Increasing Fiscal Transparency by Tracking, Reporting on Unspent Funds

While Democratic legislative leaders are negotiating a budget with Gov. Chris Christie this week, lawmakers are also moving toward final passage of a bipartisan bill that would bring a new level of transparency to how taxpayer dollars are spent by state government each year. Both houses of the Legislature are expected to approve later today a… Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Greg’s List: Things to do in Monmouth County this weekend, June 23-25, 2017

By Greg Kelly

Like this?

Friday, June 23

• “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown” at Monmouth U. (WLB) – MORE INFO
• Huey Lewis and the News at Count Basie Theatre (Red Bank) – MORE INFO
• Third Eye Blind at PNC Bank Arts Center (Holmdel) – MORE INFO
• “Halftime with Don” by NJ Repertory Company (Long Branch) – MORE INFO
• “They Call it Gravy, We Call it SAUCE!” (Middletown) – MORE INFO
• St. Leo the Great Carnival (Lincroft) – MORE INFO
• Jersey Shore Greek Festival (Ocean Twp)– MORE INFO
• “One Good Deed” at Grange Playhouse (Howell) – MORE INFO

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Christie blasts Horizon over $16M in fines for mishandling Medicaid

TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie’s battle with Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey to give up $300 million of its reserves to the state intensified Wednesday when the governor vilified the insurer for getting slapped with $16 million in fines from the state over a period of nine months. In a hastily called news… Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Marlboro Woman Admits Scamming $2.8 million from Veterans Administration

Elizabeth Honig, photo via facebook

Elizabeth Honig, 52, of the Morganville section of Marlboro Township, pleaded guilty in federal court today to stealing $2.8 million from a Veterans Administration program designed to help veterans find employment, according to a statement by Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick.

Honig enrolled 182 veterans to receive federal funding to attend Veterans Retraining Assistance Program (VARP) courses at Computer Insight Learning Center, an Eatontown company that she owns. The vast majority of the veterans were either not eligible for the training or did not attend at all.  She collected $750 per month fees from the vets, and collected approximately $1.3 million from them of the $2,831,455 that the federal government distributed for tuition. She allowed the vets to keep the rest of the money paid to them by the VA.

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Watch Christie’s Announcement at 1PM

Governor Chris Christie will be making an announcement this afternoon at 1pm, according to a statement from his office.

Insiders expect that the governor will announce a school funding deal for the next fiscal year negotiated between himself, Senate President Steve Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto.

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Sweeney again says state government could shut down without a deal on school funding

TRENTON — Senate President Stephen Sweeney on Monday said he plans to meet with Gov. Chris Christie this week on the state budget — a negotiating session that could deliver a small dose of school reform or a messy government shutdown. If Christie won’t play ball on a school funding deal Democratic leaders reached last week,… Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Interactive Map: Charting the Ups and Downs of Dems’ School-Aid Plan

You can toggle between districts by type — elementary, regional HS and K-12 — by clicking in the Visible layers box (K-12 are shown by default). To find a district, zoom in and move the map, or use the search box (with the magnifying glass). Hover over or click on a district for information. A day… Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Christie nominates Assemblyman Dave Rible as Director of Alcoholic Beverage Control

Dave Rible

Assemblyman Dave Rible confirmed a report by InsiderNJ that Governor Christie has nominated him to be the Director of Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control.  The nomination appeared on the State Senate’s website on Thursday.

“I’m humbled with the Governor’s trust and confidence and I’m excited to move the ABC in a direction that helps both current and future licenses,” Rible, of Wall Township, said in a phone interview with MMM.

Rible said he would not resign his seat in the Assembly, where he holds the #2 Republican leadership position, until his appointment is confirmed by the Senate.  Rible said he was uncertain about the timing of his confirmation.  It could happen as soon as this month, he said, or it could happen after the election in November.  He said he would stand for reelection to the Assembly if he is not confirmed before the election.

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

NJ Democrat Devine Doubles Down On Call To Violence Against Republicans

Self-declared “master Democratic Party campaign strategist” James Devine of Rahway doubled down on his assertion that Democrats are “at war” with Republicans.

Devine told The Asbury Park Press that James Hodgkinson, the looney tune who gunned down Congressman Steve Scalise and three others yesterday before being shot dead by U.S. Capitol Police, was exercising his Second Amendment Rights to defend himself against duly elected tyrannical Republicans practicing baseball. Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Beck: School Funding Should Be Fair and Transparent

Senator Jennifer Beck

By Senator Jennifer Beck

The biggest issue facing our state is property taxes.  And the biggest impact on that issue is school taxes.

Over the next several weeks, a new plan for school funding will be debated in Trenton.

There aren’t a lot of details being provided on this plan or its methodology, but estimates suggest that it could end up costing Monmouth County schools over $100 million in state school aid.

This plan, if estimates are true, isn’t a fair or equitable solution to our school funding crisis.

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet