Media
Thumbs-up for Aug. 21
To providing for all the children of fallen state troopers. After a New Jersey State Police trooper with Burlington County ties was killed in the line of duty earlier this year, his fianceé and children were not eligible for full benefits under current pension law. Thanks to local legislators, including Assemblyman Troy Singleton, D-7th of Palmyra; Sen. Diane Allen, R-7th of Edgewater Park; and Senate President Steve Sweeney, D-1st of West Deptford, a bill to expand survivors' benefits was signed into law last week. Now all minor children of troopers who die in the line of duty are entitled to 70 percent of the their benefits, including children of unmarried couples, and until age 24 if they’re still in college. Trooper Sean Cullen, a Cinnaminson High School and Lycoming College graduate, was a member of the police forces in Sea Isle City and Mount Holly before becoming a trooper. He was struck and killed by a car on Interstate 295 in West Deptford while responding to the scene of an accident. We ask so much of them; it’s only right that we do what we can to care for their children.
Lawmakers urge additional pipeline hearings; DEP postpones next hearing
TRENTON — An upcoming public hearing on New Jersey Natural Gas' application for a water permit needed to build a natural gas pipeline through northern Burlington County is being postponed so state environmental officials can find a larger venue.
From Battlefields to Boardrooms
Being unemployed can be difficult for anyone, but it is particularly painful for one special group: our military veterans.
There is a saying that comes with those who have given of themselves to defend our country, “Some gave all, but all gave something.” This statement underscores the covenant that thousands of men and women have made with our country. An agreement that demands that we honor their service by treating them every day with the dignity and respect that these patriots deserve.
The Agony & the Ecstasy
ABC’s “Wild World of Sports” was a popular TV program that ran for 37 years. It had a memorable intro, “The Thrill of Victory and the Agony of Defeat,” as it showed the spectacular wipe-out of a Slovenian skier, who was unhurt. That slogan remains in our lexicon to this day.
The show was wildly popular not only because it highlighted major sporting events, but also minor sports that seldom got any media attention. I also think then, as now, it allowed all of us a moment of vicarious pleasure to daydream about how it must feel to win or lose in pursuit of an athletic goal. That’s a feeling that many viewers must be sharing as they watch the Olympic Games.
As I watched the greatest sporting display on earth, I couldn’t help but wonder whether there weren’t lessons that we could pluck from the games by simply being an observer. The Olympics, like everyday life, is far from perfect. But mostly in this great competition the vast majority of competitors, with some notable exceptions, have taken the high road, looking for commonality and camaraderie in the pursuit of a common goal — victory — even as they compete against each other.
Gender pay gap 2nd widest in the nation for these N.J. women
Black women make 60 cents for every dollar white men earn in New Jersey, the second-widest wage gap in the nation, according to a study the National Women's Law Center released on Tuesday.
Christie orders funding for emergency N.J. road projects as gas tax fight continues
With the state's Transportation Trust Fund "days away from exhausting all of its available funds," Gov. Chris Christie on Wednesday ordered officials to free money in the state budget to pay for any emergency road or rail work.
N.J. avoids credit rating downgrade despite pension, road funding woes
Two Wall Street rating agencies on Monday left New Jersey's credit ratings unchanged despite concerns about the ability of state tax collections to keep up with rising benefit costs.
Residents in Pa., N.J., and Del. are way behind on their mortgages
The percentages of "seriously underwater" mortgages in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware all exceeded the national average in the second quarter of 2016,according to new data.
Preparing For A Financial Rainy Day
The difficulty with complicated economic issues is that many of us find it difficult to see the relationship between a major fiscal policy and its impact on our own pocketbook.
Rainy day funds are an exception. I believe we all fundamentally understand this concept.
Let’s assume that you’ve set money aside for a long weekend at the shore in late August. The day before you leave, your air conditioning unit breaks, and the HVAC technician comes out and quotes a $900 repair. Do you still go on vacation? If you’ve been prudent, you dip into your savings (You always keep the equivalent of three month’s living expenses, right???), write the check and enjoy your vacation.
But what if you’ve been imprudent? What if you haven’t been saving money or if all you’ve saved is $300? You have a shortfall, and the fiscal problem is apparent.