McWhite appointed D&I director for NJCRC
Wesley McWhite III will lead the Cannabis Regulatory Commission’s office in charge of establishing and administering practices and procedures to bring socially and economically disadvantaged New Jerseyans into the state's medical and adult use cannabis industries.
Cannabis Regulatory Commission releases initial rules
After an hour of delays attributed to technical difficulties, the group convened in a public meeting in front of nearly 1,000 New Jerseyans to lay out the groundwork paving the way for the state's adult use industry, which included the prioritization of social equity, diversely owned and impact zone businesses; easing access to the market for entrepreneurs; working with municipal partners; and lay[...]
NJ, feds would spend $16B for massive floodgates, home elevations along shore
Under the plan, three bays in the state could be closed during major storms and barriers at two additional ones would be created to cut them in half during major weather events.
Cannabis, COVID-19 most heavily-lobbied issues last year
The number of “contacts” - ranging from sit-down meetings to mass emails - made between lawmakers and special interest groups numbered 16,415, with the largest percentage - 12%, or 2,033 - related to the pandemic.
NJ can’t use federal COVID funds to prevent unemployment tax hike until next year
A spokesperson for Gov. Phil Murphy’s office said that the rates for employers were set into law when Murphy approved a bill in January to space out payments, “making any contribution of federal funds irrelevant in the current fiscal year.”
Murphy holds 16-point lead over Ciattarelli in latest poll (updated)
“Welcome to New Jersey elections, where a large chunk of the electorate does not tune in until mid-October,” Patrick Murray, who heads the Monmouth University Polling Institute, said of results released on Aug. 18 . “That means Ciattarelli still has to be introduced to most voters.”
NJ revises its oldest business incentives
Under an expansion and revival of the Urban Enterprise Zone program, first established in 1983, the state will set aside $42.5 million through the end of June 2022 for grants, tax breaks, revolving loans and other support for businesses that open in some of the state’s most impoverished communities.
Bill gains bipartisan backing for federal COVID funds to prevent $250M tax hike (updated)
Two South Jersey Democratic state senators are signing on to a mostly Republican-led effort to use American Rescue Plan money to prevent an increase in N.J. employers' unemployment levy.
After 2 years offline, NJ reopens apps for key development incentives
The Economic Redevelopment and Growth gap financing program will compensate developers for up to 30% of project costs - or 40% in Atlantic City, Camden, Paterson, Passaic and Trenton - for retail, office, or industrial projects that are at least 100,000 square feet.
NJ businesses hit with $250M unemployment tax hike
Spread over three years, the first increase - meant to replenish the state's unemployment fund after more than 2 million people filed jobless claims over the past 17 months - takes effect on Oct. 1. All told, employers could be on the hook for nearly $1 billion.
The road ahead
New Jersey supporters say the $1.2 trillion infrastructure package moving through Congress could bring billions of dollars for the state’s crumbling roads, bridges, rails and tunnels. But many on the transportation side contend the historic infusion of cash means public leaders need to take a hard look at how citizens get around.
NJ leaders try carrots, sticks with new NY gov on congestion pricing
Public leaders are looking at ways to stave off a hit to Garden State commuters that U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer estimates could bump up costs to $31 a day for drivers.