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>> HI AND WELCOME TO
"REPORTERS ROUNDTABLE."
I'M COLLEEN O'DAY IN FOR DAVID
CRUZ, WHO IS OFF THIS WEEK.
GOVERNOR MURPHY UNVEILED HIS
2022 BUDGET THIS WEEK, WITH NO
NEW TAXES BUT LOTS OF SPENDING.
$45 BILLION WORTH.
HERE TO TALK MORE ABOUT THE
BUDGET AND WHAT HURDLES IT MAY
FACE FROM LAWMAKERS IS
ASSEMBLYWOMAN ILIANA MARINE,
CHAIR OF THE ASSEMBLY BUDGET
COMMITTEE.
WELCOME.
YOUR COMMITTEE WILL TAKE THE
GOVERNOR'S BUDGET PLAN AND CRAFT
A DOCUMENT BASED ON IT.
IS THERE ANYTHING YOU'VE HEARD
SO FAR THAT YOU DISAGREE WITH
AND WANT TO CHANGE OR ANYTHING
THAT YOU ARE HOPING TO SEE
THAT'S NOT INCLUDED?
>> WELL, I THINK THAT OBVIOUSLY
THIS IS THE FIRST BUDGET -- AND
WE'RE SKIMMING THROUGH THE
DETAILS.
UNTIL WE GET A FURTHER BUDGET
DOCUMENT, WHICH IS, USUALLY
TAKES ABOUT TWO WEEKS I CAN'T
SAY WHETHER THERE'S ANYTHING
THAT I DISAGREE OR I DON'T AGREE
WITH.
BUT I WOULD SAY THERE ARE SOME
THINGS IN HERE A LOT OF US WILL
BE HAPPY, A LARGER PENSION
PAYMENT, SCHOOL FUNDING, WHICH
IS GOING TO BE CRITICAL IN
GETTING OUR KIDS BACK TO SCHOOL,
SO THERE'S A FEW GOOD THINGS,
BUT THE DEVIL IS ALWAYS IN THE
DETAILS, AND UNTIL WE REALLY
START OUR BUDGET ANALYSIS, WITH
THE BUDGET MEMBERS AND THE
COMMISSIONERS TO DISCUSS THEIR
BUDGETS, ONLY THEN WILL WE HAVE
A CLEAR TIME LINE AND ALSO WHAT
WE WOULD LIKELY AGREE WITH THE
GOVERNOR AND THE SECRETARY.
>> IN A STATEMENT, YOU ISSUED
AFTER THE BUDGET ADDRESS, YOU
SAID THE STATE'S ECONOMIC
OUTLOOK APPEARS MORE PROMISING
THAN ANTICIPATED LAST FALL.
DID YOU MEAN THAT WE DIDN'T NEED
TO BORROW $4 BILLION?
OR WE DIDN'T NEED TO INSTITUTE
THE MILLIONAIRE'S TAX LAST YEAR?
>> COLLEEN, I THINK WE TOOK A
LOOK AT WHAT APRIL -- SORRY,
APRIL AND THE NUMBERS, THE GDP
THE NUMBER OF CASES FOR
UNEMPLOYMENT.
WE WERE IN A POSITION TO TRY TO
MAKE SURE THAT MOVING FORWARD,
WE WERE GOING TO BE IN A BETTER
FISCAL POSITION THAT WE WOULD
HAVE MONEY ON HAND TO BE ABLE TO
NOT ONLY MAKE INVESTMENTS IN
AREAS THAT WERE CRITICALLY
NEEDED WITH OUR HOSPITALS, WITH
HEALTH CARE, WITH PPE, WITH
LOANS FOR ALL BUSINESSES WHICH
ARE STILL SUFFERING, I THINK IT
WAS THE RIGHT DECISION.
IT WAS THE DECISION WE HAD AT
THE TIME AND IT WAS IN OUR BEST
INTEREST TO MOVE ON IT, AND I
DON'T THINK THAT ANYONE REALLY
FORESAW THAT WE WERE GOING TO BE
IN THIS STATE THAT WE'RE IN.
