A $1.5 trillion government funding bill approved last week by Congress includes significant federal support for vital programs and services in North Jersey, as well as millions for community projects across the region. The bill provides $730 billion for domestic programs, 6.7% more than last year and $782 billion for defense, a 5.6% boost over 2021’s levels. “With this spending package, we have allocated billions of dollars for public safety, environmental programs, and more. We have also voted to provide over $13 billion in aid to support the Ukrainian people on the frontlines of defending democracy against the criminal Russian invasion,” said Rep. Bill Pascrell. North-JerseyNews.com
Czech Republic, Poland and Slovenia leaders crossed into Ukraine March 15 to express the European Union’s “unequivocal support” and offer financial help. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky plans to address Congress in a virtual speech that could increase pressure on the Biden Administration to send fighter jets to Kyiv and sought to step up pressure on the Kremlin by reiterating appeals to Russian soldiers and citizens appalled by the war to end the fighting in a video address in Russian. The New York Times
Bayonne has covered Russian President Vladimir Putin’s name on the 9/11 memorial in the city that was donated to the U.S. by Russia. According to Mayor Jimmy Davis, the monument honors the victims of 9/11 and he did not want to remove or deface it. “Recently, there has been some discussion on removing the monument because Russian President Vladimir Putin’s name appears on two plaques at the park,” Davis said. “I want to be clear, we will never take down this monument. We have, however, taken steps to cover the name of Putin, due to his recent actions against the people of Ukraine.” Hudson Reporter
Oil prices and Chinese stocks slumped after Beijing imposed sweeping COVID-19 lockdowns, while U.S. stock futures edged higher ahead of the start of a cycle of interest-rate rises from the Federal Reserve. Oil prices dropped back below $100 a barrel, undoing much of the price surge since Russia invaded Ukraine. West Texas Intermediate, the U.S. benchmark, dropped over 8% to $94.69 a barrel. Brent crude, the international benchmark, declined over 7% to $98.59 a barrel. China’s daily cases more than doubled in an outbreak that has prompted lockdowns in major cities and an entire province. The Wall Street Journal
A recent Rutgers-Eagleton Poll has found one area of agreement: the state’s residents don’t want to pump their own gas. Nearly three-quarters (73%) of those surveyed said they prefer having their gas pumped for them, with only 22% saying the opposite. “There is apparently one thing all New Jerseyans can agree on nowadays and that’s the time-honored Jersey tradition of having your gas pumped for you,” said Rutgers pollster Ashley Koning. The poll found Democrats (82%) were more likely than Independents (70%) and Republicans (64%) to signal support. And 87% of women preferred having their gas pumped for them, compared to 37% of men. North-JerseyNews.com
The utility moratorium Gov. Phil Murphy enacted when the coronavirus pandemic first started ends March 15. The moratorium, extended a few times, means utility companies can send shut off notices to the many New Jersey families that are behind on their bills. Many utility companies are offering assistance. Some of the programs being offered include a family of four with an income of $105,000 a year can qualify for the Universal Service Fund Program, while a family of four with income of about $77,000 a year would be eligible for Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program. News12 New Jersey
NJ Transit’s board of directors unanimously denied two contracts worth a total of $48 million to Academy Bus a month after it settled a fraud case with the state and agreed to pay a $20 million fine. Transportation Commissioner and NJ Transit Board Chairwoman Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti recommended against approving the contracts, saying she did not believe guidelines were in place required by the settlement to protect NJ Transit and its riders. The two, three-year contracts, to run NJ Transit local bus service in Hudson County, was instead unanimously awarded to the next-highest bidder, Coach USA, for a total of $57.5 million. The Daily Record
Two state legislative committees March 14 approved a package of bills to curb prices on prescriptions and more carefully regulate pharmacy benefit managers that are hired to negotiate discounts. The legislation, approved in separate hearings by the Assembly Insurance and Financial Institutions Committee and the Senate Commerce Committee, would which mandates insurance companies provide coverage for epinephrine auto-injector devices and asthma inhalers and limits cost sharing for health insurance coverage of insulin; quire the state Department of Banking and Insurance to license pharmacy benefit managers, professionals that negotiate rebates and other discounts for prescription drugs plans; and allocating $900,000 to the state Division of Consumer Affairs to collect and analyze drug pricing at all points across the supply chain and issue an annual report. NJ.com
New Jersey lawmakers plan to use a remote format when they host two public hearings next week to formally begin review of Gov. Phil Murphy proposed budget. The Assembly Budget Committee will continue using the remote option, scheduled for March 21 and 23, to allow for increased participation. NJ Spotlight News
Rep. Tom Malinowski is renewing efforts to get the state and local tax (SALT) deduction reinstated. Malinowski, along with Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA), introduced the Supporting Americans with Lower Taxes (SALT) Act to provide relief to middle class families residing in states with a high cost of living. The bill would fully restore the SALT deduction for Americans making less than $400,000 a year, while increasing the deduction cap for those making between $400,000 and $1 million. “This is a win-win approach that we hope will produce compromise on the SALT issue,” said Rep. Tom Malinowski. North-JerseyNews.com
A document found by federal prosecutors in the possession of a far-right leader contained a detailed plan to surveil and storm government buildings on Jan. 6 around the Capitol last year. The document, titled “1776 Returns,” was cited by prosecutors last week in charging the far-right leader, Enrique Tarrio, the former head of the Proud Boys extremist group, with conspiracy. The document does not specifically mention an attack on the Capitol building itself. But in targeting high-profile government buildings in the immediate area and in the detailed timeline it set out, the plan closely resembles what actually unfolded when the Capitol was stormed by a pro-Trump mob intent on disrupting congressional certification of President Biden’s Electoral College victory. The New York Times
The New Jersey Supreme Court ruled unanimously March 14 that police disciplinary records must be released when certain factors are at play, including when the public’s interest outweighs the need for confidentiality. The case was spurred by an event in February 2019, when a complaint against Elizabeth Police Director James Cosgrove was filed, alleging he used racist and sexist language when referring to employees. Chief Justice Stuart Rabner outlined several factors to help the courts evaluate the need for public disclosure: the nature and seriousness of the misconduct, whether it was substantiated, the discipline imposed, the nature of the official’s position and the person’s record of misconduct. PoliticoNJ
It would be harder for people charged with gun crimes to be released from jail before trial under a bill advanced by an Assembly panel March 14. The bill, approved by the Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee, shifts the burden of proof in pretrial detention hearings involving eligible offenses onto defendants, requiring they convince a judge they pose no risk of flight or re-offense. Existing rules require law enforcement to argue a given defendant should be detained until trial. Assemblyman Benjie Wimberly (D-35), the bill’s prime sponsor, said the measure is intended to prevent the release of people who are using firearms to commit crimes. New Jersey Monitor
New York officials March 14 went to the U.S. Supreme Court in an attempt to block New Jersey from withdrawing from the Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor. New York argued that Gov. Phil Murphy could not simply decide for themselves that they no longer wanted to honor their obligations under a bilateral agreement ratified by Congress and lambasted New Jersey for its failure to consider the impact the commission had on the fight against organized crime. NJ.com
Outdoor dining regulations instituted by Ridgewood to help restaurants stay afloat during the pandemic will come to an end this month. The 18 parking spots converted to outdoor dining enclosures by restaurants are rented for $250 per space per month will have to be dismantled by March 31, while the fate of an additional 16 parking spaces rented by donors to provide 15-minute grab-and-go spots scattered around the business district is still to be determined. The Record
And finally…Six Flags safari adds new animals with opening day later this week. NJ.com
