Good Monday morning!

I’d like to bring some extra attention to a story that’s bubbling up in Trenton. According to Trentonian columnist L.A. Parker, four high-ranking, highly paid Trenton cops are being forced to retire after they allegedly “breached a computer and added fictitious hours to their work portfolio.”

Yes, “forced to retire.” They’re being allowed to go quietly without criminal charges. They get to keep their pensions that they’ve earned on six figure base salaries, according to Parker. And we don’t even know who they are. Read Parker’s column here.

There’s a lot we don’t say about this case because details are so scarce. But is it really OK to just let this one go quietly? And does the city really get to decide if they keep their pensions? Shouldn’t that be up to state taxpayers and the Police and Firemen’s Retirement System?

Since the authorities are so quiet on this, there’s no way to tell why officials have decided to take this route. Whatever the reason, if governments don’t hold those who are charged with enforcing the law accountable to that same law, something is deeply wrong with our system. At the very least, let’s not allow this to pass without mention.

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QUOTE OF THE DAY: “The Bible Belt has better liquor laws than we do.” Anthony Pizzutillo, a lobbyist for the Commercial Real Estate Development Association who wants to change liquor license laws

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — David and Glenn Pascrell, Shannon McGee

WHERE’S MURPHY? Nothing public

WHEN BRIAN STOPS BEING POLITE AND STARTS GETTING REAL — “N.J. State Police accused of promoting white male troopers over minorities,” by Newsweek’s Fatma Khaled and Naveed Jamali: “New Jersey’s state police (NJSP) have been accused of workplace violations by 17 current and former troopers who allege in lawsuits that they experienced discrimination, retaliation and harassment because they belong to minority groups. Allegations in a law firm’s documents cite the lawsuits. Shared with Newsweek, the documents portray a work environment within the NJSP that promotes white men over qualified minorities, despite the former’s histories of DUIs and harassment. The documents and the troopers described a workplace condoned by Superintendent Patrick Callahan. … The documents also show that around 84 percent of the 3,181 troopers employed by the NJSP are white males. … Brian Polite, one of the plaintiffs named in the lawsuits and the only Black male major in the NJSP, was bypassed for promotion and was the subject of racist remarks, according to the documents.”

IT’S A FELONY TO GROW ONE PLANT AT HOME — “New Jersey has had legal weed for a year. It’s among the most expensive in the nation,” by The Record’s Nick Vadala: “With one year of legalization under its belt, New Jersey has some of the most expensive recreational cannabis in the country. And it’s going to take time — years, likely — before that changes. Prices vary, but many eighth-ounces — that’s 3.5 grams — of legally purchased pot in New Jersey go for about $60 before taxes. That’s about $17 a gram, with few discounts for purchasing larger amounts. An ounce runs about $455. … Maine, by contrast, charged an average of $8.04 for one gram of legal marijuana in March, according to the state’s Office of Cannabis Policy. And in Oregon, a gram was selling for as little as $4. … In short, there’s not enough weed, or people who grow it, said Todd Johnson, executive director of the New Jersey Cannabis Trade Association (NJCTA).”

WHITMAN & TORRICELLI DISPLAY BIAS AGAINST DRUNK OBSERVERS OF AMERICA — “Whitman & Torricelli: Why we need a 3rd political party in New Jersey,” by Christine Todd Whitman and Robert Torricelli for The Star-Ledger: “Few sober observers of America today dispute the view that hyper-partisan extremism is ruining the country. The crude bargaining over the elevation of Kevin McCarthy as House Speaker, the shameless responses to the first of several possible Trump indictments, and the impending, entirely artificial crisis over the debt ceiling are each symptoms of a zero-sum, two-party electoral system. … But all is not lost. Sometime in the next several months, the New Jersey Supreme Court will likely decide a monumentally important case — Moderate Party v. New Jersey Division of Elections — that has the potential to reshape and improve politics in America. Indeed it has the potential to break this cycle of hyper-partisan polarization, a cycle that fills most Americans with despair.”

