Christie, Democrats take another stab at ending N.J. road funding crisis

TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie has resumed talks with Democratic legislative leaders in another attempt to end a stalemate over transportation funding that prompted a statewide road construction shutdown heading into its third month. Christie met with Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto (D-Hudson) on Monday, and will meet with Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester), as well this… Read the rest of this entry »

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Sunday is GoTopless Day

By Art Gallagher

Not a transgender person

If a pre-op transgender person with boobs and male parts goes topless in public, is that person violating anti-nudity ordinances?

I’d ask Congressman Frank Pallone, but he couldn’t tell me if a woman with all the parts she was born with should have the right to go topless wherever a man does when I caught up with him three years ago.  Since then, the president of the GoTopless movement has publicly chastised the congressman and he runs the other way whenever he sees me.

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Sonnek-Schelmz Slams “Special Interest Money Addict” Pallone For Accepting EpiPen Cash

Congressman Frank Pallone

Republican congressional candidate Brent Sonnek-Schmelz today demanded that Congressman Frank Pallone (Radical Progressive Liberal Democrat-Middlesex and Monmouth Counties) return the $10,000 he has collected from Mylan Pharmaceuticals’ political action committee and that Pallone explain his cozy financial relationships with the companies he is charged with overseeing as the ranking member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

Mylan and CEO Heather Bresch have come under scrutiny this week after it was reported that the company has increased the wholesale price of EpiPen 400% while Bresch’s salary has increased 671% from $2,453,456 in 2007, the year of the Mylan aquired EpiPen to $18,931,068 in 2015.

EpiPen is a life saving emergency treatment for anaphylactic shock.  Sales of the drug provide 40% of Mylan’s operating profit, according to published reports.

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Congressman Smith Encourages High School Students To Enter the Congressional App Challenge

Congressman Chris Smith and Freeholder Lillian Burry in Spring Lake, Aug 22, 2016

Congressman Chris Smith, R-NJ 4 is encouraging Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) high school students from his district to apply for the Congressional App Challenge, a competition for U.S. high school students across the nation.

“The App Challenge encourages high school students to get involved in STEM fields, computer science and programming by creating and exhibiting their software applications,” said Smith. “This challenge is a modest but important step to inspire creativity in students, urge them to pursue coding skills and prepare for good-paying, high-tech jobs.”

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O’Scanlon: Make Drivers’ Licenses Expire On Birthdays

Declan O’Scanlon

Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon is the best friend New Jersey drivers have in Trenton.

The Monmouth County legislator who defeated red light cameras today announced that he is introducing legislation that will reduce the end of the month waiting lines at Motor Vehicle Commission offices by changing the date that drivers’ licenses expire from the last day of the month to the birthday of the driver.

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Adviser to Pro Athletes Serves Everyday Investors

Peter Grandich and Jets great Joe Klecko at the office of Peter Grandich & Co., Spring Lake

If you’re a fan of business news on television, you probably remember Peter Grandich.  The former Wall Street Wiz Kid came to fame by boldly, and correctly, predicting the stock market crash of 1987 that few saw coming.

Grandich resisted the pressure from his bosses on Wall Street to withdraw his prediction and suffered the ridicule of many on the street and in the media…until he was proven to be correct.  Then he was on his way to fame and fortune. Literally.

Today Grandich can’t get an invitation to a Wall Street Christmas party, never mind a segment on Cavuto. Not that he cares.  He believes and is not shy about saying that most on Wall Street are fooling themselves. Grandich proclaims that trying to beat the market is a fool’s errand.   Buy low cost index funds is his suggestion to the vast majority of investors.

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40 people arrested in massive N.J. child porn crackdown

TRENTON — State authorities have arrested 40 people hailing from every county in New Jersey following a large-scale child pornography crackdown. Authorities are scheduled to detail the arrests at an 11 a.m. press conference at the State Police technology complex in Hamilton. All of the defendants were charged with possession of child pornography, and most were… Read the rest of this entry »

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N.J. avoids credit rating downgrade despite pension, road funding woes

TRENTON — A Wall Street ratings agency on Monday left New Jersey’s credit rating unchanged though it’s “cautious” on the state’s ability to meet its revenue forecasts this year. Fitch ratings noted that despite the state’s more conservative revenue forecasting in recent years — a departure from years of overly optimistic estimates that left big holes… Read the rest of this entry »

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O’Scanlon addresses his critics regarding his declining to vote on the Assembly gas tax bill

Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon, the Republican Budget Officer in the Assembly and a representative of northern Monmouth County in the lower house of the legislature has taken some criticism here in the MMM comments and on facebook for not voting on the Transportation Trust Fund bill that was sprung on the Assembly by Speaker Vincent Prieto and Governor Chris Christie in the middle of the night on June 30.  The bill, which would have increased the gas tax by $.23 per gallon and lowered the state sales tax from 7% to 6% passed in the Assembly and was never voted on by the Senate.

Now almost six weeks later with the TTF still not renewed and road projects stalled throughout the state, O’Scanlon said that he believes “even more strongly that my decision was exactly the right one.”

O’Scanlon issued the following statement to MMM to explain his decision not to vote on the Assembly TTF bill:

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Curley: Control of Fort Monmouth should transfer to County, Towns along with the deed

By Monmouth County Freeholder John P. Curley

Freeholder John P. Curley

In 2010, Governor Chris Christie signed into law the Fort Monmouth Revitalization Authority Act therefore, evolving into the Fort Monmouth Revitalization Authority, FMERA. As stated in their annual report, FMERA is to “provide investment continuity and economic growth to the communities impacted by the federal government’s decision to close Fort Monmouth”. The original plan addressed the 1126 acres in Eatontown, Oceanport, and Tinton Falls.

The Monmouth County Improvement Authority will be sanctioned by the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders to bond 33 million dollars for the Phase II redevelopment effort at Fort Monmouth. This bonding will provide for a direct purchase (transfer) of the remaining 560 acres in the Borough of Oceanport and the Borough of Eatontown, from the Department of the Army to a state created entity, the Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Authority, FMERA.

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