Category: Friday Facts and Figures

Friday Facts and Figures is a weekly newsletter with data points, analysis, and commentary on the biggest policy debates in New Jersey and beyond.
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As a heads up, I’m taking over Friday Facts while Louie is out of office.

127,000

After years of fighting for a Temp Workers’ Bill of Rights, advocates and about 127,000 workers are yet again waiting for basic labor rights for temp workers. Lawmakers unexpectedly pulled the bill on Monday, citing concerns that it wouldn’t have the support necessary to pass. Temp workers helped keep New Jersey’s economy afloat during the height of the COVID-19 crisis, yet they don’t receive basic protections, benefits like paid sick leave, or pay that’s comparable to other workers. With temp workers’ health, safety, and dignity on the line they can’t wait much longer for lawmakers to act. [NJ.com / Matt Arco and Kelly Heyboer]

$500 Million

50 environmental, labor and health advocates are calling on the Murphy administration to protect the Clean Energy Fund. In a letter to Governor Murphy, advocates said that the governor and Legislature have diverted over $500 million intended for the state’s Clean Energy Fund over the last four budget cycles, funds which could have helped expand a wide range of programs to reduce air pollution, develop clean and renewable sources of energy, lower rates and create good, family sustaining jobs. “If there was ever a year to stop raiding the Clean Energy Fund, this was it,” said NJPP Policy Analyst Alex Ambrose. “There is no good reason to continue these raids, especially when the state had record revenue collections and a $6 billion surplus. The future of New Jersey depends on new and exciting investments in clean energy. We need this money, combined with federal funds, to modernize our state and invest in our future.” [ROI-NJ / ROI-NJ Staff]

Youth Services

In a new proposal, the state’s Department of Children and Families is suggesting adopting a new hub-and-spoke youth services model, moving away from the current school-based model which has been in place for 35 years. But advocates have raised concerns about equity and accessibility, pointing out that creating this new network of support services will be a massive undertaking — particularly given the quick turnaround time planned and the recent decline in mental health services and support staff for Black students in schools. New Jersey should bolster youth services without removing existing supports, to create an environment where all students have what they need for success. [NJ Monitor / Nikita Biryukov]

Pensions

Anyone with a credit card knows that paying down debt as soon as possible saves you money in the long run. Thanks to recent revenue windfalls, New Jersey was able to do just that by increasing its annual pension contributions to cover the benefits of current state employees and repaying debts from decades of mismanagement. This progress received high praise in a new report from The Pew Charitable Trusts, but came with a warning: Large-scale contributions will be necessary for nearly three more decades and, without a long-term plan in place, New Jersey risks undermining its budget and spending priorities for years to come. [NJ Spotlight News / John Reitmeyer]

100 Feet

With election day only a few weeks away, lawmakers have approved a measure allowing police at some polling locations — and it could be enacted in time for midterms. Under current law, officers are prohibited from coming within 100 feet of a polling place or dropbox unless there is a threat or emergency. While the new rule was proposed to help protect students and seniors, police presence can intimidate voters — especially Black and Brown voters who are regularly disenfranchised and have higher rates of negative interactions with police. At a critical time in our democracy, it’s more important than ever to remove barriers for those who wish to exercise their right to vote. [NJ Spotlight News / Colleen O’Dea]

ICYMI

October 22 is National Day Against Police Brutality. To mark the date, NJPP Policy Analyst and State Policy Fellow Marleina Ubel tweeted a thread with valuable insight and research on community-based alternatives to policing as well as information about how you can join the fight to help end police violence. [Twitter / Marleina Ubel]

Pets of NJPP

Meet Hank, the furry roommate of Clark Goldenrod from the Minnesota Budget Project and NJPP’s sister organization. Hank is a former street kitty who now enjoys chicken, tuna juice, and affordable housing. Meow!

Have a fact or figure for us? Tweet it to @NJPolicy. 

Friday Facts and Figures is a weekly newsletter with data points, analysis, and commentary on the biggest policy debates in New Jersey and beyond.
Sign up here.

As a heads up, I’m taking over Friday Facts for two weeks while Louie is out of office.

