News List

The Return of the County Line?

“Clearly this is not what the court had in mind,” [Rubin] said, adding that if Camden County Democrats can pull this off, it could be a “slippery slope” for future primaries both there and in other counties.

Research Day 2026 Recap: Winners and Videos

The Bloustein School’s 5th Annual Research Day took place on Friday, April 3rd. Watch Lightning Talks by various Bloustein professors and researchers and esteemed panelists

Bhuyan Co-Authors Study on Persistent Financial Burdens for Cancer Survivors

Soumitra Bhuyan, Executive Director of Health Administration Programs and Associate Professor at Rutgers University-New Brunswick’s Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, is the co-author of a new article that evaluates the impact of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) on healthcare costs for cancer survivors.

Big school chiefs’ salaries better deal for taxpayers. See their perks.

“Every parent wants class sizes as small as possible,” he said. “Most schools will not increase class sizes unless there’s a problem.

“There has to be a crisis for that to happen. So a lot of schools, if their enrollments were dropping, didn’t do anything,” Pfeiffer added.

Heldrich Staff Receive the 2026 Coleridge Data Champion of the Year Award

“We are grateful to Coleridge for the opportunities to network, collaborate, and learn and are inspired by the work of the other states and their partners. Finally, we hope our experience offers proof that our day-to-day efforts can have a real impact on the people we all serve.”

Chen et al. Use Google Street View to Verify Cannabis Retailers

GSV virtual audit methods may be appropriate for visually verifying cannabis retailers contemporaneously, but are not appropriate for reconstructing historic retailer lists. Some states (e.g., California) may require the use of additional verification methods.

“Work Trends RU” Podcast with Steve Reynolds

Listen to the latest episode of the Heldrich Center’s Work Trends RU podcast, featuring featuring Aaron Fichtner, Ph.D., President of the New Jersey Council of County Colleges. Dr. Fichtner discusses the role New Jersey’s 18 community colleges play in expanding access to higher education, developing a skilled workforce, and meeting the evolving needs of students, employers, and local communities.

EJB Talks: Small Wins, Big Impact: On the Front Lines of Local Public Health

In this episode of EJB Talks, Peter Tabbot ’91 MPH ‘97, longtime local health officer in Rockaway, NJ and a Bloustein School public health lecturer, shares his path into public health and what it means to lead at the community level. He explains the wide-ranging role of health officers, from managing essential services to working with governments and residents.

At Rutgers, Students Are Learning About Democracy in a Lab

Nicholas V. Longo, the inaugural director of the Rutgers Democracy Lab, insists democracy is something you learn by doing – not just in a classroom or at the ballot box, but in the everyday work of navigating challenges, listening to others and finding common ground.

Samuel, Thakuriah Lead Discussions at RAD Collaboratory

Professors Samuel and Thakuriah participated in the inaugural 𝐑𝐮𝐭𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐀𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐒𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 (𝐑𝐀𝐃) 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 symposium on 3/24/26 – an amazing event that has sparked much interest in collaborative research with AI as a matchmaking catalyst.

NJ growth cools as immigration slows nationally, Census finds

The Trump administration’s anti-immigrant rhetoric and crackdown clearly have had an impact, making it “much less attractive to come to the United States,” said Rutgers University Professor James Hughes, who studies the state’s demographic trends

Trump’s Actions to Slash Red Tape Fall Short of Early Promises

“If it holds up in court, it will lead to specific deregulatory actions that will be very significant for the economy and the environment,” said Stuart Shapiro, pointing to the ending of fuel economy standards for cars and emissions rules for power plants…

Pfeiffer Demystifies Property Taxes on IssuesWatch Podcast

New Jersey is famous for many things, but its nation-leading property tax rates usually top the list of resident grievances. In this episode, we sit down with Marc Pfeiffer, senior policy fellow, to demystify the complex machinery behind property taxes.

MCRP candidate selected for prestigious Port Authority Leadership Fellow Program

Bloustein School MCRP candidates Bobby Johnson and Julia Kohn have been selected for the Port Authority Leadership Fellow Program. The Leadership Fellow Program is a two-year rotational program for leadership and public service in the New York/New Jersey Metropolitan region. It offers on-the-job experience in business functions, including planning, finance, security, facility operations, human resources, and other areas. Leadership Fellows are involved in four rotational assignments designed to develop a strong foundation in business acumen, adaptability, and knowledge of Port Authority operations, to build future leaders within the organization. Upon completion, Leadership Fellows are often considered for key positions in the agency.

