Trenton Democrats Poised To Blow Up The Property Tax Cap

New Jersey property taxes will likely resume the double digit annual growth that occurred under the McGreevey, Codey and Corzine Administrations if Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto’s version of the of the Interest Arbitration extension becomes law.  Either that, or municipal governments as we know them will cease to exist, succumbing to a long and painful death of higher crime and reduced services and capital improvements.

A 2% cap on interest arbitration awards in labor disputes was a key component of the 2% property tax cap negotiated between Governor Chris Christie, Senate President Steve Sweeney and Prieto’s predecessor, Sheila Oliver in 2010.   It worked.  Arbitrators made awards of less that 2% to police and fire fighters unions and property taxes rose less than 2% per year over the last four years.

The problem is Oliver insisted that the arbitration cap expire on April 1, 2014.  Now, we’re a week before the arbitration cap expires and Prietro is gutting the cap by passing an extension of the law that exempts contracts that were awarded less than 2% during the last three years from any future caps and raises the cap to 3% on contracts that have not been negotiated since 2010.

The math will never work.  If property taxes stay capped at 2% but the primary cost of property taxes, salaries, are not capped or are capped at 3%, municipal services will disappear. Police will be laid off, with the junior, lower paid officers being let go first, leaving the older and more highly paid officers to run drown the inevitable increase in crime.  Towns will go bust.  The state will take over municipal governments and force consolidations.

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Christie’s Belmar Town Hall Pushed Back 1/2 hour

Photo Credit: Paul Scharff Photography.

The Governor’s Office has announced that Governor Chris Christie’s Town Hall Meeting in Belmar on Tuesday, March 25 will start at 11:30am, instead of the previously announced 11:00 am.

The mobile cabinet meeting which will include Office of Recovery and Rebuilding Director Marc Ferzan, DEP Commissioner Bob Martin, Human Services Commissioner Jennifer Velez, EDA CEO Michele Brown and Banking and Insurance Commissioner Ken Kobylowski is scheduled to start at 1PM, immediately following Christie’s Town Hall.

The Cabinet members will meet with affected residents and answer questions related to the available Sandy recovery housing and business assistance programs. Homeowners and business owners interested in attending can expedite the process by bringing relevant documentation related to the issue they are facing.

Christie plans to discuss the Administration’s plan for getting the second round of federal Sandy recovery funds into the hands of New Jersey families.  However, the Governor will take questions on any topic.

Residents can RSVP to [email protected]. Doors open at 9:30 am and seating is on a first come, first serve basis and open to the public. No bags of any kind are permitted in the venue and personal items are subject to search. Due to safety requirements, law enforcement officers will be in attendance and will wand all attendees.

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Christie confirms cooperation on Bridgegate review by his chosen attorney

Christie confirms cooperation on Bridgegate review by his chosen attorney (via NJ.com)

TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie’s office today confirmed a published report that an internal investigation by an attorney hired by New Jersey is the result of a “comprehensive and exhaustive” review and will give “a full airing of what happened…

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Sebelius: Enroll in ObamaCare by March 31, or you’re out of luck till next year

U.S. HHS Secty Kathleen Sebelius speaking on Montclair State University. State Senator Nia Gill in background. copyright Gallco Media, LLC

If you don’t have heath insurance, you won’t have it this year unless you sign up at heathcare.gov by midnight on March 31, according to U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.

Speaking at a press conference at Montclair State University this morning to promote the Affordable Healthcare Act to young people, Sebelius said that the government does not plan to extend the March 31 enrollment deadline for the individual market.  Those who fail to enroll by the 31st will have to wait to enroll for health insurance until November and coverage will not take effect until 2015.   The penalty in 2014 for failure to have health insurance is $95 or 1% of your income.

Sebelius said the heathcare.gov website is working well and that security concerns have been addressed.

UPDATE:

Montclair State University has released a video of Sebelius’s press conference.  The Secretary answers MMM’s Art Gallagher’s questions starting at the 27:41 mark.

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Powerful nor’easter likely to deal NJ a glancing blow, spring arrives afterwards?

