Gov. Phil Murphy outlined his priorities for Fiscal Year 2023 in a budget address March 8. Murphy presented a $48.9 billion proposed spending plan he said continues the work of the past four years to restore fiscal responsibility, supporting continued economic growth and making New Jersey stronger, fairer, and more affordable for families and seniors of the state. “A budget is not an end in and of itself. It’s a tool to achieving an end. And this budget is built to help us make New Jersey a true State of Opportunity for all willing to roll up their sleeves and work alongside us,” he stated. “I made a promise that I would not raise taxes this year. This budget keeps this promise. But, even more, it delivers a promise of real and substantive direct property tax relief.” North-JerseyNews.com
Republicans, who have been critical of Gov. Phil Murphy’s past budgets, largely held back their criticisms this time around. “What I’m calling this budget is ‘less bad’,” said Assembly Minority Leader John DiMaio (R-23) after the budget address. But Murphy’s property tax proposal fell short of the structural and “meaningful property tax reduction” sorely needed by New Jerseyans, stated DiMaio. New Jersey Herald
A new poll released by Stockton University finds the state divided on a number of questions on the state’s economic future. Conducted before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the poll found that 50% of respondents think the state is headed in the wrong direction, versus only 34% who think the state is headed in the right direction. Another 15% said they’re neutral or unsure. Conversely, 48% of respondents said they’re very or somewhat optimistic about the future of the state’s economy, while 47% said they’re very or somewhat pessimistic. New Jersey Globe
Gov. Phil Murphy’s favorability among New Jersey residents dropped by double digits since being re-elected to a second term in November. The Democratic governor has a 33% favorability in the state—down from 50% in November—with 38% of people having an unfavorable opinion of him, according to the Rutgers-Eagleton Poll. But about half of New Jerseyans, 49%, continue to approve of the job he’s doing. Forty-six percent disapprove. NJ.com
Rep. Mikie Sherrill is calling for a gas tax holiday on the heels of President Joe Biden’s March 8 announcement of a ban on U.S. imports of Russian oil. “While we must do everything we can to stand up to [President Vladimir] Putin as Russia continues to wage a premeditated, unprovoked war on a fragile democracy, I am also fighting hard to address affordability here at home,” said Sherrill, who represents North Jersey’s 11th congressional district. “That’s why as we end all importation of Russian oil, I am calling for a gas tax holiday to ease prices at the pump.” Meanwhile, Rep. Josh Gottheimer praised the Biden Administration’s decision, stating “We can’t subsidize Putin’s war in Ukraine with American dollars.” North-JerseyNews.com
Congressional leaders released a sweeping bill to fund the federal government for the 2022 fiscal year and send further military and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, as well as appropriate money for the continuing pandemic response. The $1.5 trillion package would send $13.6 billion to Ukraine, with roughly half of that for humanitarian and economic aid, and the other half for defense in Ukraine as well as U.S. allies in the Baltics, Central and Eastern Europe. The House is expected to vote on the omnibus legislation March 9 and send it to the Senate, which will then debate it and vote on it this week. News12 New Jersey
The United States is sending two Patriot antimissile batteries to Poland to protect U.S., Polish and other allied troops in the country. There is concern in Warsaw and in Washington that Russian missiles could land inside Poland’s border, which is a major staging area for Western arms and equipment being shipped into Ukraine. In a rare disagreement among NATO allies, the United States rejected a Polish proposal to provide fighter jets for use in Ukraine as the prospect of fighter jets departing from a U.S.-NATO base in Germany and flying into “airspace that is contested with Russia over Ukraine raises serious concerns for the entire NATO alliance.” The New York Times
Some of America’s best-known brands took steps to pull back from Russia on March 8. Coca-Cola Co. is suspending operations in the country, McDonald’s Corp. is temporarily closing its restaurants and PepsiCo is halting sales of its big soda brands there, such as Pepsi-Cola and 7UP, but would continue to sell potato chips and daily essentials such as milk, cheese and baby formula. The Wall Street Journal
