Friend,
The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU), the agency responsible for approving new projects concerning offshore wind, has just approved new bids for offshore wind projects under the guise of an "emergency meeting."
I'll be blunt: I am deeply concerned about the dangerous consequences that our beloved Jersey Shore and precious marine life will endure as a result of this action.
As you know, my top priority is to safeguard the well-being of our state and its beautiful ecosystem. I've been fighting to put a stop to Gov. Murphy's radical and dangerous "Energy Disaster Plan." We must continue to take a stand against hasty decisions that could jeopardize the delicate balance of our coastal ecosystems.
The push for extreme and unsustainable green energy initiatives by Gov. Murphy has already caused extensive damage to our ecosystem as seen by massive amounts of marine life washing up. Now, as BPU approves new bids, I urge you to join me in the fight to protect our Jersey Shore and marine life.
Our coastal areas are not only vital for the beauty and recreation they offer but also crucial for the livelihoods of countless residents who depend on healthy oceans. Tourism will be gravely affected as well and we must fight back against these detrimental actions.
Join me and send a message to Phil Murphy to STOP gambling with the future of our Jersey Shore. Enough is enough!
-Sen. Michael Testa, Jr.
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Our goal is to share some of the top stories affecting NJ Education, Business, Community, and Taxes from throughout the week as well as highlight upcoming events, interviews with statewide leaders, special offers & more!
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New Jersey's Board of Public Utilities has granted unanimous approval for two wind farm projects, totaling 1,342 megawatts and 2,400 megawatts, marking the largest in the state's history. The Leading Light Wind project, headed by U.S. firm Invenergy and energyRe, is the largest offshore wind farm approved in New Jersey to date. Another project, Attentive Energy Two, led by French company TotalEnergies and Danish firm Corio Generation, is expected to generate up to 1,342 megawatts. These approvals come three months after Danish wind giant Ørsted withdrew from a separate project. The projects, situated over 40 miles off the coast, aim to solidify New Jersey's position as an offshore wind leader, fostering economic and clean energy benefits for the state. The state seeks to achieve 11,000 megawatts of offshore wind capacity by 2040, and the Board is already soliciting bids for a fourth round of wind projects.
The Biden Administration's American Rescue Plan, designed to address educational learning loss due to the COVID-19 pandemic, allocated about $189 billion, with New Jersey receiving close to $3 billion. The plan had few conditions but set deadlines for allocating funds by November 2024 and spending them by January 2025. FutureED's recent calculations show that spending across states is uneven, with Alaska, Arkansas, Iowa, Nevada, and Washington having spent over 80% of their allotments, while nine states have spent less than 60%. New Jersey falls just above the lowest-spending states, having utilized 61.9% of its federal allotment, known as Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds. The remaining funds in New Jersey are expected to be allocated for facilities renovations and ongoing high-dosage tutoring plans.
Car dealerships, represented by a letter from thousands of dealers, express concerns about the Biden administration's target for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) to constitute half of new vehicle sales by 2030. The dealers emphasize the need for consumer acceptance and point out that despite price cuts, incentives, and government support, enthusiasm for EVs has stalled. They highlight challenges such as affordability, charging access, and range, stating that these issues, along with reliable charging networks, electric grid stability, and material sourcing, need time to address. Dealers argue that the demand for internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles remains high, with increased interest in plug-in hybrids. They stress that government mandates may divert taxpayer funds from investing in technologies with higher natural demand and without the need for subsidies. The letter calls for a reevaluation of the trajectory toward EVs and a recognition of consumer preferences.
New Jersey Transit is proposing a 15% fare hike, the first in nine years, along with annual 3% fare increases indefinitely afterward. The plan aims to address significant budget deficits faced by the transit agency. The proposed fare increase, effective from July 1, 2024, is projected to generate approximately $106.6 million in revenue. The proposal also includes measures to maintain service levels for the upcoming fiscal year, beginning in July. The state aid is expected to remain at $652.1 million, with $44 million in internal cost reductions and $52 million in revenue enhancements identified by the agency. Critics express concerns about the burden on riders and call for alternative solutions to the fiscal challenges facing NJ Transit. Public hearings will be held to gather feedback on the proposed fare adjustments.
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By Rubashov
Is this a case of a bad decision by the RNC made worse by the NJGOP? And will it ultimately benefit Chris Christie – and hurt Donald Trump?
Here’s the deal. According to the NJGOP, the Republican National Committee (RNC) has decided they want the delegation process wrapped up by May 31, 2024. In other words, “no later than 45 days prior” to the Republican National Convention, which is scheduled for July 15-18, 2024.
This is a change from the Rules of the Republican Party as adopted by the Republican National Convention on August 24, 2020 (and amended by the Republican National Committee on April 14, 2022). Rule 20 (Certification of Election or Selection of Delegates) states: “(b) No later than thirty-five (35) days before the date on which the national convention is scheduled to begin, as set in the call for the national convention, the credentials of each delegate and alternate delegate shall be filed with the secretary of the Republican National Committee for use by the secretary in making up the temporary roll of the national convention, except in the case of delegates or alternate delegates elected at a time or times in accordance with the laws of the state in which the election occurs rendering impossible the filing of credentials within the time above specified.”
