Ridgewood NJ, more people moved out of Governor Murphy’s high tax Sanctuary State in 2018 than any other state, according to a new study by United Van Lines . The United Van Lines’ 42nd Annual National Movers Study, which tracks customers’ state-to-state migration patterns over the past year, revealed that more residents moved out of New Jersey than any other state in 2018.
New Jersey residents looking for sanctuary led in outbound migration with (66.8 percent), Connecticut (62 percent) and New York (61.5 percent) were included among the top 10 outbound states for the fourth consecutive year. Midwestern states like Illinois (65.9 percent), Kansas (58.7 percent), Ohio (56.5 percent) and Iowa (55.5 percent) saw high outbound relocation as well.
The National Movers Study also reveals business data of inbound and outbound moves from 2018. In addition to this study, United Van Lines also conducts a survey to find out more about the reasons behind these moves. A leading motivation behind these migration patterns across all regions is a career change, as the survey showed approximately one out of every two people who moved in the past year moved for a new job or company transfer. Other reasons for the high percentage of moves to the Mountain West in 2018 include retirement (28.1 percent), proximity to family (20.8 percent) and lifestyle change (19.4 percent). Compared to all other states, Idaho saw the largest influx of new residents desiring a lifestyle change (25.95 percent), and more people flocked to New Mexico for retirement than any other state (42.74 percent.
New Jersey (66.8 percent), which has ranked in the top 10 for the past 10 years, moved up one spot on the outbound list to No. 1. New additions to the 2018 top outbound list include Iowa (55.5 percent), Montana (55 percent) and Michigan (55 percent).
TRENTON NJ, Fulfilling its statutory mandate to keep the public informed about the operations of organized crime in New Jersey, the State Commission of Investigation today introduced a new project, “Organized Crime Spotlight,” that will periodically provide up‐to‐date profiles of significant criminal groups impacting the State and region. The inaugural report focuses on La Mara Salvatrucha, commonly referred to as MS‐13, a criminal street gang known for extreme violence.
The State Commission of Investigation is an independent New Jersey watchdog agency established in 1968 to investigate organized crime and corruption, waste of tax money and other abuses of the public trust. Copies of public reports are available at the Commission’s offices or via its Web site at www.state.nj.us/sci.index.shtm
The Commission found that while aggressive law enforcement efforts and prosecutions at the state and federal levels have been somewhat effective in suppressing MS‐13, it remains a persistent threat in New Jersey, preying primarily on immigrant communities through extortion, robbery and street‐level drug sales. With a ceaseless thirst to command respect through fear, its trademark ideology of advancing in rank through violence and its rivalries with other groups, murder is always just a spark away for MS‐13 members, the SCI found.
The most infamous example of MS‐13’s savagery in New Jersey was the slaying of three individuals – and the grave wounding of a fourth – in a Newark schoolyard on the night of Aug. 4, 2007. Six of the gang’s members, including the leader of the Newark clique, are serving long prison sentences for the grisly attack. Such vicious incidents of violence have been less frequent in recent years, and some policing experts believe elements of MS‐13 may be intentionally lying low to avoid law enforcement scrutiny.
Further, the Commission learned that New Jersey is a central command post for the gang’s operations on the East Coast. Over the past decade, an effort by MS‐13 leaders in El Salvador to exert greater control over U.S.‐based cliques, or sets, has taken root. These cliques take orders directly from compatriots in El Salvador for killings and pay tribute by wiring cash to leaders in the Central American nation. New Jersey has played a prominent role in this movement with leaders in Monmouth and Hudson counties directing operations along the East Coast.
Founded by immigrants fleeing war‐torn El Salvador in the 1980s, MS‐13 originated on the streets of Los Angeles. New Jersey law enforcement officials identified the first MS‐13 members in Elizabeth, Union County, in the mid‐1990s. Today, MS‐13 members are scattered throughout the state from Union City to Morristown, Trenton to Red Bank, and Lindenwold to Lakewood.