BUT I THINK WHEN WE DO A CLEAR
ANALYSIS AND DIG INTO THE
NUMBERS, WE'RE GOING TO SEE THAT
WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO
DO, IN ORDER TO KEEP THE ECONOMY
GOING.
>> THE AVERAGE PROPERTY TAX BILL
LAST YEAR WAS MORE THAN $9,100,
THE HIGHEST IN THE NATION, AS IT
HAS BEEN FOR A WHILE.
THE AMOUNT BUDGETED FOR THE
HOMESTEAD BENEFIT PROGRAM IS
DECLINING BECAUSE ITS PARAMETERS
HAVE NOT KEPT PACE WITH
INFLATION.
IS IT TIME TO MAKE SOME CHANGES
IN THAT PROGRAM TO GIVE PEOPLE
MORE RELIEF, AND WHY NOT JUST
PUT MORE MONEY INTO THE
HOMESTEAD INSTEAD OF CREATING
THE NEW MIDDLE CLASS TAX REBATE
THAT THE GOVERNOR HAS
RECOMMENDED?
>> SO WHEN IT COMES TO THE
HOMESTEAD, I THINK THAT'S
SOMETHING WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT.
THAT'S BEEN AN IMPORTANT
PROGRAM, THE SPEAKER'S FIRST
YEAR, I BELIEVE.
EITHER THE FIRST YEAR OR SECOND
YEAR, WHEN IT WAS CUT, HE MADE
IT A PRIORITY, AND I THINK ALL
OF US AGREED AS A CAUCUS THAT IT
WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO KEEP THAT
PROGRAM RUNNING.
I DID NOT TAKE A LOOK AT THE
EXACT NUMBERS.
I BELIEVE THAT THEY STILL HAVE,
THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE DID NOT
MOVE ON CHANGING THE NUMBER OF
THE QUALIFICATION, THE INCOME
LEVEL, AND THAT COULD BE
SOMETHING THAT WE TAKE A LOOK
AT, ONCE WE DIVE INTO THE REST
OF THE NUMBERS.
>> YES, I THINK YOU'RE STILL
LOOKING AT IT, IS IT 2006
PROPERTY TAX AMOUNT AND THE
$75,000 IS STILL THE INCOME?
>> RIGHT, AND I THINK
STATUTORILY, IT HAS CHANGED, SO
WE'LL HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK AT
WHETHER WE'RE GOING TO FOLLOW
THE STATUTE OR WHETHER WE'RE
GOING TO CONTINUE FUNDING IT AS
IS.
>> THERE IS SOME MONEY BUDGETED
FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO THE STATE
UNEMPLOYMENT SYSTEM, BUT NOWHERE
NEAR ENOUGH FOR AN OVERHAUL,
WHICH SOME SAY IS NEEDED.
IS THAT CONCERNING, GIVEN THERE
ARE STILL THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WE
HEAR WHO CANNOT GET THROUGH
ONLINE OR ON THE PHONE TO GET
THEIR BENEFITS AND REALLY ARE
HURTING THESE DAYS?
>> COLLEEN, WE'VE HAD
DISCUSSIONS EVEN WHEN I CAME
INTO TRENTON, NOT JUST THE
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR TO BE HONEST
WITH YOU, I THINK JUST IN
GENERAL, TECHNOLOGY AS A WHOLE
FOR THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY HAS
REALLY BEEN LEFT BEHIND.
I THINK THAT YEAR AFTER YEAR WE
FIND MONEY TO DO PROGRAMS AND TO
GET THINGS DONE, BUT AT THE END
OF THE DAY, UNLESS WE REALLY
START TO TAKE A LOOK AT OUR
TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE, IT'S
ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE.
I HAVE TO SAY WITH THE
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, WE CAN TRY
TO FIX IT.
WE SAW SOME OTHER STATES THAT
TRIED TO FIX THEIRS, MADE LARGE
INVESTMENTS IN THEIR TECHNOLOGY.
HOWEVER, I THINK IT ALSO NEEDS
TO COME AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL
THAT THE FEDS ALSO NEED TO FIX
THEIR SYSTEM IN ORDER FOR ALL OF
THE FOLLOWING STATES TO
COLLABORATE.
LISTEN, MY OFFICE DEALS WITH
UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMS ALL THE
TIME.
