Morning News Digest: October 10, 2012
By Missy Rebovich
Christie has one word for Eagleton poll
Gov. Chris Christie says he absolutely refuses to provide comments in reference to any Rutgers-Eagleton Poll.
The governor referred to the Eagleton poll as “crap” during a Jersey City news conference Tuesday, saying he refuses to provide any comments on any of the group’s recent or future polls.
“It’s never good, it’s never accurate,” he said. “When it’s good for me it’s not right, when it’s bad for me it’s not right.”
Christie was asked by a reporter to respond to a new Eagleton poll that found almost half of New Jersey’s registered voters – 47 percent – grade Christie’s job performance as A or B, but the same percentage says they would not vote to re-elect the governor. (Arco, PolitickerNJ)
http://www.politickernj.com/60270/christie-has-one-word-eagleton-poll
Governor not reimbursing state for security detail
Gov. Chris Christie has said he doesn’t plan to reimburse the state for his security detail whenever he leaves New Jersey and has absolutely no plans to change his mind on the issue.
“They are with me 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and that’s how it goes,” Christie said Tuesday, reiterating statements he made last week about having no plans to reimburse the state for his security detail when he leaves the state to campaign across the nation.
“Whether they are with me or not they’re going to get paid,” he said. “As long as I don’t get the choice (on my security detail,) they’re going to be paid anyway.”
Christie took exception with comments that he travels more often than other governors who came before him, saying the only reason his travel gets more attention is because of the nature of his travels, which usually involve the media. (Arco, PolitickerNJ)
http://www.politickernj.com/60271/governor-not-reimbursing-state-security-detail
Booker mulling union agreement in Newark, but tradesmen say it may not be enough
The City of Newark may soon adopt an ordinance requiring union labor on a large portion of all construction that occurs in the city.
The ordinance, passed in a unanimous vote by the city council last week, would require a project labor agreement on all construction projects of $25 million or more where the developer has been offered a tax abatement by the city.
A project labor agreement requires all trades workers on the project belong to an organized labor union.
The ordinance also would apply to public works projects valued at $5 million or more. The measure is on Newark Mayor Cory Booker’s desk, but there is no indication whether Booker plans to sign the ordnance. Asked to comment, Booker spokeswoman Kim DeHaarte said she could not get an answer Tuesday. (Isherwood, PolitickerNJ)
Christie extends application deadline for tax relief program
Gov. Chris Christie extended the application deadline today for a popular tax relief program aimed at seniors, disabled residents and those making less than $75,000.
Christie said there’s still plenty of room left in the “homestead benefit” program this year, which softens the blow of local property taxes. He postponed the deadline from Oct. 19 to Dec. 14.
“We want to be certain we give New Jersey taxpayers every opportunity to take advantage of all forms of property tax relief,” Christie said in a statement today.
State Treasurer Andrew Sidamon-Eristoff estimated that 650,000 more applicants could seek the homestead benefit this year; 1 million already have applied. The average taxpayer has saved $477 through the program in 2012, he said. (Rizzo, The Star-Ledger)
http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2012/10/christie_extends_application_d.html
Monitor: N.J. tax system 2nd worst among 50 states
More than two-and-a-half years into Governor Christie’s tenure, New Jersey ranks 49th in the nation for its tax climate for business, according to a report released Tuesday.
And that’s an improvement over the last two years, when it had the worst climate in the nation, according to the Tax Foundation, a Washington D.C.-based non-partisan research organization. New York is now on the bottom.
Leading the Foundation’s annual State Business Tax Climate Index are Wyoming, South Dakota and Nevada in that order.
New Jersey, which finished just below California, had the 49th worst property taxes in the report, the 48th worst individual income taxes and 46th worst sales tax. The state’s best ranking came in unemployment insurance tax, in which it was ranked 24th. (Morley, The Record)
http://www.northjersey.com/news/Monitor_NJ_tax_system_2nd_worst_among_50_states.html
Christie defends use of state police on trips
Governor Christie defended his out of state travel as he prepared to leave on a two day trip to campaign with GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney in a key swing state.
