BOOKER to IOWA — NJ health insurance rates to drop — NJ TRANSIT train pierced by metal in Hudson River tunnel

By Matt Friedman (mfriedman@politico.com; @mattfriedmannj)

Good Monday morning!

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Sen. Cory Booker is running for president.

No, that’s not a scoop. It’s just looks that way.

The latest sign is the news — broken simultaneously by The Record and The Des Moines Register and maybe some other places I didn’t notice — is that Booker will keynote an event in Iowa that typically features Democratic presidential contenders.

Booker says he’s doing it because Iowa’s House races are important to Democrats’ hopes of retaking the House.. Oh, and Booker is reportedly dispatching staffers to work for Iowa candidates.

We went through this already with Gov. Christie. There’s no need to analyze what all the appearances mean. But we will anyway. Today, Booker has a press conference in New Brunswick. I’m sure this will come up.

WHERE’S MURPHY? In Paramus for an 11:30 am ribbon-cutting ceremony at IBEW Local No. 164 Training Academy

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Newark CEDC’s Jorge Santos and the American Heart Association’s Ian Allen

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “Question: But what of the financial implications for the county? Answer: Deal with it. Raise taxes if you must. The human rights of immigrants far surpasses anything else. Other counties are creative enough to fund their counties without participating in racial and ethnic cleansing being carried out under the guise of immigration law and order. Hudson should be so creative too.” — Rev. Seth Kaper-Dale, who’s not pleased with Hudson County’s strategy to exit its ICE contract

WHAT TRENTON MADE

MURPHYCARE — Individual insurance rates to fall an average of 9.3 percent in New Jersey next year, by POLITICO’s Sam Sutton: Implementation of New Jersey’s individual mandate and reinsurance program will cause individual health insurance premiums to fall by an average of 9.3 percent next year, Gov. Phil Murphy said Friday. The projected decline marks a stark reversal from the 5.8 percent increase the state Department of Banking and Insurance projected when it released preliminary rates in late July. The preliminary rates did not reflect the federal funding New Jersey needs to set up its reinsurance program, which the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services approved in mid-August. AmeriHealth New Jersey, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, Oscar and United HealthCare subsidiary Oxford Health Insurance will offer individual plans in New Jersey next year, according to the final 2019 rates released Friday by DOBI. “Each of us recognizes the need to ensure that every New Jerseyan has an affordable health care policy that works for them and their family. This has guided our efforts,“ Murphy said during a press conference at Hackensack Meridian Health Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank. Read the report

ACTUALLY AMTRAK’S FAULT — “Piece of metal pierces roof of New Jersey Transit train in a night of service disruptions,” by The New York Times’ Patrick McGeehan: “It was supposed to be a 18-minute ride to New York’s Pennsylvania Station after a night out in Newark, but not long after the New Jersey Transit train carrying John Foley and 1,100 other passengers entered a Hudson River tunnel, the lights flickered and it felt like the train might fly off the tracks. ‘There were electrical explosions and sparks. People braced themselves because it felt like the train was freewheeling through the tunnel,’ Mr. Foley, 40, of Manhattan, said on Saturday. Transit officials said overhead electrical wiring dislodged around 11:30 p.m. on Friday, causing a piece of a metal bracket, connecting the train to the overhead power line, to puncture a passenger car of the Northeast Corridor train that Mr. Foley was in. About three to four feet of metal protruded into the car. A few minutes later, a North Jersey Coast Line train with 500 passengers traveling from Penn Station to New Jersey struck a metal object hanging in overhead wiring as it exited the tunnel.” Read the report

SANCTUARY STATE — “NJ officials figuring out what it will mean to be a ‘sanctuary state’,” by NJ 101.5’s David Matthau: “Next month the issue, in New Jersey at least, should be clarified. New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal said that policies from 2007 allow authorities to question criminal defendants about their immigration status, but that ‘doesn’t reflect the immigration realities of today.’ Grewal said the new directive should be completed within the next month or so ‘and it will spell out when we can and when we can’t cooperate with federal civil immigration authorities.’ ‘If federal immigration authorities have a criminal warrant and they need our assistance and they need assistance in executing criminal warrants issued by a judge, we’ll cooperate. Regardless of immigration status, if someone violates the laws of this state, they’ll be arrested, they’ll be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.’ But he also said ‘we’re not here as state law enforcement officers to enforce federal civil immigration laws and we’re going to spell that out in the forthcoming guidance.’” Read the report

