OPINION: The Return of the American Moderate. When something unexpected happens in politics, the easiest response is to place blame. The smarter thing to do is take a breath and find the lesson. There has been a lot of the former after the election results in New Jersey and other states over the past week, most prominently Virginia, Minneapolis and Seattle. But there are messages that both parties should learn from going forward. Leaders—especially President Joe Biden and Gov. Phil Murphy—need to understand their mandates are for all Americans, not the agendas of the radical left and right voices in their party. North-JerseyNews.com
Gov. Phil Murphy realizes the closer-than-expected outcome of Tuesday’s election means there’s more work to be done. “It’s quite clear there’s a lot of hurt out there,” Murphy said during a Sunday morning appearance on NBC’s Meet the Press. “And there are a lot of kitchen tables that we need to connect more deeply with and help folks get through this period, whether they lost a loved one, a job, a small business, they’re frustrated by the ongoing pandemic or economic recovery, whatever it may be.” NJ.com
Six weeks after a promised vote never materialized, the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act was finally passed by the House on Nov. 5 and is on its way to be signed by President Joe Biden. The vote was reached after Rep. Josh Gottheimer was able to broker a deal for an infrastructure vote with progressives in exchange for a House vote on the Build Back Better Act the week of Nov. 15. “I’m proud to have played a critical role in getting these historic pieces of legislation across the finish line—all with the goal of improving the lives of North Jersey families and benefiting small businesses,” said Gottheimer. North-JerseyNews.com
Many New Jersey residents stand to gain long-sought relief from a tight cap on the federal tax write-off for state and local taxes (SALT) under the latest domestic policy proposals that are up for consideration in Washington. Last-minute negotiations in the Democratic-controlled House have yielded legislation that would, among other policy changes, raise the current cap on what is known as the SALT deduction from $10,000 to $80,000. In the U.S. Senate, a proposal backed by Sen. Bob Menendez would remove any cap on the SALT deduction for households making up to roughly $400,000 annually. NJ Spotlight News
The U.S. will finally open to vaccinated international travelers, beginning today. The pandemic travel ban is being lifted on international visitors from more than 30 countries. International visitors have to show proof of vaccination and a recent negative COVID-19 test. The Port Authority says the reopening will make for full flights and long lines at Newark Liberty International Airport. News12 New Jersey
A federal appeals court on Nov. 6 temporarily blocked the Biden administration’s new rules that require many employers to ensure that their workers are vaccinated or tested weekly for COVID-19. A three-judge panel on the New Orleans-based Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals granted an emergency stay prohibiting enforcement of the rules for now, saying they raise “grave statutory and constitutional issues.” The rules, issued by the Labor Department on Nov. 4, apply to employers with at least 100 workers. Challengers in the case before the Fifth Circuit include both private employers and a group of Republican state attorneys general. The Wall Street Journal
New Jersey on Sunday reported 971 COVID-19 cases and five deaths, while the number of people in the state who have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine topped 7.3 million. The Garden State’s seven-day average for confirmed positive tests was 1,058, down about 8% from a week ago and 28% from a month ago. The statewide rate of transmission remained at 1.01 for the second consecutive day, down slightly from 1.02 on Friday. NJ.com
Although youth sports may be back, the industry continues to feel the impact of the pandemic. Experts say one of the most alarming changes brought on by the pandemic is that socioeconomic divides have widened for families. With lower-cost youth sports offerings diminished, wealthier families are sending their kids back to play at higher rates than less wealthy families. The Daily Record
With consumers already dealing with the fastest price increases in decades, Winter heating bills are expected to be the next item to it consumers. Natural gas, used to heat almost half of U.S. households, has almost doubled in price since this time last year. The price of crude oil—which affects the 10% of households that rely on heating oil and propane during the Winter — has soared by similarly eye-popping levels. Those costs are being quickly passed through to consumers, who have become accustomed to cheaper energy prices in recent years and now find themselves with growing concerns about inflation this year. The New York Times