While the campaigns he’s travelling to support cover Christie’s travel costs, they do not pay for his security detail. During an event in Jersey City, just hours before he was scheduled to board a plane to Ohio, Christie said he didn’t think he or the campaigns should have to cover those costs.
“The fact is that if I had a choice about my protection, that would be one thing,” he said. “I don’t have a choice. If I don’t have a choice and I decide to go someplace then they’ve got to go and if there’s a hotel room to be paid for, well we don’t want them sleeping in their cars.” (Hayes, The Record)
http://www.northjersey.com/news/Christie_defends_use_of_state_police_on_trips.html
Stock gains could aid Christie’s tax cut plan
Governor Christie is betting that a healthy stock market can sustain his optimistic budget projections, and New York’s comptroller said Tuesday that Wall Street profits are on pace to reach $15 billion this year.
If those stock market gains hold true through the end of the year – and many analysts hope they will – it could help persuade lawmakers concerned about New Jersey’s high unemployment and sluggish revenue growth to approve the new income tax relief Christie has been seeking all year.
New Jersey relies heavily on its top income earners to meet revenue goals, and they typically do well when Wall Street profits, investments and bonuses run high.
A booming Wall Street “does help the state of New Jersey,” Andrew Pratt, a state Treasury Department spokesman, said. “It’s just difficult to ascertain how much.” (Reitmeyer, The Record)
http://www.northjersey.com/news/173434011_Stock_gains_could_aid_Christie_s_tax_cut_plan.html
Christie rejects immunity for reporting ODs
Gov. Chris Christie has conditionally vetoed a bill that would have given immunity from prosecution to those who report drug overdoses.
Christie took action on Friday, saying he wants to have the state Attorney General’s Office study the issue of overdose reporting for the next 18 months before deciding how to proceed.
The bill easily passed both chambers of the Legislature earlier this year. The stated intent was to remove impediments for people who use drugs to report overdoses of others.
In his statement, Christie says giving immunity is not the answer. He says drug prevention and treatment programs could help reduce the number of overdoses.
Democratic Assemblywoman Connie Wagner, who sponsored the bill, says Christie “chose to ignore the reality of the situation” with the veto. (Associated Press)
Christie: ‘Both parties have failed cities’
Responding to a New York Times headline declaring that Republicans have told cities to “drop dead” Governor Christie said both parties can do more to help cities, starting with lowering crime and improving education.
Responding to a New York Times headline declaring that Republicans have told cities to “drop dead” Governor Christie said both parties can do more to help cities, starting with lowering crime and improving education. (Hayes. The Record)
http://blog.northjersey.com/thepoliticalstate/5120/christie-both-parties-have-failed-cities/
Christie praises family success centers; N.J. to open new facility in Lodi
Governor Christie visited the Horizon Family Success Center in Jersey City Tuesday morning, highlighting the network of 49 centers that serve the state’s most vulnerable families.
The state is set to open its 50th center in Lodi early next year and is advertising for management companies for that facility now.
The state Department of Children and Families announced $1.86 million in funding for seven additional centers in July – not including the Lodi site.
The facilities offer family support programs, information and other services, including homework assistance for children; helping residents find employment and write resumes; economic planning for single-mothers; and parenting classes.
“The greatest part of it for me is that the needs that are addressed come from the parents, they’re the ones talking to the staff saying here’s what we need,” Christie said. (The Record)
Christie: Romney should ‘be himself’ to keep edge
Gov. Chris Christie has some advice for Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney: Be yourself.
Romney has enjoyed a bump in most polls after last week’s debate. Christie says in order to maintain that, Romney needs to keep showing the American people who he is.
Christie has already made numerous appearances on behalf of Romney and is headed to Ohio to campaign for him. Christie says he’ll likely go to Wisconsin and Indiana too. He says he’s gotten “lots of” requests from the Romney campaign to make more appearances.
