Good Wednesday morning!

Manhattan congestion pricing south of 60th Street took a step forward last week and New Jersey officials are outraged. Yesterday, Reps. Josh Gottheimer and Rob Menendez, both Democrats, held a press conference to speak out against the measure. Gov. Phil Murphy has also spoken out against it.

The congressmen focused a lot on environmental issues and “revenue shifting” from the Port Authority to the MTA. But let’s talk about how this is most typically framed. Is this really about big bad New York City sticking it to what Gottheimer yesterday called “hard-working middle-class” New Jersey commuters? “It’s not right to suddenly drop a $23 dollar-a-day, or $5,000-a-year bill, on top of the $17 dollars they pay to enter this tunnel every day, not including gas or nearly $35 dollars to park,” Gottheimer said yesterday.

The average New York City parking space is around $600 monthly. That’s on top of the aforementioned gas and tolls. If you can afford that, especially considering the other transportation options, are you really middle class? And why is a $23 congestion fee — one that, under most scenarios, would be reduced to account for the tolls at the tunnels — the breaking point?

According to the MTA, individual drivers make up just 3 percent of commuters.

I think there are legitimate controversies with congestion pricing. Like potentially increasing pollution in some areas of North Jersey like Bergen County, where more people are forecast to drive in order to avoid the crossings that go into the congestion zone. And there are some people who work jobs with irregular hours that would have a harder time than most taking public transportation. While the congestion pricing proposals I saw have lower off-peak fares, it’s not free. And what about New Jersey businesses that need to make deliveries to Manhattan? These are all things that should be addressed.

But I think it’s worth noting that London — arguably the only city in the world that matches the economic and cultural power of New York — has had congestion pricing in place for 20 years. And most things I’ve read about it say it’s been a big success. I was there in January for the first time since 2005, and I noticed more pedestrianized streets, buses gliding through traffic and upgraded cycling infrastructure.

Read more from Caroline Petrow-Cohen here.

TIPS? FEEDBACK? Email me at [email protected].

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Ravi Bhalla, Nicole Sutterley Moen, Jeremy Julis

WHERE’S MURPHY? No public schedule

SECTION 420 OF THE TAX CODE — “Murphy gives N.J. legal weed businesses a break with new law allowing deductions on state taxes,” by NJ Advance Media’s Jelani Gibson: “Gov. Phil Murphy signed a bill into law this week that makes it possible for New Jersey cannabis businesses to deduct some expenses on state tax returns by decoupling them from federal rules. Since cannabis is federally prohibited, cannabis businesses were not allowed to deduct expenses like normal businesses would (Section 280E of the IRS Tax Code). Under the new state law, the business subject to the corporation business tax will be allowed to deduct from income all ordinary expenses associated with managing a licensed cannabis business, including the opportunity to qualify for research and development deductions”

DEBATE UNFORTUNATELY NOT MODERATED BY LEPRECHAUN ON TRICYCLE — “Personal attacks fly at acrimonious 4th district Senate debate,” by New Jersey Globe’s Joey Fox: “The debate ranged from debates on policy – including abortion, marijuana legalization, and social media bans – to battles over personal baggage, including the Del Borrello clan’s sordid family business and DeSilvio’s inflammatory social media posts. Through it all, both candidates made one thing very clear: they do not like each other, and would only begrudgingly support the other in a general election … Any dive into Del Borrello’s background was inevitably going to bring up one of the DeSilvio campaign’s main attacks, focusing on a defunct company called Tasteful Temptations. The company, which was owned by Del Borrello’s brother, was a purveyor of X-rated bachelor parties and other family-unfriendly services. ‘He runs a morally bankrupt business that rented strippers and facilitated fraud,’ DeSilvio claimed … DeSilvio also has his own political demons that have haunted him this campaign cycle. Before he became a county commissioner, he wrote and shared a number of social media posts that were disparaging to Muslims and to women seeking abortions, among other groups”

—Moran: “The debate on sex ed doesn’t have to be crazy and mean”

—“What is congestion pricing? Answering all your questions about toll program for NJ drivers”

—“N.J. Turnpike, Parkway tolls will go up — again — next year”

—“N.J. just cracked down on predators convicted of sextortion. ‘A despicable crime’”