Along with outlining the gang’s origins, expansion, structure and activities, the report also highlights some of the obstacles facing law enforcement as well as approaches some officials have used to tamp down violence and to prevent vulnerable teenagers from bolstering MS‐13’s ranks.
Combating MS‐13 presents unique challenges to law enforcement due to the insular nature of the gang, which often targets immigrants from El Salvador as both victims and as potential recruits. In some municipalities, outreach is hampered by a lack of Spanish‐speaking officers. Law enforcement officials across the State told the Commission efforts are ongoing to build relationships with these communities but that many people, principally those who are undocumented, are fearful of deportation or of retaliation by the gang.
Notwithstanding these challenges, law enforcement in some jurisdictions, particularly in Hudson County, have adopted strategies that have successfully headed off potential violence and muted the gang’s predatory behavior. Most notably, law enforcement officials in Union City, Hudson County, told the Commission that while many MS‐13 members are present in the city, the gang does not conduct overt criminal activity there because of a zero‐tolerance approach that involves multiple city departments and the school system. Some measures taken in Union City include a midnight curfew on those under 18 and a requirement that building owners swiftly remove graffiti, such as gang‐related tags, or face significant financial penalties.
Ridgewood NJ, Uniformed Ridgewood Police Patrol Officers and plainclothes detectives investigated at least two (2) additional forced entry burglaries to United States Postal Services drop boxes that were reported on Monday morning, 12/31. Two (2) of the burglaries were located on the same street; one (1) at the corner of East Ridgewood Avenue and Cottage Place, the other on Cottage Place in front of the Ridgewood Board of Education headquarters building. Mail left behind in both boxes was secured and removed for processing by a management representative of the Ridgewood Post Office. .
Trenton NJ, Senate President Steve Sweeney issued the following statement today in response to Governor Murphy’s stated attitude on tax increases:
“There is a path forward for New Jersey that fixes fiscal problems and restores economic growth but tax increases are not part of the solution. Until we make the desperately-needed structural reforms to government spending and fiscal practices, we will not consider tax increases. Ignoring the need for fiscal reforms will only allow the deeply-rooted financial practices that have plagued the state for too long to continue and become worse. Left unaddressed, we won’t have the resources or the ability to address the needs of the people of New Jersey or invest in the programs and services that can expand economic opportunities. Period, full stop.
“I am fully committed to making the reforms needed to produce real and lasting progress on the state’s fiscal practices and economic conditions. Period, full stop.”
Ridgewood NJ, the Ridgewood Police Report Multiple burglaries:
On December 13th, a residential burglary on Spring Avenue was reported to have occurred between 12/12/18 and 12/13/18. The homeowner reported discovering a broken window from an unknown person forcing entry to gain access. The Ridgewood Detective Bureau and Bergen County Sheriff’s Department responded to investigate.
On December 14th, a Doremus Avenue resident reported a theft from the rear yard of the residence occurred in the past. The victim reported a Honda ATV was stolen by an unknown actor between 12/8/18 and 12/9/18. The ATV was valued at approximately $3000.
On December 16th a Maxwell Place residence was discovered to have been burglarized in the past. A family member of the resident reported the burglary and theft occurred within the previous week after discovering the interior ransacked. The Ridgewood Detective Bureau and the Bergen County Sheriff’s Department responded to the scene to investigate.
The Ridgewood Police Department is asking residents to be extra vigilant and report any activity they believe is suspicious. As a reminder make sure your residential doors and windows are locked as well as your vehicle’s doors. If you have any information that can assist with the investigation please contact the Ridgewood Police Detective Bureau at 201-251-4536.
All actors are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 252 months in prison for robbing 14 hotels in New Jersey and New York, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced today.