Powerful nor’easter likely to deal NJ a glancing blow, spring arrives afterwards? (via NJ.com)

The good news is it could be worse. While a monster of a nor’easter is expected to develop early this week, recent forecast data suggests the storm will remain far enough off the East Coast to spare New Jersey from its worst impacts. “It looks like…

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What would you ask Kathleen Sebelius if you had the chance?

U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius is scheduled to hold a press conference to kick off Enrollment Week ahead of the March 31 Affordable Healthcare Act sign up deadline Monday morning at Montclair State University.

MMM has been invited and Art Gallagher will attend.

What would you like Art to ask the Secretary if he’s lucking enough to be called on?  Leave your questions in the comments, please.

MMM will be live-streaming the press conference  at 10:30am Monday morning.

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A Kumbaya Moment

      Kum bay ya, my Lord, kum bay ya;
Kum bay ya, my Lord, kum bay ya;
Kum bay ya, my Lord, kum bay ya,
O Lord, kum bay ya.

Barbara’s Tea Party Group co-founder Barbara Gonzalez announced on her APP blog that she approves of the Monmouth GOP’s nominations of Anthony Wilkinson in CD-6 and Rich Pezzullo for U.S. Senate.

Someone’s laughing, my Lord, kum bay ya;
Someone’s laughing, my Lord, kum bay ya;
Someone’s laughing, my Lord, kum bay ya,
O Lord, kum bay ya.

Barbara’s Tea Party Group says they will work with Republicans to save the nation, so long as the Republicans do as BTPG says and nominates candidates that pass their litmus tests.

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Meanwhile at the Monmouth Democratic Convention….

….there were no surprises out of the IBEW Local 400 Union Hall in Wall this morning.

Senator Cory Booker was endorsed for the nomination to seek his first full term in the U.S. Senate.

Congressman Frank Pallone was nominated for his 14th term in the House of Representatives.

In the 4th congressional district, criminal defense attorney Ruben Scolavino has agreed to take another one for the Democratic team.  Scolavino lost to Sheriff Shaun Golden, 64%-36% last year.  He will likely face a worse fate against Congressman Chris Smith who running for his 18th term.  Scolavino is probably angling for a Judgeship.

For Monmouth County Freeholder, Larry Luttrell, a Holmdel attorney who came in last against Freeholders Tom Arnone and Serena DiMaso in 2013, hopes to do better this year against Freeholder Director Lillian Burry and Deputy Director Gary Rich who were renominated by the Monmouth GOP this morning.  Joining Luttrell on the County Democratic ticket for freeholder is Joe Grillo of Asbury Park.  Grillo is making his first run at elected office.  He is the municipal chairman of the Asbury Park Democrats, the former executive director of the Monmouth Dems, and works for his family’s tile business.

CD-4 Candidate Ruben Scolavino, Larry Luttrell, Senator Cory Booker, Joe Grillo, Congressman Frank Pallone, NJ Democratic Chairman John Currie and Monmouth Democratic Chairman Vin Gopal. Photo via Pallone’s facebook page.

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Pezzullo Wins U.S. Senate Nod and Monmouth GOP Convention

Rich Pezzullo and Declan O’Scanlon

Freehold businessman Rich Pezzullo has defeated Ramapo Professor Murray Sabrin from the nomination of the Monmouth GOP for U. Senate.

The final second ballot numbers were 153-101

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Burry and Rich Are Renominated by Monmouth GOP

Freeholder Director Lillian Burry and Deputy Director Gary Rich took a first ballot victory over Howell Councilman Bob Walsh at the Monmouth GOP Convention this morning.

The unofficial results are:

Gary Rich 294

Lillian Burry 227

Bob Walsh 199

In the race for the U.S. Senate nomination, there was no first ballot winner. Murray Sabrin and Rich Pezzullo qualified for a second ballot which is now being taken.

The first ballot Senate numbers were are follows:

Rich Pezzullo  164

Murray Sabrin 105

Brian Goldberg 72

Robert Tukevage 44

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