Access

Good news for people with periods: New Jersey is taking steps to help address period poverty by making menstrual hygiene products more accessible and boosting screenings for certain reproductive health issues. One bill proposes a program to provide period products for New Jerseyans experiencing homelessness, helping remove the stigma surrounding menstruation and making sure menstrual hygiene is not a privilege, but a right. “These residents already face daunting challenges to live healthy and happy lives, and should not have to risk their health and wellness as they try to find a permanent and stable home,” said NJPP Senior Policy Analyst Brittany Holom-Trundy. [Press of Atlantic City / Eric Conklin and Selena Vazquez]

400

Renters in New Jersey — particularly immigrants and renters of color — struggle to afford rising rent costs and live in unsafe housing conditions, according to a report from Make the Road New Jersey. Surveying 400 tenants, the report found that while renters face these obstacles, they also face barriers when applying for aid. While the state lawmakers grapple with what it means to make New Jersey affordable for all, the report includes policy recommendations like strengthening rent control laws, addressing living conditions, and expanding rental assistance, while targeting outreach to immigrant communities so families don’t have to struggle to make ends meet. [NorthJersey.com / Ashley Balcerzak]

$746 Billion

While these communities struggle to make ends meet, the stark reality is that less than one percent of New Jerseyans hold over $746 billion in wealth. The wealth inequality uncovered in a new report from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP) both reflects and exacerbates racial inequity, and limits economic opportunity for families in New Jersey and nationwide. “Runaway wealth inequality is an enormous problem for New Jersey, but the good news is that we have the tools to fight it,” said NJPP Senior Policy Analyst Sheila Reynertson. “Closing the tax loopholes that have helped build so much of this nation’s extreme wealth is a commonsense way that lawmakers in Trenton and D.C. can combat inequality and promote opportunity.” Read the full report by clicking the link. [ITEP / Carl Davis, Emma Sifre, and Spandan Marasini]

#22901

New Jersey’s first electric bus #22901 is here! The all-green bus will be joined by seven others by the end of the year and will provide real-world data to determine the future of electrics when it hits the road at the end of October. Battery range is the biggest factor in determining where the buses will run, but electric buses are more suitable for urban routes where residents will see the benefits in improved air quality. Given that so many New Jerseyans rely on public transportation on a daily basis, the transition to an electric fleet will help bring New Jersey closer to environmental justice and improved public health for its residents. [NJ.com / Larry Higgs]

1.7 Million

Medicare’s open enrollment period begins this Saturday for over 1.7 million New Jersey seniors. Residents who are covered under Medicare can make changes to their plan and tweak their coverage to find a plan that works best for them. Free help is available through the State Health Insurance Assistance Program, or SHIP, run by the Department of Human Services. [NJ Spotlight News / Lilo H. Stainton]

ICYMI

With less than a month to go until the election on November 8, representatives from all congressional districts as well as some state and local elected offices are up for a vote. See who’s on your ballot and make sure to register to vote before October 18. [vote.nj.gov]

Pets of NJPP

Meet Ghost, the furry friend of one of NJPP’s faithful Twitter followers. He hates water, German Shepherds, and PILOT programs. Woof!

Have a fact or figure for us? Tweet it to @NJPolicy. 

Friday Facts and Figures is a weekly newsletter with data points, analysis, and commentary on the biggest policy debates in New Jersey and beyond.
Sign up here.

We’re back after a two-week hiatus to focus on (and recover from) the gala and conference — more on that below. And as a heads up, the next two Friday Facts will come from Erica Boland as I will be out of the office.

Next Year

When lawmakers created the new state-level Child Tax Credit earlier this year, the bill text included a small but significant error: Tax credits wouldn’t go out to families until 2024, not during the upcoming tax season as intended. Thankfully, lawmakers caught the error and came back to Trenton earlier this week to clean it up so families with young children will not have to wait an extra year for their $500 credits. “Working class families need help right now to keep up with rising costs, and this law will make sure the new Child Tax Credit provides immediate relief,” NJPP’s Peter Chen told NJ Spotlight News. [NJ Spotlight News / John Reitmeyer]

6,500

In a surprise move, President Biden announced yesterday that he will grant pardons for federal cannabis possession charges, which could benefit at least 6,500 people across the nation. The President also directed the Justice Department to review how cannabis is scheduled under federal law, as its current Schedule 1 classification is a barrier to cannabis research and legal cannabis businesses using federally chartered banks. Make no mistake, this is long overdue step toward ending the failed War on Drugs, but much more work remains to treat drug use as an issue of public health instead of punishment. [NJ.com / Jonathan D. Salant]

