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NJ Spotlight--Opinion: A New Jersey Voter’s Guide to State Tax Policy
The focus of New Jersey’s tax policy should be to avoid being notably uncompetitive, particularly within our region
Every four years, like a scene from “Groundhog Day,” candidates for New Jersey governor serve up a warmed-over menu of policy platitudes. My favorites concern taxes. No issue that touches so many people invites more political obfuscation, misrepresentation, and outright nonsense.
Here are a few observations to help you make sense of it all:
http://www.njspotlight.com/stories/17/05/11/opinion-a-new-jersey-voter-s-guide-to-state-tax-policy/
Andrew Sidamon-Eristoff | May 12, 2017
Star Ledger--In school funding fight, the man to back is Sweeney | Editorial
The school funding fight is quickly coming to a head, with Senate President Stephen Sweeney threatening to shut down state government next month.
He's saying he'll block a budget that doesn't fix the inequities in the formula the Legislature uses to fund schools - raising the ante for his pending showdown with Speaker Vincent Prieto, the most powerful man in the Assembly.
Prieto, who is blocking Sweeney's plan in the lower house, last week offered a one-year fix, one that is obviously designed to protect the unfair advantage of cities in his home district in Hudson County. That's blatantly unfair and indefensible.
By Star-Ledger Editorial Board| Posted on May 12, 2017 at 6:39 AM
The Record--Christie administration details plan to use lottery to shore up pensions
Gov. Chris Christie's administration revealed details Thursday of its one-of-a-kind plan to use the state lottery to shore up its financially troubled public employee pension system. Lawmakers, unions and the news media have been eager to learn the details of his plan ever since he outlined it during his budget speech in February. Christie's treasurer, Ford Scudder, briefed reporters on the proposal and provided the first details of how it would work, including legislation, a memorandum and a legal opinion from state Attorney General Christopher Porrino.
Dustin Racioppi , State House Bureau, @dracioppi Published 6:00 a.m. ET May 12, 2017 | Updated 4 minutes ago
The Atlantic--Broken Technology Hurts Democracy
… and fixing both begins in American schools.
American democracy is in crisis. Part of that crisis has to do with technology. But there’s another, often overlooked, factor at play.
I’m a professor, so I think that fixing America starts with education. We can help improve our democratic processes by using technology to improve schools. I don’t mean that we should put iPads into every school, or give every child a laptop. I mean something more fundamental: We should use technology to make sure every public school in America has all of the books, supplies, and learning materials that they need.
A shocking number of public schools don’t have these basic tools. Without the basics, we can’t properly educate the next generation of informed citizens.
https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2017/05/broken-technology-hurts-democracy/524076/
Meredith Broussard| 7:00 AM ET, May 12, 2017
