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Peek at the Week
By Paul Peyton of The Leader/Times
In Politics
Peyton's
Bramnick: Taxpayers Left OutIn Murphy’s State of The StateDuring the Republican Response
to Governor Phil Murphy’s first Stateof the State message, Assembly Re-publican Leader Jon Bramnick (R-21st, Westfield) explained that Gov.Murphy has a big heart, but he ig-nores New Jersey’s fiscal realities.Mr. Bramnick said New Jersey isunaffordable and twice as manypeople are leaving than staying.NJEA Applauds Gov. Murphy’s
First State of State AddressThe New Jersey Education Asso-
ciation (NJEA) said Governor PhilMurphy’s first official State of theState address highlighted hisadministration’s challenges, achieve-ments, and priorities.
“After just one year in office, it isremarkable the advances Gov.Murphy has already made in restor-ing a sense of confidence and fairnessto state government,” NJEA Presi-dent Marie Blistan said. “This wasthe vision that NJEA members wereproud to get behind early in his cam-paign, and the fruits of those effortsare being realized thanks to increasedinvestment in pre-K through highereducation. His first state budgetworked to keep our children as thepriority, and we see that the governorintends to continue on as he has be-gun, which could not be better newsfor New Jersey’s children.”Bucco: Cost of Living, Taxes AreBiggest Problem for Middle Class
Assemblyman Anthony M. Bucco(R-25, Randolph), the Republican con-ference leader, released the followingstatement in response to Gov. PhilMurphy’s state of the state message:
“The number one problem for theworking poor and middle class in NewJersey is the cost of living and propertytaxes. Nothing we heard today ad-dresses these critical issues. Instead,one year and 169 new laws later theproblems are getting worse. If Gover-nor Murphy believes New Jersey isstronger and fairer than it was one yearago he is fooling himself.”
NJCPA Supports Some ofMurphy’s Initiatives
The New Jersey Society of Certi-fied Public Accountants (NJCPA) saidit supports much of what GovernorPhil Murphy said in his State of Thestate address last week.
“We are closely following Gover-nor Murphy’s efforts to legalize adult-use marijuana. While the NJCPA
hasn’t taken an official position, if thestate legalizes the possession andpersonal use of marijuana, it will cer-tainly become a major industry. Morethan 48 percent of the 1,058 CPAswho were polled earlier this month bythe NJCPA believe that legalizingmarijuana in New Jersey will help thestate’s economy. An efficient regula-tory and tax structure is essential ifthis industry is to prosper.
“On the issue of the minimum wagehike, the NJCPA parts ways with Gov-ernor Murphy’s proposals. GovernorMurphy suggests that a $15 minimumwage is needed in the state, but theNJCPA and its members see more of agradual shift to a $15 minimum wageas being more beneficial to NewJersey’s economy. In a December sur-vey, more than 55 percent of the 1,204NJCPA members surveyed supportedraising the minimum wage, but if itwere raised to $15 an hour — evenover a period of years — 63 percent ofthose surveyed said it would hurt thestate’s economy, explaining it will havean inflationary impact causing rippleeffects that will hurt consumers.”
The NJCPA says hikes in businesstaxes, like the corporation business taxhike passed last June, “only serve todampen economic growth and lead tojob losses. But we commend GovernorMurphy’s commitment to work withthe state’s federal delegation to rein-state the State and Local Tax (SALT)deduction” on federal income taxes.
Cryan, Sweeney Want to AidFederal Shutdown Workers
Federal workers in New Jerseywhose lives have been upended by thefederal government shutdown wouldbe provided some financial relief un-der two bills introduced by SenatorJoe Cryan (D-20th, Union) and SenatePresident Steve Sweeney (D-3rd,Gloucester). The bills would allow fora special grace period on property taxpayments for workers affected by thefederal shutdown and allow for zero-interest pension loans, which wouldhelp homeowners whose property taxpayments are made by their banks.The grace period would be similar towhat is allowed for natural disasters.
There are more than 20,000 em-ployees working at federal agenciesin New Jersey and more than 5,000 ofthem are employed by an agency with-out an appropriation, according to apress release from the lawmakers.