You can read the Rules for yourself, here: https://prod-static.gop.com/media/Rules_Of_The_Republican_Party.pdf
If this is the case – and if the RNC insists on this deadline – it places the delegation selection process in four states into question: Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, and South Dakota all hold their primaries on June 4, 2024.
We don’t know what the Republican Parties in those other three states are doing, but in New Jersey, the NJGOP is proposing a solution that cuts average Republican voters completely out of the process. Mind you that presidential elections generally record the highest voter turnout and are the elections that voters are the most interested in. And this is a highly contested Republican presidential primary, with candidates ranging from the charismatic former President, Donald Trump, to the favorite son, former Governor Chris Christie. Plus, there is a bevy of newer candidates who are interesting large segments of the Republican base, including Vivek Ramaswamy, Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, and Tim Scott.
New Jersey Republicans will send 49 delegates to the Republican National Convention. In past elections, every Republican voter had the opportunity to vote for his or her choice for President and for a slate of delegates committed to voting for that choice at the Republican National Convention. What the NJGOP is now proposing is the selection of those 49 delegates at a NJGOP State Convention, to be held in Atlantic City in March or April.
This State Convention will not be open to any registered Republican voter, the way it is in states that use the caucus method to choose their delegates. The NJGOP states in writing that they have “eliminated the option of opening the convention to all registered Republicans in the State of New Jersey due to the challenges that would present from an execution perspective.”
Instead, the NJGOP is proposing that 640 insiders be appointed as delegates to the State Convention and that these delegates would select the 49 delegates to the Republican National Convention. Here’s how those 640 insiders would be chosen:
The NJGOP Chairman, the National Committeeman, and National Committeewoman would be State Convention delegates and would appoint 20 others. The 42 members of the Republican State Committee would be State Convention delegates and appoint 126 others. The 21 GOP County Chairs would be State Convention delegates and appoint 63 others. The 3 Republican Congressmen would be State Convention delegates and appoint 15 others. The five former Republican Governors (including the two former acting governors and Christie Whitman, who is no longer a Republican) would be State Convention delegates and appoint 10 others. The 62 Republicans in the Legislature would be State Convention delegates and appoint 124 others. The Republican leaders of the Senate and Assembly would be State Convention delegates and appoint 10 others. The leaders of the three NJGOP “coalition” groups (GOP lawyers, etc.) would be State Convention delegates and appoint 6 others. The 25 New Jersey Federation Group leaders would be State Convention delegates and appoint 50 others. Finally, 50 State Convention delegate spots would be left open for “at-large delegates” and selected “grassroots activists”. These 640 State Convention delegates would select the 49 delegates to attend the Republican National Convention.
Now a word about these delegates. Your average Republican voters do not work in government or in politics. They do not derive an income from their participation in the political process. That’s not going to be true with those 640 State Convention delegates. They’re going to be elected officials or lobbyists or vendors or patronage appointees or political operatives. Those 640 State Convention delegates are not going to provide the same cross section of perspectives and concerns as did the 404,284 Republicans who voted in the GOP Presidential Primary in 2020.
The 2024 Presidential election is an important election for so many Republican voters. Many look on it as the last chance to turn America around and get it back on track. They have looked forward to participating in doing so. For four years they have waited. Now, does the NJGOP plan to take that away from them? To take their vote away from them?
The gas tax increase Governor Christie signed into law in 2016 took away the old American idea of “no taxation without representation” – the idea that only the elected representatives of the people could impose or raise a tax on the people. That law took it away and handed it over to unelected bureaucrats in Trenton, who decide on whether a tax goes up – not on how it affects those taxed – but on the needs and appetite of the bureaucratic leviathan.
Now, the NJGOP proposes to take away the right of the people to choose the course of their future. To choose who will set that course, who will be President of the United States of America.
Oh, they still have a choice. They can move to a state that still preserves the right of suffrage when it comes to electing those who will choose the next nominee of their party. Or they can go their own way. Whoever this move benefits in the short term, in the long term it will be ruinous for the GOP in New Jersey.
Hamilton Republicans came together on February 28 at their municipal convention to select candidates for the 2023 election. The group of over 100 Republicans were excited to select candidates that can win in November and help Hamilton.
Marty Flynn was selected as candidate for Mayor. Marty brings great experience and qualifications for the position. Marty spent seven years on the leadership team in Hamilton as Director of Economic Development and Director of Health, Recreation, Senior and Veterans Service. Marty was responsible for record economic development projects which brought Hamilton nine major projects resulting in over 4,000 jobs for Hamilton. Marty also had several leadership positions in local schools including Director of Athletics for West Windsor-Plainsboro School District as well as Nottingham High School.
Gino Melone and Mike Chianese were selected as candidates for the Hamilton Township Council.
Gino was a councilman in Trenton for 16 with a strong reputation for constituent service. Gino is retired with 35 years of service with Mercer County Government. Last Department within the County Government was with The Mercer County Division of Consumer Affairs. Gino has a strong background in public service.
Mike has been involved with local government for many years including being a fire commissioner in Hamilton and chair of the Hamilton Republican party. Mike has recently retired from a successful career at the State of New Jersey with management positions in facility operations and new construction in the Department of Information Technology, Department of Public Safety and Department of Treasury.