IT IS STRAINING.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S A SECRET,
AND IT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING
THAT I'M HOPING THAT THE
GOVERNOR'S OFFICE WILL BE
WORKING ON.
>> NOW, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME
COMPLAINTS RECENTLY FROM BOTH
THE LEFT AND THE RIGHT THAT THE
LEGISLATIVE PROCESS IN GENERAL
HAS BEEN MORE RUSHED AND LESS
TRANSPARENT RECENTLY.
I'M WONDERING HOW ARE YOU GOING
TO HAVE A THOROUGH AND OPEN
BUDGET REVIEW PROCESS AS THE
PANDEMIC CONDITIONS?
>> I DON'T NECESSARILY -- ON
INSTANCES I THINK THERE'S BEEN
CERTAIN BILLS THAT EVEN THOUGH
IT FEELS LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE
TRYING TO HURRY UP AND FINISH
AND GET THEM THROUGH THE FINISH
LINE, I THINK THAT THESE ARE
ALSO PIECES OF LEGISLATION THAT
HAVE BEEN TALKED ABOUT FOR A
LONG TIME.
IT'S JUST UNFORTUNATELY MEETING
IN PERSON HAS BEEN VERY
DIFFICULT AND I THINK THAT WE'RE
DOING THE RIGHT THING WHEN IT
COMES TO SAFETY.
THE WHOLE PROCESS, WE'RE
PLANNING ON FOR THE PUBLIC
HEARINGS TO BE VIA ZOOM, I THINK
THAT'S THE SAFEST WAY, DURING
OUR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.
SOMETIMES WE WOULD HAVE 50, 60,
70 PEOPLE WAITING IN THE
HALLWAYS.
I DON'T THINK WE CAN DO THAT
SAFELY, SO THAT'S GOING TO BE --
AND I THINK WHEN THE
COMMISSIONERS COME BEFORE US,
THAT'S A DISCUSSION AS TO
WHETHER WE'RE GOING TO HAVE IT
IN PERSON OR WHETHER WE'LL
CONTINUE TO DO IT VIA ZOOM.
I THINK IT'S JUST GOING TO
DEPEND ON EVERYONE'S SAFETY
LEVEL.
>> ASSEMBLYWOMAN, THANK YOU FOR
YOUR TIME.
WE APPRECIATE IT.
>>> NOW LET'S BRING IN OUR PANEL
OF REPORTERS TO BREAK DOWN WHAT
THE BUDGET MEANS FOR NEW JERSEY
AND LOOK AT SOME OTHER NEWS THAT
HAPPENED THIS BEAK.
JOINING US ARE STACEY SHERMAN,
MANAGING EDITOR OF "U.S. BEAU
R
BUREAUS" FOR BLOOMBERG, MATT
FRIEDMAN AND BACK FOR ANOTHER
WEEK, IS HE A BUDGET EXPERT,
JOHN RITEMEYER, WITH "NJ
SPOTLIGHT NEWS."
WELCOME, AND LET'S GET TO IT.
JOHN, I WANT TO START WITH YOU.
YOU HAVE A STORY TODAY THAT
TALKS A BIT ABOUT WHAT THE STATE
HAS DONE WITH BORROWING AND HOW
WE'VE KIND OF GOTTEN TO THIS
BUDGET.
GOVERNOR MURPHY A FEW MONTHS AGO
LIKENED THE ECONOMIC CRISIS TO
THE GREAT DEPRESSION, AND YOU
HAVE THE RECORD PENSION PAYMENT.
HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?
>> A BIG CHANGE IN RHETORIC IN A
MATTER OF MONTHS AND A CHANGE IN
FORTUNES FOR THE STATE BUDGET.
IT WAS A FEW MONTHS AGO THERE
WERE COMPARISONS TO THE GREAT
DEPRESSION AND THE STATE ISSUED
ALMOST $4 BILLION IN DEBT
WITHOUT VOTER APPROVAL, ACTUALLY
RECEIVED MORE THAN $4 BILLION
BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE BONDS
WERE WORKING AT THE TIME AND THE
WAY THE BONDS WERE STRUCTURED.
