.

>>> MAJOR FUNDING FOR "REPORTERS ROUNDTABLE" WITH DAVID CRUZ IS PROVIDED BY -- NEW JERSEY REALTORS, THE VOICE FOR REAL ESTATE IN NEW JERSEY.

MORE INFORMATION IS ONLINE AT NJREALTOR.COM.

RWJ BARNABUS HEALTH.

LET'S BE HEALTHY TOGETHER.

NJM INSURANCE GROUP, SERVING THE INSURANCE NEEDS OF NEW JERSEY RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES FOR MORE THAN 100 YEARS.

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PROMOTIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY NEW JERSEY BUSINESS MAGAZINE, THE MAGAZINE OF THE NEW JERSEY BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION, REPORTING TO EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE LEADERS IN ALL 21 COUNTIES OF THE GARDEN STATE SINCE 1954.

AND BY POLITICO'S NEW JERSEY PLAYBOOK.

A TOPICAL NEWSLETTER ON GARDEN STATE POLITICS, ONLINE AT POLITICO.COM.

♪ >>> WELCOME TO "REPORTERS ROUNDTABLE."

I'M DAVID CRUZ, WRAPPING UP THE FIRST WEEK OF THE SECOND TERM OF GOVERNOR PHIL MURPHY AND LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR SHEILA OLIVER.

WE'LL LOOK BACK ON THE WEEK AND AHEAD TO THE NEXT FOUR YEARS WHICH OUR PANEL WHICH INCLUDES JOANNA GAGES, CORRESPONDENT WITH NJ SPOTLIGHT NEWS.

DUSTIN RASIOPY, THE STATE HOUSE REPORTER FOR THE RECORD, AND MATT FRIEDMAN, REPORTER WITH POLITICO AND AUTHOR OF ITS NEW JERSEY PLAYBOOK.

WE'RE GOING TO START TODAY WITH THE LATEST CONTROVERSY SURROUNDING THE EXCLUDED WORKERS FUND, WHICH YOU MAY REMEMBER WAS ESTABLISHED BY THE STATE AFTER MUCH CAJOLING FROM ADVOCATES TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL HELP TO WORKERS WHO WERE IMPACTED ECONOMICALLY BY COVID BUT INELIGIBLE FOR OTHER GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE.

THIS IS LARGELY THE UNDOCUMENTED POPULATION IN THE STATE.

BUT A REPORT IN GOTHAMIST THIS WEEK SAYS THAT MOST OF THE MONEY INTENDED FOR THESE WORKERS ACTUALLY NEVER GOT DISTRIBUTED AND, IN FACT, WENT BACK INTO THE STATE BUDGET.

LET'S GET INTO THIS WITH AMY TORRES.

SHE'S THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE NEW JERSEY ALLIANCE FOR IMMIGRANT JUSTICE.

AMY, GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

WELCOME.

>> GREAT TO SEE YOU TOO.

GREAT TO SEE SO MANY OTHERS ON THE CALL.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> SO THIS PACKAGE WAS UP TO $50 MILLION IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, BUT THE REPORT SAYS $34 MILLION WENT BACK TO THE STATE.

WHAT HAPPENED HERE?

>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

YOU KNOW, FROM DAY ONE THAT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION CHOSE TO EXCLUDE IMMIGRANTS FROM FEDERAL STIMULUS, ADVOCATES, COMMUNITY LEADERS, IMMIGRANTS RIGHTS GROUPS CAME TOGETHER AND SAID NEW JERSEY NEEDS TO FIND A SOLUTION TO FILL THE GAP.

WE'RE ENTERING YEAR THREE OF THE PANDEMIC, AND WE STILL DON'T HAVE A SOLUTION THAT RIGHT-SIZES THE RELIEF THAT OUR COMMUNITIES DESERVE.

THE ORIGINAL EXCLUDED NEW JERSEYANS FUND WAS $40 MILLION OF CARES ACT MONEY, WHICH EVEN ONCE THE FUND WAS ESTABLISHED, WHICH WAS A HUGE WIN FOR COMMUNITY, WE KNEW IT WAS NOT GOING TO BE ENOUGH.

IT WAS ONLY GOING TO REACH 10% OF THE POPULATION IN NEW JERSEY, AND WE KNEW THAT THE PAYMENTS THAT WERE GOING OUT WERE INSUFFICIENT FOR THE TYPES OF NEED THAT WE WERE HEARING FROM COMMUNITY.

WE WERE WORKING WITH PARTNERS WITH THE STATE.

