The Jaffe Briefing - January 26, 2022
STATEWIDE – For now, and for years to come, state authorities will be trying to figure out who, exactly, benefitted from the mass infusion of pandemic cash. Millions of dollars flew out of Uncle Sam’s wallet, as the state raced to save the economy and create an instant safety net. Unemployment payments were key. But now, the Record reports, New Jersey estimates that 250,000 workers weren’t eligible for benefits and there’s already been 130,000 letters that have gone out, asking for the money back. (Insert snarky guffaw here.) The state’s labor commission is asking Congress for permission to look the other way, as long as there’s no obvious fraud. One reason for the botch: The federal unemployment rules changed. For example, gig workers originally were able to “self-certify” their earnings, but later needed to show proof. So, workers got their checks legally, but then – Boom – it wasn’t legal. Good luck getting the money back.
STATEWIDE – Replacing 482 bridges across the state? Yeah, that’s a really big deal. And that is what’s coming under the federal $1.2 trillion infrastructure plan. It all begins with $1.1 billion in aid that will be coming over the next five years. A key project, at the moment, is a $143 million plan to replace the Route 3 bridge from East Rutherford to Secaucus. All these aging spans needed to be replaced two generations ago, and are finally getting some attention. The big question: With such an enormous amount of work planned for bridges and tunnels over the next few years, and beyond, where do we put all the traffic? This really would have been the ideal time for someone to finally invent the Jetsons’ car, as we really need to be modern Space Age families.
JERSEY CITY – There are millions of people who live in the region surrounding the Holland Tunnel. Yet, it seems that only 18 of them have strong opinions about the $4.7 billion plan to widen the Turnpike Extension over the Newark Bay. NJ.com reports those 17 brave individuals provided comment to the New Jersey Turnpike Authority commissioners, voicing opposition to the widening plan during an hour-long hearing on Tuesday, saying it would just add even more traffic. The other person – perhaps the mom of one of the commissioners – spoke in favor of the widening plan for the eight-mile highway, stretching from Bayonne to Jersey City. Most others just suggested repairs and replacement, but, please, don’t create a way to squeeze even more cars through the Holland Tunnel, if that’s even possible.
BRIEFING BREATHER
Yoda's look was inspired by Albert Einstein.
TRENTON – State Sen. Ed Durr – in his third week in the job – is getting a crash course in being a state legislator. And he is also learning of the enormous power, as former Sen. Steve Sweeney’s successor. New Jersey Globe notes the rookie (and former furniture delivery man) stands in the way of Victoria Kuhn winning Senate confirmation as the state corrections commissioner. She must specifically earn his blessing for the job. That’s because the new senator has “senatorial courtesy” over all gubernatorial nominations from Gloucester County, prompting Kuhn to trudge to his office on Friday for an interview. Will Durr strike down the governor’s hand-picked successor to former Commissioner Marcus Hicks, widely blamed for the mess at the Edna Mahan Women’s Correction Facility? All eyes – yet again – are on the unpredictable, back bench newcomer.
IN OTHER IMPORTANT NEWS
ALL OVER – The SAT exam is crawling into the 21st century, finally giving up the paper and pencil. Moving forward, test-takers will be allowed to use their own laptops or tablets. But don’t think they can do the test “at home.” They will still be at a monitored testing site and – lets take a leap here – without access to the Internet or a downloaded dictionary. The test will be rolled out internationally next year and hitting the U.S. in time to torture high school juniors in 2024. The test time will also be shaved an hour to two hours, because we can’t expect our little cherubs to sit for so long without a cookie. “The digital SAT will be easier to take, easier to give, and more relevant,” vows the College Board. Perhaps some happy-faced emojis for good luck?
THIS DAY IN HISTORY
“Daisy Dukes” were coined on this day in 1979, when the Dukes of Hazzard premiered on CBS.
WORD OF THE DAY
Quip – [KWIP] – noun
Definition: A clever remark or a witty or funny observation or response.
Example: Once again, Reagan’s famous quip: “I will not make age an issue in this campaign. I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent's youth and inexperience.”
WIT OF THE DAY
“I’m not Joe Biden. I like him. But I am not Joe Biden.”
- Bernie Sanders
BIDEN BLURB
“I’m not Bernie Sanders. I am not a socialist.”
- Joe Biden
WEATHER IN A WORD
Bundle