THAT MONEY IS IN THE SAFE
COFFERS, AND THEN ANOTHER
IMPORTANT FACTOR IS A LOT OF THE
REVENUE PROJECTIONS THAT SAW
STEEP LOSSES YEAR OVER YEAR, THE
LATEST PROJECTIONS FROM TREASURY
ARE ALMOST MATCHING UP AT THIS
TIME LAST YEAR BEFORE THE
PANDEMIC STARTED OR AT LEAST GOT
UNDER WAY IN NEW JERSEY, WHICH
IS PRETTY REMARKABLE, YOU COULD
HAVE A REVENUE PROJECTION FROM
LAST YEAR AND THEY'RE ALMOST
GOING TO HIT THAT WITH THE
PANDEMIC.
DOING BETTER ON REVENUES, THERE
WERE TAX HIKES ENACTED LAST YEAR
AS WELL, LOOKING AT COMING OUT
OF THE CURRENT YEAR IN THE BALL
PARK OF $6 BILLION IN RESERVES
BUT A TREMENDOUS NUMBER AND THE
QUESTION FROM THERE, WHAT DO YOU
DO WITH IT?
DO YOU SIT ON IT AS RESERVES FOR
THE NEXT DOWNTURN, DO YOU SPEND
IT?
LOOKS LIKE MURPHY WILL SPEND
DOWN A GOOD PORTION IF LAWMAKERS
GO ALONG WITH IT AND YOU COULD
ARGUE ON PUBLIC WORKER PENSIONS
AND K THROUGH 12 EDUCATION,
SMALL BUSINESS AID, HIGHER
EDUCATION FUNDING.
THE DEBATE THAT GOES FORWARD,
WHAT DO WE DO WITH THIS
LARGESSE.
THE PROBLEM SPENDING DOWN, HOW
DO YOU FILL THAT GAP IN THE NEXT
BUDGET?
DO WE NEED CUTS OR TO RAISE
TAXES?
EVENTUALLY THAT BORROWED MONEY
AND THE RELIEF THE STATE HAS
RECEIVED GOES AWAY.
>> THIS IS THE GOOD OLD FISCAL
CLIFF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT,
RIGHT?
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
SO WE'RE NOT EVEN TO THE NEXT
BUDGET, BUT LET'S GO TO THE NEXT
BUDGET AFTER THAT, AND THAT'S
WHERE WE START TO TALK ABOUT
WHAT ARE KNOWN AS ONE-SHOT
REVENUES OR ONE-TIME
NON-RECURRING SOURCES OF
REVENUE.
MURPHY IS PROPOSING A FULL
PENSION CONTRIBUTION, THE FIRST
TIME I'VE EVER COVERED ONE IN MY
WHOLE CAREER BUT I'VE HEARD
GOVERNORS FROM OTHER PARTIES
BOTH PARTIES MAKE PROMISES ON
PENSION FUNDING IN THE PAST, AND
NOT BE ABLE TO LIVE UP TO THEM.
THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A
PROMISE PAYMENT AND WHAT GETS
DEPOSITED INTO THE PENSION FUND
AND I'VE SEEN GOVERNORS TRIPPED
UP INTO THE PAST.
>> STACEY, WE'RE TAPING THIS
FRIDAY MORNING BUT IT'S SAFE TO
ASSUME THE HOUSE IS GOING TO
PASS THE STIMULUS PACKAGE TODAY.
DOES THAT MEAN WE'LL HAVE MORE
MONEY COMING TO THE STATE AND IF
SO, HOW ARE WE GOING TO SPEND
THAT?
>> IT LOOKS PRETTY LIKELY THAT
THE HOUSE IS GOING TO PASS IT
TODAY.
IT'S NOT AS CERTAIN IN THE
SENATE.
NEW JERSEY'S GOING TO GET A GOOD
AMOUNT OF MONEY.
I WAS TRYING TO LOOK AT A
BREAKDOWN, $350 BILLION FOR
STATES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
I SAW REUTERS ESTIMATE IT WAS,
IT WOULD AMOUNT TO ABOUT $1,000
PER PERSON FOR NEW JERSEY WHICH
IS LIKE $8 MILLION, $9 MILLION,
AM I DOING MY MATH RIGHT?
