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NJ Spotlight--NJ Court Determines How Many Affordable-Housing Units Needed by 2025
Ruling sets statewide housing quota for new affordable units at close to 155,000, according to Mercer County Superior Court Assignment Judge Mary Jacobson
A Superior Court judge's ruling on two Mercer County communities' affordable-housing obligations has finally answered the question of how many homes for low- and moderate-income residents New Jersey towns should provide for by 2025.
In her ruling that set a statewide housing quota for new affordable units at close to 155,000, Mercer County Superior Court Assignment Judge Mary Jacobson struck a compromise between the higher number that housing advocates say is needed and the smaller amount that municipalities had sought. Jacobson recognized the importance of the 217-page ruling she issued last Thursday.
Colleen O'Dea | March 12, 2018
NJ Spotlight--Opinion: Trenton's Circular Firing Squad
Democratic leaders compete to harm New Jersey's tax competitiveness
After years of championing New Jersey's generous corporate tax incentives for job creation and economic development, and just one week before Gov. Phil Murphy delivers a budget address that will undoubtedly include a new millionaires tax, Senate President Stephen M. Sweeney has proposed a dramatic increase in New Jersey's corporate income tax to support increased education-related spending.
Sweeney claims that hiking the corporate tax rate from 9 percent to 12 percent on earnings above $1 million would raise $657 million, which just happens to match roughly the amount that Murphy expects to raise by imposing a tax of 10.75 percent on incomes above $1 million. Notwithstanding this apparent coincidence, Sweeney says his proposal is not an "alternative" to Murphy's millionaires tax, which he has nonetheless criticized as a "last resort" in the wake of the recent federal tax
http://www.njspotlight.com/stories/18/03/11/opinion-trenton-s-circular-firing-squad/
Andrew Sidamon-Eristoff | March 12, 2018
Star Ledger--Is this the charter school 'time out' Murphy promised?
New Jersey's new governor will consider changes to the state's charter school law, potentially slowing the expansion of controversial, yet in-demand schools championed by former Gov. Chris Christie.
The state on Friday announced a "comprehensive review" of its charter school law, fulfilling one of Gov. Phil Murphy's campaign promises after an era of rapid school choice growth.
It's unclear, however, how long the review will last or whether applications to expand or open charter schools will be considered during the process. Neither the state Department of Education nor the governor's office answered questions about the review.
Adam Clark Updated Mar 11, 11:19 PM; Posted Mar 11, 9:30 AM
Star Ledger--Teaching math and learning the sound of gunfire: America, 2018
Can you tell the difference between gunshots and fireworks? Do they sound far away, or are they close, such as just outside a closed door?
And how quickly can you identify the shots fired? Would you know before the gun was in the same room as you?
That's what the Voorhees Township police department wanted to be sure teachers and faculty at Eastern Regional High School could do if a shooter were to infiltrate the campus.
Amanda Hoover| Updated Mar 10; Posted Mar 10
The Record--Editorial: Don’t take long to plot future without PARCC tests
The trap door under the state’s PARCC (Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers) exams is beginning to open. But there’s still a lot of work to do before the controversial tests drop into history.
Mark this down as another instance of practical realities getting in the way of bold campaign declarations.
Remember those “Day One” pledges from Gov. Phil Murphy that he would promptly jettison PARCC once he takes office? Well, it’s a little more complicated than that. Planning for this year’s exams was too far along to responsibly alter their course. Dumping PARCC after three years is one thing, but what replaces it? The state can’t just decide to drop standardized student assessments entirely; laws require that it have some form of testing to evaluate how students are being served.
NorthJersey Published 6:30 a.m. ET March 12, 2018
Association Press (via Press of Atlantic City-- NJ Democrats wrangle over which taxes to hike as budget nears
TRENTON — Gov. Phil Murphy might have been expected to get his first budget through with few if any hurdles when he introduces it next week, but that’s not exactly how things are shaping up.
Murphy, a Democrat, will deliver his budget address Tuesday to the Democrat-led Legislature, giving a glimpse of how he plans to achieve his campaign promises: funding pensions, education and other priorities such as free community college.
He has promised to raise taxes on incomes over $1 million as part of his pledge to finance his priorities, but his proposal is facing headwinds from lawmakers within his own party.
Democratic state Sen. Vin Gopal said New Jersey is already too costly and that raising income taxes could make the problem worse: “A millionaires tax should be an absolute last resort.”
MIKE CATALINI Associated Press| March 11, 2018
CBS News--Betsy DeVos on guns, school choice and why people don't like her
The secretary of education has been one of the most criticized members of President Trump's Cabinet, but DeVos says she's "more misunderstood than anything"
Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos is a devout Christian grandmother from Michigan -- who has spent most of her life trying to improve the quality of education for poor kids. So how in the world did she become one of the most hated members of the Trump Cabinet?
She is dedicated to promoting school choice but her critics say she really wants to privatize the public school system that she once called, quote, "a dead end."
Now, after the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, her portfolio is expanding. Monday, President Trump is expected to appoint her as head of a new commission on school safety charged with developing policies to prevent school violence.
Lesley Stahl| 2018 Mar 11
