Dozens of charter schools in New Jersey have closed over the past few years with millions of dollars of federal taxpayer money unaccounted for, a report alleges. Julia Sass Rubin, an associate professor at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University, said dissolving a charter school can mean that […]
Not ‘too soon’ for bison restoration on state refuge
In 1987, a Big Open with bison was proposed for a large area including much of the refuge. That year, Frank and Deborah Popper proposed an even larger buffalo commons. Vehemently opposed by the livestock industry, subsequent discussion produced no bison on the ground. Since at least 2001, Montana again tangled with bison restoration. There […]
Here’s how federal agencies can write more effective regulations — and win regulatory battles in …
Second, placing economists in a separate unit where they are managed by other economists frees them to conduct more objective analysis. That’s what Rutgers political scientist Stuart Shapiro found when he interviewed 16 economists and 16 environmental assessors in federal agencies for his 2016 book “Analysis and Public Policy.” It’s harder to be objective when […]
Road mural created as traffic calming device at Red Bank intersection
What is that? That is the question residents and visitors have when they cross the intersection of South Bridge Avenue and Drs. James Parker Boulevard in Red Bank. In the center of the asymmetrical four-way intersection, a large yellow sun on a turquoise background has been painted. Municipal officials have said the mural is a temporary […]
Pew Charitable Trusts: New Jersey’s tax incentive programs need a periodic checkup
Tax incentives — when they work as intended — can be useful components of a successful economic development strategy. They can also be costly disappointments. In the coming weeks, the New Jersey Legislature will make important decisions about two of the state’s largest business incentives, the Grow New Jersey Assistance Program (Grow NJ) and the […]
Red Bank: Unusual Intersection Explained
A month after the roadway at a Red Bank intersection was painted over with a giant, vivid sun on a field of turquoise, officials gathered there this week to explain and defend it. The bold image is meant to catch the attention of motorists, reminding them to be aware of pedestrians and cyclists, as well […]
Red Bank Tries ‘Out Of The Box’ Thinking On Intersection
There is an eye-catching paint job at the bustling intersection of S. Bridge Avenue and Drs. James Parker Boulevard, located amid a convenience store, Detour Framing, Lunch Break and the Red Bank branch of the Boys & Girls Club of Monmouth County. The rectangular space defined by the system of crosswalks at the intersection has […]
Trump promised to shrink our beast of a government. It’s mutating instead
President Donald Trump promised to reduce the size of government and impose a targeted hiring freeze in 2017. He indicated that his administration would be replacing that initial freeze “with a smarter plan, a more strategic plan, a more surgical plan.” So far, there is no plan. Instead, cuts by attrition have led to increased […]
Trump’s attack on working people demands a bold, progressive response
Professor Stuart Shapiro is quoted in the Washington Post’s article examining Pres. Trump’s claims that his tax cuts and deregulation policies are the reason for the U.S. lowest unemployment rate in half a century. In November, Shapiro concluded that it was “extremely unlikely” that Trump’s deregulation through his first year in office had “any appreciable effect on […]
Busy Intersection in Red Bank gets Temporary Safety Upgrades
The Borough recently installed a demonstration project — which is also referred to as tactical urbanism — to show the public what a reimagined intersection could look like before implementing any permanent changes. The intersection was painted bright green and yellow to draw attention to it and slow traffic. The project also includes an additional […]