Good Wednesday morning!

I should probably set a reminder on my phone for Spring 2025 so I can check up on the implementation of the massive “StayNJ” tax break program.

You may have read Tom Moran’s column arguing that the whole thing is fake, that legislative leaders and the current and future governor will have many outs before its supposed January 2026 implementation.

POLITICO’s Daniel Han points out a provision of the new law that won’t allay those suspicions. Late changes to the bill create a “Stay NJ Task Force” charged with making recommendations to implement the program alongside existing property tax relief programs. Then the Legislature and governor must implement those recommendations, but only after they determine that “such recommendations are appropriate.”

If the Legislature and governor don’t implement this new unspecified legislation — which is what the task force calls for — then StayNJ benefits will be delayed from going out indefinitely.

A Murphy administration official told Han the new legislation is necessary since there will be statutory changes needed to existing property tax relief programs like ANCHOR and Senior Freeze to implement StayNJ.

I can’t tell you what lawmakers’ true intents were. But I have seen big promises reneged in the face of budget troubles, like former Gov. Christie cutting of pension payments. So it’s right to be skeptical.

TIPS? FEEDBACK? Email me at [email protected].

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “In one such video recorded in chambers, Respondent, wearing a T-shirt with his face close to the camera, lip-syncs the following lyrics from Jump by 2 Rihanna: ‘If you want it let’s do it. Ride it, my pony. My saddle is waitin’, come and jump on it. If you want it, let’s do it.’” — An Advisory Committee on Judicial Conduct complaint against Superior Court Judge Gary Wilcox, who posted TikTok videos under the alias “Sal Tortorella”

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Kabir Moss, Kate McDonnell, Mark Mueller, Ben Giovine. Missed Monday: Jim McGreevy (The Coca-Cola guy, not the former governor), Marleina Ubel

WHERE’S MURPHY? — appearing live on Bloomberg “Balance of Power” at 5 p.m.

ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON JUDICIAL CONDUCT AIN’T NUTHING TA F’ WIT — “Judge investigated over his profane TikTok videos,” by The New York Times’ Tracey Tully: “For two years, a judge in New Jersey used a pseudonym to post TikTok videos of himself lip-syncing lyrics from popular rap songs. In some, he was wearing judicial robes or shown walking through a courthouse, according to the state’s Advisory Committee on Judicial Conduct. Others included explicit references to violence, sex and misogyny. At least one was taken in bed. On Monday, the court system said it had filed a complaint against the Superior Court judge, Gary N. Wilcox, who will now face a hearing that could lead to discipline ranging from a reprimand to dismissal from the bench … His lawyer, Robert Hille, said that he was reviewing the complaint and would be filing a response. ‘I don’t think that at the end of the day anybody is going to believe there was any desire to do any harm here,’ Mr. Hille said … According to the complaint, he used an alias, ‘Sal Tortorella’ to post roughly 40 publicly … Several were recorded in his court chambers and included songs that contained ‘profanity, graphic sexual references to female and male body parts, and/or racist terms,’ according to the committee.”

3.33 MASTROS — Proposed maternal health center gets up to $30 million boost from budget, by POLITICO’s Daniel Han: The proposed New Jersey Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Center is slated to get a big bump in funding from the FY24 budget Gov. Phil Murphy signed Friday. The center — which is a key part of first lady Tammy Murphy’s maternal health initiatives — is expected to receive up to $30 million under a new line item in the budget, according to Murphy spokesperson Jennifer Sciortino. That’ll be on top of the approximately $2.2 million set aside in S3864, legislation to set up the new center.

ATLANTIC UNSURES — “New Jersey’s other wind farm developer wants government breaks, too; says project ‘at risk’,” by The AP’s Wayne Parry: “A company approved to build New Jersey’s third offshore wind farm says it, too, wants government financial incentives, saying its project and the jobs it would create are “at risk” without the additional help. Atlantic Shores issued a statement Friday, shortly after New Jersey lawmakers approved a tax break for Danish wind developer Orsted, which has approval to build two wind farms off the state’s coast. Elaborating on Monday, the Atlantic City-based Atlantic Shores said it has contacted the offices of New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, and leaders of the state Senate and Assembly, saying it seeks a “solution that stabilizes all awarded projects … Atlantic Shores did not say precisely what sort of assistance it wants, and refused to publicly clarify its request, or discuss the likelihood of being able to complete the project with its current financing.”