WE WERE HEARING DIRECTLY FROM COMMUNITY, AND COME NOVEMBER, DECEMBER, CARES ACT MONEY WAS SET TO EXPIRE AT THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR.

AN ADDITIONAL $10 MILLION OF AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN MONEY WAS PUT IN AS A MEANS OF EXTENDING THE FUND.

NOW, EARLIER THIS WEEK, SAME DAY AS INAUGURATION DAY, THE NEWS BROKE THAT $34 MILLION OF THE FUND WAS GOING TO BE RAIDED AND USED ON OTHER EXPENSES.

I THINK FOR COMMUNITIES WHO HAD BEEN TOLD FROM THE VERY BEGINNING HOW ESSENTIAL THEY ARE TO OUR WORKFORCE, HOW ESSENTIAL THAT THEY HAD BEEN TO THE RECOVERY, AND HOW NEW JERSEY WAS GOING TO DELIVER THIS AMERICAN DREAM FOR EVERYONE, RIGHT?

TO HEAR THIS NEWS WHEN THERE HAD ALREADY BEEN SO MANY DISAPPOINTMENTS LEFT PEOPLE WITH, I MEAN, NOTHING SHORT OF OUTRAGE.

SO COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS CAME TOGETHER ON TUESDAY.

WE HAD A PRESS CONFERENCE DISCUSSING THE CHALLENGES THAT PEOPLE HAD EXPERIENCED WITH THE FUND, AND THE OUTRAGE WAS REAL.

YOU COULD FEEL IT ALMOST WALKING THROUGH THE SCREEN.

>> BUT THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES SAYS THEY CONTRACTED WITH SIX COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, WHICH THE DEPARTMENT SAYS WERE SELECTED IN PART BECAUSE THEY CERTIFIED THAT THEY HAD THE CAPACITY AND THE CAPABILITY TO DO THIS WORK.

WAS THE DEMAND NOT THERE, OR WAS THERE AIR FAILURE ON THE PART OF THESE CBOs TO FIND THESE FOLKS AND PROCESS THEIR APPLICATIONS?

>> WELL, I THINK THERE'S TWO THINGS TO ADDRESS THERE.

ONE IS THAT THESE COMMUNITY PARTNERS DO HAVE DEEPLY EARNED TRUST WITH THE COMMUNITIES THAT THEY SERVE, RIGHT?

THEY'VE BEEN IN COMMUNITY FOR A LONG TIME.

THEY'VE BUILT THOSE RELATIONSHIPS.

THEY ARE THE BEST STEWARDS OF THIS MESSAGE.

BUT WHEN SAY THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WERE FUNDED, SIX, AND LOOK AT THE SALE OF THE NEED IN NEW JERSEY, IT'S NOT THAT THESE COMMUNITY PROVIDERS ARE UNTRUSTWORTHY OR THAT THEY DON'T HAVE THE TOOLS OR THE RELATIONSHIPS TO DELIVER.

THE QUESTION BECOMES, WHY JUST AS THE $40 MILLION WAS INSUFFICIENT, WHY WAS THERE INSUFFICIENT MONEY POURED INTO OUTREACH IN PUBLIC EDUCATION?

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT -- >> ARE YOU SAYING THAT THE PROVIDERS WERE OVERWHELMED?

>> NO, NO.

I'M SAYING THAT THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH INTENT PUT INTO THE OUTREACH MECHANISM THAT ONLY SIX PROVIDERS SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR COVERING AN ENTIRE STATE, RIGHT?

THERE'S MULTIPLE LEVELS OF OUTREACH THAT ARE NEEDED TO REACH FOLKS WHO HAVE BEEN LIVING ON THE MARGINS, WHO DON'T HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE PAPERWORK THAT MAKES THESE TYPES OF PROGRAMS ACCESSIBLE.

AND IF THERE'S ONE THING THAT REALLY HELPS DRIVE THIS POINT HOME, YOU KNOW JUST LAST NIGHT, LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR SHEILA OLIVER, IN A CALL-IN SEGMENT, SAID SHE DIDN'T EVEN RECOGNIZE THE NAME OF THE NEW JERSEYANS FUND WHEN A CALLER CALLED IN TO ASK WHY THE PROGRAM WAS RAIDED.

>> IT SOUNDS TO ME A LITTLE BIT LIKE THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE IS SAYING THEY DID THEIR PART.

ARE THEY TRYING TO PUT THE ONUS ON ADVOCATES HERE?

>> I HOPE THAT'S NOT THE CASE BECAUSE WE NEVER WANT A SITUATION WHERE GOVERNMENT IS PUNCHING DOWN ON COMMUNITY, RIGHT?

