Category: New Jersey

‘Fairness formula’ dead, but push for school aid changes isn’t

Gov. Chris Christie appears to have given up on his ‘fairness formula,’ though not the broader goal of revamping how New Jersey distributes school aid. Christie has called since last June to equalize per-pupil school aid across all districts, rather than give additional aid to districts with higher levels of poverty and homes where English isn’t the main language.

New Jersey Oks gas pipeline through protected Pinelands

New Jersey environmental regulators on Friday approved a hotly contested plan to run a natural gas pipeline through a federally protected forest preserve amid raucous protests that included drums, tambourines and choruses of “This Land Is Your Land.” The 15-member New Jersey Pinelands Commission voted to approve a plan by South Jersey Gas to run the pipeline through the federally protected Pinelands preserve, where development is drastically restricted.

New Jersey set to hand over millions in tobacco cash

Gov. Chris Christie has dedicated his final year in office to addressing the opioid epidemic, but the state’s failure to spend on smoking cessation efforts when thousands of people still die annually from tobacco-related illnesses has drawn derision from advocates and public health officials. Instead of spending millions from a landmark 1998 settlement with the tobacco industry on smoking cessation efforts, New Jersey this year will begin repaying hundreds of millions of dollars to bondholders after converting the settlement money into $90 million to fill a budget hole in 2014.

Hundreds of New Jersey Women and Allies March on Trenton

On Sat., Jan. 21, hundreds of women, their families, and their allies arrived in our state’s capital city to participate in the Women’s March By Pastor Bill Laky – In November, a reader asked, “How can/should one reconcile Christian faith with belonging to a political party (or even TRENTON — On Sat., Jan. 21, hundreds of women, their families, and their allies arrived in our state’s capital city to participate in the Women’s March on Trenton. The day’s events included 40 powerful speakers, musical guests, and a march to the steps of the State House.

Massive crowd descends on Washington as Women’s March begins

A crowd scene from the Women’s March on Washington in the nation’s capital Saturday. WASHINGTON – Waving banners, chanting slogans and wearing symbolic pink hats, hundreds of thousands of people gathered in the nation’s capital Saturday morning as the Women’s March on Washington got underway, kicking off a day of demonstration across America.

Court: Age must be considered when youths get ‘life’ terms

New Jersey’s highest court has ruled that juveniles can’t receive the practical equivalent of life sentences without parole unless the sentencing judge considers their age and its “attendant characteristics.” The unanimous ruling issued Wednesday by the state Supreme Court stemmed from appeals filed by two men who were both 17 when they were convicted of serious crimes and received lengthy prison terms.

2016 Golden Duke Awards Winners Announced

TPM is pleased to announce the winners of the Tenth Annual Golden Duke Awards recognizing the year’s best purveyors of public corruption, outlandish behavior, The Crazy, nonsense and all relevant betrayals of the public trust. The awards are named in honor of former Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham, who epitomizes the iconic modern scandal.