Atlantic City residents will be voting November 8 on a school voucher referendum that would, theoretically, give parents $10,000 to send their kids to the school of their (the parents’) choice.
The referendum was proposed by Councilman Jesse Kurtz (who was home-schooled and home-schools his kids) and passed the city council unanimously.
The teacher’s union opposes it, rather strenuously. And vouchers are currently illegal in New Jersey. But with the sky falling down the way it has been, proponents see an opportunity. Read Diane D’Amico’s story.
Today is just another big day for Atlantic City Council, which will be voting on part one of the Big Plan To Save The City From A State Takeover: whether or not to sell former airport Bader Field to the city’s water company, the Municipal Utilities Authority. If it all sounds a bit like moving fluff from inside one pocket to another, that’s because that’s what it is. The city doesn’t even have a whole lot of fluff left in its pockets anymore, but anything to stop the state from taking over… You can read more inside baseball at NJ Spotlight – and if you’re a glutton for punishment, the council meeting is at 5pm.
Meanwhile, both Politico and the Philly Inquirer cover the fact-finding mission by NJ pols to Colorado to look at the effects marijuana legalization have had on that state. (We cannot wait to request the expense filings from that trip).
What are the effects? Well, it sure does seem to mean a lot of manufacturing jobs! (Raise your hand if you don’t like US manufacturing jobs.) Kind of interesting factory jobs. It’s like this is what Roald Dahl really had in mind when he wrote Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
What are the odds of legal, recreational marijuana in NJ? The Inquirer says: “unclear.” Politico’s Matt Friedman seems to think it’s inevitable, noting that both Democrats left in the gubernatorial
running are both on-record as pro legal pot, and the next governor’s likely to be Dem.
Senate Pres Steve Sweeney said, once Christie’s out of office (2018), the legislature will pass it and the next governor will sign it. Five states will vote November 8 on pot referenda, so that may give
concerned parties insight into political wind direction.
Here’s what else we’re reading:
Thanksgiving Football, 1925-Style–Waynesboro beat Chambersburg 12-9 on Thanksgiving Day in 1925 on the last play of the game.
The incomparable Bob Shyrock's dad, Bib Shyrock, scored the insane winning touchdown. NJ.com
A Company Moves to AC! …(from EHT)–A federal contractor with 43 employees will be moving to Atlantic City, from Egg Harbor Township, over the next decade. Enroute Computer Solutions designs air-traffic-control systems and will get up to $9.3 million in state tax credits as an incentive. Do you still count as a "Job Creator" if your business is funded by federal tax dollars? Asking for a friend. Press of Atlantic City
Cherry Hill Fights Proposed Rehab Center–NJ Penn's Matt Skoufalos has details on opposition to a proposed inpatient center for substance abuse at an abandoned Masonic lodge in Cherry Hill.
Residents "flooded" a September planning board meeting after they got a letter from Advanced Recovery Systems, of Fort Lauderdale, claiming they (ARS) had approval to build the treatment center.
“People tend to think that the people we treat at our facilities are criminals,” ARS legal officer Stewart Gold said. “They’re people in the local community who don’t have many options for help. There’s not enough beds to serve the population that needs it.”
The matter seems headed for court.
NJ PEN