Tremone Burnett, 46, of Orange, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Katharine S. Hayden in Newark federal court on Sept. 12, 2018, to two counts of an indictment charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit robbery and threaten physical violence, and one count of using a firearm during a crime of violence. Judge Hayden imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From April 24, 2014, through June 19, 2014, Burnett robbed 12 New Jersey hotels and two New York hotels at gunpoint. The New Jersey hotels were located in Carteret, Lebanon, Newark, Rockaway, Secaucus, Avenel, Parsippany, Paramus, Weehawken, and Edison; the New York hotels were located in Airmont and Nanuet. In each robbery, Burnett wielded a handgun and, in some instances, tied the victim’s hands and feet. During one of the robberies, Burnett discharged his firearm.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Hayden sentenced Burnett to five years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie in Newark; the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II; and the Newark Department of Public Safety, under the direction of Public Safety Director Anthony F. Ambrose, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. He also thanked the Carteret, Edison, Lebanon, Rockaway, Parsippany, Weehawken and Woodbridge Township police departments in New Jersey; the Clarkstown and Ramapo police departments in New York; the N.J. State Police; and the Bergen County, Hunterdon County, Middlesex County, and Morris County prosecutors’ offices for their work on this case.
Heather Darling, Heather is a layer from Morris County
Trenton NJ, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-3, the Statute recently amended to further limit the capacity of gun magazines is being interpreted to include that law enforcement officers are not permitted to possess “large-capacity magazines” capable of holding more than 10 rounds of ammunition to be fed continuously into semi-automatic firearms, unless while on duty or travelling to or from an authorized place of duty. The statute is applicable to all law enforcement officers, including those subject to on-call status.
The notion that this could possibly be designed to keep citizens safe is ludicrous. While an on-duty officer is considered capable of safely possessing and operating a gun with a so-called large capacity magazine, this statute proposes that, from the moment that an officer is off-duty, he or she is no longer able to safely possess and operate a firearm with a so-called large capacity magazine.
Additionally, where law abiding citizens have been ordered to turn in the so-called large capacity magazines, criminals with illegal guns will certainly not be turning in theirs.
New Jersey already prohibits carry permits for citizens in all but the most exceptional circumstances. This places the protection of our citizens squarely on the shoulders of law enforcement officers.
It is unlikely the legislature forgetting that police officers are often aided by off-duty law enforcement personnel until back-up can arrive and, at times, it is off-duty personnel initially addressing situations until on-duty officers arrive at the scene.
Now New Jersey is limiting the ability of law enforcement officers, normally having carry permits by virtue of their training, knowledge and having passed a rigorous background check, to protect our citizens. This act of limiting the capacity of magazines in the guns carried by off-duty law enforcement officers certainly seems to demonstrate that the amendment of N.J.S.A. 2C:39-3 is to further disarm citizens, including police, and remove their ability to protect themselves rather than to prevent mass casualty situations as those pushing this legislation would have us believe.
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)?
Fair Lawn NJ, Unspecified threats resulted in the evacuation of at least two (2) public schools in Fair Lawn on Thursday afternoon, 12/13. Units from Fair Lawn Police, Fair Lawn Fire, and the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office were all called into service. This is the second threat since December 3rd when police presence was added after a threat was made to Thomas Jefferson Middle School .
Dear Parents/Guardians,
This afternoon, both Radburn and Memorial Middle School received a bomb threat, via spam email. Both schools were evacuated to their evacuation sites. Students will be dismissed from there at their regular dismissal time. Students who receive transportation will be picked up from the evacuation site and transported, as usual. If you pick your son/daughter up, please report to the evacuation site address below:
Memorial:
Fair Lawn Jewish Center 10-10 Norma Ave
Radburn: Radburn Association Grange Hall 29-20 Fair Lawn Ave
Fair Lawn Police is investigating the situation at both schools. We will update you with more information, as it becomes available.
Aftercare is still available at The Grange at 29-20 Fair Lawn Avenue, but we encourage you to pick up your son or daughter.
