The Jaffe Briefing - February 12, 2019
STATEWIDE - Free money! Tax cuts! Now that we have your attention, let's talk about accounting. No, no, stick with us here. It is tax time once again, so we're talking about Trump's promises last year of widespread tax "cuts." Most people recently polled by Politico have no clue if all this hot air from Washington of Free Money! and Lower Taxes! will mean anything when the taxman knocks no later than April 15. This week's guest on the Jaffe Podcast is an accountant with 25 years of experience. Craig Johnson of Holman Frenia Allison, P.C. has seen it all, and is ready to impart wisdom for anyone who dares to download a podcast featuring a Certified Public Accountant. Brace yourselves, folks - we have it all here.
NEW BRUNSWICK - Climate change, as any logical person knows, is the huge, commonly-ignored global issue of our era. But maybe Rutgers University can save the planet. Two Rutgers professors will be appearing tomorrow before a Congressional committee, in the hopes of knocking some sense into people who have the power to create change, TAPInto New Brunswick reports. Climate scientists Robert Kopp and Jennifer Francis will tell the House Science, Space and Technology Committee a very, very basic message: Climate change is real, it's here, and we are all responsible. The climatologists say all this unpredictable weather will increasingly affect our economy, infrastructure, health, and national security. Our federal leaders must take heed, finally, before the Potomac River crests over Pennsylvania Avenue.
TRENTON - Eight New Jersey school districts aren't suffering in silence as state aid cuts loom. They're suing the state Department of Education over cuts stemming from last year's funding-reform bill. The goal of the legislation is to eventually attain equal funding for all districts. And that means winners and losers along the way. If the losers expect any sympathy from Senate President Steve Sweeney, they should best think again. Sweeney says districts with less money should have seen the writing on the blackboard, (as it were). He also contends that the eight districts have been getting more school funding than they deserved for almost a decade - at the expense of poorer districts. So, there. Read all about it in NJ Spotlight.
NORTH BRUNSWICK - Driving on Route 1 can be confusing, frustrating and, sometimes, even hair-raising. Turns out, it was all three for the owner of a Tesla Mark X who tells police his self-driving car "got confused due to the lane markings" on Route 1 North. The cops tell WPIX the car "could have gone straight or taken the Adams Lane exit. Instead it split the difference and went down the middle," whacking two curbs and mowing down a couple of road signs. The driver, who was shaken but not stirred, tells police he could not regain control from "autopilot mode." He has not been ticketed. But, the cops may want to have a little chat with Elon Musk.
MORRISTOWN - No-frills fundraisers just aren't enough to entice GOP donors to fling open their wallets. So, Morris County Republican chair Ron DeFilippis plans to sweeten deal, hiring celebrity headliners like Fox News host Jeanine Pirro; some conservative TV commentators and a pair of pro-Trump bloggers. The New Jersey Globe slams this plan, saying "Republicans have decided losing money - or barely breaking even - on fundraising is a good idea." That hit comes after the county GOP blew big bucks on a 2018 fundraiser at Trump National Golf Club, ending up with just pocket change to support local candidates. Perhaps, DeFilippis can get Chris Christie at a bargain if, of course, the former governor gets table time to sign books.
PARSIPPANY - Geoffrey the Giraffe is coming back! A former Toys 'R Us executive, based in Parsippany, is telling CNBC that the iconic brand should be back in time for Christmas. But don't expect any more of those mega-toy stores. Geoffrey will be scaled down a bit, with some freestanding stores, pop-up shops and stores within existing stores, as well as some e-commerce. Let's all remember that Toys R Us still raked in $3 billion in global sales last year, even as it was being liquidated. So, people still love Toys 'R Us. And that means big bucks for the scrappy entrepreneurs who can relaunch the brand, in some form.
IN OTHER IMPORTANT NEWS
ORLEANS, VT - New Jerseyans apparently like to bite. Maybe that's why "flatlanders" from the Garden State aren't entirely welcome visitors to the Green Mountain State. It is definitely why a 22-year-old Union Township man is facing assault charges after biting a Vermont state trooper during "a drunken dust-up" at Jay Peak Ski Resort. The Caledonian-Record says troopers had a tough time Saturday night subduing this "unruly intoxicated male" after he allegedly took a bite out of a trooper's arm, then kicked another trooper while being processed at the barracks. Could be all down hill for this guy, facing a judge in Orleans County Court this week.
THIS DAY IN HISTORY
It was this day in 2016 that Atlantic City was on a list with such municipal disasters of Detroit, Flint, Mich, and Youngstown, Ohio. RealtyTrac reported Atlantic City's vacancy rate at that point was among the top five in the nation, with 4,191 abandoned properties.
WORD OF THE DAY
Maudlin - [MAWD-lin] - adjective
Definition: Drunk enough to be emotionally silly
Example: Plenty of maudlin housing attorneys in Atlantic City on this day in 2016.
WIT OF THE DAY
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"You can tell whether a man is clever by his answers. You can tell whether a man is wise by his questions."
- Naguib Mahfouz
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WEATHER IN A WORD
Finally!
THE NEW 60
A Jaffe Briefing exclusive
by Andy Landorf & John Colquhoun
