The Ridgewood Blog Brings a Free Market Laissez-faire Point of View to Local, New Jersey State and National Issues.
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Ridgewood NJ, According to the annual highway report, released by the Reason Foundation, New Jersey once again has the worst urban traffic congestion in the U.S.
The garden state is also among the worst when it comes to urban pavement conditions and that’s despite a massive increase in gas tax and spending more money per mile on road repairs than any other state.
Continue reading Despite a Massive Increase in Gas Tax New Jersey Roads are Terrible
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Trenton NJ, A New Jersey judge has put a hold on the state law allowing doctors to prescribe life-ending medications, which went into effect Aug. 1.
The temporary restraining order issued Wednesday prevents doctors from writing fatal prescriptions until at least Oct. 23, said Richard W. Grohmann, a lawyer at Smith & Associates in Bloomfield. The firm filed a lawsuit challenging the law last week.
Continue reading NJ Judge Halts Phil Muphy’s Doctor Assisted Suicide Law
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TRENTON NJ, Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal today issued the nation’s first statewide directive to law enforcement implementing an “extreme risk” gun safety law. The directive, which applies to all 36,000 law enforcement officers in New Jersey, will make it easier for officers to keep firearms away from individuals who present a significant risk of harming themselves or others.
Attorney General Directive 2019-2 – known as the “Extreme Risk Directive”– guides and directs New Jersey’s law enforcement officers on the proper implementation of the state’s Extreme Risk Protective Order (“ERPO”) Act of 2018, which takes effect on September 1, 2019. The new law creates a process through which a family or household member, or a law enforcement officer, may apply for an order against a person who presents a significant danger of bodily injury to himself or others by possessing or purchasing a firearm. Issuance of such an order, known as an ERPO, prohibits that individual from possessing or purchasing a firearm or ammunition and from holding any firearms identification cards or permits.
Continue reading AG Grewal Issues Statewide Directive to Enforce New Jersey’s “Extreme Risk” Gun Safety Law
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ROSELAND NJ, Many people are aware of New Jersey’s $38 billion state budget. But when you add in municipalities, schools, counties and utilities, total government spending in New Jersey skyrockets way past that. Regina Egea, president of Garden State Initiative (GSI), takes us through GSI’s eye-opening research into the true cost of government in New Jersey, where all the money goes and what – if anything – can be done to reign in spending.
The IssuesWatch Podcast is a bi-weekly program published by the NJCPA and hosted by Jeff Kaszerman, NJCPA vice president of government relations. It covers the latest New Jersey policy and political issues – because you need to know both. The focus is on business and economic issues impacting the business community and all New Jerseyans.
Other recent episodes include:
Listen online at njcpa.org/podcast or subscribe for free via Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher or your favorite podcast app.
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Trenton NJ, Any public employee or elected official who is convicted of committing a sex offense while on the job will be required to forfeit their state pension, under a newly enacted law that was sponsored by Senator Kristin Corrado.
“Anyone who has the audacity to use their taxpayer-funded position of power to assault a coworker doesn’t deserve a state pension,” Corrado (R-40) said. “Public service is about helping people and making the state you work for a better, safer place for all. Anyone who commits a crime that is contrary to that mission, whether it’s an ethics violation or a sex offense, shouldn’t be paid by the state for life. We need to confront this crisis head-on and ensure that people know there are real consequences for committing crimes in the workplace.”
Continue reading Public Employees Convicted of Sex Offenses to Forfeit Pensions
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Trenton NJ, Senator Joe Pennacchio criticized Governor Murphy’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service, claiming it is a waste of state resources and taxpayer money.
“The Murphy Administration is lawsuit happy,” said Pennacchio (R-26). “The Governor should not be using New Jersey taxpayer dollars to play politics. Rather than fighting with the federal government, I urge Governor Murphy to focus on genuine and immediate tax solutions that we have the power as state lawmakers to advance.”
Continue reading Governor Murphy’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service is a waste of state resources and taxpayer money
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SOUTH ORANGE NJ, Governor Phil Murphy and Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal embark once again on a fool’s errand,. In a press release Wednesday and claiming ,”Acting to protect state taxpayers from the Trump Administration’s repeated efforts to unfairly target them, Governor Phil Murphy and Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal today announced that New Jersey has filed a federal lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the U.S. Treasury Department.
Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, the lawsuit seeks to strike down a new IRS rule that would prevent New Jersey residents from obtaining a full federal charitable deduction whenever they contribute to local governments and other qualifying institutions and receive tax credits in return.”