Noland and Fulton: Saving Oil in a Hurry, Again!

In 2005, researchers Bob Noland and Lewis Fulton worked with the International Energy Agency to release analysis and policy recommendations to address concerns over “peak oil” and rising oil prices. More than twenty years later, this work continues to be more relevant than ever as the world is experiencing the most severe oil supply disruption in modern history, triggered by the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran and the near-complete closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Dr. DeLia Explores the Future of Health Economics

This blog article by Derek DeLia examines the growing political interest in “consumer-driven” healthcare, which proposes giving individuals more direct control over healthcare spending through tools like high-deductible plans and health savings accounts.

Geisha Ester Appears on Latest Episode of Transit Unplugged

NTI’s Executive Director, Geisha Ester, recently appeared on the latest episode of Transit Unplugged. Host Paul Comfort sat down with Geisha to discuss why workforce development is the most important investment transit agencies can make right now and how agencies and public transit professionals can access NTI’s free training to support that work.

Planning students selected for prestigious Port Authority Leadership Fellow Program

Bloustein School MCRP candidates Bobby Johnson and Julia Kohn have been selected for the Port Authority Leadership Fellow Program. The Leadership Fellow Program is a two-year rotational program for leadership and public service in the New York/New Jersey Metropolitan region. It offers on-the-job experience in business functions, including planning, finance, security, facility operations, human resources, and other areas. Leadership Fellows are involved in four rotational assignments designed to develop a strong foundation in business acumen, adaptability, and knowledge of Port Authority operations, to build future leaders within the organization. Upon completion, Leadership Fellows are often considered for key positions in the agency.

NJSPL: New Jersey’s New E-Bike Laws – What Comes Next?

On January 19, 2026, former Governor Phil Murphy signed S4834/A6235 into law, establishing a new regulatory framework for electric bicycles in the Garden State. This blog by Leigh Ann Von Hagen and Gabrielle Cain explains the next steps.

The State of Jersey Politics

Rutgers University professor Julia Sass Rubin said the county line’s demise has led to more candidates, an uptick in voter turnout, and 11% of the 57 Democrats in the Assembly winning their seats despite not getting a county party endorsement. “This feels like small steps, but they’re not. … Ending the county line opens up the possibility for real reform in our state,” Rubin said.

How Iran war and new jobs data paint a sour picture for NJ economy

New Jersey’s sluggish job growth in 2025 continued a downward trend over several years. The state added nearly 64,200 jobs in 2023, but only 39,800 in 2024, according to data compiled by the New Jersey Department of Labor.

“Things are definitely cooling,” Will Irving, a professor at the New Jersey State Policy Lab at Rutgers University, told NorthJersey.com in January.

Heldrich: Aligning NJ’s AI Policy with Small Business Needs

Researchers at the Heldrich Center for Workforce Development, with funding from the New Jersey State Policy Lab, are currently engaged in a project to examine how New Jersey’s public Artificial Intelligence (AI) initiatives can better align with the evolving needs of small businesses in the state. Research Project Assistant Lily McFarland outlines early findings from the project in a new blog post.

EJB Talks: Planning, Policy, Politics, and the Path to Office

This week on EJB talks, Dean Stuart Shapiro talks to Bloustein alumnus Katie Brennan MCRP ’12, now an Assemblywoman in New Jersey’s 32nd District. Katie reflects on how her early exposure to housing instability, volunteer work, and her undergraduate policy studies shaped her belief that “everything is a housing issue.”

Register Today for Bloustein Research Day 2026

It’s time to catch up on the wonderful research our faculty, staff, and student colleagues have performed over the past year. Bloustein School faculty and staff will present lightning talks followed by a poster session by graduate and undergraduate students.

Kopp Opinion: Trump Is Attacking Climate Science. Scientists Are Fighting Back.

Over the decades, NASA and NOAA have produced crucial records of changes in atmosphere, sea level, greenhouse gas emissions, and more. Among many other benefits, U.S. investments in climate research have helped cities design flood protection, farmers make cropping decisions, and communities prepare for hurricanes. Then came the second Trump administration.

Report Release: R/ECON Forecast Winter 2026

Like the broader U.S., New Jersey is likely to finish the year with notably stronger GDP growth than forecast earlier, though growth is projected to decline to 0.8% in 2026, before rebounding modestly to 1% the following year. 