—“As violence against NJ health care workers rises, Murphy signs law for more penalties”

—“Early guv contenders jockey at Juliano’s”

HARD TO IMAGINE THE MAN FROM THE ‘ACCESS HOLLYWOOD’ TAPE WOULD BE CAPABLE OF SUCH A THING — Jury finds Trump liable for sexual abuse in E. Jean Carroll case, by POLITICO’s Erica Ordon and Wesley Parnell: A federal jury on Tuesday found that Donald Trump sexually abused and defamed E. Jean Carroll, a writer who accused the former president of attacking her in a department store dressing room in the 1990s. The verdict marks the first time that Trump, who has been accused of sexual misconduct by more than two dozen women, has been held legally responsible for sexual assault. And it adds fresh tarnish to the former president’s reputation as he seeks to regain the White House amid a tide of legal troubles. The nine-person jury ordered Trump to pay Carroll $5 million … Carroll testified that Trump raped her in a Bergdorf Goodman dressing room after a chance encounter one evening in the spring of 1996. The jury found Trump didn’t rape Carroll, but found him liable for sexual abuse and for defamation.

PROSPECT OF A LAWSUIT PARK — “‘They have been completely silent': NJ mayor gets no answer from White House over Eid snub,” by The Record’s Hannan Adely: “One week after he was turned away from an Eid celebration at the White House, Prospect Park Mayor Mohamed Khairullah said he has still received no explanation or apology from the White House or the U.S. Secret Service for the last-minute snub. Khairullah’s disinvitation from the May 1 celebration for Eid al-Fitr, when he was just miles away from the event, triggered outrage and calls for an explanation from Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-Paterson, and U.S. Sens. Bob Menendez and Cory Booker. ‘They have been completely silent,’ Khairullah said of administration officials on Monday. ‘There has been no communication whatsoever, which is disappointing.’ … Assisted by CAIR-NJ, Khairullah said, he is considering legal options over the watchlist. ‘There is a lack of due process,’ he said.”

—Golden: “Bursting the Trump balloon will take more Christie darts”

—“Sette stages Spadea event as Ali decries ‘flailing comeback’”

—“Sherrill introduces legislation to limit ‘judge shopping’”

SIRESLY — “Sires team calls sweep in West New York, ex-congressman poised to become mayor again,” by Hudson County View’s John Heinis: “The “Sires Team for West New York” called a clean sweep at Las Palmas [Tuesday night], allowing former Congressman Albio Sires to be poised to become mayor again. While the breakdowns on the voting machines were relatively close (about 12 percent to eight percent), Sires and his four running mates commanded an over 2-to-1 margin lead on vote-by-mail ballots and early voting tallies, buoying them to break 60 percent. ‘First of all, let me thank you for all your hard work: you were terrific day in and day out, I appreciate your effort, and we’re gonna move West New York forward with your help,’ Sires said at his victory party at Las Palmas.”

—“Sacco completes North Bergen trilogy with Wainstein by securing nearly 3-1 victory”

—“Portman wins in Red Bank alongside entire council slate”

THEN WHY ISN’T CAPTAIN PICARD IN CHARGE? — “New boss of troubled Paterson PD vows ‘next generation of policing’ for city,” by NJ Advance Media’s S.P. Sullivan: “Authorities formally installed new leadership at the Paterson Police Department on Tuesday, five weeks after unrest in the city over police shootings and corruption led to a surprise state takeover of the department in New Jersey’s third-largest city. Isa Abbassi, a retired chief of strategic initiatives with the New York Police Department, took the helm as officer in charge of a department that has seen its ranks depleted by an FBI corruption probe and its reputation harmed by police shootings and deaths in custody … Abbassi and Platkin outlined plans for an ambitious overhaul during a 30-minute press briefing Tuesday. They pledged transparency, but ducked questions regarding the significant costs and timeline for the takeover, as well as the status of the department’s sidelined leadership, who remain on the city payroll.”