EDUCATION — Charter schools association seeks to intervene in segregation lawsuit, by POLITICO’s Linh Tat: “The New Jersey Charter Schools Association has filed a motion to intervene in a lawsuit that has cast a light on segregation in New Jersey classrooms. NJCSA said in court documents the plaintiff, the New Jersey Coalition for Diverse and Inclusive Schools, erroneously laid part of the blame for segregation on charter schools. It also said the coalition wants the Murphy administration to, without NJCSA’s input, rewrite admissions policies that would impact not only children attending traditional public schools but also the 50,000 kids in New Jersey charter schools. “Charter schools are part of the desegregation solution — they are not the problem,” Harry Lee, the NJCSA’s soon-to-be interim president, said. “In fact, an important tool to combat school segregation is empowering parents with meaningful public school choice. … [W]e are intervening to address baseless attacks on charter schools and ensure that our students and families have a seat at the table.” Read the report

—“I rode NJ Transit for a week. Here’s what I learned.” Read the report

—“Jerry Green plaza dedication in Plainfield draws hundreds, including Gov. Murphy, Sen. Menendez and others” Read the report

TRUMP ERA

WILL WAYNE LAPIERRE COME IN FOR WEBBER? — “Midterm 2018: Mikie Sherrill, Gabrielle Giffords event highlights gun rights in campaigns,” by The Record’s Nicholas Pugliese: “Two days after welcoming Joe Biden for a campaign rally in Montclair, Democratic candidate Mikie Sherrill on Friday received the full-throated support of prominent gun-control activists in her bid to represent New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District … Gabrielle Giffords, the former Arizona congresswoman severely injured in a 2011 shooting, and her husband Mark Kelly, a Navy veteran and retired astronaut, held a forum with Sherrill at the Woodland Park American Legion on Friday to tout the candidate’s support for tougher gun laws … The event is part of a seven-stop national tour organized by Giffords’ eponymous group and VoteVets, a liberal political action committee that supports veterans running for office.” Read the report

AMY WILSON TO SELL HOMEMADE TIN FOIL HATS — “Jersey City blasts Kushner family’s lawsuit as a ‘conspiracy theory’,” by The Jersey Journal’s Terrence T. McDonald: “The Kushner family’s real-estate development firm spun a web of fabrications that reads “like a conspiracy theory” to make it seem they are the victims of Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop’s animus toward President Trump, the city alleges in a new legal filing. The filing, a motion by Jersey City to dismiss the lawsuit the firm filed against the city and Fulop in July, says the company’s allegations against the city are a ‘desperate attempt’ by Kushner Companies and its partner, KABR Group, to remain the redevelopers of the stalled One Journal Square project. The two-tower plan is slated for a vacant lot adjacent to the Journal Square PATH station. The developers’ lawsuit is ‘a disguised political diatribe made to bolster what at best amounts to a mere contractual dispute,’ the city says in the motion, filed Wednesday in federal court in Newark.” Read the report

—“Renowned climber scales exterior of N.J.’s tallest apartment tower” Read the report

THIS WILL NEVER HAPPEN — “The gas-tax hike: Don’t like high prices? Pump it yourself,” by The Star-Ledger’s Paul Mulshine: “I yield to no one in my criticism of the fiscal policies of Gov. Phil Murphy. But when it comes to this looming 4.3-cent hike in the gas tax, you can’t blame the governor. Blame yourself – for two reasons. One reason is that for years you let politicians of both parties get away with telling you that the most densely populated state in the union could somehow get by with the lowest gas tax in the Lower 48 states. Another reason is that you don’t want to pump your own gas. For more than half a century, Jersey drivers fooled themselves into believing that full-service gas is free. In fact, it costs about 10 cents a gallon according to a guy who has spent his life studying gas prices. That’s Sal Risalvato of the New Jersey Gasoline, C-Store and Retail Alliance. The cost of mandatory full-service gas was not apparent back when we had the lowest gas tax around, he said. But as of Oct. 1, when we will have the ninth-highest gas tax in the nation, we can no longer afford it.” Read the report

—“Booker defies GOP warning, releases another batch of ‘confidential’ Kavanaugh docs” Read the report

—“N.J. Congresswoman: 10 things we need to do to fix U.S. prison problem” Read the op-ed

—“What needs to happen for you to make a good living? For unions to survive? This Jersey Dem has a few ideas.” Read the report

—“Here’s more proof, thanks to the IRS, of how Trump tax law slammed N.J.” Read the report

CARTOON BREAK: “Hoboken planning board member under fire for alleged ‘ethical breach’” See the cartoon

