The Jaffe Briefing - March 14, 2022

NEW BRUNSWICK – Rutgers-Eagleton does plenty of polls, most not gaining attention outside the political world. But a survey focused on New Jerseyans pumping their own gas? That’s gotten plenty of ink, as pollsters report 73% of 1,044 New Jerseyans like things just the way they are, thank you very much. The poll question was prompted by a proposed bill in the state Legislature that would allow the option for self-service gas in New Jersey. Only 22% seemed fine with self-serve, offered in 49 other states. Pollsters conclude: “There is apparently one thing all New Jerseyans can agree on nowadays and that’s the time-honored Jersey tradition of having your gas pumped for you.”

ON THE ROAD – A bus company accused of defrauding the state out of $15 million is hoping to get some new contracts… from the state. Yep, you are reading that correctly. Academy Bus Co. is on the NJ Transit agenda today, NJ.com reports, for two contracts, once for a whopping $32.2 million; the other for a pretty tidy $19.6 million. The company is charged with billing NJ Transit for bus runs it never did, as well as underreporting the number of other runs it missed, all in Hudson County, the state attorney general says. Academy admits no wrongdoing, yet still agreed to a $20.5 million fine as well as pay for an independent monitor. So, why is the state still doing business with this company? Let’s just assume tremendous need.

TRENTON – He’s been deemed a lucky governor, fueled with piles of federal pandemic cash to make dreams come true for New Jerseyans. As Gov. Phil Murphy unveiled his proposed fiscal ’23 budget last week, NJ.com was quick to note his spending plan is 41 percent higher than what Gov. Chris Christie spent in his final year in office. It seems Murphy has been immune from all the fiscal challenges that New Jersey governors face, as he is able to throw around $49 billion in the upcoming year because of many outside factors. With the cash, Murphy has been able to contribute to the state’s pension system, increase school aid, build affordable housing, hand out tax rebates, pay down debt, avoid other borrowing, etc. during these pandemic-fueled years of federal support. What happens when the music stops? Well, that may be the issue for the next governor.  Someone, somewhere, must stop the spending spree.

BRIEFING BREATHER

Vacuum cleaners were originally horse-drawn.

TRENTON – And, here, Murphy, have some more cash. The governor says New Jersey will be receiving $641 million in opioid settlements over the next two decades, part of that mega $26 billion settlement with Jersey’s own Johnson & Johnson, which manufactures opioids, as well as three drug distributors. The cash will be split 50-50 between the state and local governments, as all 21 counties and 241 towns signed on to the lawsuit, apparently for opioid-related programs, Politico reports. But, governor, don’t expect a giant check right now; the defendants have through 2038 to pay it all off.

IN OTHER IMPORTANT NEWS

BRADENTON, FL. – There’s a basketball player named Olivier Rioux, age 15. And let’s just assume every single NCAA basketball coach in America knows that name. Can he shoot? Can he slam? It just doesn’t seem to matter at this point, as he has clinched the world record for being the tallest teen, at 7 feet, 5.33 inches. "My mom is 6 foot 2 and my dad is 6 foot 8," Rioux said. “When I was 10, I started growing and it was getting fast. Every week, I was like getting height. I was taller than every kid in my school.” Unclear where this ends, but any coach would love to run this kid through clinics and pray there’s some talent. Coaches: whet your appetite here.

THIS DAY IN HISTORY

Lots of congestion in outer space on this day in 1995, when a record 13 astronauts were floating around.

WORD OF THE DAY

Elucidate – [ih-LOO-suh-dayt] – verb

Definition: To make something that is hard to understand clear or easy to understand

Example: I need to elucidate this complex NCAA bracket to make the right picks.

WIT OF THE DAY

“If you wish to be a success in the world, promise everything, deliver nothing.”

-Napoleon Bonaparte

BIDEN BLURB

“Throughout our history, we’ve learnt this lesson, when dictators do not pay a price for their aggression, they cause war and chaos. They keep moving. And, the costs and threats to America and the world keep rising.”

-Joe Biden

WEATHER IN A WORD

Bouncing