The Jaffe Briefing - June 29, 2021
** The Jaffe Briefing will be on vacation beginning July 1, returning July 15 **
WOODBRIDGE – Signing a state budget is now a big media event, as Gov. Phil Murphy is set to strike paper with pen at 10 a.m., marking the official end of a somewhat historic budget season. It is the type of spending plan that is an absolute dream for an incumbent governor running for re-election, with a $10 billion surplus and countless ways in which to suck up to the middle-class electorate through a number of giveaways. There’s tax rebates, moratoriums, and, heck even free college (*For those who qualify.) Sure, there are some Republicans grousing that the entire budget process took a total of five days for the Democratic leadership to zip through, with little public debate. But it also kept the scrutiny to a minimum and gave the sitting governor plenty of wonderful talking points as he campaigns along the beaches this summer.
CARTERET – The sun blazing, rush hour mounting, and suddenly some protest smack in the middle of the New Jersey Turnpike, prompting an immediate traffic jam. That’s what happened around 5:45 p.m. last night between Interchange 12 and 13. And while it infuriated hot-headed motorists, you can also imagine the frustration of protesters, who felt they had no other way of getting the message out about the need for more funding for undocumented immigrants, many of whom were deemed “essential workers” during the pandemic. Protesters held signs on the road until Troopers ordered them back into their cars, NJ.com reports. Their message: Put money in the upcoming state budget to support undocumented workers. And the message, for what it’s worth, is received, as the governor signs the budget this morning, as written.
NEWARK – Elections, as they say, matter. If Trump was re-elected, we could only assume the desperately-needed Gateway tunnel project would remain at the back of the back burners, with other “Blue State” projects that don’t deserve federal attention. But now it appears the rail tunnel project is marching towards the beginning of construction as early as next year, as U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and other federal officials were poking around the old tunnels from Newark yesterday and then talked to media about the need to finally, finally build these two new tunnels under the Hudson River. Funding, finally, appears to be coming from an $11.6 billion spending bill in Congress, as adults on Capitol Hill realize the entire Northeast economy hinges on reliable train lines from Washington to Boston. And the absolute weakest link sits between Newark and New York, as has been reported for years.
BRIEFING BREATHER
The Main Library at Indiana University sinks more than an inch every year. Engineers didn’t account for the weight of the books.
BRADLEY BEACH – No, don’t come here either. That’s the message from Bradley Beach officials, following the decision of Long Branch leaders to cancel its annual fireworks extravaganza, after word of another planned TikTok party, dubbed “Bash on the Beach, Part 2.” Without the planned show on July 3, as well as cancelled fireworks in Asbury Park and Sea Bright, Bradley Beach officials were rightfully concerned that the throngs of revelers would just turn south and turn the streets and beach into an out-of-control nightmare. Bradley Beach cops cancelled the hoopla, after realizing the town was the only oceanfront in Monmouth County offering fireworks. There’s still a show in Point Pleasant Beach, apparently, at least for this fleeting moment.
MENDHAM – New Jersey’s favorite, bestselling author of all time – Chris Christie – will be out with a new book, just days after Election Day. This one has a really sexy title that is sure to excite book buyers: “Republican Rescue: Saving the Party from Truth Deniers, Conspiracy Theorists and the Dangerous Policies of Joe Biden.” You can see what’s going on here: The first toe dip into the 2024 presidential election. It would appear Christie is trying to establish his own lane in the crazy world of post-Trump GOP politics. The publisher gushes that our ex-governor “feels compelled to weigh in on the past four years, but especially the past few months.” Even more good news: Christie has another book in the works, as part of a two-book deal with the publisher. We already have the working title: “Republicans Rescued!: How I, Alone, Personally Saved the Party from Truth Deniers, Conspiracy Theorists and the Dangerous Policies of Joe Biden.”
IN OTHER IMPORTANT NEWS
HILLSBOROUGH, CA – Yabba dabba ridiculous? That’s the thinking of town leaders in a posh San Francisco suburb, dealing with the owner of a fanciful Flintstones house. In yet another debate of property rights vs. basic, good taste, retired publishing mogul Florence Fang is defending her odd, bulbous-shaped house in an over-the-top salute to “The Flintstones.” Hillsborough officials, however, were not so impressed, calling the towering dinosaurs and life-size sculptures “a highly visible eyesore” and sued Fang, saying this whole mess violates town code. There’s now a settlement, of sorts. The town will review and approve a survey of the landscaping improvements, while Fang will apply for building permits. Oh, and the town has to cough up $125,000. And then Fang will drop her own lawsuit. It’s all a big relief for Wilma.
THIS DAY IN HISTORY
It took until this day in 1969 before the White House hosted a Jewish worship service. Richard Nixon kvells.
WORD OF THE DAY
Whilhom – [WYE-lum] – adjective
Definition: former
Example: I’m a whilhom fan of the Nets, after they left New Jersey in 2012.
WIT OF THE DAY
"The U. S. Constitution doesn't guarantee happiness, only the pursuit of it. You have to catch up with it yourself."
-Benjamin Franklin
BIDEN BLURB
“Just talk to me as a father - not what the Constitution says. What do you feel?”
-Joe Biden
WEATHER IN A WORD
Sweltering