Come support the candidates in the upcoming elections to restore Hamilton’s community.
Mercer County officials signed a $2.8 million contract this past March with Dominion Voting Systems to make certain that the county would be able count all the votes on Tuesday.
On Election Day, the entire system inexplicably crashed.
Exactly what happened in Mercer County remains uncertain. And although all votes, which were recorded on paper ballots, were later tabulated, the failure attributed to an unexplained coding error on the ballots slowed counting throughout the night and left sone voters frustrated.
Dmitry Demidovich/Shutterstock.com
(The Center Square) — New Jersey has the worst fiscal health in the nation, with billions of dollars in debt and not enough money to cover bills, according to a watchdog report.
The latest Financial State of the States 2022 report from Truth in Accounting, placed the Garden State dead last among the top five "sinkhole states" for fiscal health, with an individual taxpayer burden estimated at nearly $59,000, the highest total for any state in the nation.
It's the 13th straight year New Jersey has been ranked last in the nation.
The report's authors gave New Jersey’s financial condition an “F” grade due to excessive spending and the pension and healthcare debt. The group said the money needed by the state to pay its outstanding bills has increased by more than $12.5 billion in the previous fiscal year. Overall, the state's outstanding bills add up to more than $241 million, the group said.
New Jersey’s financial position appeared to decrease in 2021, according to the report. The decline will likely continue as federal pandemic aid dries up, and the market value of the state's retirement system assets declines.
"New Jersey had only set aside 47 cents for every dollar of promised pension benefits and one cent for every dollar of promised retiree health care benefits," the report's authors wrote. "Given these facts, the state’s overall debt situation will likely further deteriorate over the coming year."
Republicans say the report highlights "reckless spending" by Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy's administration which they say has added billions of local pork into the state budget.
"What we’re doing now is only digging a deeper hole," Testa said. "All this does is make an already unaffordable state even more unaffordable. We must chart a new fiscal course because New Jersey residents deserve better."
Testa and other Republicans have filed legislation to curtail the amount of earmarks going into the budget to require some funding to be distributed through competitive grants.
“Some of these payouts may be for worthy causes," Testa said. "However, these awards should be transparent, competitive and merit based, but what we’ve seen out of Trenton is secretive, arbitrary and unfair."
November 21, 2022
It’s time to hit ballot harvesting hard or die trying.
After sifting through the rubble from election night, and having done some soul searching on my basic knowledge of politics, I’ve come to a few conclusions: American politics has entered a new age. All that has gone before—polls, historical trends, message, issues, candidate quality, traditional get-out-the-vote efforts, candidate debates, voter persuasion—means almost nothing and is extremely insignificant.
The thing—the only thing—that truly matters now is a “ballots out, ballots in” machine.
With that perfected, you could elect a random name in a phone book, or a dead man, or a vegetable. Or both a dead man and a vegetable, as Pennsylvania recently demonstrated.
This epiphany is at once startling and obvious, particularly since we saw a prelude to this moment in the 2020 election cycle. So how was it missed by so many of us until after the midterms? Recent success leading to overconfidence is the answer. The Virginia results, in a blue state that went for Biden by 10 points in 2020, blunted my skepticism and made me over confident. Republicans won everything in Virginia in 2021: governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, and the House of Delegates.
Coming out of Virginia, the conclusions—the wrong conclusions—were that we could beat whatever Democrats did in 2020 with a great focus on mid- to low-propensity voters, drive them to the polls, and overcome the rigging and manipulation. Not only did the Virginia success lead to the wrong conclusions for 2022, I’m convinced that Virginia, and even New Jersey for that matter, rang the Left’s alarm bells in a manner sufficient enough to stir them to amp up their efforts. They realized after 2021 it was time to dial in the 2020 mail-in, ballot-harvesting machine and so they did; and in all the right places.
That’s what the 2022 elections were all about. I don’t want to hear anyone crying, “Well maybe it was the abortion issue.” Nope. “Maybe it was candidate quality.” Nope (please see my previous comments on a dead man and a vegetable). “Do people really want lawlessness and inflation?” Nope. “Maybe it was extreme America First candidates turning off moderate Republican and Independent voters.” Wrong again.
It had everything to do with numbers, but not polling numbers or inflation numbers. It was about who got the most ballots sent out and who collected the most. That’s it. That’s the 2022 midterms in a nutshell.
Crass? Crude, impersonal, rife with potential fraud and corruption? 100 percent. And, in many states, perfectly legal. If conservatives and Republicans want to win again, we had better adopt the only-ballots-matter approach at least in the short term or die. I have zero ethical problems with it, none whatsoever. This is now the modern-day political battlefield in America, the rules of the game. One can either howl at the moon about it or beat the Left at it.
So I’m going to figure out how to beat the Left at its own game in 2023 and 2024. It’s either that or we find ourselves on trains to reeducation camps in the near future. While that might sound like hyperbole, is it really when you can envision America as a one-party state? We barely squeaked out the House of Representatives in a highly advantageous midterm. Unless we figure out our ballot-out, ballot-in machine, I don’t see us winning the White House or much of anything else in 2024. And if that happens, expect the Left to come very hard for many of us.
