Category: Trenton

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New Jersey Ranks 38th Among All States in Efforts to Serve Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

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file photo by Boyd Loving

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Trenton NJ, in April Gov. Phil Murphy announced the appointment of former Ridgewood Mayor Paul Aronsohn to head up the newly created Office of the Ombudsman for Individuals with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities and Their Families, serving as the administration’s lead advocate and ally for New Jersey residents in need of critical services ranging from early childhood through adulthood.

But according to the ANCOR Foundation,stagnant or declining investments in state programs that help individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities lead more independent and productive lives have resulted in New Jersey dropping from 34th place in 2016 to 38th place this year in state rankings, according to the Case for Inclusion 2019, compiled by the ANCOR Foundation and United Cerebral Palsy (UCP).

The Case for Inclusion 2019 ranks all 50 states and the District of Columbia on how well state programs, primarily Medicaid, serve those with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). The states are ranked in five key areas critical to the inclusion, support and empowerment of individuals with I/DD and their families: Promoting Independence, Promoting Productivity, Keeping Families Together, Serving Those in Need, and Tracking Health, Safety & Quality of Life.

The biggest factors affecting New Jersey’s poor performance are low marks in the areas of Promoting Independence and Promoting Productivity. New Jersey ranks in the bottom 10 of all states in these areas, at 42nd and 43rd, respectively. Particularly problematic for the Garden State in the area of Promoting Independence is that it fails to meet the coveted “80/80 standard”; although at least 80 percent of the state’s residents with I/DD received Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS), the state failed to spend at least 80 percent of its Medicaid dollars on helping people with I/DD live in the community.

The Case for Inclusion, which has been published regularly since 2006 by UCP, compiles the most recent data available (generally from 2016 for this report) and analyzes 30 outcome measures in the five major categories. The ANCOR Foundation joins UCP this year in publishing the report. Among the other key findings on New Jersey’s performance:

• 5.8 percent of the state’s residents with I/DD—the fifth-highest percentage in the nation—live in one of New Jersey’s five state-run institutions.

• More than 3,100 New Jerseyans with I/DD live in large-scale congregate care settings, defined as group homes or Intermediate Care Facilities with at least seven residents.

• Only 11 percent of working-age individuals with I/DD in New Jersey were working in competitive employment—meaning they work alongside those without disabilities and earn market-driven wages—compared to the national average of 19 percent.

• One relative bright spot was in the area of Serving Those in Need, where New Jersey ranked 22nd, in part because of its relatively low number of individuals on the state’s waiting list for residential services (3,201).

Nationally, the report found that notable advances in the support of individuals with I/DD have stalled. For instance, just 29 states—two more than in the 2016 Case for Inclusion—report that at least 80 percent of these Americans are served in home-like settings, such as a family home, their own home or a small group setting—a number that hasn’t budged from the 2016 Case for Inclusion findings. And decades after states embarked on efforts to close large institutions that warehouse the intellectually and developmentally disabled, just 15 states have eliminated all such facilities, a number that is also unchanged from 2016.

The report documented downward trends in two critical areas: (1) the number of people on waitlists for residential and community services, and (2) the number of individuals with I/DD working in competitive employment. The Case for Inclusion 2019 found the number of people on waiting lists for Home and Community-Based Services was up 75,000 from the 2016 report to almost 424,000. Just seven states, down from 10 in 2016, reported at least 33 percent of working-age individuals with I/DD working in competitive employment.

“Individuals with I/DD, including the young and the aging, want and deserve the same opportunities and quality of life as all Americans. Yet some states do much better than others in demonstrating the needed political will and implementing the sound policies and focused funding necessary to achieve this ideal,” the report states.

“The pervasive theme across states and, specifically in New Jersey, is that the Direct Support Professional (DSP) crisis created by an inability to recruit and retain DSPs contributes to these challenges. I just learned yesterday that an agency has a house ready and waiting to receive three individuals that want to live within the community, however, the agency is struggling to find staff.

