Gov. Murphy's budget is bad for local news
Nearly seven years ago, Gov. Phil Murphy took a bold step toward reviving, strengthening, and transforming local media and civic engagement.
In August 2018, eight months into Murphy's first term, he signed a widely popular, bipartisan bill establishing the New Jersey Civic Information Consortium, an entity formed to provide financial aid to create and support trustworthy, community-based news.
'I believe the Consortium is a viable means to begin to combat the widespread proliferation of deliberately false or misleading information that threatens our democracy and contributed to getting President Trump elected,' Murphy said then.
State funding for the consortium has risen from $500,000 to $3 million.
Now, with nine months left until Murphy leaves office, his last budget plan proposes quite a different commitment to the consortium: zero dollars. His spending plan also includes a planned 75% cut in state subsidies to NJ PBS, which operates NJ Spotlight News. The state's current budget provides $1 million in funding to NJ PBS; Murphy's plan would slash that to $250,000.
March 16-22, 2025, is Sunshine Week, a nonpartisan collaboration among groups in the journalism, civic, education, government and private sectors that shines a light on the importance of public records and open government.
As I write this, transparency advocates nationwide are commemorating the 20th anniversary of Sunshine Week, an annual observance that highlights the importance of your right to know what your government is up to. For New Jersey citizens, the sunshine is slowly being blotted out by the Murphy administration, which also helped the Legislature take an ax to our public records law last year.
Murphy's office declined to comment but noted the governor said when he presented his budget plan to lawmakers last month that it would include some belt-tightening. Even with Murphy's proposed cuts, the state would spend a billion or so dollars more than it takes in.
'And while, yes, every responsible budget, including this one, requires hard decisions — like scaling back programs that we would rather increase funding for — we can, and we must, make those decisions while also keeping our promises, whether it be making the full payment into our pension system or fully funding our public education system,' he said.
I'll remember this when Murphy signs a budget in June that will undoubtedly be stuffed at the last minute with hundreds of millions of dollars for lawmakers' pet projects.
If you're unfamiliar with the New Jersey Civic Information Consortium, take a look at its recent grant recipients, which range from hyperlocal news site Montclair Local to conservative think tank Garden State Initiative to the New Jersey Coalition to End Homelessness. Its purpose is not to funnel money to corporate media; it's legitimately interested in aiding news outlets, community groups, and other organizations that seek to broaden civic engagement.
(Full disclosure: While the New Jersey Monitor has not received any funding from the consortium, I have applied for some. My thoughts on Murphy's plan to end state subsidies for it would be the same regardless.)
Chris Daggett, the consortium's interim director, urged lawmakers this week to restore funding to the group (the Legislature has until June 30 to strike a budget that will get Murphy's signature). Daggett told me that with the tsunami of change coming from Washington, D.C., local news is more critical than ever if we want to bridge the nation's widening partisan divide.
'For me this is not about saving journalism, this is about democracy,' he said. 'When people aren't informed, they aren't engaged, and when they aren't engaged, democracy dies.'
Mike Rispoli works for the nonprofit Free Press, founded in 2003 to support independent journalism and protect public media. Rispoli — who sits on the New Jersey Civic Information Consortium board but stressed he was not speaking on its behalf — said he understands that states are making very difficult budgetary decisions right now.
But Rispoli said today's media landscape, where the Trump administration is going after media organizations it doesn't like and billionaire media moguls are putting editorial pressure on their newsrooms to protect themselves from the president's onslaught, demands more.
'If people care about our communities and what they need in this moment, being able to make sense out of a very chaotic world, this is the moment where we need to be investing more into independent journalism, not less,' he said.
