The State of NJ is now calling the shots in Atlantic City

John Reitmeyer reports for NJ Spotlight:


The state’s formal takeover of Atlantic City’s local government was authorized yesterday by a vote taken in Trenton by the state Local Finance Board, an agency that oversees municipal and county government finances in New Jersey. 

The board’s action followed last week’s rejection by the commissioner of the state Department of Community Affairs of a five-year fiscal-recovery plan that was submitted by Atlantic City officials under the terms of state takeover legislation signed into law by Christie in late May.

Tim Cunningham, director,
 Local Finance Board

While the takeover law didn’t initiate the immediate intervention that Christie had originally asked lawmakers to grant him, it gave his administration the sole power to determine the viability of the city’s recovery plan, which it was given only a few months to produce.

Tim Cunningham, the director of the Local Finance Board, told reporters after the vote was held yesterday that his next step will be to meet directly with city officials. He acknowledged his powers under the takeover law now include having the authority to tear up collective-bargaining agreements and take direct control over personnel decisions.

“It’s an incredible responsibility, and it’s one that I’ve lost sleep over the last couple weeks,” Cunningham said.

The takeover law also allows him to sell off assets like Bader Field, the city’s former airport, and its water utility, which has become a major source of controversy in the wake of a decision by officials in Michigan to seek cost savings through the public-water system in Flint, leading to mass lead poisoning.

But the board also stopped short of granting Cunningham the authority to take the city into bankruptcy, something that hasn’t happened to a municipality in New Jersey in roughly 80 years.


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If Christie flees to D.C., Guadagno has cut her last ribbon

New Jersey Lieutenant Governor and chief ribbon-cutter Kim Guadagno (AP photo by Mel Evans)

Donald Trump’s election as President has likely provided Gov. Chris Christie with an opportunity to declare that, after seven years, he’s fixed New Jersey’s problems and now plans to apply his political wizardry to national-sized challenges. 


If Trump provides the right job in his new administration, Christie can catch the last stage coach out of Dodge before the legislative villagers shoulder their pitchforks and ignite the torches for a new round of #Bridgegate hearings.

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A draft from D.C. also would finally free Lieutenant Gov. Kim Guadagno from the mind-numbing and totally under-appreciated duty of waiving the Christie flag at hundreds of feel-good ribbon cutting ceremonies and rubber chicken dinners. She’s been doing it for almost seven years without a single, noticeable public grimace (and still without invitations to inner circle Administration meetings).

Kim will have to stifle a Howard Dean-sized scream if she gets the chance to move into the big-guy’s chair and have some new Lt.Gov. appear at her side for silent photo ops. 

Politico‘s Matt Friedman speculates on Guadagno’s future in:

Guadagno could get incumbency advantage, with Christie potentially leaving for Trump


Michael Aron of NJTV NEWS discusses the rumors of Christie’s departure with Mary Alice Williams in the video report below.

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NJ electric vehicle charging bill added for committee action


Added to the November 10 agenda of the New Jersey Assembly’s Environment and Solid Waste committee:


A-404  –  Benson, Daniel (D-14); DeAngelo, Wayne (D-14); Eustace, Tim (D-38) Directs installation of electric vehicle charging stations at service areas on State’s toll roads.


Here’s our previously published list of environment bills scheduled for consideration today in Trenton 


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Environmental bills in committee in Trenton – Nov. 14


ASSEMBLY AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES
11/14/16  2:00 PM
Committee Room 15, 4th Floor, State House Annex, Trenton, NJ
A-772  Andrzejczak, B. (D-1); Diegnan, P.J. (D-18);
Land, R.B. (D-1); Benson, D.R. (D-14)
Establishes process for recovering cost of caring for
animals involved in animal cruelty violations.
Related Bill: S-1168
      
A-2041  Gusciora, R. (D-15); Benson, D.R. (D-14);
Spencer, L.G. (D-29)
Requires court to issue animal protective orders
against persons found guilty of abusing animals.
      
A-2052  Gusciora, R. (D-15); Mukherji, R. (D-33)
Revises definition of “necessary care” in the
State’s animal cruelty law to include more specific requirements.
     
A-2095  Mukherji, R. (D-33); Spencer, L.G. (D-29);
Jasey, M.M. (D-27)
Requires posting of signs warning of presence of, and
potential danger caused by, duckweed on water bodies in public parks.
     
______________________________________________
ASSEMBLY ENVIRONMENT AND SOLID WASTE
11/14/16  2:00 PM
Committee Room 9, 3rd Floor, State House Annex, Trenton, NJ

The following bill is pending intro & referral: A-4326
(Muoio/Mazzeo/Burzichelli)  Authorizes
New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust to expend additional sums to make
loans for environmental infrastructure projects for FY2017.
A-2398  McKeon, J.F. (D-27); Benson, D.R. (D-14)
Establishes public-private pilot program for level 3
electric vehicle charging stations.
      
ACR-127  McKeon, J.F. (D-27)
Amends Constitution to dedicate all State moneys
received from settlements and awards in cases of environmental contamination
for certain environmental purposes.
Related Bill: SCR-39
      
AR-175  Singleton, T. (D-7); Conaway, H. (D-7)
Opposes construction of hazardous waste incinerator in
Falls Township, Pennsylvania.
Related Bill: SR-80
     
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I’ve been counted out before, Christie tells Charlie Rose


Two New Jersey lawmakers who want the governor to testify under oath

Gov. Chris Christie is sticking with what he’s said all along, telling Charlie Rose that he does not remember any member of his staff telling him about the scheme to close lanes on the George Washington Bridge for political retribution.

Now that two associates of the governor have been found guilty (and one pleaded guilty) for felonies associated withe infamous bridge lane closures, the co-chairs of the joint legislative committee that investigated the lane closures want to reconvene the panel and get the governor to testify under oath.

NJTV NEWS correspondent Michael Aron has the details in the video above.


Also reporting on the Charlie Rose interview today were:
Ryan Hutchins in Politico (Christie says he’s not finished) and Andrew Seidman in the Philadelphia Inquirer (Christie says Bridgegate verdict confirms his story).


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NJ Senate Judiciary panel to review nominees on Nov. 10

The New Jersey Senate Judiciary Committee will meet at 1 p.m. on Thursday, November 10 in Room 4, First Floor, State House Annex, to consider 32 persons nominated to various boards and other state positions.

Among them are:


Jill A. Lipoti of Roosevelt, to be a member of the Interstate Environmental Commission for the term prescribed by law, and


August V. Wuillermin of Hammonton, to be a member of the State Board of Agriculture to replace Marilyn Russo. 


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