Sorry about the Roundup hiatus the last two days, we had to prioritize our paid jobs. We’re glad to be back.
There’s a Democrat Governor in New Jersey and Dems control the state Senate and Assembly – but the Democrats are divided and that’s a problem when it comes to things like, you know, budgets. The Inquirer’s Andrew Seidman has a long read with insight into what’s happening behind the closed doors. Another budget-fight shutdown could loom in the run up to the July 4 holiday.
Elsewhere in money matters, Ted Sherman at NJ.com has an unbelievable story about longshoremen at the Port of Elizabeth, some of whom get paid upwards of $400K per year to do things like wash trucks.
“The top 100 dockworkers alone at the marine terminals on both sides of the river each get more than $300,000 a year,” Sherman says.
I happen to think they deserve every penny, but we should keep these numbers in mind when we hear about how the Fat Cats pulling down $675 a week in Atlantic City are bleeding us dry.
By the way, “prime positions on the waterfront are given to those individuals with connections to the mainly all-white union leadership.” Of course. (Bill).
Elsehwere in budgets, this is staggering: “Corporate tax breaks designed to jolt New Jersey’s economy out of a post-recession slump risk stripping $1 billion a year in revenue from the state budget by 2020” (WSJ, behind a paywall). And here’s your reminder that NJ taxpayers are now paying $300 million a year in subsidies to energy company PSEG’s South Jersey units, which union-man and Senate President Steve Sweeney pushed for and which may or may not have sparked his discord with Gov. Murphy.
Meanwhile, Atlantic City casino revenue was down 5 percent in May, but there’s sports betting now and two new casinos opening, so lets not ask whether this was due to more than just the bad weather this spring. (And speaking of new casinos – Ocean Resort is getting an 11th hour casino license hearing.)
For everything else happening around here, see below:
Trial Set For Atlantic City Brothers Accused In 2013 Killing–Two Atlantic City brothers tied to a violent drug gang will go on trial for murder this summer. Mykal and Malik Derry are set to go to trial Aug. 21. breakingac.com
Complaints Lead To A Dozen Drug Arrests In Atlantic City–Complaints by Atlantic City residents and merchants led to a dozen drug arrests, police said. Surveillance targeted drug dealers in the 1700 block of Atlantic Avenue, and led to the arrests that included four 17-year-olds and recovery of heroin, cocaine and marijuana, Sgt. Kevin Fair said. breakingac.com
Man Arrested, Atlantic City Officer Injured In Foot Pursuit–A man was arrested and an officer injured in a gun call Tuesday. On June 12, 2018, at 5:12 pm, officers responded to the 4000 block of Ventnor Avenue for a report of a man with a handgun and a large group in a fight. breakingac.com
Why New Jersey Officials Are Bullish On Atlantic City Budget Plan–The $225 million budget proposal Atlantic City Mayor Frank Gilliam unveiled Tuesday would keep property taxes flat for a second straight year and shows the city's continued progress, according to the state body that oversees the city. The stable tax rate is aided by budget reductions, state aid assistance and savings achieved from a $49.2 million bond sale in April to finance pension and healthcare obligations from 2015. www.bondbuyer.com
Atlantic City FC Pick Up Two Wins–Plagued by some bad luck and bad weather in a three-game losing streak, Atlantic City FC got their inaugural season on track last week with a pair of wins behind a couple game-winning penalty kicks from captain Sidney Rivera. Rivera had a brace last Wednesday in a 3-1 win over Electric City Shock at home and scored the lone goal in a 1-0 win over Hershey FC on the road on Saturday. www.brotherlygame.com
Next Four New Moons To Bring Heightened Risk Of Coastal Flooding–According to the National Weather Service, the next four new moons will bring higher than normal tides. This will take us through the summer, as the first of the new moons occurs Wednesday. www.pressofatlanticcity.com
Historically Dry Pitman Looks To Sell Its First Liquor License, But Some Say The Price Is Too High–The Women’s Christian Temperance Union fountain shares the entrance to Promise Park with a memorial to the couple dozen fighters from the town who served in World War I. Across the street is historic Pitman Grove, where the town’s Methodist founders established the town of Pitman at a camp meeting in 1871. www.philly.com
Two Killed In Plane Crash In South Jersey Were On An ‘Angel Flight’ To Help Patient In Need–The two men killed Wednesday morning when a small passenger plane crashed in a rural part of Burlington County were on an “angel flight” to transport a medical patient in need of care, New Jersey State Police said Thursday. Lt. Ted Schafer, a State Police spokesman, identified the men as Robert Winner, of Evesham Township, a former dairy farmer and registered owner of the plane, and Timothy Scannevin, of Southampton. www.philly.com
ICE Operation ‘Targeting Criminal Aliens’ In NJ Netted Permanent Residents–The subject line on a press release issued Monday by Immigration and Customs Enforcement said agents arrested 91 people, most of them in New Jersey, over the course of a five-day operation last week "targeting criminal aliens." The resulting news headlines highlighted the information provided in the release — that a convicted murder, rapists and gang members were among those picked up. www.wnyc.org
Small Plane Crashes In Rural Area Of Southern New Jersey–Authorities say a small plane has crashed in a rural part of southern New Jersey. But it wasn’t immediately clear if anyone aboard the Hawker Beechcraft 58 Baron aircraft was injured or killed. whyy.org