Trenton NJ, Activists Gather Outside Legislative Caucus Meetings to Urge Legislators to Oppose Redistricting Proposals
East Brunswick-Activists from grassroots, good-government, and progressive groups gathered today at the East Brunswick Hilton to silently protest legislative efforts to move a ballot question aimed at changing the state constitution to grant legislators increased power in the redistricting process and enact changes experts have decried as exacerbating gerrymandering.
Members of New Jersey Working Families Alliance, League of Women Voters of New Jersey, NJ11th for Change, NJ7 Forward, New Jersey Citizen Action, Our Revolution New Jersey, and UU FaithAction NJ, all convened in their expressed opposition to the amendment as proposed.
“Since 2015, NJ Working Families has stood firm in its opposition to a process that places elected officials at the helm of a process to create their own districts. We stand in solidarity with those who also express concerns for varying reasons and urge legislators to pause in order to make the entire process more transparent, fair, and garner broader support.” said Analilia Mejia, Executive Director of New Jersey Working Families Alliance, which withdrew support for a similar proposal in 2015 in part because of its failure to ban legislators from serving on the commission.
Leaders of organizations who played an integral part in the 2018 midterm victories across the state joined the action to demand legislators pull support from the resolutions.
Saily Avelenda, Executive Director of NJ11th for Change said, “It should not shock our legislators that organizers from around the state are united in opposition to these proposals. We stand for good government and transparency– not for granting a select few legislators broader powers that they have already claimed for themselves. We showed up today to remind our legislators that there will be a political price to pay if they vote in favor for these terrible amendments. Voters are paying attention and so are we.”
“We are here to put our representatives on notice, said Margaret Illis, co-founder of NJ7Forward. This isn’t an electorate of years past. We have become an engaged and activated electorate and demand better from our representatives. This isn’t about partisanship or parties, this is about our voice and vote.”
“When a legislator is on the redistricting commission, their sole mission is to create a safe district for themselves. No one is going to say “Give me a less safe district to ensure a fairer map for everyone,” said Barry Brendel, Chair of Our Revolution New Jersey, the Sanders-inspired grassroots organization.
Activists from faith organizations also joined the call to oppose the redistricting proposal. “Good governance, in congregations as well as in the statehouse, depends on an open and fair process that doesn’t impact the bedrock principle of ‘One person, one vote,’ said Rev. Rob Gregson, Executive Director of the Public Policy and Social Justice Office of the 21 Unitarian Universalist congregations in NJ. “Unitarian Universalists and many of our faith partners unequivocally oppose carving up the state in ways that give an unfair advantage to either party, Democrats or Republicans. It’s bad for religious institutions and it’s bad for democracy in New Jersey.”
Actions against the redistricting proposal by grassroots organizations will continue in Trenton today as public hearings on SCR 43/ACR60 are scheduled.
Secaucus NJ, A Secaucus, New Jersey, woman was arraigned today on charges of holding a Sri Lankan national against her will and for years forcing the victim to work without pay as a domestic servant, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Alia Imad Faleh Al Hunaity, a/k/a “Alia Al Qaterneh,” 43, of Secaucus, New Jersey, was indicted Dec. 4, 2018, on charges of forced labor, alien harboring, and marriage fraud. She was arraigned today before U.S. District Judge Robert Kugler in Camden federal court and entered a plea of not guilty to the charges. She remains free on $150,000 unsecured bond.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Hunaity brought the victim to the United States on a temporary visa in 2009 for the victim to perform domestic services. Hunaity caused the victim to overstay the victim’s visa, and the victim remained in the United States illegally, living exclusively with Hunaity for more than nine years. Hunaity forced the victim to work without pay, and limited the victim’s interactions with the outside world. In 2018, Hunaity forced the victim to marry Hunaity for the purpose of obtaining legal residence for the victim so that the victim could continue to work without pay for Hunaity.
Hunaity was arrested on Sept.19, 2018, and made her initial appearance that day before U.S. Magistrate Court Judge Cathy L. Waldor.
The forced labor charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and the alien harboring and marriage fraud charges each carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison. The charges subject Hunaity to a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain to the defendant or twice the gross loss to others, whichever is greater.
