News
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...
Commentary: As sanctions punish Russia for Ukraine invasion, local boycotts miss their intended target
Bloustein School faculty fellow and Co-Director of the Center for Negotiation and Conflict Resolution Linda Stamato writes how boycotts focusing on local franchises with apparent Russian connections -- to show solidarity with the people of Ukraine and its leadership...
Bloustein School undergraduate Christine Starozytnyk passed away on March 11
The school is saddened to share the news that Bloustein School undergraduate student Christine Starozytnyk (Bachelor of Science in Public Health student) passed away unexpectedly late last week. Our deepest condolences go out to her family and friends. Please keep them in your thoughts.
New Jersey State Policy Lab: Addressing the State’s Needs Effectively, Innovatively, and Equitably
Elizabeth Cooner, Executive Director of the New Jersey State Policy Lab talks about the Lab’s mission of conducting rigorous evidence-based research to help inform New Jersey’s policymakers on solutions to important policy questions that are effective, innovative, and always have a focus on equity.
Bloustein School to host 14th annual Krueckeberg Doctoral Conference, March 24-25, 2022
The conference is for doctoral students engaged in urban planning and policy-related research across disciplines and universities in the tri-state NJ/NY/PA metropolitan region.
New Jersey State Policy Lab: Now is the Time to Save Oil in a Hurry
One way to reduce oil price spikes when there is a supply crunch is to reduce demand. To reduce the demand by 29 million gallons per day across roughly 280 million US vehicles, this is only 0.1 gallons per day per vehicle.
Murphy’s property-tax relief proposal, a boon to more taxpayers
Marc Pfeiffer recently spoke with NJSpotlightNews about Gov. Murphy’s expanded property-tax relief program for both homeowners and renters in the context of previous property-tax relief efforts in New Jersey. NJSpotlight News, March 11, 2022
Opinion: Kafka would find rich material in the American system of health care billing
As an academic who has taught U.S. #healthcarepolicy for over two decades and published numerous studies about #healthinsurance and #healthcaremarkets, Bloustein School distinguished professor of #publicpolicy and director of the Rutgers Center for State Health Policy...
NJ gas prices soaring, but will that give a jolt to electric vehicle sales?
Robert B. Noland, director Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center at Rutgers University, said New Jersey's goal of getting half of new vehicles sold to be electric by 2030 is in line with Europe and other states. Getting there won't be easy. The increase in...
COVID-19 laid bare gaps in NJ public health. Here’s how foundations propose to fix that
The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the weaknesses of New Jersey’s underfunded and understaffed public health system, and now two New Jersey-based foundations have proposed a public health institute for the state — and have offered the seed money to get it started. ...