With New Jersey failing to meet the 80/80 standard meaning the state failed to spend at least 80 percent of its Medicaid dollars on helping people with IDD live in the community and in the bottom five for the number of institutions remaining, we can and must do more.,” commented NJACP CEO Valerie Sellers.

It is notable that during a period of polarization on many issues, policies that support individuals with I/DD have support from stakeholders across the political spectrum. For example, the 10 highest-ranked states are a political mix, including deep-blue Oregon and California and deep-red Kentucky and South Dakota. Armando Contreras, President & CEO of UCP, notes that “across the country, we see efforts by state policymakers to enhance their approach to Medicaid services and supports and related programs for the I/DD population by making the best use of existing and scarce resources. Of course, additional funding to keep pace with the diverse needs of this population would help, but new ideas and shared best practices from successful states have the potential to drive improvements even absent additional funding.”

The full Case for Inclusion 2019 report, along with scorecards for each state and additional resources, can be downloaded at caseforinclusion.org.

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Furloughed Federal Workers May Be Eligible to Collect Unemployment Benefits

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Trenton NJ,  Furloughed federal employees assigned to work in New Jersey are eligible to apply for unemployment benefits.

Benefits are being paid to eligible federal workers beginning Dec. 23, 2018. Labor Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo said eligible employees would be paid for the duration of the shutdown, no matter how far into the shutdown their unemployment claim is filed.

“Thousands of federal workers are waiting for a paycheck due to President Trump’s shutdown,” said Governor Murphy.“In these challenging times, we urge furloughed federal employees in New Jersey to apply for unemployment benefits to supplement any lost wages.”

Commissioner Asaro-Angelo added, “Tomorrow, furloughed workers will miss their first paycheck because of the shutdown. The Labor Department is ready to assist these workers with their unemployment claims and get them paid as quickly as possible.”

Furloughed workers are eligible to apply for unemployment in the state in which they are assigned to work. They will be asked to provide proof of wages. Employees who are furloughed (not working) are generally eligible for benefits, so long as all other state eligibility factors are met.

The maximum weekly unemployment benefit for 2019 is $696. Regular benefits are exhausted after 26 weeks.

Furloughed employees who collect unemployment but are retroactively paid for the furlough by their employer must repay all overpayments to the state from which they collected.

To learn more about unemployment eligibility, click here. To initiate a New Jersey unemployment claim, click here. To learn more about the effects of the shutdown, click here.

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NJ Division of Taxation : State income tax refunds will start being issued March 1st

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog 

Trenton NJ, according to Treasury Department spokeswoman Jennifer Sciortino  the schedule is the same as in the past few years and is consistent with what it done in dozens of other states.

New Jersey has a reputation of being very slow with the refunds .

Sciortino told NJ1015 , “Anti-fraud protections need to be revised every year because perpetrators of refund fraud change tactics frequently,” Marita Sciarrotta, the state Division of Taxation’s deputy director of taxpayer services, said the refunds begin in March primarily to ensure the state has the data it needs to validate tax returns.

“Although people can start filing their income tax returns at the very end of January, there are some filing requirements by their employers or their banking systems or their pension holders that are not required by law to be in place to a taxing jurisdiction until later in February,” said Sciarrotta.

“Given the last six years of identity theft and taxpayer refund fraud, it’s much more difficult for us to vet a taxpayer, their attendant information on a tax return and the validity of what they’re claiming,” she said. “And to ensure that it is the person that we are sending it to, rather than somebody getting a jump on their tax return, it’s better to wait until we have much more concrete data systemically that we can do our matches with.”

Taxpayers who file electronically will generally get their refunds around four weeks after the returns are filed, with some turned around faster than that but others taking a bit longer if they are more complex.

“An old-school paper filing, we recommend that somebody just kind of make a cup of tea and relax because it may take 12 weeks for those tax returns to be fully processed and fully vetted,” Sciarrotta said.