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The Hill
16 hours ago
- The Hill
America's doctors earn the right to demand a better system
Rep. Greg Murphy (R-N.C.), a doctor and congressman from North Carolina, recently posted on X: 'So troublesome to see so many young doctors complaining about how hard the job is. Your job is about taking care of patients. It's called dedication. It's called devotion. If you wanted an easy life, you should've chosen something else.' He echoed a sentiment shared by many, including within medicine itself. My partner is one of those young doctors. For the past decade, I have watched her give everything to medical school and training. That's why I know Murphy misunderstands what young doctors are really asking for. They're not asking for an easy life: They're asking for an easier one. Every doctor chooses medicine fully aware that it's a path met with purpose and pressure at every turn. Even before training begins, their futures are shaped by a match system that determines where they'll live and train, often far from family or support. They enter a career defined by shifting standards that dictate how they'll work. Each new class of trainees steps into an evolving system, often advocating for changes they may never personally benefit from. Previous generations of doctors fought for improved conditions, speaking up about dangerously long hours and inadequate protections. While today's trainees still work 24-hour shifts and 80-hour weeks, these hours are weighed down with growing administrative burdens and a culture where voicing concerns about patient care or personal well-being can be met with dismissal, retaliation or ridicule. Throughout their journeys, many delay marriage, children, homeownership and even their own health care — willingly postponing hallmarks of the American Dream in service of others. By the time they complete training in their 30s, they often carry debt that rivals a mortgage for a home still out of reach, held back by years of trainee pay that reflects neither their value nor the cost of living. Most troubling of all, doctors die by suicide at rates significantly higher than the general population. Yet each summer, tens of thousands of young doctors take their next steps in medicine. For my partner, that meant completing fellowship training and her final 24-hour shift on labor and delivery. As she had done so many times before, she woke up, threw on her scrubs and braced for what lay ahead: the delicate dance of helping bring life into the world while bearing witness to pain, joy and everything in between. I don't see what happens inside the hospital — the life-altering decisions, the compassion amid chaos and the unimaginable weight of being responsible for human lives. My only window into that world is what follows her home. Though fiercely devoted to her work, she still needs space to release what the system insists she carry in silence. Yes, they choose this difficult path, but choice doesn't erase sacrifice. And when people in this profession speak up, it's not from a lack of devotion — it's proof of it. They share their hard-earned perspectives to help clear the path for those who follow and make it one worth choosing. Murphy's words were aimed at young doctors, but the sentiment permeates every corner of health care. Accrediting bodies, hospitals, policymakers, insurers and even professional associations don't always recognize the lived experience of today's health care workers. To disregard their perspectives is to undermine the very system they work tirelessly to sustain. It's easy to overlook what health care workers sacrifice when their extraordinary efforts become routine. While every health care professional has unique challenges, their shared experience runs deep. They work shifts that stretch time and test the limits of human endurance, often setting aside the basic rhythms of daily life. Weekends and holidays become fading concepts. And still, they return — again and again — driven by a deep commitment to patient care. That's why they deserve a voice. If genuine concerns continue to be dismissed as a lack of dedication, we risk creating a future where aspiring doctors will do exactly as the congressman prescribes — choose something else. Perhaps what's truly troublesome isn't that they're speaking up, but the silence that could follow if we fail to listen.


Politico
2 days ago
- Politico
Stop the rain