ESPECIALLY WHEN THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AS PART OF THIS FUND ARE UNDOCUMENTED COMMUNITIES, FOLKS WHO ARE EXTREMELY VULNERABLE, WHO HAVE BORNE THE WORST DISPARITIES OF THE PANDEMIC.

I WOULD HOPE THAT'S NOT THE CASE, BUT I THINK THE SENTIMENT AND THE FEELINGS THAT COMMUNITY IS EXPERIENCING IS THAT THEY'VE BEEN LIED TO.

THEY'VE BEEN MOCKED.

PEOPLE ARE DESCRIBING THE RAID OF THE FUND AS A SLAP IN THE FACE, RIGHT?

THOSE ARE VERY ANGRY AND, YOU KNOW, STRONG TERMS.

SO I THINK WHEN YOU LISTEN IN TO COMMUNITY AND SEE HOW THEY'RE FEELING, WHETHER THERE'S AN INTENT FROM OUR STATE PARTNERS TO BLAME THEM, PEOPLE ARE FEELING LIKE THEY'VE BEEN TRICKED, AND THEY'RE USING THOSE WORDS TO DESCRIBE THEIR OUTRAGE.

>> TO ME, IT FEELS LIKE IT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO DAMAGE EFFORTS BY ADVOCATES LOOKING FOR HELP IN THE FUTURE BY CALLING INTO QUESTION WHETHER THE NEED IS ACTUALLY THERE, WHETHER THE PROVIDERS ARE EXAGGERATING THE NEED.

>> I HOPE THAT'S NOT THE CASE, AND THAT WOULD BE REALLY DAMAGING FOR THE STATE, RIGHT?

NEW JERSEY'S MORE DIVERSE THAN WE'VE EVER BEEN.

1 IN 4 NEW JERSEYANS IS FOREIGN-BORN, RIGHT?

WE KNOW A QUARTER MILLION NEW JERSEYANS OF VOTING AGE, CITIZENS OF VOTING AGE, RIGHT, THAT'S NOT EVEN TAKING TOGETHER ALL NEW JERSEYANS.

BUT CITIZENS OF VOTING AGE IN NEW JERSEY ARE LIVING WITH AN UNDOCUMENTED HOUSEHOLD MEMBER, RIGHT?

A QUARTER MILLION OF THEM.

SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT KITCHEN TABLE ISSUES, WHEN WE HEAR THOSE WORDS IN THINGS LIKE STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESSES OR INAUGURAL SPEECHES, IMMIGRATION IS A KITCHEN TABLE ISSUE, RIGHT?

1 IN 4 OF US ARE EXPERIENCING IT.

A QUARTER MILLION NEW JERSEYANS LIVE WITH AN UNDOCUMENTED HOUSEHOLD MEMBER.

SO IF THE STATE IS TRYING TO DEPRIORITIZE OR QUESTION THE LEGITIMACY OF THE ADVOCACY COMMUNITY, I TRULY HOPE THAT'S NOT THE CASE BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE REALLY TAKING A BLIND EYE TO WHAT THE DATA POINTS TO AND WHAT OUR STATE POPULATION LOOKS LIKE.

BUT THAT'S ALSO NOT VERY RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT.

>> WHAT'S NEXT?

WHAT HAPPENS HERE?

THE FUND HAS CEASED TO EXIST.

>> SO FROM THE VERY START OF THE FUND, EARLIER LAST FALL, WE HAD, YOU KNOW, CELEBRATED ITS CREATION BUT SAID, THE MONEY IS NOT ENOUGH.

WHEN THE NEWS BROKE ABOUT THE RAID OF THE FUND, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS CAME TOGETHER AND SENT A LETTER TO GOVERNOR MURPHY DEMANDING AN ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT OF $1 BILLION AND WEEKLY UNEMPLOYMENT CHECKS OF $600.

WE ALSO URGED AN INCREASE IN THE INDIVIDUAL AMOUNT OF RELIEF, ONETIME RELIEF THAT PEOPLE GET AND LIFTING THE HOUSEHOLD CAP.

WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE OFTEN, ESPECIALLY IN IMMIGRANT FAMILIES, WE LIVE IN MULTI-GENERATIONAL HOUSEHOLDS.

WE KNOW THE PRESSURES OF THE LAST TWO YEARS OF THE PANDEMIC HAVE RESULTED IN EVEN MORE SHIFT HOUSING, RIGHT, OR MORE DOUBLED-UP HOUSING FOR PEOPLE WHO CAN NO LONGER MAKE RENT ON THEIR OWN OR WHO HAVE TO COMBINE THEIR EXPENSES AND COMBINE THEIR INCOMES.