MANVILLE — “‘Nothing sufficient was done': Manville schools sued over transgender student’s suicide,” by MyCentralJersey’s Mike Deak: “The mother of a Manville High School student who died by suicide has sued the school district for allegedly not preventing the bullying of her child during the transition from being female to male. Myles Fitzpatrick, 17, who was set to graduate in June, died by suicide in November after he was ‘subjected to continued severe harassment and bullying by his fellow students based upon his gender identity, including derogatory comments and having items thrown at him,’ according to the lawsuit filed May 2 in Superior Court in Somerset County by his mother Danielle Warshefski … He was ridiculed about his appearance and clothing and was subjected to slurs, referring to him as “she” and remarks that “he would never be a male,” the lawsuit says. He also was frequently physically bullied in the hallways, including being pushed into lockers, having items thrown at him, being kicked and having his hair pilled, the lawsuit charges.”

BORDENTOWN — “An appeals court upheld the lying conviction of former Bordentown Township police chief but calls for him to be resentenced,” by The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Melanie Burney: “Did white guilt lead jurors to convict former Bordentown Township Police Chief Frank Nucera Jr. of lying to the FBI about assaulting a Black teenager? That was the issue that landed before the U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals, which was asked by Nucera’s lawyers to overturn his 2019 conviction, among other legal issues it raised. Nucera alleged that some white jurors were bullied by Black jurors into finding him guilty. In a 66-page ruling handed down Friday, the court found that affidavits taken by the defense of white jurors following a contentious verdict failed to meet legal standards required to show that jurors voted to convict ‘based on racial animus toward, or stereotypes about, the defendant.’ It also rejected Nucera’s request for a hearing on alleged juror misconduct. Yet, the appeals court said Nucera was wrongly sentenced and set aside his 28-month prison term. Nucera will be resentenced later this month and likely receive a reduced term in federal prison.”

BRING ON YOUR WRECKING BALL — “Asbury Park casino closed due to steel trusses ‘rusting away,’ mayor says,” by The Asbury Park Press Mike Davis: “The nearly century-old Casino building along the boardwalk will be closed indefinitely, shuttering a crucial breezeway between the city and neighboring Ocean Grove just weeks before the summer rush begins. The city’s waterfront developer, Madison Marquette, announced the ‘difficult decision’ to close the building on Monday after an engineering inspection revealed that steel trusses holding up the Casino roof were starting to rust away, Mayor John Moor said.”

RIGHT-OF-WHALE — “Wind power project demands permit for Ocean City right-of-way,” by The Press of Atlantic City’s Bill Barlow: “The front line of the battle over offshore wind power in New Jersey now appears to run two blocks along 35th Street. That’s where the Ocean Wind 1 project has asked for city permits for 12 test pits and two soil borings, part of the wind power project’s plans to bring electricity ashore. So far, the city has not issued any permits. Ocean Wind 1 suggests the city is dragging its feet.”

SPREAD THE PAIN — “Jersey City plan: Spread the pain of $57M deficit by raising taxes at least 2% each year through 2028,” by The Jersey Journal’s Joshua Rosario: “Jersey City residents may be hit with a municipal tax increase of at least 2% over each of the next five years to address a $57 million shortfall caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The city council on Wednesday will vote to introduce an ordinance that would allow the city to borrow $57 million and then spread the debt over five years. The city had accumulated over $92 million in debt due to revenue losses and expenses related to the coronavirus pandemic.

—“Union County enters consent decree with U.S. Justice Department over bilingual election materials”

—“Procession brings fallen N.J. police officer back to his hometown”

—“Tensions mount in Rockaway Township as police push to replace expired contract”

—L.A. Parker: “No taxpayer dollars, but so many other questions about Trenton mayor’s trip”

—"Candidates win local races uncontested in six towns”

—“Predator’ crashes polling place in North Bergen"

THAT’S NOT THE WAY THE COOKIE FACTORY CRUMBLES — “Developer cancels Nabisco factory implosion in favor of ‘alternate method of demolition’,” by The Record’s Stephanie Noda: “The much-debated and delayed implosion of the former Nabisco cookie factory in Fair Lawn has been canceled, the owner of the property said Monday. Instead, the tower along Route 208 will be dismantled using ‘an alternative method’ that does not involve explosives, Greek Development LLC said in a statement emailed to reporters. ‘After extensive dialogue with local communities and businesses, Greek Development has made the decision not to implode the remaining portion of the Nabisco Tower,’ said the East Brunswick developer, which has faced persistent questions from neighbors about contamination risks from the demolition. ‘We will utilize an alternative method of demolition that does not include the use of any explosives.’”