The good news is we already have something of a model in Florida, sansthe ballot harvesting and ballot drop boxes. Ask yourself how Republicans kept on winning for decades in a state that had a Democratic voter registration advantage until very recently. The answer is that Florida Republicans perfected the art of early voting, mail-in voting, and absentee ballot chasing before Election Day. While Republicans would never win the early voting and mail-in fight, they largely mitigated the damage and then crushed Democrats on Election Day. It’s what Brian Kemp did in Georgia this year, also, in beating Stacey Abrams.
So it’s time to hit this breach hard, folks. Time to get churches and gun shows to ballot harvest wherever it is legal. Time to send harvesters into rest homes where it is legal. Time to get Republican county clerks to send out mass absentee ballots, whether requested or not and then track them all. Time to create a dialed-in absentee ballot chase program where we are sending people door-to-door to collect them. We can talk about reforms after we gain political power, but we’d better invest significant sums into this now or the GOP will lose in 2024. We have seen our future. Embrace it. It can either be the republic’s death or its success.
Ned Ryun is a former presidential writer for George W. Bush and the founder and CEO of American Majority. You can find him on Twitter @nedryun
Bob Healey, republican candidate, running in the 3rd Congressional DistrictPhoto Credit: Bob Healey for Congress
By BOB HEALEY FOR CONGRESS
Published September 26, 2022 at 4:45 PM
MOORESTOWN, NJ – Congressional candidate Bob Healey today issued the following statement:
“Rep. Andy Kim’s grandstanding as a ‘moderate’ is nothing more than an attempt to pull the wool over voters’ eyes before election day. While Andy Kim tries to present himself as a centrist Democrat, his underlying activist ideology is on full display based on his founding of - and active membership in - multiple far-left groups that espouses radical ideology and extreme ideas.
Along with his membership in the far-left Congressional Progressive Caucus, Rep. Kim also has ties to radical groups such as ‘The Indivisible NJ 3rd District’, ‘Bold Progressives Organization’, and as a founder of ‘Rise Stronger’.
Among other startling items on its organizational agenda, Rise Stronger has signaled support for the ‘Defund the Police’ movement through its promotion of 'The Indivisible NJ 3rd District' group. In another show of contempt for law enforcement, the Rise Stronger organization listed a book by a convicted cop killer in their “Library of Resistance”.
There is a reason why Rep. Kim works so hard to maintain a moderate public image. Revealing his true support for groups that promote anti-Semitic literature and disastrous ‘Defund the Police’ policies would result in an unprecedented backlash from his constituents, who simply want moderate, common-sense representation in Congress. Instead of being honest with voters about his beliefs, Kim masks his extreme ideology with centrist promises and platitudes.
Make no mistake about it, Andy Kim is a fringe-progressive in moderate clothing. His active ties to these radical groups prove that he’s ideologically out-of-touch with the rational, hardworking folks of this district. NJ-03 voters deserve honest leadership and common-sense solutions, not deception and failed activist policies.
I’m sure when voters learn more about Rep. Kim’s true views, they will decide to retire their representative this November.”
NJ Vows To Discipline Schools That Don't Teach New Sex-Ed Curriculum
NEW JERSEY — School districts will be disciplined if they don't implement the state's new health- and sex-education curriculum, the New Jersey Department of Education told districts in a recent memo.
Districts that don't comply with the educational standards, established in 2020, may face loss of local control, monitoring from the state and, in extreme cases, loss of state aid. The State Board of Education approved of the sex education curriculum changes in 2020, but they went into effect this school year and have received public scrutiny in recent monthsNEW JERSEY — School districts will be disciplined if they don't implement the state's new health- and sex-education curriculum, the New Jersey Department of Education told districts in a recent memo.
Districts that don't comply with the educational standards, established in 2020, may face loss of local control, monitoring from the state and, in extreme cases, loss of state aid. The State Board of Education approved of the sex education curriculum changes in 2020, but they went into effect this school year and have received public scrutiny in recent months.
The Dissolution of Debate in 2022, A Republican Perspective
By Jaden Stewart
As an Ivy League student from California, I am no stranger to the stifling of open discourse. In the classroom and the political arena, it has been made abundantly clear that those who do not hold the dominant views must seriously consider the repercussions of sharing opposing opinions. This suppression of thoughts and ideas hinders our ability to discover solutions that could lead to great progress. Instead, the same failed attempts are repeated, with no true advancement. I fear this is the trend that has developed in Princeton.
Should the Mercer County Board of Commissioners switch to a district-based system?
Hispanic, Asian, Republican candidates could fare better in non-countywide races
By Joey Fox, March 18 2022 4:41 pm
Had Elvin Montero won the Mercer County Democratic Party’s endorsement two nights ago for one of two seats on the Mercer County Board of Commissioners, he would have been the first Latino ever elected countywide. Had Yan Mei Wang won, she would have been the first Asian American elected countywide.
ICYMI: Jack Ciattarelli: Why I want your vote to become New Jersey's next governor
I am running for Governor to fix our broken state.
