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, Gov. Phil Murphy plans to nominate Fair Share Housing Center Executive Director Kevin Walsh , one of New Jersey’s leading affordable housing advocates, as the state’s next comptroller — a move that could rejuvenate efforts to force high density housing on taxpayers under the guise of affordable housing.
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Trenton NJ, Governor Murphy considers a $500+ million tax hike “meaninglessness”:
“Murphy also indicated he will seek to restore the state sales tax to 7% from the current 6.62%, criticizing the reduction as a gimmick, a public relations charade enacted to provide legislators with a self-described tax cutter talking point.
The reduction, the governor has contended, was a meaningless gesture, saving consumers pennies while depriving the state of crucial revenue”
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Trenton NJ, Today the Democrat controlled New Jersey legislature will hold votes on six bills to support criminals and criminal behavior.
Continue reading It’s criminal Christmas in Trenton as Democrats shower rule breakers with privileges and sympathy
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Trenton NJ, “Today marks a significant step forward and the beginning of a deliberative process that will seek input from stakeholders, advocates, elected officials, members of the public and experts with the broad knowledge relevant to the many and complicated aspects of creating a state bank,” said Phyllis Salowe-Kaye, Board Member, Executive Director of New Jersey Citizen Action and a Public Member of the State Bank Implementation Board. “This input will help decide how such an institution would best serve New Jersey’s unmet needs, especially in the areas of affordable housing, infrastructure investment, student loans and lending for small businesses.
Continue reading NJ State Public Bank a Disaster Waiting to Happen
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Ridgewood NJ, As winter weather moves into New Jersey Sunday and Monday, Governor Phil Murphy today encouraged residents to prepare for the winter storm and hazardous travel conditions. The Administration is continuously monitoring weather conditions as the holiday weekend ends and the workweek begins. New Jerseyans are encouraged to prepare for messy road conditions Sunday and Monday and are strongly encouraged to use public transportation if possible.
Continue reading Governor Phil Murphy Encourages Residents to Prepare for the winter storm and Hazardous Travel Conditions
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Trenton NJ, Senate Republican Leader Tom Kean warned of the unintended consequences of legislation that would deem independent contractors to be employees under State law and plans to oppose the bill:
“My phone has been ringing off the hook with calls from people who are genuinely afraid of losing their livelihoods and their companies as a result of this proposed change to how independent contractors are treated under New Jersey law.
Continue reading Senate Republican Leader Tom Kean Recognizes the Importance of the GIG Economy
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River Vale NJ, Assemblywoman Holly Schepisi (R-Bergen) rebukes Gov. Phil Murphy for appointing Derrick Green to his public bank implementation board and continuing to hire those who have been convicted of bribery, accused of fraud, and a whole host of other improprieties.
“It is beyond disturbing to see that for something as significant and sizeable as a state bank, with all of the talented and qualified people in New Jersey, that quite a few members of this proposed bank have had virtually no experience whatsoever in banking,” said Schepisi. “And out of the ones who have been put on, at least one has been accused of severe, significant financial irregularities and has been under investigation for corruption and fraud.’
Continue reading Holly Schepisi (R-Bergen) rebukes Gov. Phil Murphy for appointing Derrick Green to his public bank implementation board
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Trenton NJ, Senate President Steve Sweeney and Senator Nicholas Scutari, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following joint statement today announcing the introduction of legislation to seek voter approval of a constitutional amendment to legalize adult use marijuana in New Jersey:
“We are moving forward with a plan to seek voter approval to legalize adult use marijuana in New Jersey. We introduced legislation today to authorize a public referendum for a proposal that will lead to the creation of a system that allows adults to purchase and use marijuana for recreational purposes in a responsible way.
Continue reading NJ Legislator Will Seek Voter Approval to Legalize Marijuana
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Highland Park NJ, A new report from the National Consumer Law Center surveying exemption laws that protect consumers’ wages, assets in a bank account, and property from seizure by debt collectors gives New Jersey an “F” for extremely weak protections. No Fresh Start in 2019: How States Still Let Debt Collectors Push Families into Poverty surveyed the laws of 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands and found that not one jurisdiction’s laws meet basic standards so that debtors can continue to work productively to support themselves and their families.
Continue reading National Consumer Law Center’s 50-State Review Gives New Jersey an F Rating on Consumer Protections from Debt Collectors
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The following statement is issued by Jack Ciattarelli, former State Assemblyman and 2017 Republican Gubernatorial Candidate.
Yesterday, Governor Phil Murphy said, “The [Democratic] party’s never been in a better place.”[i] Interesting
Continue reading “Murphy Midterms” Hit Back against tone-deaf Governor
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MORRISTOWN NJ, According to Garden State Initiative (GSI) analysis of the newest jobs numbers issued by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, New Jersey’s employment picture was essentially flat in September as the state lost 200 jobs, the private sector added 900 positions while the public sector shed 1,100 positions. The numbers stand in contrast to the overall U.S. economy which added 135,000 new jobs in September. The state’s unemployment rate edged lower by .01% to 3.2%. The numbers indicated an increase in the state’s workforce size but a decline in the labor participation rate.
Continue reading New Jersey Continues to Lag US job Growth
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TRENTON NJ, NFIB, the leading small business association in the nation, with thousands of members in New Jersey reacted today to Governor Phil Murphy’s statement on taxes made at a Rowan University according to a news outlet. KYW reported that the Governor said “If you’re a one-issue voter and tax rate is your issue, either a family or a business if that’s the only basis upon which you’re going to make a decision, we’re probably not your state.” NFIB’s State Director in New Jersey, Laurie Ehlbeck commented on Gov. Murphy’s statement:
“Taxes are one of the top concerns of the nearly 900,000 small businesses in the state, and it’s unbelievable that the Governor would imply with his words if that’s so, New Jersey is probably not their state. He is implying they are unwelcome if they don’t want to pay more–that is ludicrous.
“It’s becoming clear that our Governor’s goal is to spend, spend, spend, and even though legislative leaders fought him on that, he is now attacking those who pay the state’s bills, small business owners. If they take his suggestion and leave New Jersey, our state will be a very sorry place. Its already ranked among the worst for high taxes.”
New Jersey has $234.7 billion in bills and only $25.9 billion in available assets to pay those bills
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Ridgewood NJ, A new report on the financial condition of the 50 states ranks New Jersey no. 50 in the nation for its fiscal health. The report is based on the states’ 2018 comprehensive annual financial reports, the most recent data available.
Continue reading New Jersey Ranked Worst State in the Nation for Fiscal Health
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Trenton NJ, Federal authorities in Philadelphia have launched an investigation in connection with New Jersey’s multibillion-dollar corporate tax-incentive program, according to three sources with knowledge of the probe,” according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.
FBI agents have interviewed potential witnesses over the last month, sources said. Among their areas of interest has been the development boom in Camden, which has been fueled by $1.6 billion in tax breaks that the state’s Economic Development Authority awarded to companies there since 2013, according to one person briefed on the matter. Each of the sources spoke on condition of anonymity.
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Ridgewood NJ, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Matthew T. Albence held a White House press briefing Thursday to explain how sanctuary policies threaten public safety and called on the public to hold their local lawmakers accountable. The briefing made clear that local jurisdictions across the U.S. that refuse to cooperate with ICE are complicit in the crimes committed by aliens who ICE could have otherwise been arrested and removed.
Continue reading Acting ICE director calls out jurisdictions with sanctuary policies for threatening public safety
