Gov. Phil Murphy, after months of questioning, finally laid out a road map of easing restrictions for students wearing masks at schools because of the coronavirus pandemic. And he opened the door to discussing when does the declining rate of those eligible for the vaccine getting their shot move the conversation to easing of all restrictions. Murphy’s executive order for masks expires on Jan. 11, 2022 and the governor opened the door to a decision being made around that date. “We would do it in a phased-in approach with….12-17 years olds getting into an acceptable zone before the younger kids,” offered Murphy due to the fact the older cohort—now at 60% fully vaccinated—were eligible to receive a vaccine first. “That seems to be a sensible way to think about this.” North-JerseyNews.com
The Biden administration told a federal court a stay of its vaccinate-or-test requirement for private employers “would likely cost dozens or even hundreds of lives per day.” Responding to a temporary stay imposed by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals on Saturday, the administration argued that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration was well within its authority to issue the requirements calling for employees at large businesses to be vaccinated against Covid-19 or tested weekly. In a separate caee, a federal judge in Washington, D.C., on Monday refused a request by 18 federal employees and two Marines to halt enforcement of separate rules requiring the vaccination of federal workers and military personnel. PoliticoNJ
North Jersey Democrats are backing two different versions of how to increase the federal deduction on state and local taxes (SALT). Sen. Bob Menendez is backing a plan to eliminate the cap for families with annual incomes up to roughly $550,000 permanently. The House proposal, supported by SALT Caucus members Reps. Josh Gottheimer and Mikie Sherrill, would raise the cap to $72,500 for all taxpayers through 2031. “We are convinced any SALT relief should be targeted to the families that need it the most and we are optimistic that we can reach an agreement soon to solve this issue without going against President Biden’s pledge on not raising taxes to families making under $400,000 a year in a permanent way,” Menendez said. North-JerseyNews.com
Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY) acknowledged his party’s challenges after last week’s elections, but rejected the idea that any major stocktaking was needed in terms of the Democratic agenda or the party’s focus on running against former President Donald J. Trump even without him on the ballot in 2022. Maloney, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee head, stated “The results in Virginia and elsewhere ought to be a wake-up call that we’re not getting the job done on messaging. It starts with (President Joe Biden). The No. 1 thing is to grow the economy and end the pandemic. But close behind that is telling people what you’ve done. I think it’s a fair criticism to say we haven’t done enough of that, and I think the White House needs to do more. I don’t think the President has been served well in this regard. It needs to happen right away.” The New York Times
Former President Donald Trump blasted back at Chris Christie after the former New Jersey governor said it was time for the party to move past the 2020 election. “If the president wants to talk about the future and spend most of his time talking about the future and what he sees next, then I’m sure that he’ll be a welcome voice in any kind of debate,” he said. “But if all we’re going to do is talk about grievance politics and put out statements saying either you reverse the 2020 election or Republicans shouldn’t vote in ’22 and ’24, I mean, that can’t be the leader of our party.” Trump followed with a statement that derided Christie’s low poll numbers and claimed “Chris Christie, who just made a speech at the Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) in Las Vegas, was just absolutely massacred by his statements that Republicans have to move on from the past, meaning the 2020 Election Fraud.” The Record
New Jersey Democrats are at odds over what the recent election results mean. “Blue New Jersey might not be so blue in some given districts,” said State Sen. Loretta Weinberg (D-37). “Yes, we have to look at what happened in this election—certainly the shock around the Sweeney loss—but the fact remains that Phil Murphy is still the governor and we still have the majority in both houses.” Murphy, when asked if he’d scale back his progressive ambitions in a second , said his administration’s accomplishments “allowed us to withstand this red wave. We’re not going to change now.” New Jersey Monitor
State Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-3) has yet to concede or discuss whether he’d seek a recount, stressing that votes are still being counted and said he’ll speak more about the election Nov. 9 when he expects to know the final tally. “I just want the votes counted,” said Sweeney, who he trails Republican Edward Durr by 2,033 votes. “That’s what I said, and that’s what we’re gonna do. That’s it.” NJ.com
Gov. Phil Murphy called the lack of concession from his Republican opponent Jack Ciattarelli “dangerous” and “not what America is about.” At his press briefing Nov. 8m, Murphy stated “when it’s mathematically impossible to win, I think it’s dangerous (to not concede.) I think it’s bigger than winning or losing, it gets to questioning what it is to be an American and respect the institutions that we count on as a society, including democracy.” New Jersey Globe
Officials representing GOP nominee Jack Ciattarelli’s held firm they will continue to wait for all votes to be counted, and hinted that it may request a recount. “Waiting an additional day or two for all votes to be counted should not be controversial,” Ciattarelli legal counsel Mark Sheridan said in a statement. “Let me be clear, no one on this team is alleging fraud or malfeasance, as we have not seen any credible evidence of that…However, that count may reduce the margin for Governor Murphy enough to warrant a full recount.” NJ1015.com
With about 2,300 mail-in ballots flowing in after Election Day, it could be Saturday before Passaic County officials can call the close county-level races. The outstanding ballots require a meeting of the bipartisan Board of Election Commission before they can be counted, with county officials needing to tally about 4,000 provisional ballots and cross-check them with the mail-ins. As of Monday, there were about 110 ballots in the county that needed verification because of bad signatures or no signatures, with those numbers could climb after the bipartisan commission convenes. The Record
A recent Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU) Poll of New Jersey voters aged 50 and up want the state to continue to make full payments to the public workers’ pension fund. Additionally, they support the rapid rollout of the state’s new retirement savings plan for private-sector workers. In total, 73% of New Jersey voters 50 and older say full payments should be made to the fund, with only 20% saying the state shouldn’t have to make full contributions. North-JerseyNews.com
The New Jersey Supreme Court will hear a lawsuit in regards to Jersey City’s 1% payroll tax that goes to the funding of the city’s school district. Previously, an appellate panel affirmed the constitutionality of the payroll tax — on Jersey City businesses or out-of-city firms that employ people in Jersey City, was enacted in 2019 — but also vacated part of a Hudson County Superior Court ruling. Mack-Cali and some of its subsidiaries sued Jersey City and the state in December 2018, before the tax went into effect, claiming unfair taxation. The Jersey Journal
Under bipartisan legislation signed into law by Gov. Phil Murphy, drivers will be able to display their vehicle registration electronically instead of searching for a paper document. The state Motor Vehicle Commission has 18 months to develop and offer electronic vehicle registrations that have provisions to deter counterfeit registrations and to allow fakes to be detected. The new law would also spare drivers from a $150 fine if issued a summons for failure to have the paper document during a police road stop. NJ.com
The supply-chain crunch is about to hit Thanksgiving dinner as supplies of food and household items are 11% lower than normal as of Oct. 31, according to data from market-research firm IRI. That figure isn’t far from the bare shelves of March 2020, when supplies were down 13%. By the end of October turkeys were over 60% out of stock—lower than the same time last year by more than 30 percentage points. A spokesperson for Butterball LLC, one of the largest U.S. turkey processors, said the company has been experiencing similar labor and supply challenges as other organizations and industries. The Wall Street Journal
Despite national gas prices that are $1.30 more than last year, AAA says Thanksgiving holiday travelers will not be deterred. Historically, AAA has observed that higher gas prices alone have not discouraged drivers from traveling to spend the Thanksgiving holiday with family and friends. Currently, the national average for a gallon of gas is 16 cents more than a month ago and $1.31 more than this time last year. News12 New Jersey
And finally…Former New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning is the subject of three FCC complaints for flipping off America by flashing the double bird during ESPN’s alternate broadcast of Monday Night Football. NJ.com