HIGHER ED — “‘You’ll see this around the country.’ A Rutgers agreement could bring change to other schools,” by NJ Advance Media’s Tina Kelley: “While awaiting the final results of bargaining, some education experts see the preliminary agreement at Rutgers as groundbreaking in reducing universities’ reliance on underpaid workers lacking job security. ‘By uniting faculty members from the most senior to the most financially vulnerable, the Rutgers strikers were noteworthy,’ said Tim Cain, an associate professor at the University of Georgia’s Institute of Higher Education. … In the framework announced last Saturday for ending the five-day unprecedented faculty strike at the state university, the three faculty unions gained for part-time lecturers, also known as adjuncts, 44% raises over four years and job security, bringing them very close to that equal-pay-for-equal-work goal, said Alan Maass, a spokesman for ... the Rutgers AAUP-AFT.”

—“Few incumbents donate to legislative leadership PACS so far in 2023”

—“NJ jobs shrinking? Employers still hiring? Making sense out of economic crystal ball”

JAGGED LITTLE POLITICAL ISSUE — Supreme Court maintains abortion pill access for now as legal fight continues by POLITICO’s Alice Miranda Ollstein and Josh Gerstein: “Access to a widely used abortion pill will remain at current levels for the time being, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Friday in a decision staving off sweeping restrictions ordered by lower courts. The high court’s decision keeps the drug, mifepristone, available for now, but the legal battle over the drug, which has become the most common method of abortion nationwide, could drag on for months if not years to come. Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas dissented from the Supreme Court’s action, which prevents earlier rulings from a Texas-based judge and a federal appeals court from taking effect. Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas dissented from the Supreme Court’s action, which prevents earlier rulings from a Texas-based judge and a federal appeals court from taking effect.”

—“Jersey City marathon tells some disabled athletes they can’t compete; mayor slams organizers”

—“Nonbinary runners get their own division in N.J.’s newest marathon — with a $5K top prize”

PATERSON OFFICIALS BRAVELY ADMIT THEY JUST MAKE UP NUMBERS — “How much money will Paterson police get under attorney general’s takeover?” by The Paterson Press’ Joe Malinconico: “City officials are asking for millions of dollars in additional state aid to cover possible expenses stemming from New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin’s takeover of the Paterson Police Department. Paterson’s March 30 application for state transitional aid said the city was seeking $5 million in extra funding just for the AG’s intervention, funding that would be separate from a request for $25 million to cover normal municipal government operations. City Hall officials said the $5 million on the application was basically a made-up number designed to stake Paterson’s claim to extra money, not based on any accounting of needs and costs. … Paterson Press on Monday sent the AG’s office questions about the budget for its Paterson Police Department intervention. But the statement issued by the AG’s office late Friday afternoon in response to those questions contained no numbers.”

THE SCARLET LETTER DISTRICT — “[Hawthorne] creates district for low-income housing, sets rules for home businesses,” by The Record’s Philip DeVencentis: The Borough Council this week approved major revisions to the zoning code, including the creation of a special district for affordable housing in the 2nd Ward. The overlay zone allows the construction of 24 housing units per acre on most lots along Grand and Royal avenues, between Diamond Bridge and Warburton avenues.”

THE BRIDGEWATER MOTEL WHERE CHARLES KUSHNER SECRETLY RECORDED HIS BROTHER-IN-LAW WITH A SEX WORKER SHOULD BE HISTORICALLY PRESERVED — “The Kushners own a piece of N.J.’s Black history. Will they let anyone explore it?” by NJ Advance Media’s Adam Clark: “In 1870, Perth Amboy’s Thomas Mundy Peterson voted in a city referendum, becoming America’s first Black voter under the protection of the 15th Amendment. For more than a decade, local historians have been asking to perform an archeological dig at the vacant lot where his house once stood. And Peterson’s living relatives say the site deserves to be explored and then commemorated with a monument or historical marker. There’s just one problem. The land where Peterson lived is owned by real estate mogul Charles Kushner’s development company and is part of its long-planned waterfront community, city officials say. Despite more than 10 years of discussion, Perth Amboy’s leaders have made no progress in excavating the site or recognizing the historic grounds. … Perth Amboy has not received a “hard no” from Kushner Companies on exploring and honoring the property, Mayor Helmin Caba said.”