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Assemblywoman Schepisi Calls New Jersey ,”one of the most corrupt states in the entire country”

Assemblywoman Holly Schepisi

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Saddle River NJ, Assemblywoman Holly Schepisi is calling on New Direction to release the list of its donors. She says with major legislation being debated, the Governor’s Office needs to be seen as above reproach.

“Under no circumstances should there be any perception, in one of the most corrupt states in the entire country, that people are being able to buy influence within the Governor’s Office,” she said.

Attorney Daryl Kipnis said on Facebook ,”This is what happens when career NJ politicians in both parties (mostly Democrats of course) get re-elected without trying. $2.4M spent on lobbying gets a $300M/year annual subsidy (that YOU pay for) for 1 company, who then cuts a $55K “Thank You” campaign check to the wrong political slush fund.”

https://www.njtvonline.org/…/dark-money-debate-focuses-on-…/

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Reader says, The first rule of government is: “Embrace the status quo.”

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The first rule of government is: “Embrace the status quo.”

Why? Well, the answer is simple: a lifetime appointment to a cushy job, with the added bonus of a pension.

Unlike the private sector, these people can’t be fired (unless they REALLY screw the proverbial pooch).

Why on earth would they make sweeping changes to satisfy the very people (the taxpayers) who make it possible for them to hold those cushy positions in the first place?

The majority of these government workers have no interest in the private sector because they would be held truly accountable. Instead, they don’t upset the apple cart and they milk that cow as for long as possible…

And, to the Federal employees who aren’t earning paychecks right now: quit moaning you greedy, self-serving bastards! Consider it a extended *paid* vacation courtesy of the taxpayers! Where can I get that deal?!?

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New Jersey investigating incident of a referee forcing a black wrestler to cut his dreadlocks

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Updated NJSIAA Statement / Buena Regional High School Wrestling  from Larry White, Executive Director, NJSIAA , “Following up on yesterday’s statement concerning a Buena Regional High School (Buena, NJ) varsity wrestler and a wrestling referee, the NJSIAA can now confirm that the matter will be investigated by state authorities. The NJSIAA will be working with the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights, providing all requested information. The State investigation will take precedence over the NJSIAA process.

“Further, NJSIAA can confirm that those groups that assign high school wrestling referees in New Jersey will not assign the referee in question until this matter has been thoroughly reviewed. This will help to avoid disruption of events for student athletes .

“Finally, as an African-American and parent – as well as a former educator, coach, official and athlete – I clearly understand the issues at play, and probably better than most. The NJSIAA takes this matter very seriously, and I ask that everyone respect the investigatory process related to all parties involved.”

The NJSIAA was established in 1918, the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) is a voluntary, non-profit organization comprised of 437 accredited public, private, and parochial high schools. A member of the National Federation of State High School Associations, the NJSIAA conducts tournaments and crowns champions in 32 sports. 

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New Jersey Affordable Housing – Time to Make it Fair!

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New Jersey is….

1st in the nation for highest property taxes
3rd most expensive state to live in
5th in the nation for highest per student school spending
5th in the nation for highest state income tax
6th most expensive state to purchase a home
#1 most densely populated state in the nation with 1,216 people per square mile


Land is at a premium and developers want to cash in and develop every last inch

FACT: Renting or owning a home should be affordable to NJ residents who qualify, but not at the expense of local ordinance that is contrary to NJ municipal land use law.
FACT: NJ’s affordable housing (AH) mandates are not working and our government is not listening to the voice of the people – who support AH but want it to be implemented fairly, honestly and sensibly.
FACT: The current pace of proposed AH development is not reasonable or sustainable and will be catastrophic to towns, schools, volunteer emergency services, infrastructure and to NJ’s natural resources, ecosystems, waterways and environment.