10

With the 10-year anniversary of Hurricane Sandy around the corner, lawmakers held a special hearing this week on New Jersey’s progress addressing climate change and storm resiliency. Unfortunately, the hearing begged more questions than it answered. Superstorm survivors detailed how the state still hasn’t provided them promised relief, and environmental advocates highlighted inaction on key resiliency measures like new flood zone rules. Watch clips of the hearing here, and read this op-ed by NJPP’s Alex Ambrose on the need for new flood maps. [NJ Monitor / Dana DiFilippo]

Half

Nearly half of domestic violence victims say law enforcement was dismissive of them, according to a new report by Partners for Women and Justice, a nonprofit law firm that provides free legal assistance to survivors of domestic and sexual assault. The report, which surveyed survivors across northern New Jersey, highlights the need to rethink how law enforcement responds to domestic violence cases, which make up a one in four of all criminal cases in the state. The report recommends the state fund and delegate more responsibilities to non-police crisis response teams, including domestic violence advocates and social workers. [NJ.com / Trish Perlmutter and Shana Kleiner]

1,460 Percent

CEO pay has grown a whopping 1,460 percent since 1978, according to a new report by the Economic Policy Institute. The ratio of CEO-to-worker pay is now 399-to-1, a new record high (the previous peak was 372-to-1 in 2000). From the report: “This escalation of CEO compensation and of executive compensation more generally has fueled the growth of top 1% and top 0.1% incomes, leaving fewer of the gains of economic growth for ordinary workers and widening the gap between very high earners and the bottom 90%.” [Economic Policy Institute / Josh Bivens and Jori Kandra]

ICYMI

Thank you to all who celebrated NJPP’s 25th anniversary with us! Click the link to see photos from our 25th Anniversary Gala in New Brunswick. [NJPP / 25th Anniversary Gala]

Pets of NJPP

Meet Lizzie Foley’s pup, Tessa! She arrived from Puerto Rico as a rescue almost a year ago and has been tearing up boxes and stealing yogurts off the table ever since. Woof!

Have a fact or figure for us? Tweet it to @NJPolicy. 

Friday Facts and Figures is a weekly newsletter with data points, analysis, and commentary on the biggest policy debates in New Jersey and beyond.
Sign up here.

Join us at our 25th anniversary celebration this September in New Brunswick!
[NJPP / Register Now]

150 Million

There’s a new court challenge to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) — this time on access to free preventive health services like cancer screenings, birth control, and testing and treatment for diabetes, depression, and HIV/AIDS. Earlier this week, a federal judge in Texas decided that offering these services with no out-of-pocket costs violates a private company’s religious beliefs, putting the health care of 150 million people at risk. Fortunately, even if the ruling is upheld, this will have little impact on residents of New Jersey after lawmakers codified ACA protections in state law back in 2020. Here’s what NJPP’s Brittany Holom-Trundy has to say about the judge’s ruling: “This latest attack on the Affordable Care Act is discrimination masquerading as religious freedom.” [NJ Spotlight News / Lilo Stainton]

125,000

Some more national news: Freight railroads and labor unions representing 125,000 rail workers reached a tentative agreement to avert a nationwide strike. At the crux of the years-long negotiation are a punitive attendance policy and a lack of sick days without fear of discipline. While the specifics of the agreement haven’t been publicly released, it’s been reported that the deal includes record wage increases and new worker protections, but it lacks the paid sick days sought by rank-and-file members. Now it’s up to union members to actually approve the deal. [Bloomberg / Josh Eidelson]

$100 Million

File this one under, “Well, if it isn’t the consequences of my own actions.” In a record-setting case for the state, Uber has paid New Jersey $100 million in back taxes after the Labor Department determined the company misclassified its drivers. By wrongly classifying its workers as independent contractors, Uber failed to pay into the state’s unemployment insurance fund and deprived drivers of unemployment and safety-net benefits. As NJPP’s Peter Chen said here on Twitter, this is great news but also highlights how different crimes are treated by law enforcement, lawmakers, and the media. [NJ.com / Karin Price Mueller]

16

At a legislative hearing on Thursday, housing advocates and local elected officials sparred over how the state should plan for and build affordable housing. Groups representing mayors and local governments are pushing for the state to reestablish the Council on Affordable Housing (COAH), while housing advocates want courts to continue setting and enforcing affordable housing obligations for municipalities. The issue with COAH is that, from 1999 to 2015, they failed to set new rules and housing quotas, so barely any new affordable housing was built. It wasn’t until the courts took over the responsibility in 2015 that municipalities started approving new housing developments. [NorthJersey.com / Ashley Balcerzak]

