Forcing the issue: the coming clash over property tax caps
The property tax cap clash features Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-West Deptford) on one side with his proposal of a statutory 2.9% cap on property taxes – and Gov. Chris Christie’s 2.5% constitutional hard cap, a collision that will likely result in some kind of amalgam. The question is which combination will prevail – or ultimately get vetoed with the point made for one side or the other? (Pizarro, PolitickerNJ)
http://www.politickernj.com/forcing-issue-coming-clash-over-property-tax-caps
Greenstein says Goodwin should have voted for statutory cap
Aldous Huxley wrote a book called Point Counter Point, a title that could easily apply to the 14th District senate race, where Democrats want to win in part by starkly juxtaposting themselves to Gov. Chris Christie. Running against state Sen. Tom Goodwin (R-Hamilton), Assemblywoman Linda Greenstein (D-Plainsboro) opposes the constitutional hard cap of 2.5% advanced by the governor and favored by her opponent. (Pizarro, PolitickerNJ)
http://www.politickernj.com/greenstein-says-goodwin-should-have-voted-statutory-cap
Campaign poll heartens Potosnak in run against Lance
The 7th Congressional District campaign of Democrat Ed Potosnak is convinced U.S. Rep. Leonard Lance (R-Lebanon) hasn’t weathered his hardest race of the season in this Republican-leaning district. They say they have the numbers to back up their claims. (Pizarro, PolitickerNJ)
http://www.politickernj.com/campaign-poll-heartens-potosnak-run-against-lance
From the Back Room…
New Jersey and SpongeBob, Perfect Together
Sunday’s Op-Ed from George Zoffinger that appeared in The Record is yet another must read from the outspoken former head of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority. Zoffinger, who once called former Democratic Gov. Dick Codey an idiot, this time digs into his reperoire of cartoon characters to compare Codey, a state senator, first to Homer Simpson and then to Sponge Bob Square Pants. And he didn’t stop there. He went on to liken former Chief Counsel Paul Fader to Sponge Bob’s neighbor in Bikini Bottom, Squidward Tentacles. DOH! (Isherwood, PolitickerNJ)
http://www.politickernj.com/back_room/new-jersey-and-spongebob-perfect-together
Mack Street Cash May be Illegal
Reports that newly elected Trenton Mayor Tony Mack’s campaign handed out envelopes full of $20 bills to run-off election campaign workers could get Mack into hot
http://www.politickernj.com/back_room/mack-street-cash-may-be-illegal
14th District Underground
First she has to get through state Sen. Tom Goodwin (R-Hamilton), but a Democratic Party chess game is already on for Assemblywoman Linda Greenstein’s (D-Plainsboro) 14th District seat. One signal of a coming conflagration occured at last week’s Mercer County Freeholder Board meeting when Freeholder John Cimino, citing the injustice of increasing taxes in an economic downturn, broke from his six colleagues and opposed the budget. (Isherwood, PolitickerNJ)
http://www.politickernj.com/back_room/14th-district-underground
Winners and losers in N.J.’s budget
New Jersey’s newest state budget will hit property owners and low-wage workers, but save seniors from higher drug copayments and preserve Bergen County blue laws. The $29.4 billion spending plan signed into law Tuesday by Governor Christie is largely the same budget that he put forward in March. (Reitmeyer, The Record)
http://www.northjersey.com/news/politics/97456094_Winners_and_losers_in_N_J__s_budget.html
Christie targets higher education as priority for N.J. funding increases
When the state comes out of the fiscal doldrums, higher education will be the first place Governor Christie will look to restore funding, he said Tuesday. More than any programs or property tax rebates, higher education has the greatest potential for reward, Christie said after he signed his first budget, which made major cuts in education and municipal funding without raising broad taxes. (Fleisher, The Record)
http://www.northjersey.com/news/state/politics/97433314.html
Runyan’s run for Congress is short on fiscal details
Republican congressional nominee Jon Runyan called for cuts in taxes and spending Tuesday, saying: “We have to put money back in the people’s hands.” At an afternoon news conference, however, he could offer no details of the costs or consequences of his ideas. “I haven’t run the whole gamut of the numbers,” he said. “They’re just commonsense ideas that I think will really affect people.” (Burton, Inquirer)
US attorney: Rulings won’t hinder prosecutions
Two recent court rulings have thrown several political corruption cases in New Jersey into question, but they won’t have a significant effect on future prosecutions, the state’s top federal prosecutor said Wednesday. The rulings, one by the U.S. Supreme Court and the other by a U.S. District Judge in New Jersey, narrow the definitions of two federal laws governing political corruption, and could potentially reverse the convictions of a handful of prominent lawmakers or invalidate the guilty pleas of some defendants arrested in last summer’s massive corruption sting. (Porter, AP)
Rutgers to sell naming rights to stadium, arena
Rutgers is looking to sell the naming rights to its football stadium and basketball arena. The university announced Wednesday that it has hired Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment and IMG College to act as agents in making a deal. “These naming rights opportunities will offer businesses powerful branding exposure in the No. 1 media market in the country,” said Brett Yormark, president and chief executive of Brooklyn Sports and Entertainment, a New Jersey Nets affiliate. (Canavan, AP)
Ingle: That’s one for you, two for me
Security officers at the New Brunswick Parking Authority had as part of their duties assignment to watch automated payment machines, to help customers pay their employer, the authority. Apparently four of these security officers were more into helping themselves. They’re charged with stealing almost $3,000 that didn’t go into the payment machines. It always amazes me that people will put themselves and their jobs in jeopardy for such relatively small amounts. Maybe the authority could set its hiring standards a little higher too. (Ingle, Gannett)
http://blogs.app.com/politicspatrol/2010/06/30/thats-one-for-you-two-for-me/