Speaking at a family support center in Jersey City on Tuesday, Christie added that despite Romney’s recent surge, it would be unwise to underestimate President Barack Obama, whom he called “a political force.” (Associated Press)
http://www.northjersey.com/news/Christie_Romney_should_be_himself_to_keep_edge.html
Surviving New Jersey
Are you a little more miserable or a little less happy?
A Monmouth University Poll quality of life index, released this week, shows a dip in how satisfied New Jerseyans are with the Garden State, recording its second-straight quarterly drop.
Nearly two-thirds of those polled said New Jersey was either excellent or good, but that 65 percent was down from a high of 70 percent in April. That one question accounted for half of the index score, which uses a scale of -100 to +100 to rate five questions. A score of +100 would be the Garden State’s version of nirvana.
When all five quality of life questions are factored in, those polled rated their satisfaction with New Jersey at +24, lower than the +27 rating in July and well off the high of +31 recorded in April. (Schoonejongen, Asbury Park Press)
Son of late congressman seeks his seat in 10th District
The telephone is disconnected in Donald Payne Jr.’s Newark campaign office, and the candidate’s website has not been updated since the Democratic primary in June.
Yet unless something extraordinary happens, come Nov. 6, Payne will succeed his father as the elected representative of New Jersey’s 10th Congressional District, covering parts of Essex, Union and Hudson counties.
After routing five challengers in the hard-fought primary, Payne is enjoying a cakewalk to victory in the general election. He does face nominal opposition — from Republican Brian Keleman, Libertarian Mick Erickson and independent Joanne Miller — but no other candidate is mounting much of a campaign.
Still, Payne is campaigning. While he has really no need to spend money, he has been out pressing the flesh, meeting with community groups and attending events like the Dominican Heritage Day parade in Newark on Sept. 24. (Tyrrell, NJ Spotlight)
http://www.njspotlight.com/stories/12/10/09/son-of-late-congressman-seeks-his-seat-in-10th-district/
11th Congressional District challenger revives talk of flood tunnel
John Arvanites, the Democrat running in New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District, said he wants to resurrect a long-abandoned project to divert Passaic River floodwater through a 20-mile tunnel.
The multibillion-dollar project was approved by Congress in 1990, but opposition within New Jersey killed it after years of debate. The tunnel would have carried floodwaters from the Passaic River basin to Newark Bay. Although the federal government would have paid most of the project’s costs, the state would have had to pitch in hundreds of millions of dollars.
“The funding needs to be put in place to put this project back on the table,” Arvanites told The Record’s editorial board Tuesday. (Linhorst, The Record)
3rd District bidders vie for seat in Congress
Jobs and the housing crisis top the list of voters’ worries in New Jersey’s Third Congressional District, and incumbent Rep. Jon Runyan, R-N.J., and Democratic challenger Shelley Adler split on what the government should do to prevent a repeat of the 2008 financial meltdown.
“Lenders are so afraid of what regulations will be coming out” of Washington in coming months, Runyan contended in a Tuesday meeting with the Asbury Park Press editorial board.
“You need regulations to make sure it doesn’t happen again,” said Adler, who is running for the seat her late husband, former congressman John Adler, lost to Runyan in the 2010 election.
And independent candidates in the Third District race — highly critical of both mainstream parties and what they see as the financial industry’s capture of Congress — complained the Federal Reserve has backstopped banks with billions of dollars with little relief for beleaguered homeowners whose equity has evaporated. (Moore, Asbury Park Press)
http://www.app.com/article/20121010/NJNEWS/310100028/Bidders-vie-seat-Congress?nclick_check=1
Revamped 7th District appears to favor GOP incumbent
Most political observers agree that redistricting made the 7th Congressional District even friendlier to Republican incumbent Rep. Leonard Lance.
That would seem to make it even tougher for his three challengers: Democrat Upendra Chivukula, Libertarian Patrick McKnight and independent Dennis Breen.
Nonetheless, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has put the 7th District on its list of 20 “emerging races” across the country, meaning the DCCC believes the contest has the potential to become competitive.
Lance’s staff contends that’s merely a political ploy.