By Jack Ciattarelli
November 1, 2021
Fox News
What would you say to a governor who told you, "If you don’t like paying high taxes, you should pick up your family and your small business and leave the state?" Well, if you live in New Jersey, that’s exactly what Gov. Phil Murphy suggested you do. He told the highest-taxed people in America to deal with it or get out.
No governor from New Jersey – one who truly understood our residents – would ever say that. Murphy is tone deaf and out of touch. He’s not one of us. He’s not New Jersey. He’s an extreme liberal transplant from Massachusetts.
My story is a New Jersey story. It’s where my grandparents immigrated from Italy 100 years ago. It’s where I was born and raised. It’s where I went to school. Where I became a CPA. It’s where my wife Melinda and I raised our four children. It’s where I started two successful Main Street businesses and created jobs and opportunities for fellow New Jerseyans (while Murphy was busy making rich people richer on Wall Street).
Whatever Murphy learned on Wall Street has not helped him in managing our state’s economy. New Jersey is ranked the worst state in the country in which to do business. And one out of three small businesses has shut their doors forever because of Murphy’s oppressive regulations during the pandemic.
If that wasn’t bad enough, now Murphy is standing shoulder to shoulder with President Joe Biden’s failed economic agenda. Rising gas prices, inflation, supply chain issues and, adding insult to injury, a refusal to restore our SALT deduction despite promises that he would.
I am running for governor to fix our broken state. I know that taxes ARE an issue. But in New Jersey, we don’t run from problems, we solve them. In fact, I have a plan to lower taxes for everyone and reduce the size and cost of our bloated government.
Under Murphy, murders and gun violence are up 40%, while our police are constantly disrespected and disarmed by his anti-law enforcement agenda. When questioned on it, the governor resorts to lies, telling police officers, firefighters and even teachers that I am going to take their pensions.
As governor, I will stand with our police and get tough on crime to make our communities safer and more secure. I will also keep whole the pay, health benefits and pensions of police, fire and teachers.
Murphy proved he was the most extreme politician ever to serve as our governor when he said he wanted to make New Jersey "the California of the East Coast." Who says that?! How has he tried to do it? By mandating kindergartners learn about sexual orientation and gender ID and by requiring that sixth-graders learn about mature sexual content.
Murphy even went as far as to mock the role of parents and is so extreme on abortion that he wants to prohibit parents from knowing if their 15-year-old daughter is seeking an abortion. He even wants to allow pregnancies to be terminated up until the day of birth for any reason. Who does that?!
On the issue of vaccines and masks, I am very up front with people. I am vaccinated and encourage others to get vaccinated.
At the same time, I don’t believe government has a right to tell adults that they or their children must get a COVID vaccine.
Government should educate people with the facts and let them make decisions on how to protect themselves.
On this issue and others, rather than respect people’s viewpoints Murphy prefers to call people "knuckleheads" and demean parents gravely concerned about putting their children at risk.
Recently, an undercover video of Murphy’s staff revealed that the governor plans to implement blanket vaccine and mask mandates AFTER the election. A stunning and appalling lack of transparency that puts his political career above the health and safety of New Jerseyans. He should be ashamed.
But what would you expect from someone who ordered our nursing homes to take in COVID patients? A decision inconsistent with CDC advice and despite warnings that it would result in people dying? The end result? More than 8,000 seniors and veterans died, prompting an investigation by the Biden Department of Justice!
New Jersey, it doesn’t have to be this way. We can do better. And when I’m governor, we will. I just need your vote on Tuesday, Nov. 2.
Click here to read Jack Ciattarelli's Fox News op-ed in its entirety.
Follow Jack on social media!
Happy Election Eve, New Jerseyans!
For months, I have included the following statistics in this email as a reminder of what the Garden State has lost under Phil Murphy, but it's easy to gloss over them.
For the the families 8,006 residents in long-term care facilities who have died of COVID-19 because of Murphy's disastrous directive - one he was warned would be deadly - it means they will have an empty chair at the upcoming holidays.
In the 255 days since the Murphy Administration has failed to respond to gubernatorial nominee Jack Ciattarelli's Open Public Records Act ("OPRA") request investigating COVID-19 nursing home deaths and communications with former Governor Andrew Cuomo, the public has been left in the dark about what transpired. We are entitled by law to this information, but the Administration's arrogance and media's apathy - even with respect to their own requests - have ensured that we will never see it.
In considering the one out of three New Jersey businesses have closed their doors forever, thanks to Phil Murphy's unscientific and arbitrary lockdown measures, remember that families and communities have lost immeasurably important institutions, and they will never be the same.
Tomorrow is our only opportunity to end this madness.
And in other Phil Murphy news...
There’s been a jail break at Edna Mahan just two days before Election Day 2021
Save Jersey
As New Jersey kids were trick-or-treating around the state, law enforcement was looking for a 40-year-old female inmate who apparently escaped from the notorious Edna Mahan Correctional Facility located in Clinton. Jessica Graham was reportedly captured around 7 p.m. by Clinton police.
Camden Candidate: ‘We Want Dem Party out of Our Educational System’
Insider NJ
Among those at the forefront of fighting the machine in Camden stands Vida Neil Rosiji, who had hopes of the Gov. Phil Murphy administration derailing the organization here only to see him endorse their candidate for mayor and fold onto the top of the party ticket. “He really let the City of Camden down,” Neil Rosiji told InsiderNJ, referring to Murphy, who formed a task force examining the alleged misuse of $11.5 billion in tax incentives for a corporate network with ties to the Camden County Democratic Party power structure only to gradually ease away from pursuing the story.