U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito credited special agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Newark Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian Michael, with the investigation leading to the indictment.
The charges and allegations in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The Assembly and State Senate hearings will both be held at 11 a.m. in Committee Room 11 and Committee Room 4, respectively, in the Statehouse Annex, making it cumbersome for the many who are opposed to testify on the record.
Not a single expert witness or group testified in favor of SCR-43 during a Nov. 26, 2018 committee hearing on the constitutional amendment.
In the weeks that have followed, dozens of nonpartisan election experts, editorial writers, and advocates from across the political spectrum have joined the chorus of opposition to this effort to disenfranchise our democracy.
Here’s what else they’re saying….
“This has been a classic throw something out in the proverbial backrooms. It’s completely unacceptable,” Governor Phil Murphy (Insider NJ, Nov. 27, 2018)
“It’s the most undemocratic solution possible,” he said. “It’s bizarre. You have supporters of the bill being incredibly disingenuous about giving voters greater choice.” – Patrick MurrayMonmouth University Polling Institute (NJ Spotlight, Dec. 12, 2018)
“This has the potential to undermine our voting rights. The result could favor one party over the other.” – Jeanne LoCicero, ACLU of New Jersey. (NJ Spotlight, Dec. 12, 2018)
“What Democrats in Trenton really want is a permanent majority, and they’re trying to rig the state Constitution to provide it,” Wall Street Journal Editorial Board (Dec. 3, 2018)
“This is undemocratic. Voters should be choosing their politicians — not the other way around.” – Helen Kioukis, the League of Women Voters of New Jersey (Nov. 26, 2018)
“Such a map would create an artificial, evenly-distributed advantage for the majority party. This would drastically reduce the number of seats for the minority party in a way most New Jerseyans would consider to be unfair,” Brian Williams, Princeton University Gerrymandering Project (Nov. 26, 2018)
“By focusing on partisanship and treating communities of interest, and communities of color in particular, as an afterthought, the proposed constitutional amendment is an unacceptable step backwards for New Jersey. We will not go back. Passage of this proposal will virtually ensure the voting power of communities of color will be diluted for decades to come. We successfully opposed this ill-conceived measure before, and we are doing so again today,” Richard Smith, the New Jersey Chapter of the NAACP. (Joint Statement, Nov. 27, 2018)
“It is at best an unproved assumption, and at worst a mistaken one, that voters always vote for the same party’s candidate whether for President or for State Assemblyman. Especially in New Jersey, where state legislative elections are not held in the same year as federal elections, uncritically imposing the results of one election on the process for an entirely different election is ‘mixing apples and oranges.’ As a general matter, requiring that districts be drawn on order to favor one political party, or even both major political parties, is contrary to sound redistricting practice, and enables partisan gerrymandering.” – Ronald K. Chen, Center for Law and Justice (Letter to Sen. Paul Sarlo, Nov. 23, 2018)
“SCR43 would constitutionalize a redistricting process for New Jersey that elevates partisanship over people, and prioritizes ‘competition’ over protecting the ability of communities of color to elect their candidates of choice. We cannot support this proposal. And we urge everyone who cares about the protection of our democracy’s ability to put people first—not partisanship—to join us in opposing SCR43.” – Ryan P. Haygood, New Jersey Institute for Social Justice Institute (Joint Statement, Nov. 27, 2018)
“Attempting to mandate political outcomes is not the best way to reform redistricting—and, in fact, could open the door to gerrymandering.” Yurij Rudensky, Brennan Center for Justice at the NYU School of Law (Joint Statement, Nov. 27, 2018)
“It is very difficult to see this as anything but a naked power grab by Democrats… This is not what Democracy is supposed to look like. The process is fatally flawed.. This doesn’t help create faith in government; it creates more distrust. ” – David Pringle, Clean Water Action (Nov. 26, 2018)
