NJ OSC has become the state’s most productive watchdog since Kevin Walsh took the helm and we began this week by launching a video explaining what Scutari’s bill (S4292) would do to the Agency if passed. We published a letter from seventy organizations, including NJ21st, that stood in solidarity against the measure. OPRA Attorney CJ Griffin highlighted the turbelence within and ineffectiveness of SCI (the entity Scutari’s bill would fold OSC Under) while the New Jersey Monitor and Jersey Vindicator provided in-depth coverage of the during and after circus that the committee hearing became. The bill passed committee however, NJ21st forwarded the approx. 70 opposition slips it collected to the Governor and Assembly Speaker.
On the education front, we published a sneak peak at the data that will drive NJ Performance reports next spring and take a look at how our 7-District Dashboard did in the raw data. Montclair was on the wrong end of a Court Decision that found it’s referendum ballot was unclear – leaving the District in a difficult situation as it tries to figure out it’s budget problem – we breakdown the decision and the implications it has for another referendum in Berkeley Heights that is attached to a much higher dollar amount and way more complicated ballot language. NJ Education Report gives us a hard look at further attempts at the state level to hide NJ’s education decline – this time though Assembly Bill 4121- which seeks to eliminate the NJGPA and would essentially allow Districts to establish it’s own graduation requirements. We will be covering this more in depth over the next week.
Honing in on the locals, we provided insight into an approach Montgomery Township is taking with Affordable Housing that can help townships limit the amount of new building it would need to undertake in meeting its AH obligations along with it’s human costs. In Berkeley Height we see a continued up-ramp in year-end spending with familiar faces and Laura takes a hard look at salary increases and the Mayor’s comments during the most recent Town Council Meeting. Staying in Berkeley Heights, Shauna provides an in-depth look at the Chicken discussions, how other towns are handling it and how the Council and Residents may be approaching a compromise.
We end with another addition to Shauna’s ‘Home of the Month’ series (more like Home of every three months) as John remains unsuccessful in his attempt to talk her out of this idea and Laura keeps voting to keep it on.
Top Three Articles in November
Understanding Your NJ Government: OPRA| New Jersey’s Public Records Law
Open Letter to NJ State Senator Nicholas Scutari Requesting the Immediate Withdrawal of S-4924
From ‘Street Cop’ to State Oversight- NJ Launches Centralized Police Training Institute
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