Outside groups shatter spending records in this year’s N.J. gov’s race
NJ.com
Murphy overwhelmingly benefited from outside spending. More than $34.7 million went to support him compared to nearly $4.5 million for Ciattarelli in the pre-primary, primary and general elections.
Chris Christie: NJ Governor Phil Murphy Is Running For President & If Anybody Tells You Anything Differently Is Not Telling You The Truth.
Fox News Radio
When asked about why New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy had Senator Bernie Sanders stump for him, Christie says Murphy is running for president and he needs the support of the acolytes of Bernie Sanders, AOC and Elizabeth Warren to help make New Jersey the California of the East. Christie added, “Anybody tells you anything differently is not telling you the truth.” that Murphy is not running for president.
N.J. Latino voters are important and unpredictable. Where will they land in N.J. governor’s race?
NJ.com
Castaneda, a sales manager for a plastics company, feels Murphy “went too far” regarding pandemic-related mandates, including shutting down businesses. “My parents started a small business, a restaurant, in the middle of the pandemic,” Castaneda said. “He closed everything down, and I understand it was with good intentions, but we haven’t recovered.”
NJ governor’s race: Who’s funding Gov. Phil Murphy’s campaign?
NJ 101.5
The out-of-state donors hail from 28 states, plus Washington, D.C...Second was California, where donors gave $178,150[.]
Why a New Jersey Democrat Is Calling for Gov. Murphy's Emergency Power to Be Revoked
Town Hall
To Holley, this is unacceptable and reveals the mandate is not about health or science, but politics. “It has come to my attention that Governor Murphy will impose #Covid_19 vaccine mandates statewide if he is re-elected,” the Democrat tweeted. “Public health is not a political issue. Medical decisions are a choice and should be treated as such for every individual. Not election timing.”
Alex Wilkes | Communications Director
New Jersey Republican State Committee
MidJersey.NewsFrom the Delaware River to the Jersey Shore. Covering: Mercer, Monmouth, Ocean, Burlington and Middlesex Counties
📷EDITORIAL, MERCER COUNTY, OPINION, TRENTONOctober 19, 2021
October 19, 2021Opinion:TRENTON, NJ (MERCER)–Mercer County sent a press release this morning informing us that Parkside Avenue in the City of Trenton will be closed for approximately 5 months for a replacement of a “bridge carrying an abandoned railroad trail” This abandoned “trail” is blocked off on several sections and has signs saying “No Trespassing” and that the property is owned by CSX Transportation, Inc. This “trail” runs Parallel to Oakland Street and Homan Avenue. A quick Google measurement shows that the current worn foot path or “trail” runs just less than a 1/2 mile from Maple Avenue in a southerly direction ending approximately at Edgemere Avenue. On the north end at Hillcrest the railroad right of way is gone and houses have been built over it so there could be no expansion for a “rail to trail” for the neighborhood north into Ewing Township. In the southerly direction the right of way is less clear since it appears that others have built over it, paved sections for parking lots or fenced the right of way. There appear to be no CSX signs south of Ellsworth Avenue.Multiple fences and signage in the area of Hoffman Avenue indicate that this “trail” is indeed on private property and users are currently trespassing by going around the fences. This area is known to some of the most serious gun violence and shooting deaths in the City of Trenton the past few years. A visit to the site and “trail” today showed the area covered with trash, empty beer and liquor bottles, needles and used condoms strewn about the area.According to the press release a $1,885,277.00 bid was awarded at the Mercer County Board of Commissioners meeting on October 7.In our opinion this is a “Bridge To Nowhere” because the current “trail” is illegal because it is currently on private property and clearly marked “No Trespassing” Instead of a bridge replacement the County should perform a bridge removal at a lower cost to the taxpayers. If indeed one day the City or County does acquire the property for a trail a lower cost pedestrian type bridge could be used similar to many used in County and State Parks for foot traffic. I can think of a lot better projects that Mercer County could have spent $1.88+ Million Dollars on that would have done a lot of good for the County.Mercer County Press Release 10/19/2021The Mercer County Department of Transportation and Infrastructure will start the replacement of the bridge carrying an abandoned railroad trail over Parkside Avenue in the City of Trenton on Monday, Nov. 1, 2021. It is one of 17 County bridge projects in progress, including those in the design stage, according to County Executive Brian M. Hughes.Officially known as Bridge #180.1, the structure is located between Oak Lane and Oakland Street. This project is to be completed in 150 calendar days, weather permitting.During construction, Parkside Avenue between Oak Lane and Oakland Street will be closed to vehicular traffic on a 24/7 basis. Pedestrians will be provided a safe passage through the site during construction. A detour will be posted directing motorists to West State Street to Sullivan Way to Lower Ferry Road and Parkway Avenue, ending on Parkside Avenue.The existing bridge carrying an abandoned railroad trail over Parkside Avenue is a concrete-encased steel girder bridge. The structure is in poor condition, extremely deteriorated and poses a hazard due to the potential of falling concrete debris.The replacement bridge will be a single-span structure supported on full-height concrete abutments. The superstructure will consist of precast prestressed beams with a composite reinforced concrete deck. The substructure will be full-height reinforced concrete abutments founded on cast-in-place spread footings. The proposed structure was designed to identically match the aesthetics of the existing structure while being upgraded to meet current New Jersey Department of Transportation standards.The successful bidder for the project was Rencor Inc. of Somerville, which submitted a bid price of $1,885,277. Rencor Inc. has successfully completed similar projects in Mercer County and provided the lowest bid price for this project. The contract was approved by the Mercer County Board of Commissioners on Oct. 7.https://midjersey.news/2021/10/19/opinion-mercer-county-to-spend-1-88-million-replacing-abandoned-railroad-bridge-to-nowhere/
To the Editor:
While I applaud efforts to get more Americans involved in our electoral process, I was disappointed with the letter in your October 6 edition (“Urging Princetonians to Vote in Upcoming General Election”). The letter was essentially an appeal for local voters to vote the straight Democratic ticket without any reasons given why voters should do so other than it was “crucially important” for New Jersey.