I'LL LET SOMEONE ELSE DO THE
MATH.
IT WAS A GOOD AMOUNT, SO THAT
WILL HELP THE BUDGET SITUATION
BUT THE FEDERAL, THAT WILL GO TO
OUR SPECIFIC COVID RELIEF ITEM.
>> AND MATT, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE
GOING TO HAVE EVEN MORE MONEY
COMING IN FROM LEGAL MARIJUANA
SALES, RIGHT?
I MEAN, POT IS FINALLY LEGAL,
ISN'T IT?
ANY IDEA HOW MUCH MONEY AND WHEN
THIS IS GOING TO START COMING
IN?
>> ASSUMING THEY CAN, YOU KNOW,
THE GOVERNOR SAID ABOUT SIX
MONTHS PLUS OR MINUS.
GIVEN HOW LONG IT TOOK US TO GET
THIS LAW IN PLACE, I'M GOING TO
GO WITH A PLUS ON THAT ONE.
A LOT OF PLUS.
JUST FROM HAVING WATCHED THIS
ALL HAPPEN, SIX MONTHS SEEMS
OPTIMISTIC TO ME IN TERMS OF
GETTING THIS IN PLACE, AND I
ALSO, YOU KNOW, THE AMOUNT OF,
HOW MUCH ARE WE REALLY GOING TO
HAVE PEOPLE SELLING IT IN SIX
MONTHS AND ULTIMATELY, WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT A COUPLE HUNDRED
MILLION DOLLARS HERE IN THE BIG
SCHEME OF THINGS IN THE BUDGET
IT'S NOT THAT MUCH.
AS FAR AS PLANNING FOR THE
BUDGET, IT'S HARD TO FAULT THE
ADMINISTRATION, THE LEGISLATURE
FOR SAYING WE'RE FACING A DIRE
FISCAL SITUATION AND NEED TO
CONSIDER BORROWING.
BUT I DON'T THINK -- MARIJUANA
IS NOT A SAVIOR.
IT WILL BE A SIGNIFICANT CHUNK
IN THE BUDGET BUT NOT HUGE IN
THE BIG SCHEME OF THINGS AND
FRANKLY, I'LL BE SURPRISED IF WE
GET IT, IF WE START SEEING THAT
MONEY REALLY IN A VERY
SIGNIFICANT WAY IN THIS BUDGET.
>> I THINK VERY INTERESTING, HOW
GOVERNORS PLAY THE WHOLE
MARIJUANA THING.
THEY TALK ABOUT IT AS IF IT'S A
BIG LIFELINE, WHEN REALLY FOR
NEW JERSEY AND OTHER STATES,
EVEN WHEN IT'S FULLY AMENDED,
WE'RE TALKING A COUPLE HUNDRED
MILLION DOLLARS IN, YOU KNOW, A
$40 BILLION-SOMETHING BUDGET.
IT'S A GOOD, IT'S GOOD FOR THEM
TO SAY WE GOT MARIJUANA, IT'S A
PANACEA.
>> RIGHT, RIGHT.
MATT, IS THERE ANY PART OF LEGAL
WEED THAT ISN'T MIRED IN
CONTROVERSY?
ON THURSDAY, THE GOVERNOR
ANNOUNCED THREE MORE
APPOINTMENTS TO THE CANNABIS
REGULATORY COMMISSION AND ALMOST
IMMEDIATELY, HE WAS CRITICIZED
BY SOCIAL JUSTICE ADVOCATES
SAYING THE COMMISSION'S
MEMBERSHIP DOES NOT
APPROPRIATELY REFLECT THE
COMMUNITIES THAT WERE MOST HURT
BY THE WAR ON DRUGS.
DO THEY HAVE A POINT?
>> WELL, IN TERMS OF THERE NOT
BE A BLACK MAN ON IT AND NO ONE
IS HURT MORE BY MARIJUANA
ARRESTS THAN BLACK MEN, YES.
OVERALL, I THINK ALSO A BIG PART
OF THE CONTROVERSY RIGHT NOW IS
THAT IT REALLY -- I THINK A LOT
OF NEW JERSEYIANS, I DON'T KNOW
HOW MUCH THIS WILL PLAY BUT A
LOT WILL THINK IT'S RIDICULOUS
IF A COP FINDS A KID SMOKING
WEED, THEY CAN'T TELL THEIR
PARENTS.