“So, what are state Senate Democrats doing now? They want voters to amend the state Constitution so that the independent commission would have to follow new rules that clearly favor Democrats. It’s a shameless stunt, and like all shameless stunts, they are rushing this through the Legislature at the last minute to short-circuit any discussion of the merits. On Monday, with Senate President Steve Sweeney cracking the whip, the budget committee approved the maneuver after a brief and superficial hearing before a mostly empty chamber. It was one of those Trenton moments that make you want to take a hot shower to wash away the stink.” ColumnistTom Moran as published in The Star-Ledger op-ed: “Stop the shameless power grab by N.J. Democrats” (Nov. 28, 2018)
“Promoting competition shouldn’t start with a virtual guarantee that 75 percent of the districts will be noncompetitive,” Asbury Park Press Editorial Board (Nov. 25, 2018)
“The way most people use the word “competitive” — if they are at all conversant in conversational English — and the way the sponsors of the proposed changes define the word “competitive” are worlds apart. Heck, they aren’t even in the same dictionary. […] They know you wouldn’t vote for the type of system they want if they described it honestly.” Patrick Murray, Monmouth University Polling Institute, as published in his Nov. 25 NJ.com op-ed, “Top N.J. pollster: Beware, Dems want you to vote for their redistricting scheme.”
“The constitutional amendment is worded in such a way as to pull the wool over voters’ eyes. This is Democrats being overly greedy for no good reason. It’s almost certain that they will do well with the next map and there are less egregious ways to prioritize the fairness metric. This just further erodes public trust in government for little actual gain.” – Patrick Murray, Monmouth University Polling Institute Director (Politico, Nov. 19, 2018)
Recently in the News…
12/12/2018 on NJ Spotlight: “Opposition Lines Up as NJ Dems Keep Going With Vexed Redistricting Measure”“New Jersey Democrats are going ahead with two public hearings tomorrow on a measure to change the way the state draws its legislative district boundaries, a proposal that to date no independent group — and even some that typically back Democrats — considers better or fairer than the current system.”
12/12/2018 in New Jersey Globe: “47 Groups Sign Letter Opposing Redistricting Amendment”
“The New Jersey League of Women Voters and 46 other groups, including a large number of liberal ones, on Wednesday sent New Jersey legislators a letter asking them to vote against the redistricting constitutional amendment being pushed by Democratic leaders in the legislature. “We urge you to stand up for democracy and for the people of New Jersey and vote “no” on these proposals that would lay the foundation for the extreme gerrymandering of New Jersey’s 40 legislative districts,” the groups said in the letter. “The manipulation of district boundary lines to favor one political party over another has no place in our State Constitution. New Jersey voters deserve a fair process and fair maps.”
12/9/2018 on NJ.com: “All you need to know about that controversial, fast-tracked plan that could give N.J. Dems even more power”
“Many liberal-leaning groups have spoken out. About a dozen activists held a news conference in Newark on Wednesday to lobby against the proposal — many of whom helped flip four Republican U.S. House seats last month. “We refuse to sit by and watch the Democratic party bosses further consolidate their power to have the ultimate leverage when it comes time to whip important votes,” said Sue Altman of South Jersey Progressive Women for Change. Yurji Rudensky of the Brennan Center for Justice at the New York University School of Law suggested this could “open the door to gerrymandering.”
12/1/2018 in The Philadelphia Inquirer: “To combat gerrymandering, N.J. Democrats propose drawing maps to entrench their power”
“Bucking a national trend toward fighting gerrymandering by removing partisan politics from the process of drawing political maps, New Jersey Democrats are seeking to amend the state constitution in a way that would entrench their power in Trenton. The proposal has drawn sharp criticism from good-government groups, civil rights groups, and redistricting experts who warn it would allow Democrats to unfairly draw the state’s legislative districts in their favor. A group led by prominent national Democratic figures called it ‘a major step in the wrong direction.’”