My takeaway of the urgency the letter seems to call for is because Republicans want to deny American citizens their lawful right to vote. I am unaware of any Republican candidate on our local ballot who advocates such an opinion. I encourage voters to examine what the Republican ticket from top to bottom has dedicated itself to confronting and turning around: 1) Ever higher property taxes leading to lack of affordability; 2) A sputtering economy; 3) Unresponsive state bureaucracies such as the DMV; 4) Intrusive government regulation; and 5) An unemployment rate 35 percent higher than the national average.
The letter invokes Thomas Jefferson as having warned Americans that “The price of liberty is eternal vigilance.” It was not that eminent slaveholder who is the source for the statement, but the prominent Civil War abolitionist Wendell Phillips who was a leading advocate for equal rights for all Americans, including women, Blacks, and indigenous Americans. That’s a position that I and the Republicans I know believe in.
Bottom line: It’s time for a change. As governor, Jack Ciattarelli and his team will get New Jersey turned around and back on the path of prosperity for all.
Dudley Sipprelle
Chairman, Princeton Republican Committee
Victoria Mews
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: (202) 225-3765
August 24, 2021
Smith cosponsors legislation condemning Biden’s Afghanistan ‘failure’
Resolution calls on President to continue evacuations for ‘as long as necessary’
WASHINGTON, DC – A resolution cosponsored by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) and introduced in the House of Representatives today “condemns President Biden’s failure to heed the advice of military and intelligence advisors about the speed and nature of the Taliban offensive, leading to a disorganized, chaotic, and abrupt evacuation of United States personnel and Afghan allies.”
“It is clear that President Biden utterly failed to anticipate or effectively respond to the Taliban’s rapid military offensive and continues to implement a timetable—without conditions—for withdrawal of U.S. forces,” said Smith, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. “Why wasn’t the withdrawal of U.S. troops linked to conditions on the ground?”
The legislation—authored by Rep. Mike Waltz (R-FL)—calls on President Biden to commit to continuing the evacuation operations in Afghanistan for as long as necessary to safely evacuate U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and Afghan partners that request evacuation assistance. The resolution also calls on Biden to use all U.S. military resources to ensure that access to the Hamid Karzai International Airport remains open and unobstructed.
“Safe passage out of Afghanistan for thousands of Americans and our allies including Afghan translators, their families, former U.S. employees and others must be the immediate priority,” said Smith. “Biden’s August 31st deadline for withdrawal was arbitrary. We simply cannot walk away.”
“The Biden-Harris Administration must provide a full, honest, and thorough accounting—devoid of all political spin and manipulation—of what can only be described as an unmitigated disaster,” Smith said.
Among its provisions, the legislation introduced in the House:
Insider NJ - August 18, 2021, 10:04 pm
Updated: Aug. 14, 2021, 8:12 p.m. | Published: Aug. 14, 2021, 8:00 a.m.
Responses by Dudley Sipprelle, Edited by Lisa Jacknow
What is it like to be a Republican in Princeton, Mercer County, New Jersey? When working on this elections issue, many Republicans or conservative-leaning voters were reluctant to speak their minds. They feared retaliation from the liberal majority. Current records indicate slightly fewer than 2,000 Princeton residents (of just under 21,000 registered voters) are registered Republicans, though several “independents” may share their views. To expand on the views of the local Republican party for those that align with it and to enlighten everyone else on what the “other” party thinks, we reached out to the Chair of the Princeton Republican Committee, Dudley Sipprelle, to get his perspective on today’s political climate.
Being a Republican in Princeton in 2020 is not unlike being a Republican in Mercer County or in the State of New Jersey. Republicans are in the distinct minority of registered voters in our “blue” State (23%) and County (15%), but even more so in our Town (10%).
Princeton is an exemplar of a phenomenon that has been building in America in recent years. What we are witnessing is a geographical sorting and ideological clustering of Americans. The location of a renowned Ivy League university in town which is also Mercer County’s largest private employer has attracted many people to Princeton who share the university’s progressive liberal mind-set.