BUT THAT WAS A COMPROMISE,
REALLY LAST-MINUTE THING IN A
DESPERATE EFFORT TO WIN SUPPORT
FOR THIS CLEANUP BILL SO THE
GOVERNOR COULD SIGN THE LEGAL
MARIJUANA LEGISLATION.
REPUBLICANS ARE HAVING A FIELD
DAY WITH IT, BUT I THINK ONE
POINT THAT WE MISS IS THAT 67%
OF PEOPLE VOTED FOR LEGAL
MARIJUANA AND THEN DEMOCRATIC
INFIGHTING BASICALLY DERAILED
THAT FOR MONTHS.
WHAT REPUBLICANS -- IT'S EASY TO
SIT BACK AND WATCH DEMOCRATS
SCREW THINGS UP.
WHAT IF REPUBLICANS KIND OF CAME
TO THE TABLE HERE AND SAID OKAY,
WE'LL WORK WITH YOU ON THIS
CLEANUP BILL AND THAT WAY IF RON
RICE AND TAKE A LOT OF LAWMAKERS
WITH THEM, WILL HAVE ANOTHER
PRESSURE RELEASE VALVE WHERE WE
CAN FIND SOME VOTES.
IF THERE HAD BEEN AN EFFORT, WHO
KNOWS IF WE WOULD HAVE HAD THIS
CURRENT LAW IN PLACE.
I THINK YOU'LL HEAR A LOT IN
THIS ELECTION YEAR, THE FACT
THAT POLICE WON'T BE ABLE TO
NOTIFY PARENTS ON THE FIRST
OFFENSE.
I BELIEVE THEY CAN ON THE
SECOND.
BUT RIGHT NOW, I THINK THAT'S
WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE REALLY
TALKING ABOUT WITH MARIJUANA AND
IT'S A VALID POINT.
I THINK THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF
OVERBLOWN STUFF HOW HARMFUL
MARIJUANA IS, BUT CERTAINLY IF A
CHILD IS USING IT, IT'S KIND OF
HARD TO ARGUE THEIR PARENTS
SHOULDN'T KNOW.
>> YES.
STACEY, SO WE'VE GOT LEGAL WEED
AND WE'VE GOT THIS BUDGET
PROPOSAL.
DO THESE THINGS HELP OR HURT
GOVERNOR MURPHY IN THIS ELECTION
YEAR?
>> I THINK THIS WAS A WELL
THOUGHT OUT BUDGET.
IT WAS, YOU KNOW, I COVERED
ELECTIONS WAY TOO LONG, 30
YEARS.
I'VE SEEN A LOT OF ELECTION YEAR
BUDGETS AND THIS ELECTION YEAR
BUDGET IF I'VE EVER SEEN ONE,
THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS IN IT
THAT WILL HELP THE GOVERNOR.
THERE'S NO TAX INCREASES.
THERE'S THE BIG PENSION PAYMENT.
THERE'S RELATIVELY, YOU KNOW,
LITTLE CUTS AND A LOT OF
SPENDING ON A WHOLE BUNCH OF
DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT WILL
MAKE A LOT OF INTERESTS HAPPY.
>> AND HOW ABOUT COVID?
WHEN WE FACTOR IN COVID-19 AND
WHERE WE ARE TODAY, HOW THE
GOVERNOR HAS HANDLED THIS SO
FAR.
HE'S NOW BEGUN TO SLOWLY REOPEN
THE STATE.
I NOTICE HE MADE SOME
ANNOUNCEMENTS ON MONDAY, THE DAY
BEFORE HE PUT HIS BUDGET IN
PLACE, AND THEN NOTED THAT IN
THE SPEECH.
BUT WE'VE GOT A LOT OF SCHOOLS
THAT REMAIN CLOSED TO IN-PERSON
INSTRUCTION, AND OF COURSE
VACCINES ARE STILL VERY LIMITED.
HOW DO YOU THINK THIS PLAYS OUT?