What We Want
1) We believe municipal AH obligations should not be determined by the courts and that there should be clear, statewide guidelines to follow.
2) “Builder’s remedy” lawsuits should be eliminated as a mechanism used to satisfy a municipality’s AH obligations.
3) We believe the laws governing AH must consider the impact on our schools, roads, traffic and congestion, emergency services and the preservation of open space and our quality of life.
4) NJ’s environment must be protected from sprawl and overdevelopment; AH should not be built on environmentally-sensitive land or land that has been remediated from contamination.
5) AH that is built should not “expire” and should count towards all future AH rounds and obligations.
6) We, the residents of NJ, seek to disband the Fair Share Housing Center (FSHC) who takes our hard-earned tax dollars to enrich the wallets of lawyers and developers at the expense of NJ’s future.
7) We, the people, demand a bi-partisan review of AH and legislative reform to make NJ’s affordable housing fair.


We are calling for reasonable ways to address the current problems to enact clear legislative guidelines that will: 1) ensure that AH benefits those in need; 2) implement a regional or statewide approach; 3) expand the ways in which municipalities can address their fair share of affordable housing—FAIRLY!

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Kean Calls Cancelling Of Redistricting Amendment Vote: ‘Big Win’ For People Of New Jersey

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Kean Statement On Redistricting Announcement

Senate Republican Leader Tom Kean issued the following statement in response to news that the redistricting amendment has been pulled from Monday’s Senate Voting Session agenda:

“This is a big win for the people of New Jersey. The proposed redistricting amendment would have disenfranchised millions of voters, taking away one of the most important rights we have as Americans: the power to choose who represents us in the halls of government.

“This shouldn’t be a partisan issue. Gerrymandering is wrong. We will remain vigilant, and fight back against any redistricting proposal that betrays democracy.

“I hope that this time, the sponsors will work with nonpartisan election experts and legislators on both sides of the aisle, so we can craft a redistricting proposal that we can all be proud of. The people we have the privilege of serving deserve no less than an amendment that ensures fair and equal representation for all.”

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Police Officers’ are technically in violation of the NJ’s standard capacity Mag Ban

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Phil Murphy’s attempt to disarm tax-paying NJ gun owners. It seems that in their ZEAL to make everyone “FEEL GOOD” about “doing something” about the great “firearms menace”, nobody in the in the Murphy Administration got the memo that NO EXEMPTION exists in the current statute for off duty Police Officers for ANY gun they carry! So how many Police Officers’s are technically in violation of the standard capacity Mag Ban simply because their department-issued equipment is in VIOLATION of the LAW put into place by the Chief Law Enforcement Officer in NJ (our Attorney General)? 

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ICE arrests 105 in New Jersey operation targeting criminal aliens and public safety threats

ICE criminal alien arrest RICHARD DREW AP

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

NEWARK NJ,  Four individuals in the country illegally who have Interpol warrants based on crimes they committed in their home countries were among 105 foreign nationals taken into custody during a five-day operation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) last week in New Jersey.  The operation, which was spearheaded by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), targeted at-large criminal aliens, illegal re-entrants and other immigration violators and was supported by ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) New Jersey Field Office.

Of those arrested during the operation, 80 percent had prior criminal convictions and/or pending criminal charges.“These outstanding results, which were made possible by our officers and law enforcement partners, highlight the tremendous commitment that ICE ERO has to public safety throughout the state,” said John Tsoukaris, Field Office Director of ERO Newark. “Our focus has been and will continue to be on arrests of illegal aliens who have been convicted of serious crimes or those who pose a threat to public safety.”          

These individuals will go through removal proceedings before an Immigration Judge or for those under a final order of removal, arrangements will be made to remove them from the U.S.  

The individuals arrested throughout New Jersey were nationals of Brazil (6), Canada (1), Colombia (1), Costa Rica (1), Cuba (2), Dominican Republic (10), Ecuador (4), Egypt (1), El Salvador (8), Guatemala (13), Honduras (7), Jamaica (4), Korea (2), Mexico (28), Peru (4), Philippines (1), Poland (1), Russia (1), Serbia (1), Slovakia (2), Spain (1), Taiwan (1), Trinidad (1), and Venezuela (4).