The Princeton Municipal Republican Committee is a legal entity defined in State Statute. It is composed of publicly elected members, two for each of Princeton’s 22 voting districts who are elected in the primary every four years. The local committee members are also members of the Mercer County Republican Committee. The members represent the political interests of their constituents within the party. The role of local Republican committees is similar throughout the state and includes the recruitment and endorsement of candidates for public office and promotion of the Republican brand. The success of local committees is directly related to the number of Republicans in the community, the ability to raise funds, recruit qualified candidates and volunteers and to put it bluntly, the availability of patronage, that is, the power of appointment to coveted municipal boards, commissions and committees. This appointment power lies with our elected Mayor and the six Council members, all of whom are Democrats.
Although there are 11,519 registered Democrats in Princeton, the party
apparatus is essentially controlled by a relatively small group of “insiders” or what is known as the political “establishment” which decides policy. This group is often the most partisan party members and has a low tolerance for dissent. The insiders include a number of elected officials and members of the Democratic Municipal Committee. The Municipal Committee’s campaign endorsement means the endorsed candidate has “won the line” and will appear in the official Democratic column.
Why is this important? Because the overwhelming majority of Democrats vote the “straight party line,” that is, straight down the party column from top to bottom. It is widely understood that winning the Princeton Democratic primary decides who will be elected to office in the general election. It is virtually impossible for dissident Democrats, independents and Republicans to win election to office in Princeton. In addition, 75-80 percent of the registered “unaffiliated” vote for Democratic candidates. The party faithful are quick to unite around the Democratic party primary winner. Having gained office, elected officials turn their focus on remaining in office and the way to do that is not “make waves,” that is, don’t depart from the party policy line.
We can count on a flawed election process owing primarily to the Governor’s hasty and poorly thought-out decision to go to an almost total vote by mail (VBM) election without a reorganized system and trained staff in place to handle millions of paper ballots. The perpetual vagaries of the U.S. postal system are well-known: undelivered mail, misdirected mail, lost mail, delayed mail, trashed mail. Add the pandemic which is affecting staff. The instructions for the VBM ballot are complicated and confusing and result in a high percentage of ballots being rejected and voters disenfranchised. The voting process is directed by the County Board of Elections and there is not much we can realistically do locally beyond carefully filling out our ballots and using the VBM drop box at Municipal Hall.
The viral pandemic is on everybody’s mind and has upset our lives and economy. We will overcome this pandemic in due course as we have in the past. We will not see a return of economic strength and prosperity, however, if we don’t lower taxes and our debt. This is topical locally where taxes continue to rise and our community is consequently adversely affected.
(The unwavering partisanship that impacts the local political environment has been discussed above in section 3.)
“Diversity” is the mantra that suffuses every political campaign in Princeton. Every type of diversity one can think of is promoted and accepted. The one exception is political diversity. The idea of a Republican, however qualified, being elected or appointed to a position is not seriously entertained. Until a significant number of Democrats subordinate their partisanship and consider merit as a basis for election or appointment to office, Republicans cannot gain traction.
We must overcome the demoralization of many local Republicans who have experienced defeat in recent elections in spite of valiant efforts and highly qualified candidates. We can help candidates for national and statewide office by increasing Republican turnout and encouraging candidates to recognize they have a role to play in energizing local Republicans.
Local government as exemplified in Princeton is too often characterized by elected officials pursuing their own agendas, lack of community involvement, torpid bureaucracy, over-regulation and a lack of transparency and accountability. Our community deserves better but will continue to be plagued by high taxes, indecision and outcomes that have questionable benefit to local residents and taxpayers until voters accept that party labels alone do not produce good government and are willing to vote for change.
Dudley Sipprelle, originally from Compton, CA, is Chair and member of the Princeton Republican Committee (2005-2020). A retired teacher of History, Economics and English and a coach in the California Public School System, he was a Foreign Service Officer, U.S. Department of State for over 30 years, responsible for political/economic reporting and analysis, protection of American citizens, immigration, refugee & human rights affairs. Sipprelle was a Diplomat-in-Residence and Visiting Professor of International Relations at Lehigh Univ. and received a Presidential Meritorious Performance Award from President Reagan. In retirement, he enjoyed a year as assistant girl’s basketball coach at Stuart Country Day School, was Chair and member of Princeton Regional Sewer Operating Committee, and has been involved as an ESL Certificated Tutor, as well as with Princeton University International Center, Mercer County Literacy Volunteers, YWCA Princeton ESL program, and Nassau Christian Center.
To: Mayor Jeff Martin, Hamilton Township Council
From: Win Cody
Date July 20, 2020
I am trying to enlighten residents and help with questions that they may want to ask as well as finding places the council may want to consider for savings. I have a few comments and questions that I hope will be helpful. I will not be able to attend Tuesday’s budget and wanted to share these thoughts in advance. I will post publicly so all residents can see. While I am now a resident of Hamilton, I was previously a Mayor of a New Jersey municipality and understand the budget process.
I am concerned that in this difficult time for many people, a large tax increase is being proposed. From what I have seen, taxes on increasing 8-10% for most people. While I realize that it is only an estimate and would get trued up during the 4thquarter. But when taxes are increased, they tend not to go down.
Thank you for your review.