>> I THINK IT'S ALL ABOUT
GETTING THE ECONOMY BACK AND
THAT BEGINS WITH VACCINES AND IT
BEGINS WITH GETTING SCHOOLS
BACK.
I HEARD THE GOVERNOR TALKING
ABOUT WOMEN AND HOW THEY HAVE
BEEN A LESSER PART OF THE
WORKFORCE BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN
HOME WITH THEIR KIDS AND THE KEY
TO THE ECONOMY IS GETTING THE
SCHOOLS BACK OPEN AND GETTING
WOMEN BACK IN THE WORKFORCE OUT
OF THEIR HOMES AND I THINK THAT
IS GETTING THAT DONE AND
SIGNIFICANTLY BEFORE THE
ELECTION WILL BE KEY FOR
GOVERNOR MURPHY.
>> JOHN, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE
WRITTEN ABOUT PROPERTY TAXES AND
THE INCREASE THIS YEAR, A RECORD
HIGH.
IN ADDITION, THE GOVERNOR DID
GET TO MORE THAN $2 BILLION FROM
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR COVID
RELIEF AND MANY BUSINESS AND
RESTAURANT OWNERS SAYS THAT
HASN'T HELPED THEM AND SLOW COME
OUT AND THOSE GUYS VOTE, TOO.
WHAT IS YOUR SENSE FOR HOW THAT
HELPS GOVERNOR MURPHY AND HIS
ELECTION CHANCES.
>> THE GOVERNOR HAS HAD
FORMIDABLE APPROVAL RATINGS FOR
THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS DUE TO
HIS HANDLING OF THE COVID
RESPONSE.
ONCE THAT PERSON STARTS TO
APPEAR ON TV COMMERCIALS, ON THE
STAGE WITH YOU AT DEBATES, A
WHOLE NEW SET OF ISSUES COME
FORWARD.
THAT'S WHERE WE TAKE A LOT OF
FLACK ON THINGS LIKE MOTOR
VEHICLES AND THE HANDLING OF THE
UNEMPLOYMENT SYSTEM AND
INTERESTING TO SEE WHEN SOMEBODY
IS GOING NEGATIVE AGAINST THIS
GOVERNOR, WHETHER THAT BRINGS
HIM DOWN OR NOT.
PROPERTY TAXES, THE STATE DOES
NOT LEVY BUT THE STATE DOES A
LOT THAT INFLUENCES PROPERTY
TAXES SO EDUCATION AID,
MUNICIPAL AID, THE DIRECT
PROPERTY TAX RELIEF PROGRAMS YOU
TALKED TO THE ASSEMBLYWOMAN
ABOUT, THOSE GO INTO THE MIX BUT
THE GOVERNOR HAS ANOTHER TRUMP
CARD COMING BECAUSE IN A FEW
MONTHS, THERE'S THAT DIRECT
REBATE PROGRAM THAT'S FUNDED
WITH THE NEW BUDGET SENDING
PEOPLE CHECKS UP TO $500 BEFORE
THEY GO VOTE FOR A GOVERNOR AND
LAWMAKERS, AND SO IT'S GOING TO
BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THIS
PLAYS OUT OVER THE NEXT FEW
MONTHS WITH THE PANDEMIC AND THE
UNPREDICTABILITY OF THAT ALL IN
THE BACKDROP.
CERTAINLY THE SPORTS FRANCHISES
ARE HAPPY TO SEE WHEN IT'S
LIFTED BECAUSE SOME OF US WHO
LIKE SPORTS MAY ACTUALLY BE ABLE
TO GO SEE A GAME SOMEDAY.
>> MATT, TO SWITCH GEARS A
LITTLE BIT.
ALTHOUGH THERE IS SOME ELECTION
IMPLICATION HERE, NEW JERSEY
LOST A REPUBLICAN INSTITUTION
LAST SATURDAY WITH THE DEATH OF
SENATOR GERALD CARDINALLI IN THE
LEGISLATURE FOR 42 YEARS.
WHAT IS HIS LEGACY?
>> DEEPLY CONSERVATIVE.
QUESTIONING.
IN THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE BILLS
THAT OFTEN SEEMED NOT EVEN
POLITICALLY CONTROVERSIAL NOW.