SO WE'VE SENT THAT LETTER.

WE'RE HOPEFUL FOR CONVERSATIONS WITH THE STATE.

BUT I THINK THE FEELINGS THAT COMMUNITY ARE EXPRESSING, THERE NEEDS WORK TO BE DONE TO REPAIR THOSE RELATIONSHIPS BECAUSE THE WAYS THAT PEOPLE ARE DESCRIBING THEIR FRUSTRATION, DESCRIBING THEIR DESPERATION AND THE TIME THAT THEY'VE GONE WITHOUT RELIEF, IT'S VERY REAL, AND I WORRY WHAT IT WILL MEAN IF WE DON'T DELIVER THE PROMISES THAT WE MAKE TO IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES.

>> ALL RIGHT.

AMY TORRES IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE NEW JERSEY ALLIANCE FOR IMMIGRANT JUSTICE.

AMY, THANKS FOR COMING ON WITH US.

ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE YOU.

THANKS.

>> THANK YOU.

>>> ALL RIGHT.

PANEL, JOANNA GAGES, DUSTIN, MATT FRIEDMAN, GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL.

MATT, IT SEEMED LIKE THE MURPHY ADMINISTRATION GOT DRAGGED KICKING AND SCREAMING TO CREATE THIS FUND, AND NOW THEY SEEM TO BE SAYING, HEY, WE DID OUR PART.

DO YOU READ IT THAT WAY?

>> YEAH.

YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT REALLY, DESPITE ALL HIS RHETORIC, AN ISSUE THAT REALLY IS A WINNING ISSUE WITH MOST VOTERS, I THINK ESPECIALLY IN THIS POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT.

I WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED -- I MEAN I THINK IT IS CHALLENGING, RIGHT, TO APPROVE FUNDS FOR UNDOCUMENTED PEOPLE BECAUSE FOR THAT VERY REASON, THEY'RE UNDOCUMENTED.

SO THEY OFTEN DON'T HAVE THE DOCUMENTS THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU WOULD KIND OF NEED TO CONFIRM CERTAIN THINGS, ELIGIBILITY AND SO ON.

ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU HAVE PLACES LIKE NEW YORK AND CALIFORNIA THAT DISTRIBUTED BILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

I THINK -- AND I DON'T KNOW IF THIS WAS THEIR POLITICAL CALCULATION, BUT I COULD THINK THEY PUT EVERY RESTRICTIONS ON IT BECAUSE THEY FIGURE THERE COULD BE A BIGGER POLITICAL PRICE TO PAY IF THE MONEY IS MISUSED SOMEHOW, IF THERE'S WIDESPREAD UNACCOUNTABLE DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS VERSUS POLITICAL BLOWBACK THEY'RE GETTING FROM ALLIES FOR THE MOST PART FOR NOT DOING ENOUGH OR DOING VERY, VERY LITTLE IN THIS CASE.

THAT'S JUST MY SPECULATION MAYBE, BUT THAT'S HOW I COULD SEE IT PLAY OUT.

REALLY IT WOULD BE A BIGGER SCANDAL TO THEM IF THIS MONEY WAS TO WIND UP IN THE WRONG PLACE.

>> DUSTIN, PROBABLY NOT THE BEST WAY TO KICK OFF THE SECOND TERM, BUT THIS KIND OF PLAYS INTO THE HANDS OF THOSE WHO SAY THAT MURPHY TALKS A GOOD GAME ON STRONGER AND FAIRER BUT OFTEN FALLS SHORT ON THINGS THAT ARE CONTROVERSIAL, LIKE GIVING STATE MONEY TO THE UNDOCUMENTED OR EVEN ADVOCATING FOR CIVILIAN COMPLAINT REVIEW BOARDS.

THESE ARE COMPLAINTS WE'VE BEEN HEARING FROM THE LEFT, NO?

>> CORRECT.

YOU REALLY COULDN'T HAVE A MORE PERFECT SPLIT SCREEN OF DISPARITY THAN WHAT AMY JUST LAID OUT.

THE GOVERNOR ONSTAGE IN HIS INAUGURAL ADDRESS TALKING ABOUT RESTORING THE AMERICAN DREAM FOR HALF AN HOUR WHILE I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY THOUSANDS OR MILLIONS OF UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS ARE LEFT ON THE SIDELINE FOR YEAR THREE OF THE PANDEMIC.