Sen. Bob Menendez blasted President Joe Biden’s administration for meeting with officials of the Venezuelan regime led by Nicolás Maduro. “The Biden administration’s efforts to unify the entire world against a murderous tyrant in Moscow should not be undercut by propping up a dictator under investigation for crimes against humanity in Caracas,” Menendez said. “The democratic aspirations of the Venezuelan people, much like the resolve and courage of the people of Ukraine, are worth much more than a few thousand barrels of oil.” NJ.com
The Assembly voted unanimously to bar any public entities in the state from doing business with the Russian government or any companies with ties to it over the country’s invasion of Ukraine. Under the bill, S1889, the state and local governments in New Jersey would be prohibited from making any public investments or other financial agreements with a person or business with investment activity in Russia. That includes pension investments, public contracts, professional services, deals with Russian financial institutions, and tax abatements. The bill now moves to Gov. Phil Murphy as the State Senate voted 39-0 to approve it last week. NJ1015.com
A jury convicted a Texas man of obstruction and other charges for riling up the mob at the U.S. Capitol Riot on Jan. 6 last year, confronting police while armed and later threatening his children not to report him, in the first trial of one of the more than 750 people who face charges related to the failed insurrection attempt by pro-Trump rioters. The verdict against Guy Reffitt came hours after prosecutors said that Enrique Tarrio, leader of the right-wing Proud Boys, had been arrested on conspiracy and other charges related to the Jan. 6 attack. Tarrio is accused of developing plans with other members of the extremist group to storm the Capitol that day. The Wall Street Journal
New Jersey will offer limited, in-person help with unemployment claims by the end of the month in response to outcry from State Senators who passed a resolution urging Gov. Phil Murphy to address the state’s unemployment backlog and “immediately re-open” unemployment offices that have been shuttered. Lawmakers recounted the angry and anxious constituents calling them, seeking help that had been unavailable through state unemployment offices for two years during the COVID-19 pandemic. “For almost the entire time of the past two years, many if not most of our legislative offices have been open. Our employees have been coming to work. We have had to spend over 90% of our time doing the state’s job,” said State Sen. Holly Schepisi (R-39). North-JerseyNews.com
Labor Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo is set to meet with the State Senate Labor Committee March 10. Among the topics expected to be broached are a status update on the unemployment system, backlogged claims and when will workers return to their offices. The Daily Record
Morris County Commissioner Doug Cabana has endorsed Tayfun Selen for the Republican nomination for Congress in New Jersey’s 11th district. Selen faces a runoff with former Kinnelon Councilman Larry Casha for the Morris County GOP organization line to take on Rep. Mikie Sherrill. Since the vote March 4, Larry Friscia has dropped out of the race and endorsed Casha. Assemblymen Jay Webber (R-26) and Christian Barranco (R-26) also announced support for Casha on the second ballot. Cabana, a nine-term county commissioner, was the top vote-getter in last week’s vote. New Jersey Globe
Montclair voters went to the polls on March 8 to elect school board members for the first time ever. Preliminary results show Phaedra Dunn (1,512) and Melanie Deysher (1,288) leading in the voting with 34 of township’s 35 districts reported. In a referendum last year, voters decided to convert the town from a school district with a mayor-appointed board of seven members to an elected board of nine. During the special election, voters chose two new board members from among nine candidates for a one-year and a nine-month term. Beginning this Fall, they will choose three new members every year during November elections. The Record
Candidates in Weehawken and Bayonne filed petitions to run in the May 10 municipal elections. Weehawken Mayor Richard Turner and his slate of township council members were the only people to file signed petitions by the Monday deadline, meaning they will run unopposed in the non-partisan elections May 10. In Bayonne, 19 people — 12 of which are affiliated with two slates — submitted signed petitions for the six elected seats. The race in Bayonne is headlined by a matchup between Mayor Jimmy Davis and City Council President Sharon Ashe Nadrowski to head the city. The Jersey Journal
And finally…Fair Lawn is working to save the iconic Nabisco lettering. The Record
