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.

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NJ Democrat Operative Advocates Hunting Republicans

James Devine, a well known New Jersey Democrat operative and local newspaper publisher from Union County, responded to the shooting of Congressman Steve Scalise and three others yesterday by creating the hashtag #HuntRepublicans and #HuntRepublicanCongressmen on his social media accounts.  Devine declared that Democrats are “in a war” with Republicans.

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NJ Lawmakers reach $171M deal on school funding

TRENTON — Top Democratic lawmakers who have been pushing competing plans to repair education funding in New Jersey said Wednesday they have agreed to a deal that would increase state funding by $125 million. Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester) and Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto (D-Hudson) said their plan that would add $100 million in new K-12… Read the rest of this entry »

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Greg’s List: Things to do in Monmouth County this weekend, June 16-18, 2017

By Greg Kelly

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Friday, June 16

• Bryan Adams at PNC Bank Arts Center (Holmdel) – MORE INFO
• “Doodle” at Center Playhouse (Freehold) – MORE INFO
• SpringFest ’17 (Monmouth Beach) – MORE INFO
• “Lincroft Eats” Food Truck Fest & Car Show at BCC – MORE INFO
• The Little Mermaid Jr. at Count Basie Theatre (Red Bank) – MORE INFO
• Romeo and Juliet by Stone Church Players (Navesink) – MORE INFO
• The Ballad of Little Jo at TRT (Red Bank) – MORE INFO

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Guadagno Goes on Attack, as She, Murphy, Court NJ Businesses

LG Claims Murphy’s promises will cost $50 Billion

HAMILTON — The two candidates vying to be the state’s next governor delivered back-to-back speeches Tuesday night before the business community, tearing into each other with a series of barbs. Democratic Phil Murphy described a state in dire straights fiscally and in need of a strong leader to set the right course for the next generation… Read the rest of this entry »

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Bear roaming through Union County caught, relocated safely

GARWOOD — A bear that had been seen roaming through Cranford early Monday, causing an elementary school to have a delayed opening, was captured in Garwood and safely relocated, police said. The bear was near the Brookside Place School Monday and later wandered into neighboring Garwood, where it was contained to a backyard until animal control… Read the rest of this entry »

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Jughandle Brewing Celebrates 1st Anniversary

Partners Mike Skudera, Chris Hanigan and Peter Artherholt celebrate the Grand Opening of their microbrewery. June 2016

It’s been a terrific first year for Chris Hanigan, Pete Artherholt, Mike Skudera, the founding partners of Jughandle Brewing Company in Tinton Falls.  Since opening their Asbury Ave microbrewery and taproom on June 18 last year, the beermeisters have their brew flowing in about 40 New Jersey adult beverage establishments.

Jughandle Brewing has doubled its beer taps, hired additional staff, extended its public tasting room hours, increased capacity by purchasing new fermenters, and continues to expand its wholesale market to new establishments throughout New Jersey.

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O’Scanlon forces Assembly vote on property tax cap effectiveness

Democrats punt on property tax reform

Trenton, NJ- Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon, Jr. invoked a parliamentary rule on the floor of the Assembly on Thursday to force a vote on his bill that would remove the sunset provision on the arbitration cap of police and fireman salaries.

The arbitration cap was institution as part of the 2010 landmark property tax reform legislation that capped New Jersey property tax growth at 2% per year. The initial cap expired in 2014 and was renewed in 2014 with a sunset provision for the end of this year.  O’Scanlon’s bill, A-2123,would make the 2% arbitration cap permanent.

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Congressman Smith’s bill to protect minorities fleeing ISIS passes House

WASHINGTON — Legislation sponsored by a New Jersey GOP congressman to protect minorities in the Middle East from attacks by the Islamic State passed the U.S. House by voice vote Tuesday. The Iraq and Syria Relief and Accountability Act was sponsored by Rep. Chris Smith (R-4th Dist.) in response to mass killings of minorities, including Christians… Read the rest of this entry »

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Golden’s Touch: The magic power of “the line” is a myth

Photo by Marielanina LaRosa

Many pundits are explaining away Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno’s victory in the NJ GOP gubernatorial primary to the power of “the line” — the party organization’s column on the ballot, particularly in Monmouth and Ocean Counties where Guadagno earned 20,106 of her 37,712 vote margin of victory.

InsiderNJ pointed out this morning that Guadagno had the line in counties accounting for 46.4% of the average GOP vote share.  She won 46.8% of the vote.  Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli had the line in counties with 31.2% of the vote.  He earned 31.1% of the vote.

The implication is that a candidate is endorsed by a county political party is a shoe-in. Primary voters will magically show up on election day and vote down the line.

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