IT JUST DOESN'T LINE UP.

AND, YOU KNOW, TO HEAR THE DIFFERENT REASONS WHY IT HASN'T WORKED IS REALLY KIND OF TYPICAL OF THE MURPHY ADMINISTRATION.

WHEN THINGS GO WRONG, THERE'S ALWAYS A FINGER TO POINT SOMEWHERE ELSE.

IT'S EITHER CHRIS CHRISTIE'S FAULT OR THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S FAULT, OR IT'S THE PEOPLE APPLYING FOR UNEMPLOYMENT FILLING OUT THEIR PAPERWORK THE WRONG WAY.

AND NOW WE HAVE MORE EXCUSES, AND ALL OF THAT FALLS FLAT ON THE EARS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE SUFFERING AS A RESULT.

SO I WOULD SAY -- AND I THINK THE GOVERNOR MIGHT AGREE WITH THIS IF HE HAD A DOSE OF TRUTH SERUM, THAT IT'S A FAILURE ON EVERY SINGLE LEVEL TO, AS YOU SAID, BE DRAGGED KICKING AND SCREAMING TO CREATE THIS FUND, NOT PUT ENOUGH MONEY INTO IT, AND THEN NOT PUT THE MONEY OUT THE DOOR.

THAT JUST DOESN'T ALIGN WITH WHAT THE GOVERNOR'S RHETORIC HAS BEEN FOR FIVE, SIX YEARS NOW THAT HE'S BEEN RUNNING AND AS THE GOVERNOR.

>> YEAH.

LET'S SEE IF WE CAN FIND SOMETHING POSITIVE TO SAY ABOUT THE INAUGURAL.

COVID KEPT THE ATTENDANCE DOWN AT THE WAR MEMORIAL.

JUST OVER 200 OR SO IN A THEATER THAT HELD ABOUT 1,800.

LET'S HERE A MINUTE FROM THE SPEECH, AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK AND TALK ABOUT IT.

>> IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE FUTURE LOOKS LIKE, IF YOU WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT AMERICA CAN BE, COME TO NEW JERSEY.

IF YOU WANT TO SEE WHAT IS RIGHT WITH AMERICA, LOOK TO NEW JERSEY.

AS MY EXTRAORDINARY CONGRESSIONAL COLLEAGUES WHO STAND SO FIRMLY ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY WOULD AGREE, WHERE WASHINGTON IS BOGGED DOWN, WE HAVE MOVED FORWARD.

WHERE WASHINGTON HAS TOO OFTEN DONE TOO LITTLE, WE HAVE WORKED TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE SO MUCH.

WHERE SOME IN WASHINGTON PANDER TO THE POWERFUL AND THE WEALTHIEST, WE ARE LIFTING UP WORKING FAMILIES AND STRENGTHENING THE MIDDLE CLASS WHILE ENSURING THOSE AT THE TOP DO AND PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE.

[ APPLAUSE ] WHERE SOME IN WASHINGTON BRAG LITERALLY ABOUT HOLDING BACK PROGRESS, WE PUT OUR HEADS DOWN AND ARE DOING THE HARD WORK.

WHERE SOME IN WASHINGTON CLING TO THE BIG LIE, WE BELIEVE IN A BIGGER TRUTH, AND WE REACH FOR BIG DREAMS.

[ APPLAUSE ] AND WHILE SOME IN WASHINGTON JUST WANT TO FIGHT WITH EACH OTHER, IN NEW JERSEY, WHERE BY THE WAY WE ARE NO STRANGERS TO ARGUING, WE STILL FIGHT FOR EACH OTHER.

>> JOANNA, YOU WERE ON THE GROUND AT THE WAR MEMORIAL FOR THE EVENT.

WHAT WAS YOUR TAKEAWAY FROM THE INAUGURAL AND REALLY FROM THE SPEECH THAT FOLLOWED?

>> YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S A SHIFT IN THE TONE WE HEARD FROM GOVERNOR MURPHY IN THAT INAUGURAL ADDRESS.

IT'S INTERESTING KIND OF THE JUXTAPOSITION OF WHAT WE HEARD TO HOW WE STARTED THIS SEGMENT WITH AMY TORRES.

THERE'S A SHIFT FROM REALLY ISSUES THAT I THINK HE KIND OF RAN ON IN HIS FIRST TERM, A LOT OF SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUES, TO MORE KITCHEN TABLE ISSUES THAT I THINK HAVE BROADER APPEAL.

HE TALKED ABOUT REDUCING PROPERTY TAXES, AND THAT'S NOT SOMETHING WE HEARD HIM POUND AWAY AT REALLY IN HIS FIRST TERM.

