>> Major funding for Reporters Roundtable with David Cruz is provided by the RWJBarnabas health.

Let be healthy together.

Rowan University, educating New Jersey leaders, partnering with New Jersey businesses, transforming New Jersey's future.

♪ David: Fulop names a running mate, but is he getting ahead of himself?

Hey everybody, it's "Reporters Roundtable."

I'm David Cruz.

Who is the panel?

Here's the panel.

Lilo Stainton is a healthcare writer for NJ Spotlight News.

Matt Freriedman is a reporter for Politico and author of the New Jersey Playbook.

And Charles Stile is a political columnist with The Record, USA Today Network.

More from them in just a little bit.

But let's start with the mayor of South Orange, who this week was a lot of Democratic Steve Fulop focus of choice for lieutenant let's welcome Sheena: The Roundtable.

Welcome.

Guest: Hi, David.

It's such a pleasure to be here.

I'm super jazzed.

David Cruz: Oh, excellent.

That's the attitude we like.

it's kind of early for an LG announcement.

How long have you two been discussing this?

Guest: since last year, about running together.

He approached me in, I think it was November.

We went over schedules.

Right now I'm very active, obviously, as the mayor of South Orange.

I have a full-time job as the executive director of the American Planning Association in New Jersey.

And so we ultimately ended up deciding that at the filing deadline would be the best time, then I would have two and a half months on the campaign.

.

.

Your job, as you put it this week, it is a shared Smart development centered on public transportation -- I think I hear the train outside of your window.

You must be a blast at parties.

>> you back.

It's really good, I got a train.

I right in the heart of our am downtown.

We're a first-ring suburb right next to Newark.

And in every single direction of where I live -- and I have made my financial investment, we have 20% inclusionary affordable housing developments, 100 units to my North 40 units to the , south, and soon to be roughly 27 units for adults with developmental disabilities, and also low-income families.

And I have got to tell you, my property value is going to go up with all the development that's happening around me.

David Cruz: You called yourselves a "couple of nerds."

Guest: Yes, by far.

I know I'm not sure if he liked that, but it's true.

We're both hardcore policy wonks.

We love diving into the weeds and policy and looking at things from a data and metric standpoint.

So it is because of a partner in crime can really share your contact for loving public policy and what it can do for transforming New Jerseyans lives.

GABE: is there a natural nerd voting bloc in this state?

Guest: absolutely, people won't government and they went to the substance behind the leaders they are electing to the state.

David: alright, let's get a couple of panel questions.

Lilo, you had a question?

Guest: I did.

you know, in Trenton, I mean, everything that is, you know, the sort of the subject of everybody's discussion these days is what's going to happen with the budget.

And one of the biggest pieces of that is federal funding.

The Medicaid money which, as you probably know, could -- if New Jersey doesn't get what it has in the past, could blow billions of dollars of a hole in the budget.

I'm just kind of curious how you would approach that as someone who has been mayor, who has had to budget.

How do you deal with such unbelievable uncertainty when you're talking about programs that are, you know, a third of your budget or something?

Guest: Okay, so I think you made a great point right there.

So, the state of New Jersey has roughly a 58 billion budget.

About $27 billion flows from the federal government, including Medicaid, which is roughly a third of the budget, and then also supporting programs in school districts -- Title I funds to our schools, money directly to local governments.

But I disagree with the premise that we have to worry, because what I think that Trump is doing is completely illegal.

So something that Steven Fulop would do and something that we discussed is the resources need to be allocated right now to making sure that we keep things in the courts.

We have some of the brightest minds in New Jersey, and rather than just appropriating a million dollars to the attorney general's office, we should be putting out a call for volunteers, engaging our best legal minds throughout the state -- civil rights, Constitutional rights, immigration rates -- we have thousands of people who will help us in this fight.

Our first line of defense is going to be Congress, obviously, L.A. think we take every single one of these matters to court, because Trump is right and what he's doing.

That is our money, and I think the legal system will prove that.

David Cruz: All right, Charles, you got a question in here.

Guest: yes, good morning.

The experience we have had with lieutenant governors is that they are usually relegated to the role of stand-ins for the governor on the rubber chicken circuit, for the most part.

The governor, once elected, doesn't really cede the stage to anybody but himself.

