Henry Coleman and Jermaine Toney participate as members of the Economic Justice Committee within the New Jersey Reparations Council (NJRC). The NJRC Economic Justice Committee held its Public Session on Thursday, December 12, 2024.
Topic
In the News
Assembly panel approves overhaul of New Jersey primary ballots
“My concern would be not that they would be misleading by saying they’re endorsed and they’re not. My concerns there would be that it overtly puts the endorsement on the ballot, and the ballot should not be a way of communicating the endorsement,” said Julia Sass Rubin, a Rutgers professor who has studied the line’s impact on election results.
NJ lawmakers vote to reform primary ballot
“Candidates could put, ‘Endorsed by Mercer County Democrats,’ says Bloustein School Professor Julia Sass Rubin. “There’s nothing in the bill I could find that prohibits that. And so it becomes a very visible cue on the ballot — which is the whole point of eliminating the county line.”
Montclair Holiday Party to Honor Town Manager Raises Eyebrows
“On this surface, this appears to strike a balance. It’s something they’ve done before,” Pfeiffer said. The employees likely have been buffeted by management changes with the governing body changes over the last year. You always have some people who may not like the idea. But here, the phrase ‘don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good applies.”
Why are more and more local governments communicating through public relations firms?
“It has become more difficult for responsible and caring elected officials to have trustworthy relationships with the press,” Pfeiffer said. “The degradation of that relationship has contributed to the decisions made by some government agencies to have third-party representatives or communications professionals to face the press.”
Residents want Lakewood Township Committee meetings to be in person again. Town says no.
Pfeiffer has said holding meetings online risks technical problems, as well as online infiltration: “You should carefully consider the risks of meeting disruptions and make sure you balance the interests of people.”
N.J. voters set a record this election. But not in a good way.
“As with the 2021 governor’s race, the expectation was that Democrats would win so there was not a pressing need for Democrats to turn out,” Rubin said.
Notes from Central Taiwan: Taiwan’s urban ‘planning’: from crisis to crisis
A Rutgers-based scholar, Mi Shih (史宓), has written a series of papers on planning and the conversion of the domestic economy to a real-estate based economy.
New Jersey’s ballot is supposed to look different next year. How exactly, though, is a lingering question.
“The sad thing is that in New Jersey, for the most part, our politicians — especially at the legislative and county level — they don’t know what campaigning means,” said Julia Sass Rubin
Newark public schools superintendent’s ‘staff fun day’ squandered $33,000 in state aid
Rutgers policy expert Marc Pfeiffer highlighted that, in such circumstances, districts have alternative means of funding staff appreciation events — such as through independent foundations — rather than dipping into the public coffers for extravagance.
Upcoming Events
Loading view.
2025 Bloustein Alumni Awards Celebration
Zimmerli Art Museum at Rutgers University 71 Hamilton Street, New Brunswick, NJ, United StatesSince 1994, the Bloustein School Alumni Association has aimed to present awards to accomplished alumni each year. Our goal is to pay tribute to alumni and friends to recognize their […]
RAISE 2025 – Our Future With AI: Utopian or Dystopian?
Gov. James J. Florio Special Events Forum, CSB 33 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ, United StatesInformatics - Data Science - AI Competition Step into the future of innovation! RAISE-25 will challenge you to unravel the scope of AI's impact on our lives and human society. […]
Can We Talk? Addressing Equity and the Impact of Social Determinants on Maternal Health
Bloustein School, Civic Square Building 33 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ, United StatesPresented by the Bloustein School and Rutgers School of Nursing