Good Tuesday morning! I hope you're dry. I've seen the state get slammed with some big, wet storms before. I was there for Sandy and Irene. Now I live far away, but the flooding from yesterday's storms brought back memories. The New Jersey Turnpike became the New Jersey Waterway. Gov. Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency in the evening. As of the time I put this newsletter to bed late last night, I had not seen reports of deaths from the flooding. Hopefully, it stayed that way. 'When heavy rainfall overwhelms our infrastructure and the ground's natural ability to absorb water, we see rapid rises in water levels in rivers, streams & underground springs we never notice,' DEP Commissioner Shawn LaTourette tweeted. 'When 16% of your State lies in a floodplain, that is an emergency.' FEEDBACK? Reach me at mfriedman@ WHERE'S MURPHY — In Berkeley Heights at 10 a.m. to tour storm damage, then Newark at 11 a.m. for a Greenway groundbreaking ceremony QUOTE OF THE DAY: 'How would you like to die?' — TV host and Republican activist Alex Zdan to GOP gubernatorial nominee Jack Ciattarelli, who answered 'peacefully.' HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Raj Mukherji, Michael Shapiro, Tom Bonier WHAT TRENTON MADE KABIR MOSS — ''Overwhelming outpouring of love' for N.J. political aide who died Tuesday,' by NJ Advance Media's Steve Strunsky: 'Kabir Moss's widow, Chelsea Mullin Smith, said the popular and New Jersey Democratic political operative was, 'incredibly masculine but also the sweetest person you could ever meet.' It was one of several descriptions of Moss as embodying traits that seemed particularly disparate in the world of politics, given by loved ones during a memorial service on Monday in Newark, where he died suddenly last week at age 37. Before more than 250 mourners gathered in the Chase Room at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, family, friends, elected officials, and college teammates described Moss as sincere but realistic; competitive yet compassionate; successful but not cravenly ambitious. As a legislative aide in Trenton, Moss stood out not just because of his 6-foot 4-inch frame, but for his belief in and commitment to the progressive policies he worked to advance, said the lawmakers he worked for. Smith, from whom Moss was separated after five years of marriage, read the Maya Angelou poem, 'When Great Trees Fall.' Newark and Essex County authorities are not investigating Moss's death, and his family did not disclose the cause. 'We will never make sense of this tragedy,' his brother and only sibling, Gabriel Moss, told the gathering.' SCI HIRES SECOND CONSECUTIVE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WITH BEER-RELATED NAME — 'NJ top watchdog agency finally has new leader, months after its CEO lasted just 4 days,' by The Asbury Park Press' Mike Davis: 'The state's top watchdog agency appointed a federal prosecutor as its next executive director more than seven months after an Asbury Park Press report detailing its last chief executive's dual residency and second full-time, out-of-state job prompted her swift resignation. Bruce P. Keller will take over as executive director of the New Jersey State Commission of Investigation on July 15, after serving in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey since 2015. Former U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger named Keller as special counsel to the front office in March 2022 after seven years as an assistant U.S. attorney in the office's criminal and special prosecutions divisions. Keller replaces Tiffany Williams Brewer, the commission's former chair who was appointed its chief executive officer in January. She resigned after four days on the job following a Press report that she declared a Maryland home as her primary residence on mortgage documents, voted in New Jersey and taught a full course load as an assistant professor at Howard University in Washington.' BRIEF BEGINS WITH 'I'M JAWN MORGAN' — 'Trial lawyers back up Norcross in appeal of dismissal,' by New Jersey Globe's David Wildstein: 'Saying the state's prosecution of Democratic powerbroker George E. Norcross III represents a dangerous assault on zealous lawyering and constitutionally protected legal conduct, the New Jersey State Committee of the American College of Trial Lawyers has filed an amicus brief asking the appellate division to uphold the dismissal of criminal charges against two attorneys who were Norcross' co-defendants. Superior Court Judge Peter Warshaw dismissed a racketeering indictment in February, and the New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin is appealing the ruling. 'If the Attorney General could transform routine lawyering into criminal charges with no notice, effectively on a whim, because the lawyer's client or the lawyer's brother is out of favor with the prosecutor, then the rule of law will suffer for the same reasons Attorney General Platkin has voiced regarding the recent executive orders signed by President Trump,' the brief noted.' WAHTF? — 'NJ's officials must use mansion tax to restore affordable housing funds now,' by Edward Betha and Staci Berger for USA TODAY: 'New Jersey has taken a meaningful step by increasing taxes on luxury real estate transactions, but by failing to dedicate that revenue to affordable homes, state leaders have missed a critical opportunity to address one of our biggest challenges. The state's newly expanded mansion tax will generate more than $300 million a year from home sales over $1 million, with higher fees for more expensive properties. … The problem: none of that new revenue is being directed to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, or AHTF, New Jersey's only dedicated source of funding for affordable homes. Even worse, this year's budget