Water Rates Rise
Atlantic City’s Municipal Utilities Authority has raised rates 10 percent to $50 a quarter (they’re still the lowest in the area). The rate rise was needed, the board said, to cover a budget shortfall after one of the authority’s biggest customers stopped buying its water. Who was that big customer? New Jersey American Water, whose lobbyist is Philip Norcross, brother to South Jersey power broker George Norcross. American Water – which could be a possible bidder for Atlantic City’s MUA if it is put up for sale under the state’s takeover of the city’s finances – is negotiating with the MUA to buy a reduced amount of water. Christian Hetrick at the Press of Atlantic City has the story here.
Jared Kushner’s Inlet Property
The Inquirer’s Amy Rosenberg has a neat piece on a chunk of prime Atlantic City real estate that – yup – is vacant. And it’s owned by the property company run by Jared Kushner, the President-elect’s son-in-law. You probably won’t be surprised to learn that there’s an only-in-New-Jersey back story to the land – you can read it here.
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What else is going on? There are headlines today on healthcare (costs of), bear hunt (progress of), solitary confinement (veto of) and more – you can see what else we’re reading here:
Round 2 Of New Jersey’s Bear Hunt Off To Slow Start–Hunters return to the woods for the second day of New Jersey's bear hunt. The second half of this year's hunt got off to a sluggish start Monday with hunters killing 27 bruins. Philly.com
More Delay In Years-Long Effort To Control ‘Surprise’ Medical Bills In NJ–The nearly eight-year campaign to rein in “surprise” medical bills in New Jersey — and better control escalating healthcare costs — will likely continue into 2017, as advocates for healthcare providers, payers, and patients have failed so far to reach consensus on how best to resolve out-of-network insurance disputes. After a weekend of last-minute negotiations, Garden State lawmakers were prepared to vote Monday on an amendment that would have secured support from hospital leaders and possibly other healthcare providers. www.njspotlight.com
Christie Vetoes New Limits On Solitary Confinement–Gov. Chris Christie on Monday vetoed a bill that would have banned solitary confinement for inmates under 21, calling it a “partisan and juvenile” attempt by Democratic lawmakers to drum up headlines. The bill would have curbed solitary confinement in New Jersey’s state prisons and county jails at a time when states around the country and President Obama have acted to restrict the practice of isolating inmates. North Jersey
Near A.C. Gateway, Property Values, Moods Improve — At Least For Some–Cathy Albany's upstairs deck affords her a view of the newest addition to her neighborhood, the Gateway project that will build a Stockton University campus and a South Jersey Gas office building about a block away. And she likes what she sees, both now and into the future, for a devel-opment that’s set to open in 2018. Press of Atlantic City
Disabled Veteran Fighting For Property Tax Exemption–When Christopher Johnson bought his home in the township last summer, it marked a return to his hometown after five years in the Marines and more than a decade battling injuries he sustained in the service.. The tax exemption on his modest ranch home, about $4,600 a year, would help stretch his disability pension as he raises his three sons -- but his application was rejected. Press of Atlantic City
Drone Technology Takes Off in New Jersey–Top researchers from NJ schools met with legislators to talk about research, development and new applications for drone technology. In the near future researchers say they’ll be able to go a step further collecting water samples and delivering insecticide. NJTV News
Galloway Township Couple Sees No End In Their Geocaching–John and Debbie Sallis parked their cars near Reses Pharmacy in Pomona Plaza in its namesake town, they stepped out of their cars and looked down at their phones. The two were geocaching — a worldwide activity that has many treasures hidden, and a following, in South Jersey. Press of Atlantic City
Proposal To Change Non-Public Football Playoffs, Split North And South Voted Down–The measure would have drastically changed the postseason look for non-public football schools. The proposal — presented by West Jersey Football League officials — was looking to divide non-public football schools into four sections instead of three and it would have added another state sectional champion for 37 non-public schools, bringing the statewide total to 24. NJ.com
Few High School Seniors Used PARCC To Graduate State Data Show–Only one of every 9 high school seniors in the Class of 2016 met the New Jersey graduation test requirement by passing the state PARCC exams in language arts and math according to date released by the state Department of Education. Almost half of the almost 96,300 seniors met the testing requirement by taking a state-approved substitute test such as the SAT, PSAT, ACT or Accuplacer. Press of Atlantic City
Christie Touts $126M Benefits From Atlantic City Electric Parent Company Merger–The state approved the merger in April and company executives said it saved ratepayers millions. Gov. Chris Christie on Monday called the merger a "win-win" for ratepayers and the state. NJ.com