Continue reading NJ Governor and Attorney General Launch another Ludacris Lawsuit Against the IRS
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Trenton NJ, Senate Republican Leader Tom Kean released the following statement on a report from leading academics on “Improving New Jersey’s Legislative Apportionment Process.”
“Last year, we raised the alarm when Democrats attempted to fast-track a constitutional amendment that would have made legislative elections less competitive while cementing permanent Democratic majorities in the New Jersey Legislature,” said Kean (R-21). “With broad bipartisan support from outside groups and respected academics, we defeated their attempt to rig our elections. Any changes to improve how we reapportion legislative districts should focus on making the process fairer and more transparent.”
Continue reading Broad Bipartisan Effort Stops Democrats from Further Rigging New Jersey’s Elections
Ridgewood NJ, news reports indicate that Phil Simms and Jon Bon Jovi are selling their high-priced, high-taxed New Jersey homes, possibly at deep-discounts.
a reader states the obvious ,”There will be no more “rich” to tax once all the rich have left. The “rich” can take the hit on their mansions in NJ and CT and make the difference up very quickly by moving to FL and paying a fraction of the taxes there. The dems and progs just don’t get this very simple concept.”
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Trenton NJ, The law firm Quinn Emanuel filed a federal lawsuit last night challenging New Jersey’s new donor disclosure law on First Amendment grounds. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of QE’s client, Americans for Prosperity, and the ACLU has also already expressed strong objections to the law and reportedly plans to file suit.
This lawsuit is likely the first one to challenge the new law, which requires 501©(4)s, Super PACs and other organizations to disclose donors who give $10,000 or more.
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Trenton NJ, In response to the news that the IRS has denied attempts by New Jersey and New York to circumvent the federal cap on SALT deductions, Senator Joe Pennacchio chastised Democrats for wasting taxpayer time and resources on a workaround that never had any chance of succeeding.
On Tuesday, the IRS issued final regulations prohibiting governments from doling out tax credits in exchange for charitable contributions – effectively negating the legislation advanced in the spring of 2018, despite the objections of legislators such as Senator Pennacchio, who warned that the IRS would take action.
Continue reading Senator Joe Pennacchio (R-26) : We told you that the IRS Wouldn’t Fall for Your SALT Workaround Scheme
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LAWRENCEVILLE NJ, Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, Tricia Flanagan, said that U.S. Senator Cory Booker bringing New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy on the Iowa campaign trail doesn’t match the Senator’s rhetoric on women’s rights.
Tricia Flanagan asked, “Does Senator Booker not remember the time he stood before a crowd in Iowa and attacked President Trump saying, ‘We’re not defined by a president who does not believe women?’”
Continue reading Cory Booker And Phil Murphy, Perfect Together
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Trenton NJ, At a press conference yesterday, Governor Murphy defended members of his staff for their handling of sexual assault allegations against Al Alvarez. The protection of his aides comes in executive defiance of the findings of a report released earlier in the day by a bipartisan panel of state legislators.
Governor Murphy’s exact quote was, “I believe that the team in my office did what they believed was the right thing, and I stand behind them. That has been the case and will continue to be the case.”
Continue reading Murphy Chooses Staff Over All New Jersey Women In The Workplace
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Ridgewood NJ, In a new GOP web ad released today, Assemblyman Anthony M. Bucco explains how New Jersey’s progressive income tax brackets are reducing wages even when people receive cost-of-living raises.
“When income tax brackets are very close together, pay raises push taxpayers into a higher bracket even though they really aren’t wealthy,” said Bucco (R-Morris). “This can be costly for people and their families who rely on every dollar they earn.”
Continue reading No surprise NJ has built in automatic tax hikes! Here’s how it affects you, and how to stop it
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Trenton NJ, In response to reports demonstrating that the water supply is awash with pharmaceutical pollutants, Senator Michael Doherty (R-Warren, Hunterdon, Somerset) is renewing his call for action on legislation he has long-sponsored to protect families statewide from the harmful effects of consuming contaminated water.
The United States EPA, in a conjunction with Riverkeeper and Cornell University, have confirmed that the Hudson River is heavily-polluted by commonly-prescribed pharmaceuticals such as anti-depressants, blood pressure, and cholesterol medications.
Continue reading NJ Senator Michael Doherty Warns Pharmaceuticals are poisoning NJ’s water supply