raids the Trust Fund itself, diverting millions away from its legally intended purpose. That means fewer resources to build the affordable homes our communities desperately need, at a time when we are already facing a shortfall of nearly 290,000 homes for lower-income residents.' DUE TO BUDGET CUTS, NOAA CAN'T SAVE YOU — Murphy administration makes major changes to controversial sea-level rise rule, by POLITICO's Ry Rivard: In a concession to coastal mayors and developers, Gov. Phil Murphy's administration is making major changes to the sprawling rule package it proposed a year ago to protect New Jersey communities from sea-level rise. The Department of Environmental Protection on Monday said it is overhauling those rules before they take effect. Now, instead of preparing the state's 130 miles of coastline for 5 feet of sea-level rise, the rules will only require developers to plan for 4 feet. The changes come in part because local officials and the Murphy administration seem willing to gamble that the worst climate change projections won't come to pass. 'We are hearing from our coastal communities that they are comfortable with a higher level of risk,' DEP Commissioner Shawn LaTourette told reporters in a Monday morning virtual briefing. MAYBE THEY'RE JUST LIKE MY MOTHER — 'Amended NJ flood rules plan leaves environmentalists, business groups unsatisfied,' by New Jersey Monitor's Nikita Birukov: 'Business groups and shore residents had chaffed at the five-foot provision, arguing it would raise the price of construction in an already expensive state based on a scenario that modeling said had only a 17% chance of occurring. The amended proposal's reduction did little to assuage those concerns. 'They really have not addressed the serious concerns and the underlying problems with this rule. It seems to be more window dressing and still not based on the latest science,' said Ray Cantor, deputy chief government affairs officer for the New Jersey Business and Industry Association.' BIDDING ADEW — Justin Dews is leaving as chair of the governor's Clemency Advisory Board. The Murphy administration adviser, who was recently named to a leadership post in the Mikie Sherrill campaign for governor, will be replaced by Bishop Joshua Rodriguez. Gov. Phil Murphy said Dews has 'served as an invaluable leader, guiding its work with dedication and vision.' Murphy started the board in 2024 to review clemency applications and advise him on actions to take. At the end of last year, Murphy issued 33 pardons and commuted three sentences in what was expected to be the first in a wave of clemency actions before he leaves office next year. Dews said he is leaving 'out of an abundance of caution' to shield the board from perceived political conflicts. He noted that the board recommended, and Murphy granted, more pardons and commutations than all his predecessors in the last 30 years combined. 'This is a remarkable achievement that is the result of a process guided by fairness, not favor,' Dews said in a statement. 'The fact that the Board has operated apolitically is a point of pride and essential to its credibility and integrity.' Rodriguez, a Jersey City church leader, said leading the clemency board 'is both a solemn responsibility and a sacred opportunity — to advance justice, extend mercy, and help restore lives.' — Dustin Racioppi —'Where do New Jersey's lawsuits against Trump administration actions stand?' TRUMP ERA WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, THE TOUGH GET OUT THEIR CHECKBOOKS TO ATTEND A PRICEY SHINDIG AT A WATERFRONT MANSION — 'Obama's blunt message for Democrats: 'Toughen up',' by CNN's Arlette Sanchez: 'Former President Barack Obama issued a call to action for Democrats at a private fundraiser in New Jersey on Friday evening, urging those frustrated by the state of the country under President Donald Trump to 'stand up for the things that you think are right.' 'I think it's going to require a little bit less navel-gazing and a little less whining and being in fetal positions. And it's going to require Democrats to just toughen up,' Obama said at the fundraiser, according to excerpts of his remarks exclusively obtained by CNN. 'You know, don't tell me you're a Democrat, but you're kind of disappointed right now, so you're not doing anything. No, now is exactly the time that you get in there and do something,' he said. 