League of Municipalities attendees: Visit PolitickerNJ booth #1514 and continue to follow PolitickerNJ on Twitter and Facebook
*Trivia question of the day, presented by United Water*
The Faulkner Act as passed in 1950 provided three optional plans of municipal government: mayor-council, council-manager, and a small municipality plan. In 1981, the Faulkner Act added another form: the mayor-council-administrator plan. Which two municipalities are the only in the state to have adopted this plan?
Do you know the answer? Visit United Water Booth #0417 of the League of Municipalities to claim a PolitickerNJ T-shirt!
ELEC: Democratic State Committee wrongfully spent on Corzine campaign
Democratic State Committee spent $227,120 for Gov. Jon Corzine’s reelection run last year, but didn’t follow campaign financing laws, according to a complaint from the Election Law Enforcement Commission released this week. (Carroll, PolitickerNJ)
Margolin to leave Star Ledger
Star ledger statehouse reporter Josh Margolin has announced he will leave the paper as of Dec. 6. The Pulitzer Prize winning reporter has accepted a position as a senior reporter with the New York Post. (Isherwood, PolitickerNJ)
http://www.politickernj.com/43014/margolin-leave-star-ledger
Former New Jersey governors assess Christie’s first year
Gov. Christie may have skipped the annual convention of the New Jersey State League of Municipalities this week, but the Republican’s barnstorming first year in office has been the talk of the event. (Rao, The Philadelphia Inquirer)
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/20101118_Former_New_Jersey_governors_assess_Christie_s_first_year.html#ixzz15d8iQcg6
Local officials discuss ways to cut costs
New Jersey municipal officials, feeling the heat with property tax bills at an all-time high during a stubborn recession, are meeting in Atlantic City this week with a renewed interest in saving money. (Reitmeyer, The Record)
http://www.northjersey.com/news/108869744_Local_officials_discuss_ways_to_cut_costs.html
N.J. local officials accuse Gov. Christie, Legislature for rushing property tax cap without ‘tool kit’
If there’s one overarching theme to the League of Municipalities convention in Atlantic City, it’s this: Local officials besieged by high property taxes and tight budgets are frustrated with both the Legislature and Gov. Chris Christie. (Friedman and Gibson, The Star-Ledger)
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/11/nj_local_officials_accuse_gov.html
State cuts back aid to 225 municipalities
The state has cut a total of $100,000 in aid to 225 municipalities because some are operating inefficiently, a top state official said Wednesday. (Method, Courier-Post)
N.J. Supreme Court to decide whether effort to recall Sen. Menendez can proceed
New Jersey’s Supreme Court is expected to rule today on whether a citizens group has the right to try to recall U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez. (The Associated Press)
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/11/nj_supreme_court_to_decide_whe.html
Superintendents protest Christie’s cap on their pay
The state can’t rush the process and impose a new salary cap on superintendents before formal regulations are adopted, the lobbying group representing the schools chiefs says. (Brody, The Record)
http://www.northjersey.com/news/108870249_Superintendents_protest_Christie_s_cap_on_their_pay.html
NJ judge puts hold on unused gift card collection
A federal judge has put a temporary stop to New Jersey’s plan to generate up to $80 million from unused gift cards, calling cards and money orders. (DeFalco, Bloomberg)
http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9JI3BU80.htm
Local assemblyman says Christie may let CRDA run Atlantic City tourism district
Gov. Chris Christie has signaled that he will accept the idea of the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority running a new tourism district in Atlantic City, a Republican assemblyman from Atlantic County said Tuesday. (Fletcher, Press of Atlantic City)
Recounts set for South Amboy, Linden elections
A recount of ballots cast in the Nov. 2 general election for mayor of South Amboy and mayor and council president of Linden will take place by month’s end. (Rommel and Russell, Home News Tribune)
http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20101117/NEWS/11170340/1098/POLITICS
NJ Transit may turn to private operators
In what some fear could lead to higher parking costs for commuters, NJ Transit is weighing a plan that could privatize parking at 81 of the cash-strapped agency’s sites — including the Hamilton, Princeton Junction and Trenton train stations. (Duffy, The Star-Ledger)
http://www.nj.com/mercer/index.ssf/2010/11/nj_transit_may_turn_to_private.html
Midterms threaten Obama’s rail plans
The Obama administration’s signature transportation initiative is almost always described as “high-speed rail.” (Cooper, The New York Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/18/us/18rail.html?partner=rss&emc=rss
From the Back Room
Last gasp recount in Gloucester
Gloucester Democrats filed for a recount today for one of their losing freeholder candidates after Republicans broke through a stronghold majority for a two-seat gain. (Carroll, PolitickerNJ)
http://www.politickernj.com/back_room/last-gasp-recount-gloucester
Opinion
Time for GOP to act on unity lip service
Not since the “We Are The World” video have I heard so many expressions of unity and harmony. (Stile, The Record)
2010 sure seems a lot like 1984
We George Orwell fans are having a wonderful time watching the Transportation Security Administration handle the botched rollout of that plan to install full-body scanners in airports. Central to the program is the argument from the TSA that those scans are “completely optional.” (Mulshine, The Star-Ledger)
http://blog.nj.com/njv_paul_mulshine/2010/11/2010_sure_seems_a_lot_like_198.html