Matthews to Buono: ‘You’re a very nice senator’
Appearing on Hardball with Chris Matthews tonight, state sen. Barbara Buono (D-18) didn’t rule out going negative in her campaign for governor, but said she intends to campaign on the issues.
TV personality Matthews prodded Buono on the poll numbers that show a tsunami wave advantage for Christie.
Max Pizarro- PolitickerNJ.com
http://www.politickernj.com/64630/matthews-buono-youre-very-nice-senator
Christie jousts teacher at town hall event
BRANCHBURG – A self-identified teacher stood up at today’s town hall and wanted to know how teachers became the problem in a statewide discussion about New Jersey’s economic train wreck.
“I don’t think teachers are the problem,” Gov. Chris Christie protested. “I think unions are the problem.”
Max Pizarro-PolitickerNJ.com
http://www.politickernj.com/64627/christie-jousts-teacher-town-hall-event
In front of big friendly Somerset crowd, Christie plays up split between Senate and Assembly
BRANCHBURG – Running for re-election this year and intent on winning big, Gov. Chris Christie this afternoon claimed Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-3) as an ally on the critical issues of shared services and a two-percent tax cap, and fingered the General Assembly as an island under public sector union rule.
Latest from State Street Wire
TRENTON – The voucher program known as the Opportunity Scholarship Act came up for repeated discussion during a daylong budget hearing for the Education Department.
The pilot program, the concept of which sometimes divides members of the same political party, was touted to varying degrees by some members of the Assembly Budget Committee today as it heard various issues surrounding the Department’s fiscal year 2014 proposed $12.4 billion budget.
State Street Wire staff
http://www.politickernj.com/64628/voucher-pilot-program-scrutinized
Jersey City mayoral candidates get into shouting match over corruption
The four men seeking the office of Jersey City mayor met at Lincoln High School tonight for a two-hour debate, with the two leading contenders engaging in a shouting match about public corruption.
Terrence McDonald – Jersey Journal
http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2013/04/jersey_city_election_2013_jers.html#incart_river_default
Analysis: U.S. gun control bill could weaken N.J.’s restrictions
With a procedural vote out of the way, the U.S. Senate is getting ready for its first debate on significant gun-control legislation in decades, and a bipartisan plan requiring background checks at gun shows is first on the agenda.
Herb Jackson-The Record
Atlantic City casino revenue down nearly 11 percent
Atlantic City gambling revenue fell nearly 11 percent in March, marking the third straight month of double-digit declines in a market still hurting from Hurricane Sandy and intense competition from casinos in surrounding states.
Donald Wittkowski-Press of Atlantic City
Several Rutgers basketball players say Rice’s actions not as bad as they seem
A handful of Rutgers men’s basketball players are saying they think fired coach Mike Rice’s actions weren’t as bad as they seem.
The players, who spoke outside Winant’s Hall while the Board of Governors met Thursday in closed session, also made a push for associate head coach David Cox to take over as the team’s top coach
Melissa Hayes-The Record
Groups seek details of plans for federal aid for Jersey Shore
Before New Jersey allocates $400 million in federal aid to help protect the state from extreme weather events such as Hurricane Sandy, some of the its most prominent advocacy groups want a lot more details on how the money will be spent.
Tom Johnson- NJ Spotlight
Atlantic City Tourism District merger has lawmakers concerned about workers’ longterm security
The merger of two Atlantic City-based state authorities expected to produce efficiencies and potentially boost the resort’s convention market also has left some concerned about employees’ futures.
Jennifer Bogdan-Press of Atlantic City
Former Newark Mayor Sharpe James robbed of gold chain
NEWARK — Former Newark Mayor Sharpe James was robbed today on a street in his hometown, police and family members said.
David Giambuso-Star Ledger
http://www.nj.com/essex/index.ssf/2013/04/sharpe_james_robbed_of_gold_ch.html#incart_m-rpt-1
Opinion
Editorial: JCP&L rate increase request is ill-timed following Hurricane Sandy performance
There may never be a good time to ask for a rate hike, but Jersey Central Power & Light has picked a particularly inopportune moment to seek a 4.5 percent increase.
Star Ledger editorial
Why Obama’s base is mad at him
Wednesday morning, President Barack Obama became the first Democratic president ever to propose cutting Social Security.
Democrats spend so much time defending the president, it is easy to forget that even the most beloved presidents make mistakes and missteps. His new budget, which proposes a new method of calculating inflation increases in Social Security payments, is a doozy.
Van Jones – CNN
http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/11/opinion/jones-obama-base-angry/index.html