'Don't say that you care deeply about free speech and then you're quiet. No, you stand up for free speech when it's hard. When somebody says something that you don't like, but you still say, 'You know what, that person has the right to speak.' … What's needed now is courage.'' HE IS THE CHAMPION, MY FRIENDS — 'Trump claims to have won another golf championship, his fifth this year, at his New Jersey club,' by The Palm Beach Post's Tom D'Angelo: 'The end of the golf season in South Florida does not mean the end of Donald Trump's claims on the course. The President has shifted his golf game from Trump International West Palm Beach to his course in Bedminster, N.J. But the change in scenery apparently has not slowed down the 79-year-old when it comes to declaring himself a champion. Trump boasted on his Truth Social website on Sunday, July 13, that he won the member-member championship at Bedminster with partner Tommy Urciuoli. … Trump has worked diligently on his golf game since starting his second term. In the first 10 weeks since the Jan. 20 inauguration, Trump had at least eight golf outings to his courses in Palm Beach County, Florida.' —'She and her family made military history. Then DEI became a 4-letter word' — 'Trio of House Dems press colleagues to support GOP-led crypto bill' —'24 states sue Trump admin to unfreeze more than $6 billion in education grants' LOCAL JCBOE — Jersey City lawmaker seeks to make school board mostly appointed, by POLITICO's Matt Friedman: Jersey City's school board, which has made headlines for dysfunction, would be mostly appointed instead of entirely elected under a new state proposal. State Sen. Raj Mukherji, a Democrat from Jersey City, in late June introduced legislation that would have voters elect one-third of the board members in New Jersey's third-largest school district. The mayor and City Council would each appoint a third of the members. 'This is in response to constituent concerns about the school budget and discord at our school board, and just the lack of collaboration between the public schools and the municipal government in managing the budget. Property taxpayers have shouldered that burden,' Mukherji said in a phone interview. The proposal, NJ S4686 (24R), would be phased in over three years and comes as Jersey City's school board struggles with a $1 billion budget following major cuts to its state aid. The board has also seen infighting, with recent jockeying over its leadership positions and staff controversies. While the legislation is aimed at Jersey City, it would also apply to Newark as written. GOIN' DOWN TO SOUTH SEASIDE PARK GONNA MERGE WITH FRIENDS OF MINE — 'South Seaside Park residents can leave Berkeley, but does Seaside Park want them?,' by The Asbury Park Press' Jean Mikle: 'Seaside Park must undertake a 'thorough review process' before any decision is made about a potential merger between the borough and the adjacent South Seaside Park neighborhood, Mayor John A. Peterson Jr. said. The mayor made his remarks in the wake of a unanimous New Jersey Supreme Court decision July 10 that said South Seaside Park — a 10-block section of the barrier island — can secede from Berkeley Township and join Seaside Park. … Peterson said Seaside Park's Borough Council has not yet had a chance to thoroughly review the Supreme Court decision, which found that rejecting South Seaside Park residents' secession petition would be 'detrimental to the economic and social well-being' of the neighborhood's residents. Peterson said he anticipates the borough will rely on professionals to determine the potential costs, as well as the benefits, of a merger with South Seaside. Seaside Park had a population of 1,436 according to 2020 U.S. Census data, with recent population estimates at about 1,500. South Seaside Park has about 500 residents.' CLIFTON — 'Scouts respond with good deed after North Jersey councilman had leg amputated,' by The Record's Matt Fagan: 'There's never been a doubt in Robin Gibson's mind that the city lives up to its slogan. The wife of city Councilman Bill Gibson said Clifton is, indeed, 'The City That Cares.' Her belief was further cemented by a good deed from a group of Troop 21 Scouts of St. Philip the Apostle Church. When the Scouts heard that the councilman was rushed to the hospital and had to have his leg amputated due to an infection last month, they quickly stepped forward and installed an access ramp to his home.' —'Mystery deepens on illegal Lakewood apartments. Ocean County fire marshal weighs in' —'[Howell] police officer fired last year following guilty plea in sex sting' —'Future of N.J.'s 'evil clown' sign in question after court ruling' —'Bridge replacement will help Jersey Shore drivers, but the massive project is likely years away' R.I.P. — 'Bob McLeod, Ex-Mayor And Judge Who Ran Against Pallone, Dies At 78' —"Tom Bianco elected Gloucester county commissioner' EVERYTHING ELSE THE BIRD SURVEILLANCE STATE — 'Did you know there are listening devices in the Meadowlands? Here's what they pick up,' by The Record's Roxxanne Boychuk: 'Over the course of any given year, more than 200 bird species live just west of Manhattan's spires in the Hackensack Meadowlands. Scientists have known that for a while, with the Meadowlands serving as a key stopover along the Atlantic flyway during spring and fall migration seasons. But now, using new technology, they are learning a lot more about bird behaviors among those different species hiding out in the Meadowlands. With the use of autonomous recording units, or ARUs, scientists can listen to bird frequencies to determine their behaviors, said Michael Turso, a wildlife biologist at the Meadowlands Research and Restoration Institute.' UMBRELLADEMIC — 'Flying beach umbrella injured N.J. woman at swim club, lawsuit says,' by NJ Advance Medai's Anthony G. Attrino: 'A Bergen County woman has filed a lawsuit against a local swim club, alleging she was struck and seriously injured by a flying beach umbrella near the pool. The 29-year-old Maywood woman states in court papers she was injured May 27, 2023, at the Hasbrouck Heights Swim Club, a private business located in the 100 block of Route 17 South. 'She was seriously and permanently injured by a flying umbrella, which was picked up by a wind gust,' states the suit.' —'NJ Transit bus driver charged in crash that seriously injured North Jersey police officer' —''The Office' reunion event is coming to North Jersey. What to expect at the convention' —'I went to the FIFA Club World Cup. What could go wrong at 2026 FIFA World Cup | Opinion'


