Feds Turn Christie Administration Down On Waiver Of Sandy Relief Rules

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has turned down a request from the Christie Administration that the rule requiring that reconstruction work on homes damaged by SuperStorm Sandy stop upon the homeowner applying for Reconstruction, Rehabilitation, Elevation and Mitigation(RREM) aid, according to an Associated Press report posted on NJ.com and other outlets.

HUD rules require that the plans for all work on properties receiving RREM grants be evaluated and approved by the government.  Work done without the RREM approval is not eligible for reimbursement under the program, even if the work complies with all requirements.  This process has created a major logjam is funds being awarded and homes being rebuilt.

In an undated letter obtained late Tuesday by The Associated Press, HUD rejected the state’s request.

HUD says the rules, which have been the source of many complaints from homeowners struggling to rebuild after the October 2012 storm, are intended to make sure historically significant properties aren’t damaged or demolished, and that aid is not duplicated among the numerous Sandy reconstruction programs offered by federal and state governments.

Yolanda Chávez, HUD’s deputy assistant secretary for grant programs, wrote to New Jersey Community Affairs Commissioner Richard Constable listing other reasons why the rule can’t be dropped as well.

“If the construction does not meet elevation requirements and must be undone, resources will be spent with no benefit to the recovery,” she wrote.

If you’re going to Governor Christie’s Town Hall Meeting in Middletown tomorrow, expect to hear about this rule and others as the source of the delay in RREM funding, and as an explanation for why the multi-family projects outside of Sandy impacted areas, notably the Belleville and New Brunswick projects that have been in the news, have been approved while Jersey Shore residents are still waiting and not living at home.

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Christie Town Hall Rescheduled For Thursday

The weather reports say it will be too warm to snow on Thrusday and Governor Chris Christie is hoping the third time is the charm.

The twice postponed Town Hall Meeting on Sandy Relief Funds is now scheduled for Thursday, February 20th, 11am, at VFW Post 2179, 1 Veterans Way (Off Rt 36) in the Port Monmouth section of Middletown Township.  Doors open at 10:00 am.  Seating is first come first served.  RSVP’s are requested via email at [email protected].

Joining Christie will be Office of Recovery and Rebuilding Executive Director Marc Ferzan,  Community Affairs Deputy Commissioner Chuck Richman, Environmental Protection Commissioner Bob Martin,  Human Services Commissioner Jennifer Velez,  Economic Development Authority CEO Michele Brown and Banking and Insurance Commissioner Ken Kobylowski.

A mobile cabinet meeting to assist Sandy impacted homeowners and businesses is scheduled to follow the Town Hall from 12:30 till 2:00 pm.

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Holt Bolts

Congressman Rush Holt announced this afternoon that h.e will not seek a 9th term in the House of Representatives.   In a statement posted on facebook, the rocket scientist/Jeopardy champion said it was a honor to serve and that there are no hidden motives in his decision to retire. “For a variety of reasons, personal and professional, all of them positive and optimistic, the end of this year seems to me to be the right time to step aside and ask the voters to select the next representative.”

Holt couldn’t debate healthcare with Rhoda Chodosh.  He certainly doesn’t want to debate Dr. Alieta Eck this fall.

Holt was a candidate for U.S. Senate for the Democratic nomination in the Special Election to replace the late Senator Frank Lautenberg last summer, losing then Newark Mayor Cory Booker, the winner of the nomination and the seat, and Congressman Frank Pallone.

Democrats are lining up to compete for the nomination to replace Holt in the 12 district which includes parts of Mercer, Middlesex, Somerset and Union Counties and is considered a safe Democratic district by most political experts.

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Rebovich Institute Cancels Gubernatorial Campaign Recap

Ben Dworkin, Director of the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics, introduces U.S. Senate candidate Steve Lonegan at a September 24, 2013 event.

Rider University’s Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics has cancelled its 2013 Campaign Managers Conference.  The annual event is designed as a open discussion of the previous year’s general election featuring key players from each party.

The recent scandals over the George Washington Bridge lane closures and allegations that the Christie Administration has been dolling out federal Sandy relief money with political and economic strings attached is the reason for the cancellation of this year’s event which was schedule for Thursday, February 20th.

Benjamin Dworkin, Executive Director of the Institute issued the following statement:

The 2013 gubernatorial campaign in New Jersey was a fascinating race, and we had eagerly looked forward to focusing on this particular race during the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics’ Campaign Managers Conference – our annual look at how modern campaigns are run.

Unfortunately, due to recent controversies and ongoing investigations, it has become clear that a full discussion of the campaign is not possible at this time. Therefore, the Rebovich Institute has chosen to cancel the conference.

We want to thank all of our panelists, including Hon. Bonnie Watson Coleman, Hon. Bill Palatucci, Adam Geller, David Turner and Michael DuHaime for their willingness to participate. We look forward to a meaningful discussion of this campaign at some point in the future.

We apologize for any inconvenience to our panelists, supporters, and for all others planning to attend this event.

 

The next public event for the Rebovich Institute will be Leadership & Comedy: An Evening with Hon. Jon Bramnick, NJ Assembly Republican Leader, on Wednesday, March 5, 2014 at 7 p.m.

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DiBella Considering A Challenge to Pallone

Former Howell Mayor Joe DiBella said he “would love to” run against Congressman Frank Pallone if Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden decides against running.

Golden has been considering a run, at the behest of party leaders, for several weeks, but has yet to make a decision.  Sources close to the sheriff say he is leaning against running due to his agenda in the Sheriff’s Department and the impact a candidacy would have on his family.  Golden was reelected as Monmouth County’s Sheriff last November by a 64%-36% margin.