2,000

A state Superior Court judge dismissed more than 2,000 drug charges after a judicial review found that a technician at a State Police crime lab falsified drug test results over the span of a decade. This is another reminder that the War on Drugs is a war on us, and should call into question why New Jersey spends over $1 billion every year enforcing the drug war. [NJ Monitor / Nikita Biryukov]

ICYMI

Governor Murphy will be joining us next week at NJPP’s annual policy conference, Progress 2022: Justice for All! Click the link to see the full line-up of speakers and panelists. [NJPP / Progress 2022]

Pets of NJPP

Meet Carol’s co-working pup, Gidget! Gidget was adopted off the streets of Jersey City and is now living her best life. She just had a quinceañera this weekend, as you can see here, so join us in wishing Gidget a very happy birthday! Woof!

Have a fact or figure for us? Tweet it to @NJPolicy. 

Friday Facts and Figures is a weekly newsletter with data points, analysis, and commentary on the biggest policy debates in New Jersey and beyond.
Sign up here.

Join us at our 25th anniversary celebration this September in New Brunswick!
[NJPP / Register Now]

2.6

As students return to the classroom for a new school year, a new NJPP report finds that Black students have less access to mental health staff than they did a decade ago, while their white and Asian peers have had increased access. From 2008 to 2020, the ratio of mental health staff for Black students declined from 10.3 per 1,000 students to 8.5, and the ratio of school counselors dropped from 4.0 — the number recommended by the American School Counselor Association — to 2.6. “Do we need more counselors, nurses, and social workers?” said report author Mark Weber. “Given the enormous difficulties of the pandemic, we should be asking that question, not just assuming the needs kids have are the same now as they were before.” [NJ.com / Tina Kelley]

83 Percent

More news on racial disparities in schools: The state’s teacher-student diversity gap is also widening, according to the latest state data. Last school year, 83 percent of teachers were white, compared to 40 percent of the state’s 1.4 million students. And, as lawmakers search for ways to increase teacher diversity, the state is struggling to recruit enough new teachers, period. As teachers and union officials highlight here, the teacher shortage is a result of declining pay and benefits, onerous standardized test requirements, and the ongoing politicization of the profession. [NJ Monitor / Dana DiFilippo and Sophie Nieto-Munoz]

26,000

Okay, now for some good back-to-school news: 26,000 more students will receive free breakfast and lunch thanks to new legislation signed into law by Governor Murphy. The Working Class Families’ Anti-Hunger Act, sponsored by Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, increases the income eligibility for free and reduced lunch and requires more districts to participate in the program. “Expanding the right to a free school lunch isn’t just the right thing to do educationally, it is the right thing morally,” Governor Murphy said at the bill signing. [NJ.com / Brent Johnson]

10,000

Earlier this week, Acting Attorney General Matt Platkin unveiled a new online dashboard detailing police internal affairs investigations across the state. The dashboard shows that more than 10,000 officers were under investigation last year for allegations of misconduct or other rule violations. NJPP’s Marleina Ubel described the dashboard as a “historic step towards police transparency and accountability,” but said the state could go further by making police disciplinary records public.  [Gothamist / Karen Yi]

100

The state Department of Health has more than 100 staffing vacancies — including five of the department’s 13 leadership roles — raising concerns that the agency may not be equipped to do its job promoting public health and responding to new challenges like monkeypox. And, as if the number of vacancies isn’t bad enough on its own, the department is much smaller today than it was a decade ago: The state’s departments of health and human services lost one-third of their combined workforce between 2008 and 2021. “The sad and simple truth is that New Jersey’s health department continues to suffer from deep staffing cuts made during the Christie administration,” NJPP’s Brittany Holom-Trundy told NJ Spotlight News. [NJ Spotlight News / Lilo Stainton]

ICYMI

Less of an ICYMI and more of a heads up: We’ll be announcing a new, special guest speaker for Progress 2022: Justice for All early next week, so keep an eye on your inbox! In the meantime, click the link to register for NJPP’s 25th anniversary gala and conference later this month. [NJPP / 25th Anniversary]

Pets of NJPP

We’re featuring a mermaid for the first time in Friday Facts and Figures! Just teasing, it’s Cherry, NJPP President Nicole Rodriguez’s pup — but the turquoise blanket does make her look like a mythical sea creature. Woof!

Have a fact or figure for us? Tweet it to @NJPolicy. 