FLUSHING THE FLUSH — “NJ politicians wasted chance to fix systemic problems in latest budget,” by The Record’s Charles Stile: “The surprisingly chaotic days leading to a $54.3 billion state budget obscured one disappointing outcome: The Democrats who run the table in Trenton simply wasted a big chance to finance long-overdue and systemic change … But this year was different. It may be years, possibly decades, before New Jersey finds itself so flush with cash to tackle long-festering and chronic problems. It has been a bounteous time, a confluence of federal pandemic aid, healthy revenue collections and savings from refinanced debt. It gave the state the resources to repair and invest in ways creative and long-term and necessary. Yet that federal pandemic aid is running out and revenues are declining as signs of a recession hover on the horizon. The window is closing. If there ever was a time to do the grimy work of revamping Motor Vehicle Commission operations or unemployment insurance systems that failed to churn out checks during the height of the COVID lockdowns, this was the time to do it.”

— “Here’s how New Jersey has lowered its prison population. It’s just a start, ACLU says,”

— “NJ Transit adds hundreds of bus trips, but some riders still lose service”

— Paterson’s new top cop can bypass typical training under new law

— “N.J. tries to lure N.Y. worker tax dollars with new bill aimed at remote workers”

— “More N.J. police, firefighters can retire with pensions after 20 years under law Murphy just signed”

— “Bill to overturn NJ brewery restrictions heads to Gov. Murphy’s desk”

— Bergen “NJ Democrats’ StayNJ tax relief robs the poor to reward the rich”

— Democratic candidates hold major cash advantage over Republicans heading into legislative election

RESIGNORELLO — “Signorello will announce challenge to Kean this month,” by New Jersey Globe’s David Wildstein: “Roselle Park Mayor Joseph Signorello will switch races, dropping his challenge to Bob Menendez in the Democratic U.S. Senate primary and instead will challenge freshman Rep. Tom Kean, Jr. (R-Westfield) in New Jersey’s 7th district. Signorello told the New Jersey Globe that he will formally announce his congressional run within the next two weeks.”

HE SHOULD’VE NAMED THE PUP ANTHONY DEVOLDER — “Veteran who says George Santos stole money from his sick dog gets a new pup,” by NJ Advance Media’s Karin Price Mueller: “Richard Osthoff, the New Jersey veteran who said Rep. George Santos (R-NY) stole $3,000 that was collected in a fundraiser for the disabled man’s dying dog, spent the July 4th holiday getting to know his new service dog. The dog, a pit bull service-dog-in-training named Cinder, was given to Osthoff by the N.J. Veterans Network, a charity that provides veterans in the state with resources, at Florham Park’s July 4th parade”

— Patrick Murray: “The Fourth of July is a call to stewardship”

BETTER AT BASKETBALL THAN LIFE — “City council candidate Barclay faces charges in car-pedestrian mishap,” by TAPIntoCamden’s Neill Borowski: “Arthur Barclay, a former state assemblyman and current candidate for Camden City Council, was issued a summons after his vehicle allegedly struck a pedestrian early Saturday morning, July 1, the Camden County Police Department confirmed on Monday … The accident occurred at 12:17 a.m. at a parking lot on Benson Street when a red sedan struck a pedestrian, according to [CCPD spox Dan] Keashen’s report. The woman, 37, was transported to Cooper University Hospital and remains there in stable condition, the statement on Monday evening reported … Barclay resigned from his Assembly post in June 2018 after he was arrested and charged with simple assault in connection with a domestic incident. However, the charge was dropped, and the case was dismissed two months later when the complainant did not appear in court. On Friday night/Saturday morning, Barclay reportedly had left a nearby retirement party for Camden County Commissioner Al Dyer … Barclay, 41, is a former Camden High basketball star who later played for the University of Memphis.”

FENCES WILL BE MENDEZED — “Alex Mendez, Paterson mayor’s political rival, named council president,” by The Paterson Press’ Joe Malinconico: “Alex Mendez, often labeled a criminal by Mayor Andre Sayegh, emerged as the City Council’s new president on Saturday, winning a split vote by getting support from several of the mayor’s closest allies. Mendez’s victory in the battle for the presidency came three years to the day after he was relegated to the sidelines at Paterson’s 2020 council reorganization meeting, barred from taking the oath of office by a judge even though he garnered the most votes in that year’s 3rd Ward election. Mendez continues to live under the cloud of a pending election fraud indictment in a case that the councilman says was orchestrated by Sayegh’s friends in Trenton … ‘It’s time for us to unite this council,’ Mendez said … Sayegh sent Paterson Press a statement on Mendez’s presidency that struck a conciliatory tone.”

