Christie nominates Massell and Luttrell for Monmouth County Tax Board

Stephen Massell

Governor Chris Christie this afternoon announced the nominations of Stephen Massell of Middletown and Renee Luttrell of Holmdel to serve five year terms on the Monmouth County Tax Board.   If confirmed by the New Jersey Senate, Massell will fill the Republican seat on the Board currently held by Kathleen Cody Bjelka who term has expired.  Luttrell will take the Democratic seat vacated by the death of Thomas J. Byrne of Spring Lake.

Given the legislative calendar, neither nominee is likely to be confirmed until the lame duck session which starts in November. The State Legislature typically takes the summer off after passing the State Budget which is due by June 30th.  Given that all 120 seats in the legislature are up for election this year, members of the legislature are likely to spend the fall campaigning and not legislating.

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Repairing the Asbury Park Press’ Conservative Insufficiency

By Tom DeSeno

The Asbury Park Press is the only daily paper targeting two New Jersey counties.  If that sounds small, consider those two counties have a larger population than eight U.S. states. They double the population of Washington DC. That makes the AP Press important not only as a courier of news, but considering its monopoly, as a sculptor of opinion in our great national debate.

Owned by media giant Gannett, the largest newspaper publisher in America and parent of USA Today, there exists available resources to publish a product that mirrors the Press’ considerable responsibility (if Gannett is willing to open the spigot on resources, that is).

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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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Monmouth County To Auction Surplus Equipment Online

Monmouth County will hold an online auction to sell equipment from the County’s Fleet Services, Sheriff’s Office, Buildings and Grounds, Reclamation Center, Park System and seized and surplus property from the Prosecutor’s Office starting Saturday June 10 through Tuesday June, 13, according to an announcement from the Freeholder Board.

A total of 225 items are now listed for sale at USGovBid.com, including cars, trucks, heavy equipment, office equipment, jewelry and cell phones.

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Dangerous clinging jellyfish found in Shrewsbury River

The jellyfish with a dangerous sting that caused a scare on the Jersey Shore last summer, prompting the cancellation of several events, have reappeared in a Monmouth County river, researchers say. Clinging jellyfish – whose sting can cause “excruciating pain”, muscle weakness and serious medical problems, including kidney failure – were observed and recorded in New… Read the rest of this entry »

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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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Guadagno Applauds Air Forces’s Choice of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst For Refueling Jets

Trenton, NJ – Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno today applauded the Air Force’s decision to begin basing new KC-46A Pegasus air-refueling tankers at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in the 2021 fiscal year. This decision will accelerate an infusion of military construction at the Joint Base and prioritizes Joint Base receipt of the aircraft at a time when the Administration is requesting a new base closure round in 2021.

“The Air Force decision is good news for the State of New Jersey and for our national security,” said Lt. Governor Guadagno.  “It is a tribute to the outstanding Air Force and Air National Guard airmen and the important missions they perform.”

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