Friday Facts and Figures is a weekly newsletter with data points, analysis, and commentary on the biggest policy debates in New Jersey and beyond.
Sign up here.

Join us at our 25th anniversary celebration this September in New Brunswick!
[NJPP / Register Now]

30

This week marks the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Ida, which claimed the lives of 30 people across New Jersey. With the climate crisis worsening, our state stands to face more superstorms and extreme flooding with much more frequency. Making matters worse, state policymakers are dragging their feet on life-saving climate resiliency measures, namely updating the state’s flood zone rules. In a new op-ed in The Star-Ledger, NJPP’s Alex Ambrose and Jen Coffey of the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions ask, “How many more historic storms will hit our state — and how many more people need to die — before state policymakers act?” [NJ.com / Alex Ambrose and Jen Coffey]

Traffic

Some more climate news: New reporting by New Jersey Monitor highlights how New York and New Jersey are taking opposite paths to tackle traffic congestion and pollution. The issue? New York’s plan, which includes congestion pricing to deter motorists from driving into lower Manhattan, is the only one that will actually alleviate traffic and reduce gas emissions. In New Jersey, the Murphy administration is not only opposing the congestion pricing plan but pushing forward a highway widening project that will bring more air pollution to Jersey City and the surrounding area. “At its best, this is counterproductive, and at its worst, it actively harms people who live in those already overburdened communities by those roads,” said NJPP’s Alex Ambrose. [NJ Monitor / Sophie Nieto-Munoz]

Tens of Millions

In a big win for Atlantic County residents, a state Superior Court judge struck down an ill-advised state law that gave Atlantic City casinos tens of millions of dollars in tax breaks they didn’t need or deserve. The law was fast-tracked through the Legislature late last year after the gaming industry claimed casinos would close without the hefty tax breaks. Those claims were not backed by the casino’s own financial records, however, which showed a banner year for the industry. And, given how casino revenues help fund the city and county governments, residents of the county would have faced steep tax increases — or cuts in government services — if the tax breaks went into effect. [The Press of Atlantic City / Alison Burdo and Michelle Brunetti]

Crisis

With the new school year right around the corner, New Jersey’s schools are struggling to fill teaching and support staff positions. Staffing shortages were on the rise prior to the pandemic — mainly as a result of cuts to pay and benefits under the Christie administration — but the pool of teacher candidates has only gotten worse over the last few years given the pandemic and recent politicization of the profession. “We see less and less people right now in our transportation areas [or] our cafeteria lines or in any of the other positions that really service our students and our schools,” said Sean Spiller, President of the New Jersey Education Association. “We are at a crisis point.” [WHYY / Kenneth Burns]

100,000

On Wednesday, harm reduction advocates and local policymakers unveiled a digital memorial in Newark to commemorate Overdose Awareness Day and honor the lives lost to the overdose crisis. For the first time in recorded history, more than 100,000 people died of a drug overdose in the United States last year, including more than 3,000 people in New Jersey. The memorial, which includes pictures of those lost and calls for a public health approach to drug use, will be displayed at the Newark Public Library through September 9 and then travel across the country. [NJ Spotlight News / Raven Santana]

ICYMI

Earlier this week, we announced the agenda for our annual policy conference, Progress 2022: Justice for All. Click the link for more info and to register — we hope to see you on September 23 at The Heldrich Hotel in New Brunswick! [NJPP / Progress 2022]

Pets of NJPP

Meet Stella, a senior dog thriving after a recent stroke. Stella hails from the East Bay in California but has a fightin’ Jersey spirit. Stella enjoys the simple things in life, like watching trees, snacking on treats, and sleeping under the stars. While Stella supports lots of affordable housing development for humans, she’s pretty darn NIMBY when it comes to squirrels. Woof!

Have a fact or figure for us? Tweet it to @NJPolicy. 

Friday Facts and Figures is a weekly newsletter with data points, analysis, and commentary on the biggest policy debates in New Jersey and beyond.
Sign up here.