The bills, S-3346 and S-3347, intro-duced on January 15, would allow tax-payers affected by the shutdown tohave additional time to make paymenton installments of municipal propertytaxes. It would give them until the nextquarterly property tax due date to makepayment on any unpaid balance with-out accruing interest. A companion billwould allow employees impacted bythe shutdown to get zero-interest loansagainst their pensions to manage theirexpenses, including their property taxes.
Union County HomicidesDrop to 50-Year Low
COUNTY — The number of homi-cides recorded in Union County in2018 plunged to single digits for thefirst time in nearly 50 years, actingUnion County Prosecutor Michael A.Monahan announced Friday.
A total of nine homicides occurredin the county last year, the lowestfigure since eight were recorded in1970, according to internal statisticsand a review of archived UniformCrime Reports performed with theassistance of the New Jersey StatePolice.
“This is an extraordinary thing,and certainly welcome news,” act-ing Union County ProsecutorMichael A. Monahan said. “Andwhile it is impossible to explain itwith certainty, a share of credit mustgo to the deterrent effect created bycooperation received from con-cerned community members, as wellas to the efforts of our local policedepartments, which have tirelesslyworked in tandem with our investi-gative units and federal and state lawenforcement partners during recentyears to target violent criminals. Thefact that so many of those individu-als are off the streets, in some casesfor life, no doubt contributed to thehistoric low in homicides we experi-enced in 2018. We are working dili-gently with our law enforcementpartners to continue this trend.”
Nonfatal shootings also fell inUnion County last year, with 34 beingrecorded, compared with 47 in 2017and 49 in 2016, marking a decline ofapproximately 30 percent.
Five of Union County’s 2018 ho-micides occurred in Plainfield, withthree in Elizabeth and one in Linden.Eighteen of 21 municipalities did notrecord a homicide.
Six of the nine 2018 homicideshave been solved, with a total of 14defendants charged, thanks to the ef-forts of the Union County Homicide
Task Force, which works with localpolice, the Union County Police De-partment, and the Union CountySheriff’s Office in investigating suchcrimes. The Task Force solved 80 ofthe 105 homicides that took place inthe five years prior to that, with its 76percent clearance rate well above astatewide average that has hoveredaround 50 percent during that sametime.
The three open 2018 homicidesremain under active investigation bythe Task Force and its partner agen-cies:
At approximately 1 a.m. on Sun-day, June 24, 2018, Shavonne Young,25, of Scotch Plains and MichaelWelsh, 34, of Plainfield were shot byan unknown gunman as they sat in avehicle near the area of New andWest Fifth streets in Plainfield. Welshdied later that morning, while Youngwas pronounced dead several dayslater. Anyone with information aboutthis shooting is urged to contact TaskForce Sergeant Johnny Ho at (908)403-8271 or Detective William Guyat (908) 347-2212.
At approximately 7:30 p.m. onSunday, November 11, 2018, Ben-jamin Nord, 45, of Plainfield wasshot by an unknown gunman as hestood on a sidewalk on the 400 blockof Liberty Street in Plainfield. Nordwas pronounced dead at a local hos-pital about an hour later. Anyone withinformation about this shooting isbeing urged to contact Task ForceSergeant Danika Ramos at (908) 451-7739 or Detective Andrew Medeirosat (908) 337-0832.
The Union County Crime Stoppersalso are continuing to offer a rewardof up to $10,000 for information lead-ing to an arrest and indictment ineither of these cases; tips can be givenanonymously by phone at (908) 654-TIPS (8477) or online atwww.uctip.org.
‘ASK’ Senior ServicesEvents In Union County
COUNTY — Union County resi-dents seeking information about ser-vices available for senior adults age60 and older will have a choice of sixdates and locations in February tospeak with staff from the county’sDepartment of Human Services, Di-vision on Aging. Staff will be presentat public libraries in Westfield; Clark;Garwood; Elizabeth; Union; and atthe Senior Center in Rahway withSpanish speaking staff at this site.
Staff from the Union County Divi-sion on Aging and Disability ResourceConnection/ADRC have been travel-ing throughout Union County pro-viding information about servicessuch as home-delivered meals; re-spite care; home care; adult day care;and, support services for caregiversthrough the Aging Services Kiosk orASK community outreach effort. As-
sistance with completing applicationsand forms is also provided.