WE HEARD HIM TALK ABOUT REDUCING THE COST OF HEALTH CARE AND THE COST OF HIGHER EDUCATION.

THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE HEARD A LOT OF DURING THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL, DURING THE CAMPAIGN SEASON, AND THEY SEEM TO BE FINDING THEIR WAY NOW INTO HIS SECOND TERM.

BUT A LOT OF FOCUS ON THINGS LIKE THE AMERICAN DREAM AND MAKING NEW JERSEY AFFORDABLE FOR ALL, WHICH IS INTERESTING WHEN YOU KIND OF PUT IT IN A CONTEXT OF HOW WE STARTED THE SHOW TODAY.

IT DID SOUND LIKE A DIFFERENT PHIL MURPHY THAN WHAT WE'RE USED TO HEARING.

>> THE FIRST DEMOCRAT SINCE THE 1970s TO BE RE-ELECTED GOVERNOR.

MATT, A ROUSING SPEECH OR NAH?

>> I DON'T REALLY HEAR A LOT OF ROUSING SPEECHES FROM THE GOVERNOR.

THE CONTRAST WITH WASHINGTON IS FAIRLY TYPICAL.

IN FACT, I THINK CHRIS CHRISTIE USED TO DO IT ALL THE TIME.

SOME PEOPLE READ THAT AS AN INDICATION THAT HE HAS AMBITIONS FOR PRESIDENT.

MAYBE, YOU KNOW, I DON'T READ THAT MUCH INTO IT.

I THINK PRETTY MUCH EVERY POLITICIAN FROM THE 18-YEAR-OLD KID ELECTED TO THE SCHOOL BOARD HOPES TO WIND UP IN THE OVAL OFFICE SOMEDAY AND WOULD TAKE THAT OPPORTUNITY IF THERE'S A PATH FOR IT.

I THOUGHT THE TAX -- YOU KNOW, LET'S LOWER PROPERTY TAXES, NOT A PLEDGE.

COME ON.

CHRIS CHRISTIE DIDN'T LOWER PROPERTY TAXES.

HE DID GET THEM RISE AT A SLOWER RATE THAN PREVIOUS YEARS.

HOW DOES THE GOVERNOR DO THAT CONSIDERING HIS MAIN, YOU KNOW, BACKERS?

IS HE GOING TO CUT SCHOOL FUNDING WHEN THE NJA HAS SPENT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON HIS ELECTIONS AND CONTINUES TO BE HIS MOST POWERFUL ALLY?

NO.

YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK THERE'S A REALISTIC CHANCE WE ACTUALLY SEE PROPERTY TAXES GO DOWN AS LONG AS THE 2% CAP REMAINS IN PLACE.

I THINK WE'LL CONTINUE TO SEE THEM SLOWLY RISE.

>> DUSTIN, TOO EARLY FOR TALK OF PRESIDENT MURPHY, I GUESS?

>> YES.

AND I DON'T WANT TO ELABORATE.

I DON'T EVEN WANT TO INDULGE THIS BECAUSE, FOR ONE, JOE BIDEN IS JUST HITTING THE ONE-YEAR MARK, AND SO MANY THINGS CAN HAPPEN.

THE GOVERNOR HIMSELF HAS REPEATEDLY DENIED THAT HE HAS ANY INTEREST IN RUNNING.

I'D SAY LET'S TAKE THAT AT FACE VALUE, AND JUST GETTING INTO ALL THE SPECULATION IS EXHAUSTING AFTER DOING IT FOR SO LONG WITH CHRIS CHRISTIE, ALTHOUGH I WILL SAY IT WOULD BE PRETTY INTERESTING TO GO UP TO NEW HAMPSHIRE AND COVER THE TWO OF THOSE GUYS, PHIL MURPHY AND CHRIS CHRISTIE CROSSING PATHS AT A DINER OR SOMETHING.

>> JUST FOR THE RECORD, IT WAS CHARLIE STYLE WRITING THIS WEEK WHO QUOTED PARTICULARLY THAT PART OF THE SPEECH TO SUGGEST THAT IT WAS MAYBE AN INDICATOR THAT THERE WAS A FUTURE RUN.

BUT THE GOVERNOR ALSO SIGNED A BUNCH OF BILLS THIS WEEK.

IT WAS A FLURRY -- >> YEAH.

SORRY.

GO AHEAD.

>> THERE WAS A 1997 LAW.

