Unsurprisingly after hearing the 2023 Budget Address, lawmakers from opposing parties disagreed with the proposals offered by Gov. Phil Murphy. State Sen. Paul Sarlo (D-36) said he welcomed the proposed budget as it addresses the state’s fiscal priorities as New Jersey emerges from the pandemic, characterizing it as “a serious spending plan.” State Senate Minority Leader Steve Oroho (R-24) argued that the GOP Give It Back plan “would provide real tax relief now to help New Jersey families pay their bills today.” North-JerseyNews.com
Gov. Phil Murphy earmarked $53 million in his latest state budget proposal for a one-time $500 check for undocumented immigrants in New Jersey who pays taxes using an individual taxpayer identification number. More than 100,000 people in the state would qualify for the assistance paid for the federal American Rescue Plan pandemic relief program. The new benefit is created for the people who did not receive cash assistance from the Excluded New Jerseyans Fund, a relief program for undocumented immigrants, people recently discharged from prison and homeless people who do not qualify for unemployment or the multiple stimulus checks distributed through the pandemic. NJ.com
U.S. inflation reached a new four-decade high of 7.9% in February as the rising cost of gas, food and rent all contributed to the increase, reported the U.S. Labor Department March 10. Elevated inflation, prior to the war in Ukraine, was primarily driven by brisk demand for goods, shipping bottlenecks and shortages of supplies such as semiconductors. Economic disruptions from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the global response could further stoke inflation, in part because Russia is a top global supplier of oil and natural gas. The Wall Street Journal
The top diplomats from Ukraine and Russia failed to reach an agreement on March 10 to calm the fighting or to ease the worsening humanitarian crisis, dashing hopes for a swift end to a two-week-old conflict that has killed hundreds and displaced millions. The talks come as at least three people were killed after a Russian missile strike devastated a maternity hospital in the southern city of Mariupol March 9. People are cutting down trees for fuel and digging trenches for mass graves in the city, which has been encircled by Russian forces for nearly a week. The New York Times
The House approved a $13.6 billion spending bill March 9 that would rush U.S. aid to Ukraine and its European allies, after Democrats dropped plans to include fresh funds to battle COVID-19. The Ukraine aid included $6.5 billion for the U.S. costs of sending troops and weapons to Eastern Europe and equipping allied forces there in response to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion. Another $6.8 billion is being allocated to care for refugees and provide economic aid to allies, and more to help federal agencies enforce economic sanctions against Russia and protect against cyber threats at home. The COVID-19 funding was pulled after Republicans demanded state aid cuts to cover the new initiatives’ costs to bolster U.S. supplies of vaccines, treatments and tests and battle the disease around the world. The Wall Street Journal
New Jersey has barred its state and local public entities from doing business with the Russian government and companies with direct ties to the country, under a bipartisan bill Gov. Phil Murphy signed into law March 9 in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Under the law, state and local governments in New Jersey are now prohibited from conducting business with Russia and Belarus or companies that have direct interests with those countries, are headquartered there, or support the invasion. In addition, the law bars the state from investing in pension or annuity funds in entities or companies on the list and from banking with institutions tied to the Russian and Belarusian governments. The Daily Record
The New Jersey Department of Health selected Atlantic Health System to serve as a monitor at the troubled Woodland Behavioral and Nursing Center in Andover. The move on March 9 came in the wake of a state report last month citing the nursing home in Sussex County for health care violations that officials claim had threatened the lives and safety of the more than 450 residents who live at the nursing home. Those violations led to an order by the Health Department to curtail all new admissions and the decision to seek a monitor to oversee the facility, one of the largest nursing homes in New Jersey. New Jersey Herald
President Joe Biden is nominating Dr. Shereef Elnahal, the CEO of University Hospital in Newark, to be under secretary for health at the U.S. Veterans Health Administration. Elnahal, a former New Jersey health commissioner, would be returning to familiar territory if confirmed as he was a White House fellow at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in 2015 and rose to assistant deputy under secretary for health, quality, safety and value at the agency, where he served until 2018. NJ Spotlight News
