Route 40 (https://rtforty.com/2019/01/page/2/)
Carl Icahn appealed the taxes on the Taj Mahal and was given a refund by whatever or whoever is deputized to make the decision to give rich people their taxes back in New Jersey. I don’t have a platoon of accountants handy to explain it to me.
NJ Cannabis Insider and NJ Advance Media are reporting that Chris Brown is one of three Republicans in the state senate that may provide the decisive votes in favor of marijuana legalization. In exchange the trio wants funding for addiction treatment (especially outpatient opioid treatment), funding for the 911 system and reimbursement for municipalities to train “Drug Recognition Experts” to test drivers suspected of operating a vehicle under the influence of marijuana. Bateman has said drugged driving is the biggest issue ahead of legalization, but training the experts (in a state with 565 municipalities) is likely to be very expensive. A spokesman for the senator said told Route 40 Brown continued to have an open mind on the legislation.
Sam Chabotar is doing an around the island swim this summer to promote/help reinstate the Around the Island Swim as a “premier international event” in 2020. That thing was great.
Representative Bill Pascrell asks a question I know has been on my mind latley: “Why is Congress so dumb?”
Almost unbelievably, he puts forward a plausible answer.
Old Revel
The A.P. reports somebody bought a majority stake in the casino property formerly known as the Revel, and Bruce Deifik, who bought it from Glenn Straub, is keeping a “small, non-controlling interest.” Tyner Suit
Current and former employees of the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office filed their lawsuit against Damon Tyner etc., as advertised, alleging a culture of sexism, cronyism and impropriety. The suit also names First Assistant Prosecutor Cary Shill and Deputy First Assistant Prosecutor Mario Formica. In a statement, Tyner said, “The plaintiffs are living in an alternative universe. The very same conduct they accuse me…of committing was actually carried out by them and others during their brief, ineffective period of leadership…”
The old “I’m rubber.
The Philly Inquirer reports that the former Revel/TEN is “possibly headed back on the market” and faces outstanding construction liens for $1.1 million. Not to diminish the importance of lenderly people fighting over their money, but lots of those casinos have liens and this/these one(s) involve the manager of the nightclub, Joey Morrissey, who is suing the new owner, Bruce Deifik, and this lawsuit is what’s alleging Deifik wants to sell. I love the Spotlight but here are two side-by-side stories: One is $11 billion in tax credits to New Jersey businesses, given out with defective oversight. The other is an op-ed from the head of the NJ Chamber of Commerce that we need to stop ignoring the “needs of NJ’s business community.” A bright fireball appeared in the sky over NJ the other day.
County Prosecutor Damon Tyner is facing a lawsuit over gender discrimination and sexual harassment in the workplace. This follows up on the mortgage-fraud allegations and allegations Tyner futzed around in the Kauffman case improperly.
There was a fire at the Sea Breeze condos yesterday. Amanda Auble at the Press has many details in a tidy narrative.
Does it seem like there’s been an uptick in these? Maybe it’s just me.
Here’s a very wonkish piece on the state-of-play in marijuana reform. I’m not sure I understand it, but Phil Murphy wants one thing and the Steve Sweeney/Craig Coughlin axis want another, different thing. Probably the farting around is just due to the time-honored ‘transactional’ nature of New Jersey politics.
Construction could start as soon as the Spring for the next phase of the Orange Loop entertainment and apartment project in Atlantic City.
This phase of the beach-block project will include a 10-room hotel, retail and apartment space, an entertainment area featuring a stage and concession stands and a 51-space parking lot.