“The emerging races are a way for the national Democrats to show donors and political pundits that enough seats are in play to retake the House majority,” said Lance’s chief of staff, Todd Mitchell.
But Chivukula, a state assemblyman from Middlesex County, contends that while the new district may be more “red,” “issue-wise, it’s more liberal.” (Mann, NJ Spotlight)
http://www.njspotlight.com/stories/12/10/04/revamped-7th-district-appears-to-favor-gop-incumbent/
Subsidized N.J. firms may see new campaign donor rules
Companies receiving business grants, tax credits or other subsidies from New Jersey government would be required to disclose all political donations of more than $10,000 under newly introduced legislation.
The sponsor, Democratic Assemblyman Tim Eustace of Paramus, said taxpayers are entitled to find out the extent of political involvement by companies receiving economic development help from the state, as well as what candidates and causes they support.
“Corporations have the right to immerse themselves in politics, but they definitely should not be allowed to do so secretly if they’re receiving state taxpayer help,” Eustace told The Associated Press. (Associated Press)
http://www.northjersey.com/news/Subsidized_NJ_firms_may_see_new_campaign_donor_rules.html
EDA raises transit hub credit cap on residential bids
Residential developers will be eligible to have as much as 35 percent of project costs covered by Urban Transit Hub tax credits, instead of a 20 percent limit that had previously been set for a competition for projects.
The Economic Development Authority board lifted the cap that it had set after announcing the competition for $100 million in transit hub credits, as developers had been relying on that competition having the same 35 percent limit other transit projects have carried.
“We had not had outreach to developers” before lowering the cap to 20 percent of project costs, agency CEO Michele Brown said. She said the higher limit was particularly important for sites that otherwise would be difficult to develop. (Kitchenman, NJBIZ)
NJ clears way for portable gambling devices in AC
New Jersey has cleared the way for casino patrons to gamble on their iPads, smartphones and other mobile devices.
But amid uncertainty about whether Internet gambling will ultimately be approved or banned, the Atlantic City casinos seem to be taking a wait-and-see approach before actually offering hand-held gambling.
The state Gaming Enforcement Division issued temporary regulations governing gambling on hand-held devices that took effect on Monday. The state passed a law earlier this year permitting the use of mobile gambling devices. (Parry, Associated Press)
N.J. senator considering legislation forcing merger of Bergen County police, sheriff’s departments
State Sen. Paul Sarlo is considering weighing in on the most hot-button issue in Bergen County politics.
After the Bergen County Freeholders voted against merging the county’s police and sheriff’s department earlier this month, Sarlo said he is considering legislation that would force the two agencies to come together, though perhaps at a slower pace.
“What the freeholders did was a disgrace,” Sarlo (D-Bergen) said. “And I am thinking of holding a hearing to bring some reality to the issue.” (Renshaw, The Star-Ledger)
www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2012/10/nj_senator_considering_legisla.html
N.J. targets unemployment fraud
State labor officials have taken another step to combat the theft of unemployment benefits. They’re going to make online applicants take a quiz about themselves to prove their identity.
Labor Commissioner Harold Wirths said Tuesday an “identity proofing” system recently went online that requires applicants to correctly answer multiple choice questions about themselves before payments are approved. The system is meant to stop identity thieves from filing phony claims.
The measure is the latest by the state to stop claims from people who aren’t entitled to unemployment benefits. Officials say anti-fraud efforts over the last 18 months have saved New Jersey $153 million.
The new system uses the applicant’s name and details they provide to conduct an instant search that matches the information against data pulled from public records related to the applicant. It then devises specific questions using that background data, such as what type of car the person first owned or previous addresses where they lived. (Shipkowski, Associated Press)
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/new_jersey/20121010_N_J__targets_unemployment_fraud.html
Are Monmouth County Republicans cheating?
Is it the luck of the draw, or is there something more in play that has led to the Republican party winning the coveted first position on the general election ballot in Monmouth County for 30 of the last 33 years?
Statisticians say the probability of that happening purely by chance in a random drawing — which is the process required by state law — is less than one in 1.5 million.