New CUPR Report Examines Feasibility of Geothermal Heat Pump Systems for NJ

The Center for Urban Policy Research (CUPR) undertook this study on behalf of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) in alignment with legislation directing the NJBPU to conduct a study on the feasibility, marketability, benefits, and costs of implementing large-scale geothermal heat pump systems in the state (P.L. 2023, c.328).

Pfeiffer Authors Updated NJ Homeowner’s Property Tax Guide

“At a time when property taxes are a central concern for homeowners across the state, giving residents the tools to understand how their tax bills are calculated, what the money pays for and what rights they have as taxpayers is a meaningful contribution to civic literacy. Informed citizens make better decisions and ask better questions of their government,” said Pfeiffer.

“Work Trends RU” Podcast with Jimmy Green and Jackie Burke

Listen to the latest episode of the Heldrich Center’s Work Trends RU podcast, featuring featuring Aaron Fichtner, Ph.D., President of the New Jersey Council of County Colleges. Dr. Fichtner discusses the role New Jersey’s 18 community colleges play in expanding access to higher education, developing a skilled workforce, and meeting the evolving needs of students, employers, and local communities.

Grad Students Study AI’s Role in UNDP Work Processes

Rutgers graduate students presented their findings on “Effectiveness of AI-assisted report assessments: A case study of the United Nations Development Program,” at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Annual Meeting’s poster competition in Phoenix, AZ in mid-February.

Chen et al. Examine Alcohol, Cannabis, and HIV Risk

This review highlights substantial heterogeneity in how alcohol and cannabis co-use is conceptualized and mea-sured. Few studies examined simultaneous use specifically or disentangle co-use from broader polysubstance patterns

Lindenfeld Investigates LFO Impacts on Health Outcomes

This article describes what is known in the literature around LFOs, presents a framework outlining hypothesized pathways linking LFOs to health outcomes, discusses gaps in research related to public health costs and outcomes, and highlights critical areas for future research.

George Street Playhouse 2026 Gala Benefit to Honor Roberto Muñiz

George Street Playhouse’s 2026 Gala Benefit will honor Roberto Muñiz, President and CEO of Parker Health Group, with the prestigious Thomas H. Kean Arts Advocacy Award. Tickets for the 2026 Gala Benefit, including dinner and cabaret performance, begin at $600.

EJB Talks: Beyond “Does It Work?”

EJB Talks returns for Season 14 with Dean Stuart Shapiro speaking with new Public Policy professor Laura Peck. Laura discusses her journey from undergraduate activism to policy analysis, a PhD, tenure at Arizona State, and more than a decade at Abt Associates. She shares how that work shaped her focus on careful, policy-relevant research, specifically taking about her evaluation of the federal Health Profession Opportunity Grant (HPOG) program.

Heldrich Center: Motivational Texts and Unemployment

“This is a group that’s experiencing real life hardship — this period of unemployment, of having to receive unemployment insurance benefits, not knowing what their future looks like. I would love to see that qualitative component … Maybe it did make a little bit of difference in how they felt about their experience knowing that they had a little more motivation,” Walsh said.

Princeton Democrats Take a Close Look at 17 Candidates Hoping to Succeed Bonnie Watson Coleman – and the Winner Is . . .

Elections and ballet reform advocate Julia Sass Rubin, associate dean of Academic Programs at the Bloustein School, Rutgers University, noted that “tonight’s forum in terms of the health of democracy was very exciting. It is incredible that we have 17 candidates. We do not know yet if each candidate will get the number of petition signers to qualify for a position on the ballot, but still the interest is awesome,”

Guest Speaker Lerrel Pinto: Robot Data is Not Enough Data

“There are a lot of people who are more than happy to use AI for entertainment,” Samuel said. “But when it comes to decision making, a lot of people go back to fundamental information based, fact-based decision making.”

Stamato Commentary: Black History Month and the battle over America’s story

Today, invisibility is failing. Powerful forces are restoring attention to stories long suppressed. Films, books, magazines, classrooms and museums finally are giving those histories their due. In Washington, D.C., the National Museum of African American History and Culture stands as a splendid example.

State Planning Commission Adopts NJ State Plan, Needs Assessments

The New Jersey State Planning Commission has adopted an updated State Plan, along with a new Impact Assessment and Infrastructure Needs Assessment, marking the first comprehensive update since 2001. The Plan will guide coordinated state and local decision-making on land use, transportation, housing, infrastructure, and climate adaptation.

