The Morning Briefing - March 9, 2016
TRENTON - Call us idealists, but we don't think state legislators should introduce bills just to make a political point. Assemblyman Michael Patrick Carroll, one of the most conservative members of the state Legislature, has introduced legislation that would raise the minimum wage in the state from $8.38 an hour to $20. But just in Essex, Hudson, Camden, Mercer and Middlesex counties. Why? Because lawmakers in these five counties are pushing to raise the state's minimum hourly wage to $15. "If this has the effect that they say it has, these counties will blow our socks off, they'll prove their point and we'll adopt the minimum wage statewide," Carroll said, reports Politico. "However, if it fails... that tends to indicate it's not really proposed in good faith." No comment from Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto about the bill, obviously going no where.
STATEWIDE - Here's a good bullet point for those who support the $15 minimum wage in New Jersey: Stockton University is out with a poll that says more than 55 percent of residents say they are not earning enough money to keep up with the cost of living here. Only 7 percent - let's call them the "lucky few" - say their salary is going up faster than the cost of living. Another 37 percent say they are somehow able to keep pace. Only 10 percent say their financial shape is "excellent" - an amazing stat when you see all these million-dollar homes cropping up all over the place. Who, the heck, is living there?
ATLANTIC CITY - Yet another poll. A new Rutgers Eagleton poll shows New Jerseyans aren't really swinging one way or the other about a possible state takeover of Atlantic City. It seems about half support the idea, about half don't, give or take a few percentage points. State lawmakers are currently mulling it over. More split opinions, as about half of us think casino gambling should be restricted to Atlantic City, as the state considers casinos in places like the Meadowlands and Jersey City. What does this all mean? There's going to be a big public battle to sway public opinion.
TEANECK - New Jersey now has its Cinderella team for the NCAA tournament. Somehow, some way, Fairleigh Dickinson University is going to the Big Dance, getting the Northeast Conference's automatic bid. For those who follow FDU basketball - us not among them - this is a huge deal. The team lost 15 straight games last year and finished in a last-place tie in a weak conference. But this year, with 18 wins, FDU is on a roll. They'll play next Tuesday or Wednesday, proving that any college basketball team can reverse its fortunes. (Hear that Rutgers?)
ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL - Did Gov. Chris Christie stand up Donald Trump last night? NJ.com reports that Trump dropped the governor's name during his Florida press conference last night, with wins in Michigan and Mississippi. "Chris Christie's here someplace," Trump said. "Where's Chris?" It was a big surprise for many, as many thought the governor was tucked away at an undisclosed love shack, celebrating his 30th wedding anniversary away from pesky reporters. A Christie spokesman says that no, the governor didn't celebrate a landmark wedding anniversary by attending a Trump press conference.
ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL - Donald Trump may be worth a few billion or so, but don't expect him to pay for Gov. Chris Christie's security detail on the campaign trail. That will be up to New Jersey taxpayers to foot, NJ Spotlight reports. The governor won't be getting reimbursements for us taxpayers for all the out-of-state trips, even when it's purely political events to get Trump elected. New Jersey State Police follow Christie wherever he goes, whether it is to buy new wingtips in Mendham or to go anywhere on the planet to position himself for his next job. There's plenty of expenses and lodging for these Troopers, who have gotten to tour every New Hampshire and Iowa hamlet on our dime.
STATEWIDE - Unless you are living in a bunker, you already know the temperature is going to be in the mid-70s today. Enjoy.
IN OTHER IMPORTANT NEWS
IN THE KITCHEN - Well, this is embarrassing. We've been serving up Kraft® Macaroni and Cheese to the kiddies throughout the winter, having no clue that the company quietly changed the recipe in December and then sold 50 million boxes. Through further inspection in our cabinet, we note Kraft no longer offers that freakishly orange cheese powder, replacing it with something tamer. Now, Kraft is ready to go public with the big change, touting "Moms didn't notice. Kids didn't notice. Dogs didn't notice."
THIS DAY IN HISTORY
Barbie always looks like she is 16. But she is actually celebrating her 57th birthday today, as she was "born" on this day in 1959. Shhh; don't tell anyone.
WORD OF THE DAY
Dicephalous (di-SEF-ah-les) - noun
Definition: Having two heads.
Example: It as if my wife is dicephalous, questioning how I could not know that Kraft changed the recipe.