Fox News
2 days ago
- Fox News
Obama tells Democrat big wigs to 'toughen up,' start backing candidates that can actually win
Former President Barack Obama had blunt words for Democratic Party donors, telling them at a Friday fundraiser to "toughen up" and "stop looking for a quick fix" after the Democratic Party became locked out of power following the 2024 election cycle. "I think it's going to require a little bit less navel-gazing and a little less whining and being in fetal positions. And it's going to require Democrats to just toughen up," Obama said at the fundraiser, according to excerpts obtained by CNN. "Don't tell me you're a Democrat, but you're kind of disappointed right now, so you're not doing anything. No, now is exactly the time that you get in there and do something." Obama is not alone in urging his fellow Democratic colleagues to take a more aggressive approach following the GOP's momentum in 2024. The former president articulated that his view of becoming more aggressive and toughening up means standing up for policies and candidates that are unpopular, or that may make lawmakers feel uncomfortable, but in the end have the best chance to deliver. "Don't say that you care deeply about free speech, and then you're quiet. No, you stand up for free speech when it's hard. When somebody says something that you don't like, but you still say, 'You know what? That person has the right to speak.' … What's needed now is courage," Obama added in his remarks at the fundraiser, which drew in $2.5 million and was hosted by New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and his wife, Tammy Murphy, at their home. "Stop looking for the quick fix," he added. "Stop looking for the messiah. You have great candidates running races right now. Support those candidates." The former president pointed particularly at the upcoming elections in New Jersey and Virginia. Later this year, Virginia will face a major gubernatorial battle between incumbent GOP Gov. Glenn Youngkin's Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears and former long-time Virginia Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va. In New Jersey, Democrat Rep. Mikie Sherrill, who was reportedly in attendance at the Friday fundraiser, is running for her state's open gubernatorial seat against GOP candidate Jack Ciattarelli. Both states will also hold new state House elections and a slate of other local elections. In Virginia, there will also be a special election this year to replace the late Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va. Amid his remarks, Obama described Spanberger and Sherrill as "powerful spokespersons for a pragmatic, commonsense desire to help people and who both have remarkable track records of service." "Stop looking for the quick fix. Stop looking for the messiah. You have great candidates running races right now. Support those candidates." - former President Barack Obama "The most important thing you can do right now is to help the team, our candidate to win," he said. "And we've got to start building up our coffers in the DNC." Obama acknowledged the party's increasing propensity to nominate progressive, far-left candidates, such as the recent choice of Zohran Mamdani over former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in the New York City mayoral race, but argued that what they are promoting and what centrist Democrats are pushing are not mutually exclusive. "There's been, I gather, some argument between the left of the party and people who are promoting the quote-unquote abundance agenda. Listen, those things are not contradictory. You want to deliver for people and make their lives better? You got to figure out how to do it," Obama said Friday. "I don't care how much you love working people. They can't afford a house because all the rules in your state make it prohibitive to build. And zoning prevents multifamily structures because of NIMBY," he added, referring to "not in my backyard" views by residents who oppose development in their neighborhoods. "I don't want to know your ideology, because you can't build anything. It does not matter." Obama said that what was being asked of his fellow Democratic Party leaders was to "make some effort to stand up" for what they believe is right, even if it makes them a "little bit uncomfortable." Fox News Digital reached out to Obama's office for comment but did not receive an immediate response.