Zhang et al. Assess Greenspace and CVD Risk Using Nurses

This study demonstrates that disaggregating greenspace is critical for understanding its cardiovascular effects. In a large, nationwide prospective cohort, higher exposure to street-view visible trees was associated with lower cardiovascular disease incidence, while grass and other low-lying greenspace were associated with higher risk.

Saks Fifth Avenue to close American Dream store. Here’s why

All three are in “strong affluent market areas,” said James Hughes, a professor of urban planning and policy development at Rutgers University in New Brunswick.

“So all locations have high market potential for repurposing — demonstrated strong consumer purchasing power,” Hughes wrote in an email.

Trump Decries a ‘Nation of Renters’ but His New Policy Promotes One

The author cites a recent report from the New Jersey State Policy Lab, Trends in Investor Acquisition of Residential Properties in New Jersey, which highlights that while investor activity impacts affordability and inventory, large investors are not the primary reason homes are expensive.

Senior Health Fellow Muñiz Announces Retirement from Parker Health

Parker Health Group, Inc., a nationally recognized leader in aging services, recently announced that President and CEO Roberto Muñiz, a Senior Health Fellow and Instructor at the Bloustein School, will retire by the end of 2026 after nearly 28 years of visionary leadership.

The Best Tactics for Tackling Speeders

. A recent paper by Kelcie Ralph, a transportation researcher at Rutgers University, concluded that most people mistakenly see speeding as much less dangerous than driving drunk or distracted.

Samuel Quoted in AI Lawsuit Against Student

It’s essential to avoid false accusations, said Jim Samuel, executive director of the Informatics Program at Rutgers University, where he does research on AI.

AI in Your Municipality: Implementation and Govenance

ICMA’s February 2026 Public Management magazine ran an AI-themed issue featuring Bloustein School senior policy fellow Marc Pfeiffer on the cover. Marc’s article, “AI in Your Municipality: Implementation and Governance”, was written with acknowledged assistance from an AI Chatbot.

A zombie mall is gasping in North Jersey, hit by a ‘perfect storm’

Urban centers like Newark and Jersey City, as well as downtowns like Ridgewood and Westfield, rebounded in the past decade and drew back dollars that had gone to malls, Hughes said.

By themselves, any one of those factors could have caused malls to struggle, other than the top-tier ones in New Jersey like Garden State Plaza and American Dream…

“Sort of the perfect storm hit,” Hughes said of Livingston Mall.

New Jersey Target Zero Commission Adopts Action Plan

On Monday, December 15, 2025, the New Jersey Target Zero Commission officially adopted the first New Jersey Target Zero Action Plan, reaching a major milestone in the State’s goal to eliminate all roadway fatalities and serious injuries in the state by 2040. The New Jersey Target Zero Action Plan is now publicly accessible via the New Jersey Department of Transportation’s Target Zero Webpage.

Little Rock Merchants Praise ‘road diet’ Revamps for Managing Traffic Flow

Road diets in Little Rock, Arkansas, have helped calm traffic, improve pedestrian and cyclist safety, and support neighborhood revitalization without causing major traffic problems. Robert Noland, Rutgers professor and director of the Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center, explains that many of the four-lane roads previously built are high speed and very dangerous, and a road diet “means you can actually improve things by reducing the amount of pavement.”

Kevin Dehmer to Serve as State’s Chief Technology Officer

Governor Mikie Sherrill announced Kevin Dehmer as her pick to be the state’s next Chief Technology Officer, overseeing the New Jersey Office of Information Technology. As Chief Technology Officer, Dehmer will advance the modernization of New Jersey’s digital infrastructure, improve the efficiency and transparency of the state permitting process, adopt technologies to clear licensure backlogs and reduce wait times, and strengthen our cybersecurity capabilities against AI-driven challenges to position New Jersey for long-term success.  

Nicholas Longo Named Director, Rutgers Democracy Lab

Rutgers–New Brunswick Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Jason Geary announced that Dr. Nicholas V. Longo has been appointed the inaugural director of the Rutgers Democracy Lab, effective Feburary 1. He will also be a professor at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy.

Studio: A Framework for Community Benefits Agreements

The Fall 2025 Studio prepared frameworks for community engagement and Community Benefits Agreements (CBAs). Now, it is time to strategize how Dayton and the Airport City Newark Coalition can utilize CBAs in negotiations with future developers. By doing so, the ACNC can ensure that new projects deliver meaningful and equitable benefits to local residents.

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