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| By Matt Friedman |
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Good Wednesday morning! The push to do something about newspaper legal notices has accelerated since I wrote about it here a week ago. Now, as the League of Municipalities urges the Legislature to amend New Jersey’s public notice law, Warren County is going straight to court. Warren County government has for 20 years designated The Star-Ledger as its official newspaper and The Daily Record as its alternate. But come February, the Star-Ledger will no longer print. And the lawsuit argues that The Daily Record “is at a level that would not warrant such status in 2025.” “Its entire daily circulation is 1,435. The population of Warren County as of the 2020 census was 109,632,” the lawsuit, first reported by New Jersey Globe, reads. And while The Express-Times covers Warren County, it’s printed in Pennsylvania and thus, according to the suit, not eligible. All Warren County is asking for at the moment is to continue being able to designate The Star-Ledger as its official newspaper, presumably to post its notices electronically even though it will no longer meet the state requirement that the newspaper be printed. Warren County Commissioner James Kearn told me that’s a stopgap measure until the Legislature changes the law. Something is going to have to be done. Warren County is not the only place that will be without a physically printed paper. Whether there remains a requirement to publish notices on news websites, or if lawmakers prefer to just allow counties to use their own websites alone, remains to be seen. Looking at those circulation figures is depressing. The legal ads have long been a subsidy for newspapers and a pressure point for politicians who want to punish them for unfavorable coverage. But while I would hate to see politicians take glee in newspapers’ demise, the fact of it undeniable. Newspapers, as any institution, were far from perfect. But they were usually committed to fairness and had a system of information vetting in place. We don’t have that anymore. And it's hurting our civic life. TIPS? FEEDBACK Email me at mfriedman@politico.com. QUOTE OF THE DAY: “Ocean City police drone not a toy, but can do some neat stuff, officials say” — A web headline for the Press of Atlantic City HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Joe Biden, who is soon to return to the suburbs of Carneys Point WHERE’S MURPHY? In Newark for an 11:30 a.m. meeting with the leadership of Amtrak and NJ Transit
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 | WHAT TRENTON MADE | |
THE LEAGUE — The 2025 governor’s race ramped up Tuesday with the annual state League of Municipalities conference. The November convention is always a must-attend for political leaders, operatives and government types, but this year it is especially important as gubernatorial hopefuls try making the early case for their candidacies.
And the field appears set: House Democrats Josh Gottheimer and Mikie Sherrill jumped into the race the last few days, giving league-goers a clear view of who is running and why. The annual convention has a panel lined up with all 10 major candidates expected to participate, plus events featuring gubernatorial hopefuls Ras Baraka and state Sen. Jon Bramnick. On Tuesday, candidate Sean Spiller said that the New Jersey Education Association, the influential teachers association he leads, is authorized to spend as much as $40 million on elections in 2025 for governor. "Our organization, as we do in every race, has committed significant dollars to ensure we have a pro-public education candidate," Spiller told reporters "We've got at least $40 million that's been authorized...and certainly more dollars as needed. But we want to make sure that we're all in for somebody who's going to be all in for New Jersey." An independent expenditure group aligned with the NJEA, Working New Jersey, has estimated it would spend around $35 million in the gubernatorial primary. Much of that group's funding is expected to come from the union, but it wasn't clear if the $40 million figure applied to the primary or general election. The super PAC has splashed Spiller's face all over New Jersey since jumping into the race for governor. —Dustin Racioppi and Daniel Han
| | | | Want to know what's really happening with Congress's make-or-break spending fights? Get daily insider analysis of Hill negotiations, funding deadlines, and breaking developments—free in your inbox with Inside Congress. Subscribe now. | | | | | FOR WHOM THE TOLLS BILL — “Another toll hike is approved for the NJ Turnpike and Parkway. See how much tolls are going up,” by NJ Advance media’s Larry Higgs: “NJ Turnpike Authority officials approved a $2.7 billion 2025 budget Tuesday that includes the fourth 3% toll increase since 2020 on both the Turnpike and Garden State Parkway. The vote to approve the budget came after a drivers group called on Gov. Phil Murphy to veto it. “Last year the governor temporarily vetoed your 3 percent toll hike and this year he will be under even more pressure to do so in response to the findings from this election (and) the importance of not being tone deaf to the economic concerns of the middle class,“ Steve Carrellas of the National Motorists Association said. ‘Don’t be surprised if gubernatorial candidates of both parties make
