The Morning Briefing - November 16, 2015
STATEWIDE – Yes, it is too early to talk about the 2017 gubernatorial race, but let’s do it anyway. Of the many critical issues awaiting the next governor, there’s a new one for the pile: Poverty. The Legal Services of New Jersey says more residents here are in poverty, as opposed to five decades ago. With the high cost of living, the legal group says 2.8 million adults and 800,000 children were struggling in 2014. The richest 20 percent of the state – figure all the people with those homes on LBI – own half of all income. As property taxes continue to rise, the new governor will be faced with this question: How do you tax people who don’t have any money?
STATEWIDE – In more Monday morning good news, WNYC is noting the state has the highest number of foreclosures in the nation. One out of every 171 housing units in New Jersey had a foreclosure filing in the third quarter of this year, more than double the national average, according to housing firm RealtyTrac. The state is also first in homeowners who are delinquent on their mortgage payments. The Atlantic City region is fueling all this – with the highest rate in the nation. But the Trenton area isn’t much better, ranked third on the national list. Another issue for the “winner” of the next gubernatorial election to deal with.
ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL – There’s nothing like a crisis to raise your poll numbers. That’s always been a key strategy of Gov. Chris Christie (See Superstorm Sandy), as he is using the Paris disaster to talk about why he is ideally suited to be President. In Florida, Christie delivered a 20-minute speech about how he responded to 9-11 on his first day as U.S. Attorney and how it is now time to get really, really super tough on ISIS. “When I'm President of the United States, America will be a nation of action again, and action in the interest of one goal: Protecting the safety, security and freedom of the American people.”
ALLENDALE — These aren’t the northern lights that people are clamoring to see. Rather, local residents are suing the Northern Highlands Regional High School Board of Education, steamed about the new 72-foot-high light trailers shining on the nearby athletic fields, the Record reports. School officials argue they don’t need to follow zoning laws, as the lights are coming from temporary trailers. Good news for residents: no need for night lights.
WOODBRIDGE – It’s rare to see Woodbridge High School on Saturday Night Live. So let’s assume it was the Woodbridge High School from New Jersey that was featured Saturday night in a skit about student theater improv, featuring actress Elizabeth Banks, and addressing such issues as climate change, treatment of animals and parental involvement. See it here.
IN OTHER IMPORTANT NEWS
BOSTON – She is a proud member of the “Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster” and that apparently includes the need to wear a colander on her head in her driver's license photo. The state’s Registry of Motor Vehicles likely doesn’t want to deal with free speech issues and is allowing her to wear the colander for her license photo. She calls herself a “Pastafarian,” which is apparently a religion steeped in history, using parody to make some sort of point.
THIS DAY IN HISTORY
It was this day in 1998 that Monica Lewinsky figured she might as well cash in on the whole mess, signing a $500,000 book deal for the North American rights to all the lurid details of her trysts with President Clinton. That’s equal to about 10,000 blue dresses.
WORD OF THE DAY
Clatterfart (KLAT-er-fart) — noun
Definition: a chatterer; babbler
Example: It would be too easy and too fun, and perhaps unfair, to refer to Presidential candidates as a bunch of clatterfarts.