The Jaffe Briefing - June 12, 2019
JERSEY CITY - Municipal officials were hit with a very expensive lesson in OPRA law, forced to pay nearly $10,000 to a Burlington County man who tried to get a list of those who possess dog licenses in the city. Not only did a Superior Court judge demand that Jersey City compy with the open public records law, he also hit the city with $9,453 in legal fees, the Jersey Journal reports. The Burlington County man wanted the addresses of dog owners, a shrewd request in his effort to sell invisible dog fences. The guy had also sued Secaucus and Kearny over the same issue, with the judge ruling in his favor those times, as well. It seems the business of selling invisible dog fences is not as lucrative as the business of suing New Jersey municipalities.
STATEWIDE - There are some very smart, committed people pushing to ensure New Jersey's 2020 Census is as accurate as possible. And they've developed innovative strategies ranging from children's books to tablets loaded with census questionnaires to social-media outreach to help get the numbers are right. So, what's missing? Money, reports NJ Spotlight. That's why census advocates are turning to New Jersey's philanthropic community for a helping hand (or handout). But the ticket could come in at $9 million - $1 for every man, woman, and child in the Garden State. So far, the Murphy administration has pledged $2 million. It's unclear if the private sector can or would plug in the rest. Meanwhile, the Trump administration keeps threatening to add a citizenship question to the 2020 Census, which seems custom tailored to punish New Jersey, with its large population of easily-spooked undocumented immigrants.
BRICK - It took four years for a local school official to have her name cleared over the issue of a measly $149 voucher. No one will likely know the total cost of this ordeal, but many were consumed with criminal allegations of favoritism for a former superintendent's grandson, the Asbury Park Press reports. A Superior Court judge finally threw out a sole misconduct charge against the former assistant superintendent and academic officer, after she submitted a $149 voucher to pay for a counselling session for the former superintendent's relative. Lawyers swirled, papers were filed and now, finally, a conclusion, except for perhaps some outstanding bills.
PATERSON - There's big dreams for an arena and a hotel at the Center City Mall, a $100 million investment in a city that is always thirsty for opportunity. But there is a sticking point, as usual. The Paterson Press reports the developer needs $40 million in state tax credits to make the vision a reality. The deal is simple: Give us money or we walk. No word yet from Mayor Andre Sayegh, with many thinking the icy silence from City Hall does not bode well for the request. Something has to happen soon, as the project would require an application to the state for the credits - including an enthusiastic letter of support from the mayor - by July 1.
NEW BRUNSWICK - You won't shoot your eye out, but you could likely crackyour head open, thanks to those electric scooters that are increasing in popularity. TAPInto New Brunswick reports that facial and head injuries have tripled over the past decade, citing a new Rutgers study. The study is calling for more safety policy and licensing of scooters as cities deem them as environmentally friendly. Hoboken, as just one example, became the first town in New Jersey in May to launch a scooter-share pilot, which would put many more of them on the city's famously congested roadways. These things easily hit 20 mph, but New Jersey only requires helmets for riders under 17 years old.
IN OTHER IMPORTANT NEWS
DRESDEN, GERMANY - If you are looking to mow your entire lawn in, say, 25.16 seconds, you should check out Honda's newest, greatest lawn mower. It just set the Guinness World Record for zooming from 0 mph to 100 mph in just 6.29 seconds, perfect for the gift-giving, Father's Day season. Company officials say the Honda Mean Machine has all the latest gadgets available and vow the thing is also able to cut grass, as it rip-roars from here to there. Honda declined to explain why people would actually require an ultra-charged lawn mower, only the need for speed.
THIS DAY IN HISTORY
It was this day in 2015 that an Overton, TX cop decided to pull over to see if a couple of seven-year-old girls had a permit for their lemonade stand. Perhaps he hates lemons, or maybe seven-year-old girls? KLTV reports the girls refused to go out of business, but can now only take donations for what was once 50-cent lemonade and $1 bags of kettle korn. Curious which part of the Overton police academy curriculum addresses rogue lemonade stands.
WORD OF THE DAY
Pettifogger - [PET-ə-faw-gər] - noun
Definition: Someone who bickers or quibbles over trifles or unimportant matters.
Example: I can't stand that Overton cop. That pettifogger thinks he knows everything about lemonade stands.
WIT OF THE DAY
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"I refuse to answer that question on the grounds that I don't know the answer."
- Douglas Adams
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WEATHER IN A WORD
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THE NEW 60
A Jaffe Briefing Exclusive
by Andy Landorf & John Colquhoun