Join us at our 25th anniversary celebration this September in New Brunswick!
[NJPP / Register Now]

$10,000

Big news: President Biden announced his student loan debt forgiveness plan earlier this week that will erase $10,000 for borrowers with less than $125,000 in income — and $20,000 for Pell Grant recipients. Hundreds of thousands of New Jerseyans will benefit from this plan; in total, roughly 1.2 million residents have student loan debt, owing a collective $43 billion. But, while this plan will provide transformative relief to some borrowers, it does not go far enough, as NJPP President Nicole Rodriguez highlights here. The income eligibility cap will leave many borrowers behind, while the $10,000 in forgiveness will not come close to covering the average student debt load of New Jersey borrowers. [NJ Monitor / Sophie Nieto-Munoz]

Hundreds

Hundreds of residents who were approved for state rental assistance never received their payments, with dozens now facing eviction as a result. In many cases, the checks were mailed to a wrong address by the Department of Community Affairs, but the agency is telling renters they cannot send them a new check until the old one is recovered. And, in more not-so-great housing news, the state’s Attorney General’s office has sent warning letters to 30 housing providers for discriminating against renters with criminal backgrounds, violating the state’s “ban the box” law. In even more not-so-great housing news, corporations are buying more than a third of available homes in some New Jersey communities, pricing out residents and driving up housing costs. Needless to say, lawmakers need to do so much more to protect tenants and make housing more affordable. [NJ.com / Karin Price Mueller]

1950

Think inflation alone is to blame for higher prices? Think again. New data show that corporate profit margins are at their highest level since 1950, signaling that prices charged by businesses are far outpacing increased costs for production and labor. From Bloomberg: “The data show that companies overall have comfortably been able to pass on their rising cost of materials and labor to consumers. With household budgets squeezed by the rising cost of living, some firms have been able to offset any slip in demand by charging more to the customers they’ve retained.” Now would be a great time for Congress to pass a windfall tax on price-gauging corporations. [Bloomberg / Reade Pickert]

1

It’s been one year since Governor Murphy banned cities and counties from partnering with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and jailing immigrant detainees. But, as immigrant activists note here, ICE is still targeting immigrant communities at their workplaces and detaining them at the one facility that still operates a detention center for ICE — Core Civic, a private prison in Elizabeth. “Many of these private prison companies rely on immigration detentions as the primary profit-making industry because there’s a slowing or reduced market for other jails and prisons,” said Chia Chia Wong, Organizing and Advocacy Director of the American Friends Service Committee. [NJ Spotlight News / David Cruz]

10

New Jersey’s 10-day sales tax holiday on school supplies starts tomorrow, August 27, and runs through September 5. During the holiday, the state will not charge the usual 6.625 percent sales tax on school and art supplies, teaching materials, computers, and sports equipment. A late addition to this summer’s budget negotiations, the program was touted as relief for families struggling to keep up with rising prices but, because the program isn’t targeted, wealthier residents will benefit the most since they buy the most and have the most flexibility to stock up during the 10 days. [NorthJersey.com / Katie Sobko]

ICYMI

Big congratulations to former NJPP staffer Jackie Cornell on being chosen as the new Executive Director of Planned Parenthood Action Fund of New Jersey! This is great news not only for Planned Parenthood but for the entire state — throughout her career, Jackie has been a champion of public health that centers people. [NJ Globe / Joey Fox]

Pets of NJPP

I had another pet queued up for today but just saw NJPP Policy Analyst Alex Ambrose’s tweet below and had to share it. Happy National Dog Day! (And make sure to follow Alex on Twitter if you don’t already!)

Have a fact or figure for us? Tweet it to @NJPolicy. 

Friday Facts and Figures is a weekly newsletter with data points, analysis, and commentary on the biggest policy debates in New Jersey and beyond.
Sign up here.

Vaccine Doses: 14,697,001
Fully Vaccinated People: 7,012,828
[New Jersey Department of Health / COVID-19 Dashboard]

Millions

President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) into law earlier this week, and millions of New Jersey residents will pay less for health care and lifesaving medication as a result. For residents enrolled in health plans through the state-run exchange, the IRA extends premium subsidies that were put in place at the start of the pandemic. A whopping nine out of ten residents who purchase insurance in the marketplace qualify for these benefits. For seniors on Medicare, the IRA caps out-of-pocket insulin costs to $35 a month and allows Medicare to negotiate certain drug prices. “It’s a really historic change and one we’ve been fighting for, for a long time,” said Crystal McDonald, Associate State Director for AARP New Jersey. [NJ Spotlight News / Lilo Stainton]

$44 Million

First, some good climate news: New Jersey is getting a new electric bus terminal! Thanks to a $44 million grant from the Biden administration, NJ Transit will turn the decommissioned Union City Bus Garage into a new terminal and garage equipped with up to 60 electric buses and charging infrastructure. As NJPP Crotty Fellow Nausheen Rajan noted in her March 2021 report, electrifying New Jersey’s public bus fleet is necessary to combat climate change and reduce harmful diesel emissions. [NJ.com / Larry Higgs]