this a campaign issue next year.’ The 3% percent toll increase represents the fifth toll increase since 2020, when the authority gave itself the ability to automatically increase tolls by 3% annually through a process called indexing. That raised tolls in 2020 by 36% on the Turnpike and 27% on the Parkway.” THE PARTY THAT FLOWS BOTH WAYS — “Gottheimer’s Hudson supporters might switch candidates,” by New Jersey Globe’s David Wildstein: “In July, a significant group of Hudson County Democrats said they were ready to support Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-Tenafly) for governor if he ran. But now, four months later – and just days after the North Jersey congressman announced his candidacy – no endorsements are forthcoming, and there are signs that those Democrats might head in a different direction … [Hudson County Democratic Chair Craig] Guy, who is also the Hudson County Democratic Chairman, will attend a reception for another candidate, Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-Montclair), at the New Jersey League of Municipalities convention in Atlantic City this evening. And Guy will not attend Gottheimer’s
breakfast tomorrow morning. For now, the Hudson coalition is in a holding pattern, and no endorsements are expected anytime soon. Still, it appears that Gottheimer’s support from the Hudson group is in trouble. ‘It’s a long way to filing day,’ Guy told the New Jersey Globe.” THE MAN OF MANY ACRONYMS — “Paul Juliano resigns from NJSEA to return to Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield board,” by The Record’s Katie Sobko: “Paul Juliano is returning to the board of Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey next year. The Woodcliff Lake resident — who is also chairman of the Bergen County Democratic Party — served on the board from 2020 to 2023, but left to lead the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority in February 2023. … Juliano served the NJSEA as executive vice president from March through July of last year before taking charge. He earned a salary of $280,000 and will be leaving at the end of the year." — ELEC raises contribution limits —“AG’s office silent about status of 6 year investigation into clergy abuse” —“Gottheimer: Cut funding if congestion pricing proceeds” —“NJ’s affordable housing rules again up for discussion” —“FDU Poll taps NJ’s views on turnpike expansion, Transportation Trust Fund” —“A second potential successor to Assemblyman Herb Conaway has emerged in Burlington County” —“Hotel and gaming trades council backs Fulop for governor” —“Some taxpayers got a second ANCHOR payment in error, N.J. says. Here’s what you should do”
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| BIDEN TIME | |
HE’S NOT IN JERSEY ANYMORE — Trump picks Dr. Oz to be CMS administrator, by POLITICO’s Ben Leonard: President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Mehmet Oz, the celebrity physician and TV personality known as Dr. Oz, to be administrator of CMS. During the pandemic, Dr. Oz, 64, pushed unproven theories about Covid-19 cures, including hydroxychloroquine, that caught Trump’s eye. In 2022, Oz ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania, losing to now-Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.). “Dr. Oz will work closely with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to take on the illness industrial complex, and all the horrible chronic diseases left in its wake,” Trump said in a statement Tuesday. “Dr. Oz will be a leader in incentivizing Disease Prevention, so we get the best results in the World for
every dollar we spend on Healthcare in our Great Country.” Oz has been a major supporter of Medicare Advantage, the program’s private sector alternative that has grown in popularity but has come under intense scrutiny for care denials and alleged overbilling. The pick continues a trend of Trump picking television fixtures for key administration roles
NO ENDEZ IN SIGHT — A federal judge wants to hear more about prosecutors’ admission that jurors who found Sen. Bob Menendez guilty of corruption this summer had access to evidence they should not have seen. U.S. District Court Judge Sidney Stein also set a Jan. 21 trial date for the former senator’s wife, Nadine Menendez, whose trial was delayed as she underwent cancer treatment. Stein gave prosecutors and Bob Menendez’s defense team until Dec. 10 to submit a new round of legal filings after prosecutors said jurors had been given a laptop loaded with some evidence he ruled would tread on a form of immunity given to members of Congress. Federal prosecutors from the Southern District of New York argued the evidence at issue would have been “meaningless and impenetrable” if a juror had seen them and it's unlikely that any had. But Menendez's attorneys told Stein in a letter this week that “the government’s effort to downplay its recent discovery raises more questions about the government’s conduct than it answers” and cited a case where a new trial was ordered in a similar circumstance. The defense attorneys said prosecutors admitted they had erased the laptop that jurors had been given for their deliberations and that prosecutors discovered the laptop issue in late October, about two weeks before they told the court about the error. — Ry Rivard — “Pallone says he was targeted by Azerbaijani government forces at climate conference” —Bhalla: “Making meaning of the presidential race: Lessons for good governance in N.J.” —Miles: “Presidential election should send a message to establishment Democrats” —“Blame the state party for Harris’ uninspiring showing in N.J. | Opinion” —Steinberg: :”The Gaetz appointment – What it portends for the forthcoming Trump appointed New Jersey US Attorney”