These individuals were arrested in the following counties in New Jersey: Atlantic (1), Bergen (4), Burlington (1), Camden (1), Essex (6), Gloucester (2), Hudson (24), Hunterdon (1), Mercer (12), Middlesex (10), Monmouth (14), Morris (3), Ocean (2), Passaic (11), Somerset (1), and Union (10). Also, two (2) individuals were arrested in New York. They range from age 18 to 65 years old and most were previously convicted of a variety of offenses. Some of the convictions included sexual assault on a minor, child abuse, possession of narcotics, distribution of narcotics, extortion, DUI, fraud, domestic violence, theft, possession of a weapon, robbery, promoting prostitution, aggravated assault, resisting arrest, endangering the welfare of a child, credit card fraud, insurance fraud, shoplifting and illegal reentry.

Among those arrested during this operation include:

  • In Palisades Park, a 59-year-old Korean national, who has an Interpol warrant to serve his sentence for the crime of indecent acts by compulsion causing bodily injury;
  • In Palisades Park, a 44-year-old Korean national, who has an Interpol warrant to serve his sentence for the crime of distribution of psychotropic drugs;
  • In West New York, a 34-year-old Ecuadorian national, who has an Interpol warrant for the crime of fraud;
  • In Paterson, a 54-year-old Russian national, who has an Interpol warrant for the crime of large scale fraud;
  • In Union City, a 35-year-old Ecuadorian national, who has a conviction of forcible touching on a child;
  • In Jersey City, a 35-year-old Venezuelan national, who has a conviction of distribution of narcotics;
  • In Union City, a 52-year-old Mexican national, who has a conviction of promoting prostitution with a child.
  • In New Brunswick, a 34-year-old Honduran national, who has a conviction of Endangering the Welfare of a Child;
  • In Bayonne, a 43-year-old Canadian national, who has a conviction of distribution of narcotics on school grounds;
  • In Jamesburg, a 25-year-old previously deported Guatemalan national, who was arrested for aggravated assault and possession of a weapon. An ICE detainer was lodged with Middlesex County Jail but they refused to honor the ICE detainer and released the subject;
  • In Toms River, a 28-year-old Egyptian national, who has three convictions for possession and distribution of narcotics;
  • In Jersey City, a 41-year-old Taiwanese national, who has convictions for extortion and bank fraud;
  • In Atlantic City, a 38-year-old Cuban national, who has a conviction for aggravated criminal sexual contact;
  • In New Brunswick, a 48-year-old Jamaican national, who has convictions for conspiracy to commit robbery and possession of a weapon;
  • In Freehold a 28-year-old El Salvadorian national, who is a member of MS-13;
  • In New Brunswick, a 19-year-old Mexican national, who is a member of the 18th street gang;
  • In Newark, a 31-year-old Mexican national, who is a member of the Surenos-13th street gang;

This operation was pre-planned and not as a result of the New Jersey Attorney General’s Directive last week limiting local and state law enforcement cooperation with ICE. ICE will of necessity have to conduct additional enforcement operations, if local police departments and county jails do not refer criminals and gang members they encounter to ICE for review and possible arrest on immigration violations.

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Assemblywoman Holly Schepisi Shares Her Thoughts on How the System Failed Katie Brennan

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Trenton NJ, Assemblywoman Holly Schepisi’s  interview with David Cruz and NJTV today on how the system failed Katie Brennan.

“The most important take-away thus far is how many times the system failed her,” said Assemblywoman Holly Schepisi. “So here you have a situation where it wasn’t an allegation of, ‘Hey, someone was mean to me on the campaign trail.’ It was, ‘I was sexually assaulted by this person who’s now in charge of personnel decisions and nobody ever took a step to investigate.’”
Schepisi says what she heard was a lack of clarity on whether protocols for follow up were even in place. And that made it possible for someone who had a “curious lack of curiosity” to simply pass the buck.