“It’s almost impossible,” said Johnny Pang, a mathematics professor at Monmouth University, West Long Branch.
Monmouth County is not the first county in the state to have an astronomically high winning streak when it comes to ballot position, the Asbury Park Press found in its investigation. The controlling Democratic Party in Essex County took the first column on the ballot 40 out of 41 years. (Hopkins, Asbury Park Press)
NJ extends contract to keep high school tests for two more years
While New Jersey moves toward a new school testing system in 2015, it is staying with a North Carolina-based company to conduct two more years of the state’s decade-old high school exit exam and its alternative test.
The state Department of Education yesterday released documentation of its contract extension with Measurement Inc. that will have the company continue the High School Proficiency Assessment (HSPA) through this school year and next, as well as the Alternative High School Assessment and the final years of the state’s biology test.
The total cost of the extension is $19.5 million over two and a half years, including some makeup testing in 2015. It also includes beefed up test security and cheating analysis that has become commonplace with such contracts. (Mooney, NJ Spotlight)
Report to BPU lists top untapped renewable energy sources
If New Jersey wants, it could develop new ways of producing electricity that rely on yet-untapped sources of renewable energy to produce cleaner power for homes and businesses.
At least that is what a consultant suggested to the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities in a report designed to help the state agency frame funding priorities for renewable energy over the next few years.
The report, by Navigant Energy, cites onshore wind, inland hydro-electric projects, tapping energy produced by the ocean, and energy storage technologies as among approaches worth considering.
“There wasn’t anything we thought was a slam dunk,’’ said Lisa Frantziz of the Massachusetts-based firm. But she added that, given the right state policies, “There’s a lot of them up here worth pursuing.’’ (Johnson, NJ Spotlight)
Experts say N.J. ill-equipped to stem epidemic of young suburban addicts
An epidemic of addiction to heroin and prescription painkillers among suburban teens and young adults in New Jersey will get far worse if treatment does not improve and become more readily available, experts say.
Members of a task force Gov. Christie established to suggest changes have been told by affected families and health-care professionals that the state has too few residential treatment programs, poor follow-up care, and inadequate insurance coverage.
“It’s urgent, it’s an epidemic, and it is right in front of us,” said John L. Hulick, executive director of New Jersey’s Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse.
New Jersey’s limitations are forcing a different kind of traffic among addicts from the state – to Florida, where facilities don’t have long waiting lists. (Boyer, The Philadelphia Inquirer)
NJ bank fees often hidden in paperwork, report says
New Jersey’s bank customers face checking account fees that are often buried in long, complicated disclosure statements, a nonprofit research group said Tuesday.
“We believe that any fee a consumer pays without their knowledge is too high,” said Cora Hume, project manager at Pew Charitable Trusts.
In an update of its June report, “Still Risky: An Update on the Safety and Transparency of Checking Accounts,” Pew Charitable Trusts is pushing for banks to adopt simpler disclosure documents.
Several national banks with offices in New Jersey, including Bank of America, Capital One, Chase, Citibank, TD Bank and Wells Fargo, have already adopted Pew’s simplified disclosure document for checking accounts. (Willis, Asbury Park Press)
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Opinion
Very good post-debate news for Mitt Romney
The very good post-debate news for Mitt Romney is that there has been a significant tightening of the polls in Wisconsin. As a result, I have moved Wisconsin from a “Safe Obama “status into the toss-up category. (Steinberg for PolitickerNJ)
http://www.politickernj.com/alan-steinberg/60239/very-good-post-debate-news-mitt-romney
Economy may play into higher-ed vote
The debate over every household’s finances is also played out on larger stages, including New Jersey’s government?
Do we spend? Or do we save? Do we borrow? Or do we pay as we go?
As politicians in the Garden State dicker over those questions when considering various pieces of legislation, New Jersey voters will get the opportunity to weigh in on whether to borrow and spend a significant amount of money on facility upgrades at the state’s colleges or hold our wallets close.
The answer, for some, is easy. (Schoonejongen, Asbury Park Press)