A 23 year veteran of the health insurance industry, the charismatic and articulate DiBella would offer a sharp contrast to Pallone, the self-professed author of ObamaCare, in matters of both style and substance during a federal election when once again ObamaCare is expected to be the predominant issue nationally.  DiBella is an Executive Vice President of Connor Strong & Buckelew, the prominent insurance broker run by South Jersey’s Democratic power broker George Norcross and Joseph Buckelew, the former Republican Mayor of Lakewood.

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Red Light Cameras Shuttered In Brick

O’Scanlon and Ducey Celebrate “Good Riddance” To Red Light Ripoffs

Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon and Brick Mayor John Ducey celebrated the end of the Township’s red light camera program  yesterday by posing for one last image for American Traffic Solutions’ computers in Arizona to process.

Fulfilling a campaign promise made during his race for mayor last fall, on February 6 Ducey announced the results of his study of Brick’s RLC results showing that the cameras actually increased traffic accidents over the three year program and refused to renew the contract of ATS, the Arizona company that administered the program and kept roughly half of the fine monies collected.  The contract expired at midnight today.

O’Scanlon, New Jersey’s leading critic of the RLC program praised Ducey for protecting Brick’s motorists from the dangerous rippoffs and called on the leaders of the twenty-four New Jersey municipalities that still have the cameras to do the same thing: “One down, 24 to go!” O’Scanlon declared.

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Christie’s Town Hall Postponed Due To Weather

State Offices Will Open at 11 am on Tuesday

Photo by Paul Scharff

For the second time in a week the weather has caused Governor Chris Christie to postpone his first Town Hall Meeting since June of last year.

The Town Hall scheduled for Tuesday February 18th at the VFW Hall in Port Monmouth in postponed due to anticipated inclement weather.

Details of the rescheduled meeting will be released on Tuesday, the governor’s office said in a press release.

Additionally, the governor announced that a delayed opening of 11 am for all state offices on Tuesday to allow for ample time for roads, parking lots and sidewalks to be cleared and made safe for travel.

“Tonight’s winter storm is expected to last through tomorrow morning, bringing additional snow and creating hazardous travel conditions for the morning commute,” said Christie. “I strongly encourage all New Jerseyans to drive slowly and exercise caution on the roads tonight and tomorrow morning. I thank our state’s transportation crews and first responders for their tireless efforts to keep our residents safe.”

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Christie Town Hall tomorrow expected to be “A cross between the Jerry Springer and Maury Povich shows”

Photo by Paul Scharff

Governor Chris Christie will likely be tan and relaxed after a holiday weekend in Puerto Rico when he arrives in Middletown for his first Town Hall Meeting since last June tomorrow.

He should be ready for bear.

Christie could get RREM’d tomorrow.

Bayshore residents who overwhelmingly voted for Christie in 2009 and again last November are ready to give up on giving Christie the benefit of the doubt. The politically connected feel he’s taken Republican Monmouth and Ocean Counties for granted.  Those still suffering from the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy feel like Christie has ridden their suffering to national prominence while neglecting his self professed “mission” to rebuild the shore.

The powder keg of frustration with Christie was building before the election and certainly before Bridgegate.   Sandy victims brutalized by the storm feel further violated by the red tape and false starts peddled by all levels of government, banks and insurance companies.

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Beware Borgata’s Deceptive Promotion

If you’re one of the many New Jersey residents who is has signed up for online gambling, you might be getting what appears to be an attractive promotion from BorgataCasino.com.  Only respond if you’re a slots player.

I received this friendly ad in my email in box very early Sunday morning:

Deposit $50, and get an additional $51 FREE. That’s $101 to play with!
ARTHUR,
Dip into the treasury this Presidents’ Day. Lincoln is on the $5 bill, and Washington is on the $1 bill, and those are your lucky numbers! When you deposit $50 into your BorgataCasino.com account, you’ll get $51 more, on us. So get playing!
Here’s how it works:
• Sign in to your BorgataCasino.com account, go to the Cashier tab, and make a deposit of $50 or more using code PRESIDENTS.
• Your $51 bonus cash will be ready to use right away.
• Start playing!
Click below to sign in and get started.

            Best of Luck, BorgataCasino.com

Just the day before I had decided to lay off playing blackjack for a while. Far from my high roller, I requested a check for $150 and left about $60 in my account which was gone pretty quickly. This email drew me back in. I made the $50 deposit.

But the extra $51 did not show up in my account.   Adrianna, the online customer service rep on the grave yard shift was very nice.  She apologized and said there had been an error.  The promotion did not go into effect until the 17th and I would have to wait.  I should not play in the meantime, because if the balance of $50 was not in the account on Monday, I would not get the bonus.

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“Operation Dead End” Nets 28 In Asbury Park Gang-Affliliated Sweep, 3 Fugitives Still At Large

Asbury Park Police Officer Keith German is one of 31 charged in gang affiliated criminal organization

Acting Monmouth Prosecutor Gramiccioni announces Operation Dead End arrests in Asbury Park. Click photo for larger view.

Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni was joined by representatives of 26 Monmouth County and federal law enforcement agencies this afternoon when he announced charges levied against 31 people, including known members of the Bloods and Crips gangs as well as an Asbury Park Police Officer on charges including racketeering conspiracy, narcotics distribution, illegal possession of firearms, promoting organized street crime, armed robbery, shoplifting and endangering the welfare of of child.

Asbury Park Patrolman Keith German, a 16 year veteran of the department, was arrested and charged official misconduct and unauthorized access of a computer database for his alleged role in the criminal enterprise whereby he shared information with gang members in an effort to help them avoid arrest. Gramiccioni declined to share any evidence of German’s motives for participating in the criminal enterprise or to say if he would face additional charges.

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