Paterson’s mayor wants to use $4 million in federal COVID-19 recovery money to close a funding gap in his $47.7 million Great Falls visitor center project, but the plan has run into opposition from the City Council. Council members said they preferred using the COVID money for other things—like hazardous duty pay for municipal employees who worked in-person amid the pandemic—and questioned why the Great Falls project needed more money after the city already allocated $37 million in state tax credits toward it and the private developers had secured about $13 million in donations. The Record
Gov. Phil Murphy’s campaign manager thinks it’s time for Republican Jack Ciattarelli to concede his loss in last week’s gubernatorial election. “The race is over,” said Mollie Binotto in a memorandum released on Monday morning. “Ciattarelli is mathematically eliminated, and he must accept the results and concede the race. His continuing failure to do so is an assault on the integrity of our elections.” Democrats argue that there aren’t enough votes for Ciattarelli to overcome Murphy’s as the latest tally has the incumbent leading by 65,445 votes and 2.59 percentage points, 50.91% to 48.32%. New Jersey Globe
The GOP gubernatorial nominee and the most powerful Democrat in the New Jersey state legislature are currently joined at the hip: Both have yet to concede their races as they await for all votes to be counted. While the AP and their opponents have declared victory, Jack Ciattarelli and State Senate President Steve Sweeney told their supporters the race is not over yet. In a video released on Nov. 4, Ciattarelli urged supporters to remain patient and not fall for “wild conspiracy theories or online rumors. While consideration is paid to any and all credible reports, please don’t believe everything you see or read online.” North-JerseyNews.com
State Sen. Nicholas Scutari (D-22) appears poised to succeed Steve Sweeney as president of the New Jersey Senate, after Sweeney lost his bid for re-election this week. Scutari reportedly has the votes he needed for the job after Democratic State Chairman LeRoy Jones, Jr., Middlesex County Democratic Chairman Kevin McCabe, and Bergen County Democratic Chairman Paul Juliano met with Gov. Phil Murphy and Chief of Staff George Helmy regarding the issue of who would replace Sweeney. New Jersey Globe
Casting herself as an alternative to the candidacy of State Sen. Nick Scutari (D-22), state State Senator Nia Gill (D-34) is running for State Senate President. “On Tuesday, the voters spoke, and with their voices, resoundingly rejected the business of politics as usual…a mandate for change from the voters,” said Gill. “As we continue to rebuild our communities and deal with the impacts of COVID-19, we must choose a leader who will heed the voters’ call and meet this moment for change. We must not be tempted by the path of least resistance and perpetuate the same dynamics the voters so clearly rebuked.” Insider NJ
The State Attorney General’s Office is investigating a police shooting that left one man dead early Sunday near the Delaware River. New Jersey state troopers arrived at the scene of a crash in Knowlton Township and attempted to communicate with a male driver and opened fire after he shot the dog inside, the Attorney General’s Office stated. New Jersey Herald
The Hoboken City Council will enter discussions with the developers and tenants of the Neumann Leathers Building after months of postponed votes on a plan that would pave the way for new plazas, housing and retail space at the artists hub. The vote had been delayed because the artist tenants, city and developer had been discussing matters pertaining to the current tenants. While such details would typically be included in the ultimate redevelopment agreement that would come after the redevelopment plan is passed, the tenants could be given more leverage if aspects were included in the redevelopment plan itself. The Jersey Journal
Barring any further delays, ferry service should be available to Bayonne residents come the Spring. The terminal was previously supposed to begin service between Bayonne and Manhattan in September of 2020 but was delayed by the onset of the global pandemic. Officials are waiting for one final permit from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey as well as discussions with the Towboat and Harbor Carriers Association on recommendation of the U.S. Coast Guard to ensure the ferry route would not interfere with existing marine traffic. Hudson Reporter
And finally…N.J. native, Rutgers alum and international soccer legend Carli Lloyd plays in last professional match. NJ.com
