Codey, the incumbent Democratic senator in the 27th, prevailed. Some had predicted he would run into trouble given that redistricting had shifted several Morris County municipalities into his home territory.

The Democrats also picked up one Assembly seat in the 4th.

Two ballot questions, one statewide and one local, also won.

About two-thirds of New Jersey voters approved the one question on the ballot: to allow sports betting in New Jersey should Congress give other states besides the four already approved the OK at a future date. And voters in Princeton and Princeton Township also approved a momentous merger question. It would be the first time in more than half a century that two New Jersey communities of any real size agreed to merge.

Democrats gloated over the gain of one Assembly seat.

“Chris Christie is all coat and no tail,” proclaimed John Wisniewski, chairman of the New Jersey Democratic State Committee and an Assemblyman, to cheering crowds at the Bergen County Democrats’ celebration. "Chris Christie kept saying if he didn't lose any seats, this would be an historic election for Republicans. Well, there's one more Democrat going to Trenton."

Christie tried to set low expectations for the Republicans’ chances, saying governors almost always lose seats in midterm elections.

Ben Dworkin, director of the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics at Rider University, said the circumstances this year were vastly different.

“It is a very disappointing night for Gov. Christie,” said Dworkin, adding the GOP should have gained as many as six seats. “He outraised the Democrats by millions of dollars. He put his high approval rating and his personal reputation on the line by going on network television in New York and Philadelphia. And in the end, he wasn't able to even keep the status quo in the legislature, much less win the several seats that Republicans might have expected given his efforts.”

When the state legislative seats top the ballot, turnout in New Jersey’s midterm elections is notoriously low. In 2007, the last time the Senate led the ballot, 32 percent of voters turned out statewide. Most counties reported voter turnout hovering between 20 and 30 percent -- Cape May had a high of 38 percent -- despite a beautifully warm, sunny day.

Although most voters don’t see these races as important, the stakes were high.

With a 24-16 majority in the Senate, the Democrats went into the night only three seats shy of a veto-proof majority in the upper house. They needed those 27 votes back in July when they sought to override Gov. Chris Christie’s line-item vetoes of more than a dozen spending items cut from the state budget. They didn’t think that would happen and, at least, defended all their seats.

However, if the Republicans could pick up five seats, a scenario most saw as unlikely, they would give Christie at least one house to help advance his agenda.

Continue reading ... Here

Profiles Of The 13th District Race Online At The APP and NJ Spotlight

The both the Asbury Park Press and NJ Spotlight have race profiles online for the NJ 13th Legislative District races featuring the issues and candidates in those races.

In the 13th race for State Assembly Democrats Kevin Lavan of Hazlet and Patrick Short of Middletown are running against Republicans and current members of the State Assembly Amy Handlin 0f Middletown and Declan O'Scanlon.

This race also features two other candidates running together for the State Assembly William Lawton and Frank Cottone, as members of the Constitution Party.

In the 13th race for State Senate Democrat Christopher Cullen of Hazlet is running against current State Senator Joe Kyrillos of Middletown.

The candidates for Monmouth County Surrogate race have also been posted online at the APP website. In this race Democrat Michael Steinhorn from Rumson is looking to unseat Middletowner Rosemary Peters. The APP headline "Monmouth County surrogate race not drawing attention" is an understatement, which is a shame because Steinhorn is an extremely capable and affable guy, who deserves more attention.

Fine Print: Senate Bill No. 2937 Proposed legislation would dictate sweeping changes to public employees' pensions and healthcare benefits

By John Mooney - NJSPOTLIGHT.com

Synopsis: "An act concerning public employee pension and health care benefits, and amending and supplementing various parts of the statutory law and repealing P.L.1999, c.96 and P.L.1985, c.414. Makes various changes to pension and healthcare benefits for public employees"

Related Links
Senate Bill No. 2937

Primary sponsor: Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester)

What it means: The 120-page bill makes sweeping changes to public employees' contributions to their pension and health benefit plans, and to the rules that dictate those benefits. Pensions and benefits have been at the center of debate between Gov. Chris Christie and the legislature since Christie took office, and the apparent agreement on this bill -- at least for now -- has consumed Trenton for much of the last week and likely for the next.