The Paterson Board of Education voted to continue their mask mandate until at least after Spring Break. Board members cited 63% of district parents and employees supporting keeping kids masked up until early May. Additionally, the board voted to remove the plastic partitions that had been installed in all classrooms. NJ1015.com
New Jersey schools would be required to establish “school meal funds” to help students buy food in school or to pay down a student’s lunch debt under a bill a State Senate committee will hear on March 10. Under the measure, money from the fund would be used only to help pay for students’ breakfasts or lunches, aside from bank service costs. School districts would be required to keep the money in a separate bank account. School boards would have to adopt a policy to outline how they’d dole out the money and ensure equity among students. The fund would be subject to an annual audit. New Jersey Monitor
Morris County Republican Convention began voting in a runoff election today to decide who will receive the sought after party line for the June 7 primary for the 7th and 11th Congressional District. For the 7th district seat currently held by Rep. Tom Malinowski, 28-year-old businessman John Henry Isemann made a surprising strong showing in forcing a runoff with former Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean, Jr. As for the battle to face Rep. Mikie Sherrill, Morris County Commissioner Tayfun Selen and former Kinnelon Council President Larry Casha are the choices to choose from for the nomination as the field was reduced from six. North-JerseyNews.com
Former Paterson Mayor Joey Torres has filed a lawsuit after the city’s clerk refused to accept his candidacy petitions for this year’s elections. At issue is a 2017 court order saying Torres was permanently disqualified from holding public office because of his official misconduct conviction. He had admitted paying three city workers overtime with taxpayers’ money to do renovations at a private, family-owned beer distribution business in Paterson. The Record
Union City Mayor Brian Stack and his slate of incumbent commissioners will have four more years in office come July 1. Stack and fellow commissioners Lucio P. Fernandez, Maryury A. Martinetti, Celin J. Valdivia and Wendy A. Grullon were the only people who submitted signed petitions for the May 10 non-partisan municipal elections by the March 7 deadline. The Jersey Journal
New Jersey legislative leaders lashed out at the Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor over the agency’s continued refusal to cooperate with the state’s plan to take over its job in less than three weeks. “As the leaders of the New Jersey Legislature from both parties, we advise you that your petulant attitude will not be tolerated, and we will fully support Governor Murphy’s efforts to implement New Jersey’s withdrawal from the compact,” wrote State Senate President Nicholas Scutari (D-22); Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin (D-19); State Senate Minority Leader Steven Oroho (R-24); and Assembly Minority Leader John DiMaio (R-23), as the legislators charged that foot-dragging by the commission was endangering commerce within the port. NJ.com
Acting Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin recently announced the expansion of the Auto Theft Task Force by adding additional detectives and prosecutors, as well as bringing on board more police departments from around the state. According to data from the New Jersey Regional Operations & Intelligence Center (ROIC), auto theft is up 31% in the state’s CorrStat Region, which represents more than 80 municipalities in northeast New Jersey along the Route 21 corridor. This area accounts for 63% of the state’s total motor vehicle thefts. “Motor vehicle theft is a growing public safety issue that can lead to dangerous and even deadly confrontations between thieves and their victims, bystanders, or law enforcement officers,” said Platkin. “Reducing violent crime is a top priority for me, and we will do everything in our power to curb these thefts and keep our neighborhoods and residents safe.” North-JerseyNews.com
By a margin of 73%-22%, New Jerseyans oppose a proposal to permit self-serve gas stations. The Eagleton-Rutgers poll found Republicans oppose self-service gas by a 64%-34% margin, while Democrats oppose it, 82%-14%, and Independents by a 70%-24% margin. Among men, 37% prefer to pump their own gas and 55% oppose it; among women, it’s 87%-11%. Younger New Jerseyans are more willing to pump their own gas than people over age 65, but only by four percentage points. New Jersey Globe
And finally…A Bruce Springsteen tour could be happening this year, according to the Boss himself. Rolling Stone