$4.7 Billion

Now for some pretty bad climate news: The Murphy administration is moving forward with a $4.7 billion plan to widen the NJ Turnpike Extension in Hudson County. Repairing and replacing parts of the highway is without a doubt necessary, but adding lanes to this stretch of the NJ Turnpike — which runs right through the heart of Jersey City — is not only counterproductive but dangerous. More lanes will add more traffic and congestion (click here to watch a great explainer on induced demand) as more cars try to fit into the Holland Tunnel, bringing more pollution to the city and surrounding area. The plan not only conflicts with the state’s climate and sustainability goals, but is opposed by the Jersey City and Hoboken City Councils, and ignores alternative mass transit expansions (like extending the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail to Newark) that would actually reduce traffic and pollution. [The Star-Ledger / Editorial Board]

Rent

With rents skyrocketing and tenants in danger of eviction, state lawmakers have two new proposals to expand tenants’ rights and keep renters in their homes. The first would protect senior citizens and people with disabilities from being pushed out of their apartments when they are converted to condos or co-ops, and the second would require small landlords to provide tenants with receipts for cash payments, something large landlords are already required to do. NJPP Senior Policy Analyst Peter Chen told New Jersey Monitor that these proposals are a step in the right direction, but broader housing legislation is needed to alleviate the high cost of housing and make the state affordable for all. [NJ Monitor / Sophie Nieto-Munoz]

ICYMI

Immigrants’ rights activists will rally outside the Elizabeth Detention Center tomorrow (Saturday) at 10:00 AM to celebrate the one-year anniversary of New Jersey’s detention ban and call on lawmakers to pass the Values Act, which would limit police cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Click the link for more info, via the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice. [New Jersey Immigrant Justice Alliance]

Pets of NJPP

Meet Angus, who lives in Absecon with Debbie and George. This is Angus’s second feature in Friday Facts and Figures, and for good reason — this South Jersey pup visited Liberty State Park for the first time earlier this month, as pictured here with Lady Liberty. Woof!

Have a fact or figure for us? Tweet it to @NJPolicy. 

Friday Facts and Figures is a weekly newsletter with data points, analysis, and commentary on the biggest policy debates in New Jersey and beyond.
Sign up here.

Vaccine Doses: 14,690,672
Fully Vaccinated People: 7,004,391
[New Jersey Department of Health / COVID-19 Dashboard]

3

Three Amazon workers died over the last month at separate warehouse facilities in New Jersey, prompting an investigation by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The recent deaths underscore the urgent need to regulate warehouses to keep workers safe — especially facilities run by Amazon given its growing footprint in the Garden State and their sky-high employee injury rates. This is not only a tragedy but a policy failure, NJPP President Nicole Rodriguez told Gothamist. [Gothamist / Karen Yi]

Weeks

New Jersey is one step closer to implementing its landmark harm reduction expansion law, with Murphy administration officials saying regulations will be released within weeks. Once the regulations are finalized, new life-saving harm reduction centers will be allowed to open across the state, starting in communities with high overdose death rates. But for the law to be successful in preventing overdose deaths and blood-borne infections, harm reduction centers should be accessible to all residents, regardless of where they live. “At minimum, we need a harm reduction center in every county,” said Jenna Mellor, Executive Director of the New Jersey Harm Reduction Coalition. [NJ Spotlight News / Lilo Stainton]

SALT

House Democrats are poised to pass the Inflation Reducation Act later today, thanks in part to support from New Jersey representatives who previously stated they wouldn’t support the climate and health bill without raising the SALT deduction cap. “This was a smart move by federal representatives to leave out a SALT cap repeal, both from a policy and public relations perspective,” said NJPP Senior Policy Analyst Sheila Reynertson. “Including a big tax cut for wealthy individuals would have completely undermined the provisions in the bill that make the tax code fairer.” [NJ Monitor / Nikita Biryukov]

1956

Congress has failed to raise the federal minimum wage since 2009, eroding its value to the lowest point since 1956 and pushing millions of workers into poverty. On Tik Tok, Dave Kamper from the Economic Policy Institute highlights how the last time the minimum wage was worth as little as it is today, I Love Lucy was the number one show on TV and Yogi Berra was the highest paid baseball player. Click the link for a blast from the past. [Economic Policy Institute / Dave Kamper]

ICYMI

The Temp Workers’ Bill of Rights passed the Senate earlier this week and now awaits Governor Murphy’s signature. Big congratulations to all of the workers, advocates, and legislative champions who made this possible! [NJ.com / Kelly Heyboer]

Pets of NJPP

Meet Simone, Katie Brennan and Travis Miles’ cat! We’ve featured Simone here once before, but I was sent this picture earlier today and would feel really guilty if I didn’t share it with you all. Meow!