‘MYSTERY CHEMICAL’ IS MY FAVORITE FLAVOR OF AIRHEADS — “NJ town residents must be ready to leave ASAP as EPA cleans up mystery chemical barrels,” by NBC 4’s Brian Thompson: “A toxic cleanup in a New Jersey community could be a ticking timebomb, and may force families to leave their homes. Schools and homeowners in one part of Monmouth County are being told to be ready to evacuate at a moment’s notice, as crews with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are intensely working at a former industrial plant. More specifically, they want to know what’s in a collection of barrels at a site in Farmingdale near the border with Howell. The plant has long been shut down, but the barrels stuck around. Now it’s not clear how safe it is to move them. … One nearby resident told NBC New York that she remembers decades ago when her children were coming home from school around lunchtime, and they saw the lids exploding, up in the air. That kind of thing is still entirely possible at the site, because no one knows for sure what chemicals are still present.”

HUDSON COUNTY VOTERS HAVE SPOKEN. JUST KIDDING HAHAHA — “North Bergen parking director selected to replace Vainieri on county commissioners board,” by The Jersey Journal’s Ron Zeitlinger: “As expected, Robert Baselice, the executive director of the North Bergen Parking Authority, has been selected to replace Anthony Vainieri to represent District 8 on the Hudson County Board of Commissioners — the seat he is running for in November. Baselice, a long-time township employee who has also worked for the county and the sheriff’s office, won the seat by unanimous vote of the Democratic committee members of District 8. Vainieri, first elected in 2014, resigned the seat last week, saying he wanted to concentrate on his candidacy in the North Bergen municipal election in May. District 8 represents North Bergen and most of Secaucus. The vote gives Baselice an even bigger advantage in his race for the District 8 seat in November”

WEBSITE STILL WON’T LET YOU ORDER A COFFEE — “Montclair Local merges with Baristanet to become a digital-only news organization,’ by Montclair Local/Baristanet: “Montclair Local’s board of trustees announced today that the independent non-profit news organization is merging with the pioneering digital outlet Baristanet. Uniting two strong local organizations will give readers a richer menu of stories and services, the board said. The combined organization will continue to operate as Montclair Local and become an all-digital news operation that will deliver Baristanet and Local content and advertising through a new website and newsletters.”

—“[Wall Township] police sergeant facing more charges after allegedly stealing $75K from PBA, officials say”

NYC WORKERS SHOULD SHOW MORE RESPECT TO RESIDENTS OF THEIR MAYOR’S HOME STATE — “N.J. driver, 97, gets parking ticket in NYC. ‘It wasn’t me,’ she said, but city doesn’t believe her,” by NJ Advance Media’s Karin Price Mueller: “At age 97, Al Gerber’s mom is pretty active. She drives herself around locally in a 2017 red Toyota sedan, purchased new, that has only 8,000 miles on it. She only adds about 100 new miles a month to the car, Gerber said. … So when his mom received a Dec. 30 parking ticket issued in Harlem, Gerber knew it had to be a mistake. The ticket said it was for a gray Suburban, parked illegally on Adam Clayton Powell Blvd. near 124th Street, but somehow, the license plate was a match. … He sent a series of letters with supporting documents to the NYC Finance Authority, including an official appeal form, color photos of the car and explanations that it couldn’t have been his mom, noting that the ticketed vehicle was an SUV of a different color than his mom’s sedan. The dispute was denied. His mom received notice of a default judgment for $95, dated Feb. 1, saying it was payable immediately. If she didn’t pay, it warned, Gerber’s mom could be subject to collections, her car could be seized and auctioned off, wages could be garnished and other unpleasantries. “I’m wondering if they have even read the letters,” Gerber said.”

N.J.’S TEAM TO BE NAMED ‘THE GREAT CORNHOLIOS’ — “How’s your cornhole game? N.J.’s new Major League Cornhole team is holding tryouts,” by NJ Advance Media’s Nyah Marshall: “At least seven competitors who accumulate the highest scores this weekend during the New Jersey Heroes combine will be offered a paid contract to be part of the professional team for Major League Cornhole’s inaugural season. New Jersey’s team is one six in the new league.”

—Op Ed: “My synagogue was attacked, but that’s not what scares me most”