Republicans have shown little appetite to undo the changes they made in the 2017 tax bill. The Republican National Committee didn't respond to questions about where the party stands on lifting the SALT cap. Neither did New Jersey's two Republicans in...
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Veterans: An Untapped Pool with a Rich Skill Set
Of the approximately twelve million veterans in the United States, nearly 30 percent report having a disability and 13 percent report a service-connected disability. Both physical disabilities such as amputation, scars, and disfigurement, along with the stigma of...
NJ has regained nearly 90% of jobs lost to pandemic, and pay is rising too
February's jobs report was the strongest since last July and showed that New Jersey is making up ground. Through February, New Jersey recovered 89.9% of the jobs it lost in March and April of 2020, while the U.S. recovered 90.4%, according to Rutgers University...
Walkability and Redlining: How Built Environments Impact Health and Perpetuate Disparities
Built environments can shape how active an individual is, while policy decisions made decades ago impact health disparities today. To address these critical social determinants of health, experts are calling for increased cooperation between urban planners and the...
Biden Can Fix the Anti-Worker H-1B Immigration Visa Scam
The safeguards for immigrant workers in America’s largest guest-worker program are clearly deficient. Joe Biden has a clear roadmap, the legal authority, and the duty to right this wrong by taking executive action. Every April 1, the government decides, via lottery of...
Some towns look at consolidation, push back
With 564 municipalities and close to 700 school districts, the idea of sharing services in New Jersey seems logical. But it’s been met with continued resistance over the years by those who defend the sanctity of home rule. Marc Pfeifer, a senior policy fellow at...
Suspending students isn’t the answer. Restorative justice programs in schools are a better solution. | Opinion
Three million school students are suspended every year and over 100,000 are expelled for disruptive behaviors and other infractions. Last year, 56,000 students were suspended in New Jersey. Suspended and expelled students are missing millions of instructional days But...
Dysfunction leaves NJ capital city in ‘crisis’ — but officials don’t want state help
The government in Trenton is in turmoil but local officials say they are not ready for state intervention. Marc Pfeiffer, assistant director of the Bloustein Local Government Research Center at Rutgers, said the city council can ask the Local Government Services...
What does the interest rate hike mean for NJ consumers?
Looking to put the brakes on inflation the Federal Reserve has announced a quarter-point hike in its key rate, with several additional increases to follow. According to Rutgers University economist James Hughes, this begins a process that could have a profound impact...
Wanted: More money, more meaning, less burnout. What’s fueling the Great Resignation
The great job reevaluation trend does not show signs of stopping. Depending on the survey, anywhere from half to three-quarters of respondents say they plan to quit in 2022. Some of this is cyclical. During a recession, people tend to huddle in their jobs, and in a...