Have a fact or figure for us? Tweet it to @NJPolicy. 

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Vaccine Doses: 14,673,935
Fully Vaccinated People: 6,996,040
[New Jersey Department of Health / COVID-19 Dashboard]

$1 Billion

In the latest state budget, lawmakers used American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds to make some big investments in housing, pre-K expansion, and social service operations, but one big item was absent: Direct relief to workers and families. In a new analysis tracking New Jersey’s ARP spending, NJPP Senior Policy Analyst Sheila Reynertson recommends lawmakers use the roughly $1 billion remaining ARP dollars for hazard pay for essential workers, rental assistance, and cash assistance for residents who maxed out their benefits in the state’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. With only a fraction of the state’s ARP funds remaining, our chance to provide direct relief to workers and families is quickly slipping away. [NJPP / Sheila Reynertson]

Transparency

And, speaking of the remaining ARP funds, the allocation process is missing another key ingredient besides direct relief: Transparency. While the Murphy administration held public hearings earlier this week on how to use the remaining $1 billion in ARP funds, members of the public are not given an opportunity to testify on specific proposals before they’re approved by the governor or Legislature. “I think the missing step has been that there’s public comment, and then they go back and cook up whatever their proposal is,” said NJPP’s Peter Chen. “Once they announce the proposal, basically that’s it. There’s no more real opportunity for feedback before it’s either voted on or it’s already a done deal.” [WHYY / Tennyson Donyéa]

127,000

On Monday, the state Senate will hold a final vote on the Temp Workers’ Bill of Rights, landmark legislation to protect New Jersey’s 127,000 temporary workers from abusive employers (if you’re reading this thinking, “Wait, didn’t this bill pass during the final week of budget season?” … you’re not wrong). The bill passed through both chambers of the Legislature in June, but thanks to a procedural error, the bill voted on by the Senate didn’t match the bill that passed the Assembly, so it needs to be voted on again. With the temp industry making a last-ditch effort to kill the bill, advocates and legislative champions aren’t backing down. “All we’re doing is asking for basic worker protections that, I think, are frankly a common principle in New Jersey,” said Senator Joe Cryan (D-Union), sponsor of the bill. [Gothamist / Karen Yi]

$1.13

New Jersey’s minimum wage was scheduled to increase to $14 next year, but rising inflation will trigger a slightly bigger increase thanks to a provision in the state’s $15 minimum wage law. Here’s how it works: The minimum wage will rise every year until it hits $15 an hour, either by $1 or the rate of inflation, whichever is higher. Until now, the $1 increase was always more, but rising prices mean the minimum wage will increase by at least $1.13 come January. This is good news for low-paid workers, but New Jersey lawmakers can and should follow the lead of states like California and Hawaii and consider increasing the minimum wage beyond $15. “Whether it’s rent, groceries, or kids’ clothing, it costs more to live in New Jersey today than it did just a few years ago when the $15 minimum wage bill was signed into law,” said NJPP President Nicole Rodriguez. [NJ Monitor / Nikita Biryukov]

18

Electric school buses are coming to New Jersey! A new, $45 million program will grant at least 18 school districts funding to buy new zero-emission buses and charging infrastructure over the next three years. “This generation of kids should be the last generation that gets a toxic daily dose of diesel fumes on the way to school every morning,” said Environment New Jersey Director Doug O’Malley. [NJ Monitor / Dana DiFilippo]

ICYMI

We’re less than two months away from NJPP’s 25th anniversary celebration! Join your favorite policy wonks, advocates, and lawmakers on September 22 and September 23 for our gala and policy conference. Click the link to reserve your spot now! [NJPP / 25th Anniversary]

Pets of NJPP

Meet Bowie Gracie Rosie Stardust. She and her sister Lavender joined a friend of NJPP’s family a few weeks ago (on David Bowie’s birthday, hence the name). She loves to eat, sit in the sun, watch squirrels, and try to hide in plain sight. Meow!

Have a fact or figure for us? Tweet it to @NJPolicy.