“It just became a convenient ‘not it,’ ‘hot potato’ type of thing to say, well, you don’t fall specifically into a particular set of rules right now, so we’re not going to do anything on this,” she added.

https://www.njtvonline.org/…/lawmakers-already-mulling-pol…/

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New Jersey Business & Industry Association’s 60th Annual Business Outlook Survey : New Jersey continues to be perceived as being non-competitive with other states

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file photo by Boyd Loving

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Expectations are high for increased profits, sales and wages in 2019 following a successful 2018 for many New Jersey businesses, according to results found in the New Jersey Business & Industry Association’s 60th Annual Business Outlook Survey.But the survey, released today, also finds a much more guarded outlook for New Jersey’s economy on the whole. In addition to a marginal increase of business owners who will look to offset a $15 minimum wage with raised prices, reduced staff or hours, or an increase in automation, there was a sizable decline from last year in respondents expecting New Jersey’s economy to perform better in the first six months of 2019. Similarly, while 83 percent of members rated the performance of the U.S. economy as excellent or good, only 40 percent rated New Jersey’s economy in the same categories.

Continue reading New Jersey Business & Industry Association’s 60th Annual Business Outlook Survey : New Jersey continues to be perceived as being non-competitive with other states

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Joint Statement of New Jersey Law Enforcement Leaders : Numbers rarely tell the full story

Ridgewood Police Respond to Physical Altercation at Dim Sum Dynasty Restaurant

file photo by Boyd Loving

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Trenton NJ, Every day, New Jersey’s 36,000 law enforcement officers put their lives on the line to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our fellow residents. They do extraordinary work—often under challenging circumstances and often without the recognition they deserve.

Our police officers interact with the public millions of times each year, with interactions ranging from routine traffic stops to active shooters. In the overwhelming majority of cases, these officers handle the matter professionally and the interaction ends without incident.

From time to time, officers are confronted with situations where they have little choice but to use force against an individual who is not complying with a lawful order or who poses an immediate threat to themselves or others. Oftentimes, this use of force is a necessary and appropriate response to a dangerous situation.

Continue reading Joint Statement of New Jersey Law Enforcement Leaders : Numbers rarely tell the full story

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Murphy Plays the Fool on Brennan Rape Testimony

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Trenton N J, Governor Phil Murphy continues to play , “I knew nothing card”  as to why he hired an accused rapists ? The Murphy Administration has been rocked by a series of high profile blinders hiring career criminals to the ethically challenged.

The New Jersey Select Oversight Committee kicked off its investigation into the Murphy administration’s hiring practices with the testimony of Kate Brennan .

Brennan in chronological order related what did – and did not – happen after she said she was raped by Al Alvarez in Jersey City in the early morning hours of April 8, 2017. Both had been involved with what was then Murphy’s election campaign for governor.

Continue reading Murphy Plays the Fool on Brennan Rape Testimony

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Phil Murphy : “I put forward a strong economic plan that will put us ahead of the curve as present and future corporate decisions are planned, and I look forward to working with all stakeholders to see it implemented.”

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Trenton NJ, Statement from Governor Murphy on Honeywell:
“As part of Honeywell’s global restructuring, the company has committed to keeping the vast majority of its existing New Jersey workforce in state. Though we’re never happy when any jobs leave our state, we appreciate their continued commitment and confidence in New Jersey. By maintaining such a strong foothold here, Honeywell is reaffirming their commitment to being a part of New Jersey’s future. That speaks volumes to our state’s strength, resilience, and value proposition.

“I put forward a strong economic plan that will put us ahead of the curve as present and future corporate decisions are planned, and I look forward to working with all stakeholders to see it implemented.”