IT'S KIND OF PART OF THIS THEME THAT A LOT OF THE LAWS THAT PEOPLE PUT IN PLACE IN THE 1990s, WHETHER IT WAS GET TOUGH ON CRIME, MANDATORY MINIMUM SENTENCES, IN THIS CASE A REACTION TO WHAT AT THE TIME WAS A SCARY EPIDEMIC, THE AIDS CRISIS, WHEN AN HIV DIAGNOSIS WAS TANTAMOUNT TO A DEATH SENTENCE WITHIN TEN YEARS.

SO NOW HE SIGNED A LAW THAT IT'S NO LONGER A FELONY, THE NEW JERSEY EQUIVALENT OF A FELONY, TO HAVE SEX WITH SOMEONE AS YOU'RE HIV POSITIVE AND NOT INFORM THEM IF IT RESULTS IN TRANSMISSION.

IT'S DOWNGRADED TO THE EQUIVALENT OF A MISDEMEANOR.

THAT'S PART OF SORT OF A NATIONWIDE PUSH BY GROUPS TO ELIMINATE THAT WITH THE CHANGING PROGRESSNOSIS FOR HIV POSITIVE PEOPLE AND THE STIGMA IT BRINGS TO THEM, ESPECIALLY CRIMINALIZED HIV TRANSMISSION.

THE LAW APPLIES TO ANY STD, BUT IT'S A HARSHER SENTENCE FOR HIV TRANSMISSION THAN OTHER SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES.

FRANKLY WE'RE AT THE POINT WHERE I THINK YOU GOT TO WORRY MORE ABOUT SYPHILIS THAN HIV.

NOT THAT IT'S MORE COMMON, BUT YOUR PROGNOSIS IS PROBABLY A LOT WORSE.

>> WELL, WHAT ABOUT THIS SECOND TERM, MATT?

THE GOVERNOR TICKED OFF A BUNCH OF VICTORIES IN HIS FIRST TERM.

WHAT'S THE AGENDA GOING FORWARD?

>> WELL, I THINK AS JOANNA MENTIONED, HE'S REALLY EMPHASIZING THE QUOTE, UNQUOTE, KITCHEN TABLE STUFF, WHICH IS MORE OF I THINK A REACTION TO THE LAST ELECTION.

I THINK IT'S ALSO INTERESTING THAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT I DID IN PLAYBOOK THIS MORNING IS CONTRASTED WHAT THE RIGHT-WING ORGANIZATION THAT CALLS THEM JOURNALISTS PROJECT VER TAUS INSISTED MURPHY WOULD DO -- THEY SAID HE WOULD ENACT, YOU KNOW, BASING IT ON THE OPINIONS OF SOME MID LEVEL STAFFERS, THEY SAID THERE WAS A SUPER SECRET PLAN IN THE MURPHY ADMINISTRATION TO ENACT THESE MANDATES, VACCINE MANDATES IN RESTAURANTS.

I MEAN WE DON'T EVEN HAVE A MASK MANDATE IN HIS SECOND TERM FOR RESTAURANTS AND BUSINESSES.

AND THEY SAID THAT HE WAS GOING TO DRAMATICALLY INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF STATE AID FOR UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS.

YEAH, WELL, WHAT DID WE JUST TALK ABOUT?

>> HOW DID THAT GO?

>> SO WRONG ON BOTH COUNTS SO FAR.

IN FACT, I THOUGHT ACTUALLY LIKE THEY WERE TAKING THINGS THAT HE HAD SAID PUBLICLY, AND THAT'S WHY HIS STAFFERS HAD THESE OPI OPINIONS, SORT OF TRYING TO MAKE IT INTO SOMETHING IT'S NOT.

WHAT I'M KIND OF SURPRISED IS NEITHER HAS HAPPENED.

BUT I THINK THE KITCHEN TABLE ISSUES THING IS INTERESTING, AND I WOULD BE KIND OF -- LIKE I SAID, I'LL BE SHOCKED IF PROPERTY TAXES ACTUALLY GO DOWN, BUT I'LL BE INTERESTED TO SEE WHEN HE PROPOSES TO GET THEM IN CHECK SINCE HE CAN'T JUST UNILATERALLY DO THAT.

>> LOOKS LIKE SOME GOOD NEWS MAYBE ON THE PANDEMIC FRONT, AT LEAST AS IT PERTAINS TO OMICRON.

JOANNA, NUMBERS TRENDING DOWNWARD AND HINTS OF A LIFTING OF THIS MASK MANDATE IN SCHOOLS.

WHAT'S THE LATEST?

>> YEAH.

