N.J. gas tax deal goes through committee, but still won’t get past Christie

TRENTON — In the ongoing road funding battle, the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee on Friday advanced legislation raising the tax on gasoline sold in New Jersey by 23 cents and offering tax breaks to seniors, veterans and the working poor. But the vote — 8-4 with one abstention — could be in vain if Democrats… Read the rest of this entry »

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With transportation funding negotiations deadlocked, County has plan to restart Shark River dredging

Freeholder Director Tom Arnone said he will announce a plan to restart the Shark River dredging project Wednesday morning at the Shark River Marina in Neptune Township.

The project, which had restarted on schedule on July 1 was halted at midnight on July 8 when Governor Christie’s executive order halting projects funded by the Transportation Trust Fund took effect.

The legislature failed to pass TTF funding with a $.23 per gallon gas tax on June 30th. The Senate’s plan was to increase the gas tax while phasing out the estate tax and reducing income taxes on retirees.  Christie and the Assembly agreed on a bill that would have raised the gas tax and reduced the sales tax from 7% to 6%.  Senate President Steve Sweeny and Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto agreed to pass a revised version of the Senate’s original bill last week.  Yesterday, Christie said the Democrats plan is “dead on arrival.”

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Christie Shuts Down Road Construction

Arnone in talks to keep Monmouth County projects going uninterupted

Governor Chris Christie issued an Executive Order last night shutting down all projects funded by the state’s Transportation Trust Fund.  The fund’s authorization expired at midnight though published reports indicated that there is enough money in the fund to continue work through mid-August.

Christie’s dramatics came as a result of the Legislature failing to reauthorize the fund.  The Senate was considering a bi-partisan plan to reauthorize the fund with a $.23 per gallon gas tax increase while also phasing out the estate tax and income tax on retirement income.  The Assembly passed legislation negotiated by Christie and Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto in the wee hours of Tuesday morning that would increase the gas tax $.23 and phase in a reduction in the state sales tax from 7% to 6%.  Christie said the last minute sales tax reduction was his idea.

The Christie/Prieto plan was widely panned from both the left an right and had little support in the Senate.

No plan under consideration addressed New Jersey’s highest in the nation cost of road construction: an estimated $2 million per mile on average.

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N.J. gas taxes not likely to soar this holiday weekend as Senate stalls Christie deal

TRENTON — New Jersey motorists may not have to worry about their gas taxes skyrocketing this weekend. The state Senate will not vote Thursday on Gov. Chris Christie’s offer to raise the gas tax in exchange for a 1-cent reduction in the sales tax, Sen. Raymond Lesniak said Thursday. The governor, in a news conference Wednesday,… Read the rest of this entry »

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Christie on the defense as his gas and sales tax plan faces failure

TRENTON — Facing the possibility that a proposed gas-tax-increase-for-sales-tax-decrease proposal he brokered with the Assembly could go up in flames, Gov. Chris Christie made his case for the deal Wednesday. The governor called a surprise Statehouse news conference hours after Senate Democrats said they opposed the plan, which would raise gas tax by 23 cents to… Read the rest of this entry »

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N.J. lawmakers seek to limit college tuition hikes

TRENTON — With the cost of college rising and graduates swimming in student debt, New Jersey lawmakers are calling for a cap on in-state tuition hikes at the state’s public college and universities. The Assembly Higher Education Committee on Monday approved a bill ( A552) that would place an annual 4 percent cap on in-state tuition… Read the rest of this entry »

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Plan to put armed, retired cops in N.J. schools advances

TRENTON — A proposal to station armed, retired police officers as security in New Jersey’s schools was revived Thursday for the new legislative session. The bill ( S86) establishes “Class Three” special police officers designated to provide security at both public and private schools. The measure was approved by the state Senate a few weeks ago… Read the rest of this entry »

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Should the state investigate questionable behavior by local government officials?

Professor Paula A. Franzese, Seton Hall Law.

TRENTON — A Senate committee Thursday voted 5-0 to dissolve local and county ethics boards and turn the responsibility of investigating the questionable behavior of any government official to the State Ethic Commission. The bill scraps local ethics boards that are “a hoge-podge” in many communities because they are not active or do not exist, said… Read the rest of this entry »

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NJ Senate bill would neuter non-profit veterinary clinics

A bill introduced in the New Jersey Senate by Senator Joseph Vitale (D-Middlesex) last week would require that non-profit veterinary services provide services only to animals that are owned by people who are receiving public assistance like food stamps, section 8 housing and welfare.

The bill also requires that all for profit veterinary corporations, partnerships or associations be owned only by licensed veterinarians.

S-297  was referred to the Senate Commerce Committee.  The Committee is scheduled to meet on January 27.

The Animal Welfare Association (AWA) said that if the bill becomes law their pet clinic and other non-profit pet clinics in New Jersey could not:

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What does Moody’s think about north Jersey casinos and Atlantic City?

TRENTON — A Wall Street rating agency said Tuesday a plan to expand casino gambling to north Jersey would be “bad news” for Atlantic City and could cause more casinos to close in the Jersey Shore resort. The report by Moody’s Investor Services came on the same day a bill was formally introduced in the state… Read the rest of this entry »

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