The Ridgewood Blog Brings a Free Market Laissez-faire Point of View to Local, New Jersey State and National Issues.
U.S. Soldiers Serving in War Zones Earn an Additional $225 Per Week in Military Pay
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Ridgewood NJ, Service members deployed to dangerous war zones overseas are no longer subject to State Income Tax for combat zone pay under a new law sponsored by Senator Kristin Corrado and signed today by Governor Murphy.
Continue reading Combat Zone Pay Now Exempt from Governor Murphy Tax Grab
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CHESTER NJ, With a critical Presidential election that has been marred by Constitutionally questionable State procedural changes in voting due to a pandemic it is now more important than ever for the U.S. Senate to swiftly confirm a Supreme Court nominee. As we learned in 2001, in the landmark case Bush v. Gore, the Supreme Court decision ruled that the recount challenges in Florida violated the Equal Protection Clause as unconstitutional and was instrumental in upholding the law of democracy. The ruling on whether an alternative means of counting could be established within the time limit set by Title 3 of the United States Code came down to a close 5-4 decision. Without a full bench, a split decision could create a Constitutional crisis.
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Trenton NJ, NJBIA President and CEO Michele Siekerka issued the following statement regarding today’s announcement of an agreement between Governor Murphy and legislative leadership to expand the base of those will pay the state’s gross income tax rate from 8.97% to 10.75%.
“This tax increase in exchange for suggested middle class relief is a gimmick that further verifies what we have said all along – increased taxes were always completely unnecessary as part of the FY2021 budget that already includes billions in bonding.
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Upper Saddle River NJ, Republican candidate for Congress, Frank Pallotta, called on the Freeholder Boards of Bergen, Passaic, Sussex, and Warren Counties to pass resolutions opposing Governor Murphy and Senator Smith’s Farmland and Forest Destruction Act (S-2605). Pallotta asked incumbent Democrat Josh Gottheimer to stand up for the environment and join him in calling for bipartisan united opposition to replacing farmland and forests with solar power plants of 800 or more acres.
Continue reading Time to Oppose Governor Murphy’s “Farmland and Forest Destruction Act”
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RAMSEY NJ, Paul Mulshine of the Star-Ledger published a great column about Phil Murphy’s one-man rule.
Since March, Governor Murphy has been taking drastic, unilateral actions that have negatively affected millions of New Jersey residents, without consulting anyone with relevant experience. We saw him shut down nearly every small business in the state without considering long term ramifications. We then saw him force nursing homes to readmit patients that were infected with COVID-19, resulting in thousands of avoidable deaths. And most recently, we saw him unilaterally take away the people’s right to vote in person when he himself declared the November Election “primarily vote by mail.”
photo by Boyd Loving
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photo by Boyd Loving
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Governor Phil Murphy signed legislation (A1906), which would amend current law to include false incrimination and filing a false police report as a form of bias intimidation. The bill also establishes crime of false 9-1-1 call with purpose to intimidate or harass based on race or other protected class.
See Ridgewood BLM Brings out the “Karens” https://theridgewoodblog.net/ridgewood-blm-brings-out-the-karens/
Continue reading Governor Murphy Signs Legislation Criminalizing Race Based False 9-1-1 Calls
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Trenton NJ, Governor Phil Murphy today signed Executive Order No. 180. The Order extends the Public Health Emergency that was declared on March 9, 2020 through Executive Order No. 103, which was previously extended on April 7, May 6, June 4, July 2, and August 1. Under the Emergency Health Powers Act, a declared public health emergency expires after 30 days unless renewed.
Continue reading Governor Murphy Extends Public Health Emergency in New Jersey
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Trenton NJ, Governor Phil Murphy today advised individuals traveling to New Jersey from states or territories with significant community spread of COVID-19 to quarantine for a 14-day period from the time of last contact within the identified state or territory. The updated advisory includes two additional states — Alaska and Delaware, bringing the total to 35 states and territories. The travel advisory applies to any person arriving from a state or territory with a positive test rate higher than 10 per 100,000 residents or a state with a 10 percent or higher positivity rate over a 7-day rolling average.
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Atlantic City NJ, On August 14, Governor Murphy asked New Jersey residents to bear with him and his administration while they decide when and how to permit indoor dining at restaurants and bars or allow gyms, movie theaters or entertainment venues to reopen.
But Atlantic County’s businesses cannot afford to wait any longer, according to County Executive Dennis Levinson.
Dr. Fauci has said there is no reason people can’t vote in person as long as they wear masks and follow social distancing guidelines
photo by Boyd Loving
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Totowa NJ, Senator Kristin Corrado reacted to Governor Murphy’s announcement that the general election in November will be done by mail, calling it an unnecessary over-reaction and an affront to hard-earned voting guarantees.
Sen. Kristin Corrado reacted to Gov. Murphy’s announcement that the general election in November will be done by mail, calling it an unnecessary over-reaction and an affront to hard-earned voting guarantees.
Continue reading State Senator Kristin Corrado Denounces Vote-By-Mail Decision for November Election
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Ridgewood NJ, Governor Phil Murphy and Department of Education Interim Commissioner Kevin Dehmer announced that New Jersey’s public and private school districts will be open for in-person instruction for the start of the school year. Public school districts can begin the school year via remote-only instruction if they cannot adequately meet critical health and safety protocols outlined in the state’s school reopening guidance, “The Road Back,” which was released in late June. Districts who need to delay the implementation of in-person instruction will be required to submit information to the Department of Education (DOE) describing the health and safety standards that they are currently unable to adequately meet, how they will address outstanding issues in a timely fashion, and a proposed timeline for reopening physical school spaces to students and staff for in-person instruction.
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Trenton NJ, Senator Joe Pennacchio today called on Governor Murphy to help make federal unemployment relief a reality for almost 700,000 out-of-work New Jersey residents.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order Saturday that would provide an extra $400 more than basic unemployment benefits, replacing the $600 federal contribution that expired on July 31.
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Ridgewood NJ, The latest results from the nations bellwether measurement of its Main Street economy did not have much good news to announce this morning, as states like New Jersey continue to have some businesses not yet reopened and others with highly restricted operations.
Continue reading NJ Small Business Optimism Index Drops in July
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Ridgewood NJ, a new study says roads in New Jersey are among the worst in the nation. According to a new report , “The analysis by CoPilot, a car-shopping app, found that out of all the states, New Jersey ranked third-worst for roads in the U.S., underneath only Rhode Island (47.9%) and California (46.2%). Georgia (6.1%), Tennessee (8.6%) and Florida (8.7%) have the best road conditions. In New Jersey, 42.4% of all major roads are in poor condition, compared to the national average of 26.4%. New Jersey also has 8.2% of interstates/freeways, 39.2% of arterials and 58% of minor arterials in poor condition.”
Continue reading Roads in New Jersey are Among the Worst in the Nation