THAT ONE, I THINK, CAME AS A SURPRISE TO A LOT OF PEOPLE JUST CONSIDERING WHAT THE NUMBERS STILL ARE.

WE STILL HAVE 10,000 NEW CASES A DAY, SOMEWHERE IN THAT BALLPARK.

THE GOVERNOR DID SAY IN A TELEVISED INTERVIEW THIS WEEK THAT THERE WAS -- I THINK HE SAID A GOOD SHOT, A REAL SHOT AT THOSE MASKS COMING OFF AT LEAST BY THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, BUT THAT IS IN CONTRAST TO SEVERAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT WERE STILL FULLY REMOTE AS OF THIS WEEK.

A LOT OF THEM HAVE RETURNED TO IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION.

SOME DISTRICTS, SOME SCHOOLS, SOME INDIVIDUAL SCHOOLS ARE STILL OFFERING A HYBRID OR A REMOTE OPTION.

BUT MOST ARE BACK IN PERSON.

BUT, AGAIN, JUST SEEING WHAT THE NUMBERS ARE, IT IS SURPRISING TO SEE MASKS COULD COME OFF ALTHOUGH THERE'S A HUGE POPULATION IN NEW JERSEY THAT HAVE BEEN CALLING FOR THAT SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR AND MAINTAIN THAT DESIRE EVEN THROUGH THIS OMICRON WAVE.

BUT, DAVID, IF I COULD JUST QUICKLY GO BACK TO ONE THING IN THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH THAT I THINK HE TALKED ABOUT CONTRASTING WASHINGTON TO NEW JERSEY.

IF YOU REALLY PAY ATTENTION TO HOW THIS GOVERNOR'S BEEN EFFECTIVE, HE HASN'T EVEN HAD MUCH PARTISAN SUPPORT, FORGET ABOUT BIPARTISAN SUPPORT.

SO WHEN HE TALKS ABOUT HOW DIFFERENT NEW JERSEY HAS BEEN, I DON'T THINK HE GETS -- I DON'T THINK HE GETS THAT NOTCH ON HIS BELT FOR THAT BIPARTISAN SUPPORT, FOR THAT BIPARTISAN MOVEMENT IN THE STATE.

>> ALL RIGHT.

JOANNA GAGES, DUSTIN RASIOPY, MATT FRIEDMAN, GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL.

THANKS FOR YOUR WORK TODAY.

THAT IS ROUNDTABLE FOR THE WEEK.

OUR THANKS ALSO TO AMY TORRES.

YOU CAN FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER @DAVID CRUZ NJ.

BE SURE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE YOUTUBE CHANNEL FOR MORE "CHAT BOX" AND OTHER INTERESTING STUFF LIKE NJ BUSINESS BEAT, NJ SPOTLIGHT NEWS, AND LIVESTREAMS OF OTHER IMPORTANT EVENTS.

OUR FINAL IMPORTANT BIT OF NEWS TODAY, JOSHUA BADGER, FOOTBALL STANDOUT AND "A" STUDENT SB CELEBRATES HIS 9th BIRTHDAY THIS WEEK.

HE'S THE SON OF DIRECTOR ELVIN BADGER.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, YOUNG MAN.

MANY MORE FOR YOU.

I'M DAVID CRUZ.

FOR THE ENTIRE CREW OVER HERE, THANKS FOR WATCHING.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

>>> MAJOR FUNDING FOR "REPORTERS ROUNDTABLE" WITH DAVID CRUZ IS PROVIDED BY -- NEW JERSEY REALTORS, THE VOICE FOR REAL ESTATE IN NEW JERSEY.

MORE INFORMATION IS ONLINE AT NJREALTOR.COM.

RWJ BARNABAS HEALTH.

LET'S BE HEALTHY TOGETHER.

NJM INSURANCE GROUP, SERVING THE INSURANCE NEEDS OF NEW JERSEY RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES FOR MORE THAN 100 YEARS.

ROWAN UNIVERSITY, EDUCATING NEW JERSEY LEADERS, PARTNERING WITH NEW JERSEY BUSINESSES, TRANSFORMING NEW JERSEY'S FUTURE.

PROMOTIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY NEW JERSEY BUSINESS MAGAZINE, THE MAGAZINE OF THE NEW JERSEY BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION, REPORTING TO EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE LEADERS IN ALL 21 COUNTIES OF THE GARDEN STATE SINCE 1954.

AND BY POLITICO'S NEW JERSEY PLAYBOOK, A TOPICAL NEWSLETTER ON GARDEN STATE POLITICS, ONLINE AT POLITICO.COM.