LOCAL

HEY REMEMBER WHEN THE LEGISLATURE PASSED A LAW TO MAKE IT EASIER TO PRIVATIZE WATER SYSTEMS? — “Hundreds at risk of water shutoffs in Camden’s semi-privatized water system,” by The Philadelphia Inquirer’s William Feuer: “Jasmine Walker’s brick-face home in Camden’s Waterfront South section appeared ordinary at first: A purple cutout of the alphabet was pasted to the wall, and a television set rested in the living room, which was cluttered with her kids’ toys. But in the next room, dirty laundry lay in piles, the defunct sink overflowed with dishes, water containers of every size littered the tables and floor, and a putrid smell permeated the air. In July, American Water, the for-profit company that leases Camden’s water system, stopped service to her home due to failure to pay, leaving Walker, 25, and her two daughters, newborn Elaya and 6-year-old Naja, without running water for months. That finally changed on Wednesday, Walker said, after she submitted a form detailing the symptoms of her severe epilepsy and American Water reestablished her water service. Throughout the city, there are more than 400 homes at risk of having their water shut off like Walker’s under Camden’s privatized water contract, according to a report acquired by the Inquirer and Daily News through the state’s Open Public Records Act.” Read the report

NOTHING LIKE USING TAXPAYER MONEY TO BUY SILENCE — “Lakewood picks new town manager, pays $327,000 severance to former administrator,” by The Asbury Park Press’ Stacey Barchenger: “The township’s public works director will take over the job of municipal manager after the sudden resignation of Thomas Henshaw earlier this week, officials said. Patrick Donnelly was appointed Friday morning to assume the township’s top administrative job, Mayor Ray Coles said. Also Friday, the township released a copy of a severance agreement that includes a $327,000 payment to Henshaw in exchange for his agreement not to sue the township and not discuss his resignation.” Read the report

YOU GET A F***ING WRIST SLAP — “”NJ’s top court censures judge who told cop: ‘I’m a f***ing judge’,” by The AP: “The state Supreme Court on Friday censured a municipal court judge over his conduct during a 2016 traffic stop where he was accused of drunken driving. Two state troopers said they found Wilfredo Benitez asleep in his vehicle on the shoulder of Interstate 80 in Teaneck and detected an odor of alcohol. The troopers said Benitez told them, ‘I’m a f***ing judge’ and cursed and became belligerent after being handcuffed. Benitez later was found not guilty of driving under the influence. The Supreme Court on Friday accepted the findings of a committee on judicial conduct regarding Benitez, who sits in the Essex County municipalities of Belleville and East Orange. The committee found Benitez violated rules prohibiting improper conduct and using ‘the prestige of judicial office to advance the personal or economic interests of the judge or others … Benitez will continue to serve on the bench’” Read the report

MENENDEZ DANCING ON FULOP’S POLITICAL GRAVE— “Fulop who? Hudson Dems gather and tout their (almost) unity,” by The Jersey Journal’s Terrence T. McDonald: “Hudson County’s Democrats crammed inside a hot, second-floor banquet room at Liberty House Thursday night to raise cash for U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez and show the world that, despite the recent, bruising battle for county Democratic chair, they are unified. Well, mostly unified. There was one high-profile Democrat whose absence was conspicuous, Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop. Fulop has been on the outs with the Hudson County Democratic Organization since June’s chair fight (his side lost) and with Menendez since the senator sensed Fulop was angling to replace him (Fulop has denied this). Fulop said he boycotted the gala because of his opposition to the county’s housing of immigrant detainees at its jail in Kearny. Menendez, formerly a close ally of the mayor, did not mention Fulop’s name during his speech on Thursday” Read the report

PATRONAGERSON — “Paterson BOE hires new law firms at $210K each,” by The Paterson Press’ Joe Malinconico: “The city school district’s lucrative legal contracts are changing hands, with the work shifting to two private law firms with Paterson political connections. The Paterson Board of Education last week approved separate $210,000 contracts for the firms – Hunt, Hamlin and Ridley of Newark and Inglesino, Webster, Wyciskala and Taylor of Parsippany. A third private lawyer, Robert Murray, will continue working for the district under his $260,000 contract, officials said. The district is not renewing its contracts with four other firms that handled parts of its legal caseload last year. The school board hired the two new firms based on separate unsolicited proposals they submitted, officials said. The district did not conduct a competitive process.” Read the report

