The Jaffe Briefing - March 4, 2019
TRENTON - It's that time of the year to talk green, as the three Irish guys who run New Jersey will be hashing out the fiscal 2020 budget. It all begins tomorrow when Gov. Phil Murphy delivers his annual budget address, kicking off all the negotiations and deliberations with Senate President Steve Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin. There's no pot of gold this year, like usual, as the state is hundreds of millions in the hole. So this trio are hoping for some lucky charms to balance the budget by June 30. Murphy is noodling a millionaire's tax, and maybe the sales tax and the gas tax, and perhaps toll hikes on roads and rate hikes on NJ Transit. He shouldn't expect any luck in the state Assembly, where all 80 members are up for re-election this year.
STATEWIDE - The 2020 U.S. Census is quickly coming down the pike,with enormous consequences for New Jersey. A higher population count makes the state eligible for more federal funding. The count also affects the number of congress members to send to Washington, and it has ramifications for legislative district boundaries as well. (New Jersey lost a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives after the 2010 census.) In monetary terms, we're talking about roughly $22 billion in federal funding being at stake for New Jersey. So, you can see why it's so important the census be correct. NJ Spotlight reports today on an effort to get Gov. Phil Murphy to put money in his budget toward ensuring an accurate census, just as other states have done. Follow the numbers in NJ Spotlight.
OCEAN CITY - This seashore resort isn't so boring after all. Travel site Best Life Online got lots of grief for picking fun-filled Ocean City as New Jersey's "most boring town." Oops! They've suddenly recanted, now giving that dull distinction to all-but-unheard-of Audubon Park, a tiny Camden County borough. The travel site got justifiably slammed throughout traditional and social media for not knowing Ocean City is a "world famous family resort," even though it says so on all the signs and tourism brochures. Sure, there are no bars or liquor stores. But that doesn't make a town boring. Now the travel site dares to mock Audubon Park, which we hear is positively thrilling. For example, Audubon Park has three miles of its very own roadway, has its own NJ Transit bus stop and, if you can believe it, a non-operating school district. Wow!
DOWN THE SHORE - And, how about our "most romantic town?" It's Long Beach Island, says The Active Times. That website's data-crunchers - who are probably as unfamiliar with romance as they are with New Jersey - says LBI's miles of glorious sand and surf give it an amorous appeal. But, this site also calls LBI "a town." Actually, anyone in flip-flops knows LBI is six separate towns on a barrier island. And sure, there's plenty of fun couples' stuff to do. But, what about charming, romantic getaways like Cape May or Lambertville? Perhaps, it's a good idea to visit a bunch of hamlets before decreeing "the most" about anything.
TEANECK - Don't mess with this young woman's success. High school senior Erin Emery made New Jersey history on Saturday, becoming our state's first girls wrestling champion. Competing in the 185-pound weight class during the state wrestling finals at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, The Record says Emery slammed down her competitors, one after the other, to gain the coveted title. Emery is also a "three-sport standout" for Teaneck, excelling in soccer and softball. Her high school coaches say Emery's got a "tremendous shot" at a promising college sports career. Or, perhaps, the Secret Service.
BERGENFIELD - What was the police union thinking when it offered to raffle off an assault rifle and a shotgun? Yep, it was for a worthy cause, replenishing PBA Local 309's scholarship fund. But gun raffles are illegal in New Jersey, so the Bergen County prosecutor made the 46-member union cancel the sweepstakes. The PBA president tells The Record that fundraising is "tough ... I'd raffle off pet rocks if people would buy tickets." He explained that cops bought most of the $10 tickets for the semi-automatic, 10-round M&P15 rifle and the drawing would be at this week's state PBA's mini-convention in Atlantic City. Maybe, next time, just stick with theater tickets or perhaps a nice laptop.
IN OTHER IMPORTANT NEWS
VINTON, Iowa - A local senior citizen has an interesting sales pitch for people who may want to buy her home. She posted on Facebook: "I Hate Iowa. Please Buy My House." So far, the ad has generated 23,000 shares on social media, but so far no takers on her modest $170,000 home. She tells the Des Moines Register she posted the ad as a joke. But, hey, she couldn't be more pleased about the widespread attention given her three-bedroom ranch in the middle of a desolate, frozen tundra, where her only guest may be Cory Booker.
THIS DAY IN HISTORY
It was this day in 2015 that New Jersey media smacked ultra-conservative Rep. Scott Garrett, reporting how he was the only Republican congress member in the state voting against a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security.
WORD OF THE DAY
Gormless - [GORM-ləs] - adjective
Definition: Lacking intelligence; stupid
Example: There's hardly anything more gormless than going for an early-morning jog in an early March snowstorm.
WIT OF THE DAY
"A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on." - Sir Winston Churchill
WEATHER IN A WORD
Blanketed
THE NEW 60
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