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NJ watchdog chief owns house in Maryland, teaches in D.C., votes in Tinton Falls

By declaring the Maryland home as her primary residence, Williams Brewer might be in violation of the New Jersey First Act, Pfeiffer said. The law, enacted in 2011, requires public employees, including those at authorities, boards, bodies and commissions, to establish residency in New Jersey within one year of their hire date.

Stamato Commentary: Jimmy Carter’s pursuit of peace

A new op-ed by Linda Stamato reflects on the legacy of Jimmy Carter, highlighting his pivotal role in the 1978 Camp David Accords which forged a historic peace agreement between Egypt and Israel under challenging circumstances.

Data shows reduced public participation under virtual-only Lakewood Township meetings

“In person meetings have a value, they provide upfront interaction with the people they represent. It allows more direct participation and provides nuance that can’t be seen or observed or happen when you are on a webinar,” said Marc Pfeiffer, a senior policy fellow at the Bloustein Local Government Center for Urban Policy Research at Rutgers University. “In person requires a little more formality. It requires a better sense of decorum, which is representative of the official nature of what is going on.”

New Jersey commuters face higher transportation costs in 2025

Rutgers University economist James Hughes, dean emeritus of the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, said over the past two years, lower-income residents were saved from rate hikes because federal rescue funds allowed NJ Transit to operate without fare increases during the height of the pandemic.

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.”

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