TELLING WYATT EARP TO HOLD HIS HORSES — “State Sen. Vin Gopal to Ocean County Democrats: Focus on municipal races, not on freeholder contest,” by The Asbury Park Press’ Erik Larsen: “A state senator from Monmouth County does not want any amount of a $10,000 contribution he made to the Ocean County Democratic Party to be used in support of their candidates for countywide office. State Sen. Vin Gopal, D-Monmouth, sent a letter to Ocean County Democratic Chairman Wyatt Earp to request that the money be used on municipal elections only — where Ocean County Democrats have waged successful contests in the recent past. For example, Democrats have total control over the local governments of Brick under the leadership of Mayor John G. Ducey. Last November, Democrats in Toms River rode a wave of anger about overdevelopment to win three of four ward council seats in the county’s second-largest town after Lakewood. Brick is the third-largest town in Ocean. However, no Democrat has been elected to a countywide office since 1989.” Read the report

HOMELESSNESS — “From homeless to $22 an hour, thanks to new construction program,” by NJ Advance Media’s Barry Carter: “John Robinson didn’t think Newark city officials were serious about a construction trades program for residents like him living in a homeless shelter … Robinson jumped at the chance, even though the shelter closed for a day in July when the city didn’t have any more funds. Corporate donors paid the $200,000 cost to keep it open for that month. The shelter, however, is still open as the city continues to work on a plan to house the homeless population. Residents living there are relieved for now that they have somewhere to go. Fifteen of them were selected to be interviewed and screened for the construction trade program offered by the Newark Housing Authority and Laborers Local 55, a residential construction labor union in Newark. About half of those who applied to the program were accepted. The housing agency and the union had already been training and hiring Newark residents for the past year, but it extended the program to include those who were homeless when the shelter issue surfaced. NHA Executive Director Victor Cirilo said he thought it would be a good idea to approach the city about the idea of hiring homeless in the shelter, because the program with the union has gone well for some 50 Newark residents who had been trained and hired.” Read the report

—“In victory for teachers union, Newark superintendent scraps longer hours for low-performing schools” Read the report

—“Deadline looms for Jersey City council to act on Polish statue” Read the report

—“North Brunswick High School closes indefinitely after mold discovered” Read the report

—“Hoboken planning board member under fire for alleged ‘ethical breach’’ Read the report

—“In Jersey City, Boggiano says serving on city council should be a full-time job” Read the report

—“NJ Attorney General’s Office: Howell cop went to Toms River for sex with 15-year-old girl” Read the report

—“’Rise for Climate’ rally brings activists to Morristown Town Hall” Read the report

EVERYTHING ELSE

ALL IS FORGIVEN — “Gov. Murphy gets win outside of politics. His soccer team is victorious in last game,” by NJ Advance Media’s Bill Gallo Jr.: “It took all season, but the Sky Blue National Women’s Soccer League team finally got a win — in its final game. The victory was also one this season for Gov. Phil Murphy. He’s one of the Tinton Falls-based team’s owners. It was New Jersey native Carli Lloyd who made the 1-0 victory over the Orlando Pride happen, scoring the only goal of the game in the 74th minute. The governor came in for criticism this summer for the allegedly tough conditions for the players.” Read the report

COMING SOON: MR. NJ PLAYBOOK 2019 — “There she is, without a swimsuit: Miss America tries not to sink in Atlantic City,” by The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Amy S. Rosenberg: “What can you say about Miss America forging ahead without its iconic swimsuit competition, but holding fast to time-honored traditions of beauty, brains, scholarship, service — and extreme backbiting and name-calling? About a week leading to Sunday’s televised event — formerly known as a pageant — that included someone draping the Miss America statue on the Boardwalk with a ‘Gretchen Sucks’ sash, mocking Gretchen Carlson, the beleaguered former Fox News anchor who took over as chair of the Miss America organization this year?” Read the report

EDUCATION — “Teacher-student texting grows, but so does concern about the trend,” by The Record’s Hannan Adely: “More educators are using text messages to communicate with students, recognizing that texts can be the quickest and most effective way to distribute information about class assignments, schedule changes and exams. But they are also taking extra precautions. … New Jersey school districts must have rules in place that define and limit how text messaging should be used, and many educators rely on apps with built-in features for privacy and protection. The precautions help ensure that texting remains professional and proper – a key concern amid recent controversies involving text exchanges between educators and students.” Read the report

—“For North Jersey Catholics, latest abuse allegations are a test of faith” Read the report

—“Cop who lives with parents deemed unfit for Port Authority” Read the report

FOR MORE political and policy news from New Jersey, check out Politico New Jersey’s home page: http://politi.co/1JiYTDg

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