The February dates and locationsare: Monday, February 4, WestfieldMemorial Library, 550 East BroadStreet, 10 a.m. to noon; Thursday,February 7, Rahway Senior Center(Bilingual staff will be available at thissite), 1306 Esterbrook Avenue, 10 a.m.to noon, Monday, February 11; ClarkPublic Library, 303 Westfield Avenue,10 a.m. to noon; Thursday, February21, Garwood Public Library, 411 ThirdAvenue, 10 to noon.
All Union County residents are wel-come to attend any of these ASK events.
For further information call 1-888-280-8226, or (908) 527-4870 or 4858.Spanish speakers may call (908) 527-4863. Information may be viewed onthe Union County government websiteat www.ucnj.org.
Borough Appointments,Mun. Alliance Plan ToldBy KATE BROWNE
Specially Written for The Scotch Plains-Fanwood Times
MOUNTAINSIDE — The boroughcouncil, Tuesday night, unanimouslyvoted to appoint Councilman RobertW. Messler and Borough EngineerMichael Disko as Mountainside’s rep-resentatives to the Union CountyTransportation Advisory Board. Theboard is responsible for reviewingand disseminating information andmaking recommendations to the statetransportation board on transporta-tion improvement programs and is-sues such as safe routes to school andbicycle use.
The council also reappointed JohnTomaine as the borough’s represen-tative to the Rahway Valley SewerageAuthority. He has served on the au-thority since February 2014.
Additionally, the governing bodyagreed to submit a strategic plan tomaximize the amount of funds re-ceived from the Municipal AllianceGrant program, which is adminis-tered by the Governor’s Council onAlcoholism and Drug Abuse. Themission of the Municipal Alliance isto be a “mechanism for implement-ing policies to reduce alcoholismand drug abuse and support appro-priate county and municipal-basedalcohol and drug abuse educationand public awareness activities.”Mountainside has been awarded agrant of $15,743 for the fiscal yearwhich begins July 1.
The council passed resolutions toshare the costs of the Fourth of Julyfireworks display with theMountainside Volunteer Fire Com-pany and the Mountainside PAL andto reappoint Christine Amalfe of theGibbons law firm to continue to de-fend the borough in the employmentlawsuit filed by current and formermembers of the Mountainside PoliceDepartment. The services which theGibbons firm is providing are not toexceed $275,000 over the course ofthe contract.
The council conducted a first read-ing of a proposed resolution to raisethe pool membership fees for the 2019pool season by 2 percent and willincrease the daily guest pass fee by $1for children and $2 for adults. Thepool complex includes a 50-meterOlympic pool, a diving tank and wa-ter slides, and offers a variety of mem-bership plans including senior citizenand nanny memberships. The cost ofa family membership forMountainside residents for the 2019season will be $341, and the fee for anon-resident family membership will
be $633.During the public comment por-
tion of the meeting, Liz Trumanraised concerns regarding floodingbehind the borough library in thevicinity of the overpass to Route 22,which was the subject of a recentthread on the “Mountainside Mat-ters” Facebook page. Mayor PaulMirabelli provided a detailed re-sponse regarding the investigationconducted by the borough engineerwhich he said determined the flood-ing was caused by a storm-watersewer backup linked to a guardraildamaged by a state Department ofTransportation contractor and accu-mulated silt and debris.
The mayor advised that the sewerhad been repaired and shared photosdocumenting the situation with Ms.Truman.
Ms. Truman also asked why theborough mailed new hang tags toresidents with parking permits eachquarter, expressing concerns over thecost and environmental impact. JamesDebbie, the borough administrator,explained that the tag colors changedeach quarter, which allows the policeto quickly scan the lot to ensure allcars were legally entitled to be there,but he promised to look into the issuefurther.
Tuesday’s public meeting beganwith the issuing of a resolution ofcommendation in honor of the Gov-ernor Livingston High School March-ing Band. The resolution noted thatthe Highlander Band, which is underthe direction of Nicholas O’Sullivan,recently competed at the AtlanticCoast Championship, where the bandreceived a score of 95.65 percent,won the gold medal, and receivedspecial caption awards for Best Brassand Best Drum Major. As a result, theHighlander Band was on the top ofthe charts in all group sizes in theTournament of Band Circuit, whichearned the band the title of New Jer-sey State Champion in Group II.
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