Class was canceled Monday across the Freehold Township school district, but not for the familiar January troubles of slushy roads, frozen pipes or a busted boiler. No, this was “a cybersecurity event” that ground school business to a halt. Marc Pfeiffer weighs in on ways to protect against such attacks.
Topic
Posts
Full-time perks for part-time work? For these politicians, taxpayers footed the bill
“There’s going to be a percentage — a small percentage — of outliers who try to or are gaming the system with this,” Pfeiffer said. “But at the same time, there’s a lot of people caught in the middle who actually do stuff.”
Sagging revenue, looming costs could sink big senior citizen tax cut plan
Sagging revenue and a bevy of looming funding needs in the coming fiscal year threaten to pull New Jersey’s $8.1 billion surplus below a threshold that would pause the nascent StayNJ property tax relief program before it sends out a single payment.
West New York police earn high salaries, even more than Jersey City cops
Crime doesn’t pay in West New York, but being a police officer sure does. The working-class north Hudson town of roughly 52,000 spends nearly 20% of his annual budget, or $19.6 million, on its police department, and it doesn’t even have a police chief, according to...
Bar part-time officials from full-time perks, incoming N.J. lawmaker says
“That doesn’t excuse individuals who have consciously abused the system,” said Pfeiffer, now a professor at Rutgers University. “But there are probably any number of cases where elected officials can spend 30, 35 hours a week in their job as an unpaid or low-paid elected official.
While most towns have gone back to in-person meetings, Lakewood remains virtual
Pfeiffer said holding meetings online also 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.”
Marc Pfeiffer Uses Claude AI to Help Write Article: AI in Local Government, Helpful or Harmful?
For local governments, chatbots create exciting opportunities to improve customer service, automate tasks and cut costs. Marc Pfeiffer, Assistant Director of Bloustein Local, Center for Urban Policy Research, uses Claude AI to help write two articles on how to best incorporate this new technology.
TECH UPDATES: What Municipal CAOs Need to Know, Part 1: Tech Fitness and Cyber Hygiene
There are two basic elements of technology that every municipality must have. Most places already do this, but it doesn’t hurt to highlight them. The first is an expert to advise you and your governing body on technology issues. As with other experts you hire—a police...
Pfeiffer – Lakewood schools borrowed millions from New Jersey and still can’t pay its bills
The Lakewood School District in New Jersey is facing severe financial distress, having borrowed $165 million since 2014 and now seeking an additional $93 million loan from the state to stay afloat. This mounting debt has been primarily attributed to the district's...
American Dream lawsuits are stacking up. Here’s why — and how they compare to other malls
The American Dream entertainment complex has faced an onslaught of 82 lawsuits since 2018, encompassing issues such as unpaid construction bills, injuries at its attractions, and defaults on loans, significantly surpassing neighboring malls in legal troubles. The...
Upcoming Events
Loading view.
Bloustein and New Brunswick: Beyond Civic Square– Historic Preservation and Redevelopment Walking Tour
Bloustein School, Civic Square Building 33 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ, United StatesNew Brunswick, NJ has many architectural gems that often go unappreciated. The city has also experienced significant redevelopment and in tandem, historic preservation versus development challenges. This tour will consider […]
Virtual Career Drop-ins
VirtualStop by virtually on Mondays (except for holidays) beginning September 9th through December 16th between 11 am and 1 pm to ask a quick (15 min) career-related question of Bloustein […]
Bloustein Librarian Open Office Hours
Bloustein School, Civic Square Building 33 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ, United StatesHave a research or library question you need assistance with? Visit Open Office Hours with Bloustein Librarian Julia Maxwell. Every Monday from 12:00 - 1:00 pm unless otherwise noted. Can't […]
Pre-Election Conversation with Bloustein Dean Stuart Shapiro
Bloustein School, Civic Square Building 33 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ, United StatesPlease join us for a discussion about the upcoming federal election. Bloustein School Dean Stuart Shapiro will attempt to answer questions you might have about the election and the U.S. […]
Public Transit and Accessibility: Inclusivity and Personal Empowerment Through Travel Training
VirtualNJTIP @ Rutgers teaches persons with disabilities and older adults how to safely and independently use public transportation to access where they need and want to go. Join us for […]