Sweeney hatches $1B health care deal with NJEA – Politico

With the Murphy administration consumed by its response to an escalating global health crisis, state Senate President Steve Sweeney held a last minute press conference Monday with NJEA President Marie Blistan where he announced a plan to generate $1 billion in savings for taxpayers and educators.

“We’re coming up with over a billion dollars in savings. Who would have ever thunk?” Sweeney said.“This has been a long, long journey. But I know Marie, under her leadership, has wanted the same thing. We just needed to find a way to match the words with the action.”

Who would have ever thunk, indeed. The press conference saw Sweeney sharing smiles and a handshake with the head of a public workers union that fought publicly with the Senate President for almost a decade, going so far as to back a Trump-leaning Republican in 2017, a race that became the most expensive in New Jersey’s legislative history.

It also marks yet another example of Sweeney softening some of the hardline stances that defined his repeated clashes with Murphy, whose strong working relationship with the NJEA and other public workers unions generated hundreds of millions of health savings through collective bargaining and new vendor agreements.

The deal obtained by NJEA is more or less in line with what it’s been seeking for the better part of a year. It certainly shares some DNA with a proposal crafted by Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin that Sweeney dismissed (at first), and it’s well removed from some of the benefit-slashing platinum-to-gold reforms sought by Sweeney through his “Path to Progress” blueprint. That said, as outlined today, Sweeney’s deal with the NJEA would generate significant long-term savings.

Sweeney said the deal “would not have happened without the efforts of the workgroup” headed by state Sen. Paul Sarlo (D-Bergen), the budget chairman, and state Sen. Steve Oroho (R-Sussex), that helped design the Path to Progress, even if he’s no longer pursuing some of its proposed changes to the state’s health benefit plans.

“We will continue to push for other policy items in the Path to Progress report, including pension reform,” he said.

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QUOTE OF THE DAY — “We’re New Jersey. You know if there’s one flake of snow we’re going to get milk and bread. That’s just who we are.” — Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver, on the state’s warning to stock up on two weeks of food and water in the event of self-quarantine.

DAYS MURPHY HAS SPENT OUT OF STATE SINCE BECOMING DGA CHAIR: 17

CORONAVIRUS TRACKER — The state Department of Health is providing a running tally on the number of persons under investigation, tests in process and presumed positives. There are 11 presumptive positive cases so far.

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WHERE’S MURPHY? — Murphy has no public schedule. Acting Gov. Sheila Oliver and Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli will lead another press conference at noon to provide new details on the constantly evolving coronavirus crisis.

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2020 — “Biden coming to New Jersey,” by the New Jersey Globe’s David Wildstein: “Former Vice President Joe Biden will be in New Jersey on March 20 for a high dollar fundraiser at the Montclair home of Bobbi Brown and Steve Pflofker. Tickets are at $2,800 per person. The fundraiser is being hosted by Michael Dupont and Rob Garrison, who have been leading the New Jersey Biden campaign.”

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CANCELED FRIEND REQUESTS — “Camden County GOP criticized for sharing Muslim-bashing political memes,” by WHYY’s Emily Scott and Nicholas Pugliese: “When Rich Ambrosino took control of the Camden County GOP two years ago, the party was shedding members and resigned to its second-class status in a deep blue corner of New Jersey. ‘It’s hard enough to be a Republican in Camden County,’ said Ambrosino, the county party chairman. ‘I needed to change the surrender culture that I kind of felt like I inherited.’ Central to that turnaround, he felt, would be a more assertive online presence. It arrived on July 5, 2019. … along the way, the party has amplified Islamophobic memes and other content that two local Muslim groups and the state Attorney General’s Office say could promote the type of bias incidents that are on the rise in New Jersey and nationwide.”

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[COPS THEME] — “More than 60 people accused of violent crimes arrested for failing to appear in court,” by NJ Advance Media’s Jenna Wise: “Dozens of people who authorities say failed to appear in court after committing violent crimes were arrested in Essex County over the last month as part of a multi-agency effort to crack down on offenses in the area.”

GUY IS ALSO GUILTY OF LOOKING LIKE ‘NICE GUY’ EDDIE — “Alleged N.J. crime family associate pleads guilty to federal drug, gun charges,” by NJ Advance Media’s Joe Atmonavage

MORE ON THIS LATER TODAY — “Hudson County officials say Alaris Health owner is blocking deal for 2 Hudson County hospitals,” by NJ Advance Media’s Joshua Rosario: “Elected officials from Hudson County say RWJBarnabas and CarePoint Health have come to an agreement on the sale of two hospitals in Jersey City and Hoboken, but the owner of a North Jersey nursing home chain is blocking the transaction. Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, Hoboken Mayor Ravinder Bhalla, Bayonne Mayor James Davis and other local officials said Monday that Avery Eisenreich is impeding a deal that would see RWJBarnabas acquire Christ Hospital and Hoboken University Medical Center from CarePoint.”