GERRY CARDINALLI HAD SOMETHING
TO SAY AND OFTEN THOUGHTFUL.
HE WAS A SMART GUY AND WELL
RESPECTED EVEN THOUGH HE WAS
VERY CONSERVATIVE FOR NEW JERSEY
AND A DISTRICT THAT IS
REPUBLICAN LEANING BUT NOT AS
CONSERVATIVE AS HE IS.
HE WAS ALSO I THOUGHT VERY
PRINCIPLED IN A LOT OF WAYS, IN
THE MARIJUANA DEBATE, HE WAS
VERY ANTI-MARIJUANA, AND A LOT
OF ATTITUDES ABOUT THE
SUBSTANCE, KIND OF ROOTED IN OLD
STUFF BUT ONCE 67% OF NEW
JERSEYIANS SAID AS LONG AS
THEY'VE DONE THIS, WHY SHOULDN'T
THEY BE ABLE TO GROW IT AND
INTRODUCED A BILL MUCH MORE
PROGRESSIVE THAN ANYTHING ANY
DEMOCRATS THAT I KNOW OF HAD PUT
FORWARD AND A LOT OF NEW
JERSEYIANS TO GROW UP TO
SOMETHING LIKE SIX PLANTS.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FUTURE OF
THAT BILL IS NOW, ESPECIALLY
WITH HIM HAVING DIED.
IT'S ALSO SOMETHING THAT THE
LEGISLATURE IS ABOUT TO UNDERGO
A BIG CHANGE, THE SENATE, AND
WITH THE SENATE USUALLY GOES THE
ASSEMBLY.
THERE IS AT LEAST FIVE SEATS ARE
GOING TO BE REPRESENTED BY
DIFFERENT PEOPLE COME 2022, AND
I'M NOT SURE THERE'S A BIG
TURNOVER SINCE I COVERED
POLITICS IN 2007, THAT WAS THE
BIGGEST TURNOVER PRIOR TO THIS
ONE THAT I CAN REMEMBER.
>> YOU JUST READ MY SCRIPT.
I WAS GOING TO ASK ABOUT THAT
BUT I FEEL WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF
TIME.
YOU HAD A GREAT STORY THIS WEEK
ABOUT ONE OF THOSE BATTLES, FOR
SENATOR WEINBERG'S SEAT IN THE
ASSEMBLY.
I KNOW WE'VE GOT OTHER ASSEMBLY
MEMBERS.
WE'LL HAVE A SHAKEUP THIS YEAR,
RIGHT, REAL QUICKLY?
>> BIG TIME.
CARDINALLI PRIOR TO HIS DEATH
WOULD BE CHALLENGED BY
ASSEMBLYWOMAN AND BROWN IN SOUTH
JERSEY NOT RUNNING FOR
RE-ELECTION AND A COUPLE OTHER
SENATORS WHO WON'T BE RETURNING.
IT'S A BIG SHAKEUP, DIFFERENT
MAJORITY LEADER AND MINORITY
LEADER.
TOM CAIN IS LEAVING PROBABLY TO
RUN FOR CONGRESS AGAIN.
THAT'S NOT JUST TURNOVER ON
PEOPLE BUT TURNOVER IN
LEADERSHIP.
>> WELL THIS IS GOING TO GIVE US
A LOT TO WRITE ABOUT AND TALK
ABOUT ON FUTURE EPISODES FOR THE
COMING YEAR, THIS ELECTION.
I'M SORRY, THAT'S ALL WE HAVE
FOR "ROUNDTABLE" TODAY.
I WANT TO THANK OUR GUESTS,
ASSEMBLYWOMAN MARINE AND OUR
GREAT PANEL OF JOURNALISTS, MATT
FRIEDMAN, STACEY SHERMAN AND
JOHN WRIGHTMEYER.
BE SURE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE
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BOX," NJ BUSINESS BEAT AND NJ
SPOTLIGHT NEWS.
DAVID CRUZ WILL BE BACK HERE
NEXT WEEK.
I'M COLLEEN O'DAY.
THANKS FOR WATCHING.
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REAL ESTATE IN NEW JERSEY.
MORE INFORMATION IS ONLINE AT
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