11/27/2018 on NJ.com: “After the legal weed drama came a classic Jersey power fight featuring, yes, backroom deals”
“Critics warn it would ensure Democrats keep control of the state Legislature for decades. A slightly watered-down version of the proposal advanced out of a state Senate committee Monday night, fast-tracked on the first day after Thanksgiving weekend. But not before Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy defied members of his own party by voicing opposition to it earlier in the day. Not before lawmakers made multiple changes in backroom meetings (yep, there really is a back room) and continued to make alterations even after some votes were tallied. Not before Republicans, academics, and advocates continued to cry foul. And not before a woman in the crowd yelled that Democrats should be “ashamed” of themselves. In other words, it was one of those classic nights for Jersey power politics.”
11/27/2018 in Politico NJ Playbook:
“After a five-hour hearing and a two-hour break — when the once-packed committee room was nearly empty — the Senate budget committee took up and passed a redistricting amendment that would virtually ensure Democratic dominance for decades to come… Note that even though Democratic legislative leadership is pushing this , a vast array of groups — from Republicans to academics to even liberal organization like the Working Families Alliance, which three years ago pushed for a redistricting amendment — are against it. And even the way Democrats advanced it through committee was controversial.”
11/27/2018 on NJ Spotlight: “DEMOCRATS PUSH CONTROVERSIAL REDISTRICTING OVERHAUL, CRITICS PUSH BACK”“The proposal was approved at the end of a marathon hearing during which critics wondered at the wisdom of such a proposal, particularly at this time. Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute, questioned whether it was wise for lawmakers to advance the proposal in an era when the public is already deeply divided along partisan lines and as public trust in government is ‘pretty fragile at this point in time.’ But the strongest criticism came from Helen Kioukis, a program associate with the League of Women Voters, who labeled the proposed changes “undemocratic.” The hearing also contained a bizarre moment when some lawmakers’ votes were allowed to be recorded ahead of time despite a series of last-minute amendments being made; the lawmakers had apparently already left the State House.”
11/26/2018 on NJ.com: “N.J. Democrats have all kinds of power these days. This new plan of theirs could give them more.”
“Two sources with knowledge of the situation said top Democratic lawmakers are trying to diminish the role of Democratic State Committee Chairman John Currie, a Murphy ally. State Senate President Stephen Sweeney, D-Gloucester, has frequently locked horns with both the chairman and the governor. The sources — who asked for anonymity to discuss sensitive matters — said a plan to displace Currie as chairman went nowhere and the restricting proposal surfaced as another avenue to kneecap him.”
Additionally, on Dec. 11, 2018, the following 50 groups submitted letters to State legislators announcing their united opposition:
Action Together New Jersey
Allied for the American Promise
American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey
American Promise
Better Angels – Summit Chapter
BlueWaveNJ
Clean Water Action
Democracy for America, Essex County
Environment New Jersey
Faith in New Jersey
Food & Water Watch
Good Government Coalition of New Jersey (GGCNJ)
Housing and Community Development Network of NJ
Indivisible Cranbury
Indivisible Lambertville/New Hope
JOLT Ridgewood
League of Women Voters of New Jersey
Lutheran Episcopal Advocacy Ministry NJ
MomsRising
National Association of Social Workers – NJ Chapter
National Council of Jewish Women, Essex County Section
National Organization for Women of New Jersey
National Organization for Women – Northern New Jersey
Network for Responsible Public Policy
New Jersey Citizen Action
New Jersey Highlands American Promise Association
New Jersey Institute for Social Justice
New Jersey State Industrial Union Council
New Jersey Policy Perspective
New Jersey Work Environment Council
New Jersey Working Families Alliance
NJ Badass Teachers Association
NJ7 Forward
Our Revolution Essex County NJ
Our United Revolution New Jersey
Pinelands Preservation Alliance
Planned Parenthood Action Fund of New Jersey
Reform Jewish Voice of New Jersey
RepresentUs/Central New Jersey
Salvation and Social Justice
Seniors for a Democratic Society
South Jersey Women for Progressive Change
STAND Central New Jersey
TriCounty NJ Chapter of American Promise
Unitarian Universalist FaithAction NJ
Westfield 20/20
Women for Progress
Trenton NJ, Senator Declan O’Scanlon (R-Monmouth) released the following statement addressing numerous recent incidents of unwarranted brining of State roadways.