It's all in the details: The new bill, introduced yesterday, would require public employees pay up to an additional 2.5 percent of their salaries toward their pensions, and up to 30 percent of their healthcare premiums. But how the law meets those thresholds represents the key differences between what Christie has sought and what Sweeney now proposes, with the Democratic leader phasing in some of the increases and also scaling the healthcare contribution, depending on salary. Low-paid public workers will barely make any contribution at all.

Riding off into the sunset clause: Sweeney struck a deal with Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver (D-Essex) in introducing the bill to also include Oliver’s proposal that the health benefits changes would have a "sunset clause" and revert to being a subject of collective bargaining in 2014. Christie has not yet commented on the proposed sunset, but has appeared reluctant to back any reforms that have a limited shelf life.

What’s next: The Senate budget committee is set to hold a hearing on the bill tomorrow, with the Assembly budget committee slated to hold its own hearing on the companion bill on Monday.

The reaction: Needless to say, public employees unions aren't taking too well to the ideas, and have big protests planned tomorrow for the Statehouse and maybe legislators’ homes. The New Jersey Education Association (NJEA) is also holding a press conference today to point out what it calls the false assumptions and savings in the proposals.

Will it pass? That of course, is the bottom line. It's as close as ever to passage, to be sure, but it faces lots of questions both in substance and politics. Sweeney has said he will push it through, even if it means defying some of his Democratic caucus. Oliver has been less willing, and has indicated she may not post it for final vote without consent of her members.

In the end, it will require what was once unfathomable: a sizable number of Democrats going against organized labor during an election year. But these are remarkable times, with similar measures passing in other states with Democratic support.

Survey Confirms that New Jersey is a Solar Power; Two Garden State utilities finish in the top 10 nationwide when it comes to adding solar capacity

If you are a proponent of green and clean energy and think that solar energy is the best way to go, then the following article posted on NJspotlight will be of great interest to you. Our great state of New Jersey is among the leaders of the nation when it comes to installing solar panels that generate electrical power for both the general public, individuals and industry.

561 megawatts of electricity were added last year through solar panels around the state, which represents a 300% increase over what was reported in 2009.

The road forward in solar energy production may be changing in the near future however, if proposed changes by the Christie administration move forward.

In another indication of the fast-paced growth of New Jersey’s solar market, two of the state’s four electric utilities ranked in the top 10 nationally in adding solar power in the past year, according to a new survey.

Newark Schools Partner with PSE&G to Create Green Curriculum

Public Service Electric & Gas (PSE&G) and Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L) ranked third and ninth, respectively, in the amount of solar capacity added in 2010 according to a survey by the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA). Atlantic City Electric, ranked 12th in new solar capacity, but broke into the top 10 at ninth in solar watts per customer, which is a measure of the utility’s new solar capacity divided by number of customers. PSE&G finished second in that category.

The annual survey, the fourth one done by the association, reflects the growing trend of utilities to incorporate solar power into their energy portfolios. All told, the nation’s utilities integrated 561 megawatts of solar electricity into their deliveries, a 100 percent increase over the previous year, the association said.

Christie's Changes
The findings come at a time when Gov. Chris Christie on Tuesday recommended sweeping changes in New Jersey’s solar program, which is second to only California's in the number of systems that have been installed. The Governor’s overhauled Energy Master Plan recommends steering most of the state’s efforts in developing solar away from residential installations to commercial and industrial applications, where, it argues, the state will get a bigger bang for its buck.

It is unclear how the changes will affect the electric utilities in the state, all of whom have programs geared to encouraging residential solar installations. But Al Matos, a vice president for PSE&G, said the utility will tailor its program to conform to the new recommendations....

Continue reading .... Here