The Morning Briefing - February 6, 2015
STATEWIDE – We all wear the American flag proudly, with plenty of bunting hanging from every window possible, but Senate President Steve Sweeney’s recent bills were a big stretch in patriotism. Sweeney was pushing legislation requiring the use of American-made products when public funds are used by state and bi-state entities. Gov. Chris Christie vetoed the measure; we assume because such a requirement could greatly increase project costs, require enforcement, completely revamp the public bidding process and set the state up for lawsuits. Sweeney is right; government should do what it can to help the economy, but blind, sweeping legislation is not the answer.
STATEWIDE – Many would think Gov. Chris Christie is not a fan of urban shopping areas, after he forced all the state Urban Enterprise Zones to hand over millions of revenue in 2011. And, now, he says the state doesn’t have the money to give the state’s 32 UEZ zones about 30 percent of the funds raised through sales tax so they can actually promote themselves. Democrats say the bill – which Christie vetoed - would have cost around $27 million and given cash-strapped zones a fighting chance to compete with those fancy highway malls. Christie sees the tab a bit higher – around $82 million – and who has that kind of money?
ATLANTIC CITY – And, yet, while UEZs don’t have the money to fulfill their mission, Assembly Democrats are pushing for the creation of a zone for Atlantic City, with the bill passing through committee on party lines. The zone would exist only for 10 years, with money used for direct property tax relief, Politicker reports. With no support amongst Republicans and a governor who hates UEZs, expect the bill to have a short life. But it puts an even bigger spotlight on the governor’s restoration plan for Atlantic City.
NEWARK – The federal agricultural secretary is gearing up for an unleavened experience of a lifetime, as he heads to Newark this morning to visit the Manischewitz facility, one of the largest matzo production facilities in the world. Secretary Tom Vilsack sees it as the ideal backdrop to promote the President’s call to boost exports through trade agreements with Asian and European nations. Really happy to have him, but is a matzo factory that right backdrop for this? Perhaps a shipping business in Port Newark?
EDGEWATER – New Jersey – famously known for its reactive legislating – may now be considering a bill that would stop builders from constructing multi-family developments that use the same lightweight wood construction as the apartment complex that went up in flames two weeks ago. The bill calls for a two-year moratorium while the state evaluates the safety of such construction, the Record reports. Or maybe there should be a two-year moratorium on janitors using blowtorches, the cause of the fire that left hundreds homeless.
IN OTHER IMPORTANT NEWS
CASTLETON, Vt. – “Pardon me, ma’am, but have you happened to see a 4-foot-long Brazilian rainbow boa constrictor?” That’s the common question these days at Castleton State College, which casually dispatched a campus-wide email asking whether anyone happened to see a big snake slither by, as it somehow escaped its cage Tuesday at the college's zoology lab, the Rutland Herald reports. Get this: the college says the snake was “trained” to only eat frozen, dead mice - apparently even if it is starving, scared and there are no frozen, dead mice anywhere. Putting nature and logic aside, let’s say, sure, that makes perfect sense.
FAIRBANKS, Alaska – It must be so boring to live in Alaska. One man, desperate for entertainment after throwing back a bucket of booze, decided on Monday he was going to take a 50-mile walk in sub-zero temperatures - just to see if he can do it. So, he threw on his coat, grabbed a .22-caliber rifle and headed into the tundra, with temperatures hovering at 35 below zero. The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner – thrilled to finally have a story – reported he walked about 46 miles before searchers found him. That’s equal to 15 hours of non-stop walking without a moose attack – likely an Alaskan record.
THIS DAY IN HISTORY
It was one year ago that washed-up action movie star Steven Segal considered a run for Arizona governor. But then someone said he has to live in the state for at least five years before assuming office. “Uh, um, uh,” Segal likely responded.