“The lack of government response and preparedness for the first winter storm of the season was clearly a failure,” Senator O’Scanlon said. “Although it was somewhat ameliorated by the moving target forecast, there’s no question we should have been better-prepared, and more on top of the treacherous situation as it evolved.
“However, the answer for that failure is NOT to waste obscene amounts of taxpayer money by over-brining roads, every time the temperature dips below 40 degrees.
“Now, whenever you go outside on a chilly day, you see government trucks dumping thousands of dollars of resources unnecessarily onto the roads. Increasing the use of brine wastes funds and exacerbates our already deteriorated roadways. It could also adversely impact the environment by increasing salinity. Over-brining could also potentially cause lead to leach into our waterways. Taxpayers are rightfully baffled and furious.
“The administration’s response to their shortcomings during the November snowstorm should be to reevaluate their preparedness and response levels in order to ensure appropriate mobilization during an actual winter storm event. They are now swinging in the other direction: from lack of response, to wasting taxpayer money to avoid another public relations nightmare.
“We understand that there will always be unfair blame and burden placed on government during storms. It’s only fair to concede that. There are things government can and should be able to control; and then there are tricky things, like the weather. I get it. But this rapid depletion of our stock of winter resources – we all remember when we actually ran out of salt a number of years ago – and the subsequent waste of our budget money isn’t an acceptable response.
“I sincerely hope the administration reevaluates immediately, by putting the proper winter weather mitigation protocols in place, and stopping this absurd waste of resources and taxpayer funds.
“I have faith that the professionals at the Department of Transportation are aware of the mistakes that were made during the previous failure, and should be ready to balance our needs going forward. It now appears public relations decisions may be overruling professional ones. I’m asking Governor Murphy to take a step back and work with our DOT officials to strike a healthy balance here,” O’Scanlon concluded.
“With the declining tax base, who is going to pay for all of these excessive salaries and benefits (platinum health care, very generous pension & unused sick leave payouts) negotiated in bad faith by the public sector unions ?”
“States with lower state & local taxes make much more sense for businesses to invest given the SALT deduction limits of $10,000 on their employees hurt them in high tax states like NJ.”
“The average residential property tax in Ridgewood is actually now $18,000 as of 2018/19 tax year… just as state & local tax deductions are limited to $10,000. What are the BOE and Village Council doing to help Ridgewood families keep food on their tables and gas in their cars given higher commuter pass costs, tolls, higher parking permit fees, higher Graydon and tennis pass fees, etc? And where are the vaunted schools & Village services those taxes are paying for ? In the tank.”
Parsippany NJ, Conagra Brands, the food giant that purchased Parsippany-based Pinnacle Foods for nearly $11 billion in October, is the second company in as many weeks looking for greener pastures . The company is closing a pair of Pinnacle facilities, according to a federal WARN notice — potentially costing 500 people their jobs.
Conagra, Chicago-based maker of products such as Healthy Choice and Orville Redenbacher’s, said in two separate notifications that it is closing office facilities at 399 Jefferson Road in Parsippany and 121 Woodcrest Road in Cherry Hill. The Parsippany property had served as headquarters for Pinnacle, maker of brands such as Duncan Hines, Vlasic and Birds Eye.
WARN Notice : offers protection to workers, their families and communities by requiring employers to provide notice 60 days in advance of covered plant closings and covered mass layoffs. This notice must be provided to either affected workers or their representatives (e.g., a labor union); to the State dislocated worker unit; and to the appropriate unit of local government.
Conagra Brands, Inc. Parsippany Date 03/22/2019 layoffs 308 Conagra Brands, Inc. Cherry Hill Date 05/24/2019 layoffs 196
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