HOBOWOOD — “Hoboken considers new fees, process for film shoot applicants as Hollywood interest blossoms,” by The Jersey Journal’s Teri West: “Colleen Hoover and her popular novels have taken the world by storm in many ways, one of which now includes inspiring legislation in Hoboken. When a shoot for the “It Ends With Us” film, based on a Hoover novel, occupied Hoboken Councilman Phil Cohen’s ward for weeks, the councilman began brainstorming ways the city could capitalize more on the demand for the mile square city as a filming location. He has since begun the process of developing an ordinance that would streamline the application process for studios to film in Hoboken and establish some higher fees.”

A MORE BORING DUNE SEQUEL — “N. Wildwood puts signs at all beaches urging Gov. Murphy to fix dune erosion, latest move in feud,” by The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Frank Kummer: “Sunbathers in North Wildwood will get an unusual red, white, and blue greeting at beaches in time for July Fourth: Signs at every beach entrance singling out Gov. Phil Murphy and Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn LaTourette for what the town says is failure to act on dune erosion. ‘These two are directly responsible for the state’s inaction on replenishing North Wildwood’s beaches,’ it reads. The signs, erected Tuesday, are part of an acrimonious, yearslong dispute between North Wildwood and the DEP over severe beach erosion that was ratcheted up most recently in January when the community sued the state for $21 million.”

BLATLAND — “Atlantic City waterpark opens at Showboat; ‘This is a pretty big step’ for city,” by The Press of Atlantic City’s Michelle Brunetti Post: “In a surprise move, Island Waterpark at Showboat opened at noon Tuesday, three days earlier than owner Bart Blatstein had hoped after last week’s delay due to a permitting issue. The Fourth of July opening came in time for the holiday crowds in the resort and on the Boardwalk to get a glimpse of the $100 million attraction billed as ‘the world’s largest beachfront waterpark.’”

— “A 27-year councilwoman and a 6-year councilman want to be Kearny mayor. Their colleagues have to choose”

THEY’RE SHOPPING AT ACME — “Second N.J. park closed due to sightings of aggressive coyotes, officials say,” by NJ Advance Media’s Nicolas Fernandes: “A second park in New Jersey has been closed following a coyote sighting, officials said. Brightwood Park in Westfield is closed until further notice due to sightings of ‘aggressive coyote behavior,’ the township said in a social post. The town said no injuries have occurred and that the sightings are under investigation by the police and township health department.”

NYC MAYORAL TRANSPARENCY: SKIN SO THIN YOU CAN SEE RIGHT THROUGH IT — “N.J. professor glad exchange went viral after NYC mayor called her a plantation owner,” by NJ Advance Media’s Jackie Roman: “A professor of 20 years at Rutgers University-Newark who New York City Mayor Eric Adams called a plantation owner at a town hall on Wednesday during a heated exchange over rent increases said she’s glad their confrontation went viral. “I’m happy it happened, because now this is going to bring attention to what kind of a mayor he is and how anti-people he is,’ said Jeanie Dubnau, an 83-year-old professor of microbiology at Rutgers University and longtime tenants rights activist in her Washington Heights neighborhood in Manhattan … ‘Why in New York City, where the real estate is controlling you Mr. Mayor, why are we having these horrible rent increases last year and this year?’ Dubnau asked. Adams … ‘I’m speaking to you like an adult. Don’t stand in front like you treated someone that’s on the plantation that you own. Give me the respect I deserve,’ said the mayor … Dubnau also happens to be a survivor of Nazi Germany.”

CANNABIS INDUSTRY UNVEILS SMOKEY SIDEKICK, VAPEY THE GROUNDHOG — “Smokey Bear tours the Garden State this summer during ‘surreal’ wildfire season,” by WNYC’s Rosemary Misdary: An exhibit of Smokey Bear paintings is traveling through the Garden State this summer. The mobile art show, hosted by the New Jersey Forest Fire Service, includes 19 paintings done in oil, acrylics and watercolor by Rudy Wendelin — the artist credited with popularizing the brawny brown bear as the icon of the U.S. Forest Service’s fire prevention campaign.”

KIRBY’S GREEDLAND — “Passengers were stuck because United Airlines canceled their flights. The CEO took a private plane,” by The AP’s David Koenig: “United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby apologized Friday for hopping on a private plane to get out of the New York area earlier this week while thousands of United passengers were stranded because the airline canceled so many flights … Kirby caught the private flight from Teterboro, New Jersey, to Denver on Wednesday, when United canceled 750 flights — one-fourth of its schedule for the day.”