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| LOCAL | |
NO SAL-VATION — “Clark mayor to resign as part of plea deal,” by New Jersey Globe’s Zach Blackburn: “Clark Mayor Sal Bonaccorso has entered into a plea agreement with state prosecutors and will resign his seat, the New Jersey Globe has learned. His resignation could come as early as tomorrow when he is scheduled to appear before a Superior Court Judge. Bonaccorso was re-elected to a four-year term on November 5 with 59% of the vote against Democratic challenger Michael Shulman. Last November, Bonaccorso was charged with using township property and employees to run his landscaping business and filing forged permit applications in about two dozen towns to remove underground oil storage tanks. He also faces official misconduct charges for running a tank removal business out of the
mayor’s office. He also faced criticism for a series of racist rants. Clark paid a $400,000 settlement with a police lieutenant who secretly taped Bonaccorso using racial slurs against Black people.” (Flashback: “Come down as you go down”)
IRVINGTON RUNS ON DUNCAN — “The woman behind Irvington, NJ’s $100 million affordable housing project,” by WNYC’s Mike Hayes: “This month, [Nana] Duncan broke ground on a $100 million affordable housing project in one of the most underserved neighborhoods in the East Ward of Irvington, New Jersey. A native of Ghana who moved to the United States for college in 2004, Duncan is one of the first Black female developers to lead an affordable housing project of this magnitude in the state. The development Duncan is planning would add multiple apartment buildings and houses and provide about 240 low- and medium-income families with homes in a New Jersey neighborhood that for the past several decades has fallen into decay. Duncan has successfully redeveloped more than 500,000 square feet of blighted property,
generating more than $200 million in development since opening her firm. She said this project could take up to five years to finish.” MAPP: WYATT DERP — “‘No plan, no clear vision, and no understanding’: Mapp fires back at Wyatt on moratorium,” by TAPIntoPlainfield: “In a letter detailing his stance on development posted to Facebook Sunday night, Mayor Adrian Mapp pushed back on Richard Wyatt's calls for a moratorium on building new apartments. At Tuesday's Plainfield City Council meeting, the third-term mayor laid out his argument in favor of payment in lieu of taxes in perhaps his most concise and emotional plea in recent memory. That same night, Councilman Richard Wyatt, joined by Councilwoman Terri Briggs-Jones, voted against both tax exemptions for consideration. On Friday, Wyatt called for a moratorium on building new apartments, citing overcrowding. … ‘Plainfield stands at a pivotal moment in its history,’ wrote Mapp on
Sunday. ‘Our city was blighted, abandoned, and forgotten for over five decades. Investors looked the other way, infrastructure deteriorated, and residents were left without the resources and opportunities they deserved. It was under my administration that Plainfield finally caught the attention of developers and partners who saw the potential in our community — a potential that I have worked tirelessly to actualize.’” —“Stafford superintendent takes leave of absence following arrest, DUI charges” —“Postal worker charged with 2022 sexual assault of co-worker at Teaneck post office” —“Paterson man with group that tries to reduce violence is shot in 1st Ward” —“Offshore wind company to buy vacant 1.5-acre Atlantic City lot for $1 million” —“CRDA approves $30K for potential lifeguard museum at Boardwalk Hall” —“Late Hoboken Council President Jen Giattino receives tribute from her colleagues”
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EVERYTHING ELSE | |
PRISON MIKE’S SOLD TO THE DEMENTORS — “Jersey Mike’s sandwich chain is acquired by private equity firm Blackstone for $8 billion,” by The AP’s Wyatte Granthan-Phillips: “Jersey Mike’s, the quickly expanding sandwich chain, is being acquired by asset management giant Blackstone. In the transaction announced Tuesday, private equity funds managed by Blackstone will be used to acquire majority ownership of Jersey Mike’s. The deal is ‘ntended to help enable Jersey Mike’s to accelerate its expansion across and beyond the U.S. market,’ the companies said, as well as aid ongoing technological investments. Blackstone and Jersey Mike’s did not immediately disclose financial terms in their Tuesday announcement. But a source familiar with the matter confirmed to The Associated Press that the transaction would value Jersey
Mike’s at around $8 billion. … Jersey Mike’s roots date back to 1956, with a Point Pleasant, New Jersey, storefront location that was originally called Mike’s Subs.”
—“Walking pneumonia is spreading among NJ children. What is it, and how is it treated?”
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