So, I'm wondering, how confident are you going to be as a partner to him?

Or are you just going to end up filling in for him on vacations?

Guest: First of all, I'm not a go to a rubber chicken dinner type of person.

I am more about Hot Pockets and chicken chow mein.

[LAUGHTER] When we discussed this together, it is that I'm going to be his partner in every aspect of what we do for the state of New Jersey.

I want to be boots on the ground with municipalities.

I'm not one for a lot of photo ops.

I like to be working on actual issues, policies, priorities.

you never see too many politicians livestream themselves doing work at 3:00 in the morning.

I think this is going to be a much stronger partnership and not a fill-in for special events.

I want to be with the fellow mayors I have worked with and implementing a statewide approach to a strategic plan of what the next four years looks like.

David: on your press conference this week, you made the point that you and Steve Fulop don't always agree.

Can you name one or two things you still disagree on?

>> Sure.

We disagree all the time.

One thing Steve had told me early on is, I want you to be your authentic self.

When it comes to our core values as progressive Democrats, you will not find too much disagreement there.

Where we do disagree is on implementation of theft such as shared services and consolidations, whether we will use a characteristic.

How will we get 564 municipalities to collaboratively want to advance an agenda that may ultimately end up with them losing their mayor's badge or their ribbon for the League of Municipalities Conference?

those are the types of things where there's a give-and-take, always back-and-forth.

When talking about New Jersey transit, there is a lot of issues related to infrastructure in the long term, but short-term, I want to focus on communications there.

He has a different agenda that I support with eliminating the turnpike expansion -- how that money could be redirected into path.

So it's more about implementation and how we're going to measure things, rather than a natural disagreement on whether or not something should be done.

David: You talk about shared services and collaboration.

You mentioned the 560-plus municipalities.

I think getting two or three municipalities to agree on garbage service is a major accomplishment.

What do you think you're going to be able to get 500 municipalities to agree on?

Guest: It's tough because we are a Wonder Group state.

But being a female mayor, -- it is tough because we are a home rule state.

being a female mayor, executive, doing this boots on the ground for 10 years, I could tell you that we have done courts, we have done inspections, we have technology.

We have the largest merger and consolidation in the state of New Jersey right now with our fire department.

I want to show the municipalities how they can increase their efficiency, how they can save money, how they can produce better results for their taxpayers.

I think these personal stories are going to really help.

I can tell you in my sister community of Maplewood, they just created a stormwater utility, which is wonderful for them.

The worst thing we could do is create 564 micro-utilities across the state of New Jersey, especially with climate change how it will be impacting us.

We need to get the carrot and the stick for regional approaches for how we're going to solve this.

You see privatization happening everywhere.

It is because 75% of our communities have 20,000 people or less, which could translate to 5000 to 5000 7000 households.

I think elected officials can really get behind that, where we have trouble is a full consolidation of times.

But once we make the case to them, I think they'll get on board.

And as we go on the campaign trail, I'm asking voters to push this at the local level, especially regionalizing school districts and administrative functions.

David: all right, David Cruz: All right, Mayor Sheena Collum, Steve Fulop's choice for Lieutenant Governor.

Good to meet you.

Thanks for coming on and spending a few minutes with us.

Guest: David, thank you so much.

David Cruz: All right, panel -- let's start with Mayor Colum.

impressions, Charles?

CHARLES: she sounds like she is very earnest.

detail-oriented.

Kind of reminds me of the Parks and Recreation mayor there -- the character from TV.

Got that kind of energy.

But, you know, it sounds like she is the kind of person who is putting forward -- he is putting forward to demonstrate that he has gravitas, she has gravitas and with progressive values.

It sort of creates this attempt to create this are of inevitability about his campaign.

I still think it is a long climb .

She represents to me, some of the progressive energy on the ground that has, in the past, really didn't have that much of a stage to express itself.

David Cruz: Lilo, she says there's a natural nerd voting bloc out there.

Guest: Well when she said that, I was thinking, okay, maybe there is not a nerd voting bloc, but there are tons of people who are homeowners who know enough to know they want things to be better, or they know enough that they are paying too much, and clearly services aren't being run the way that they would be run in whatever business they're in.

And I think there are tons of people, young and old.

When I -- as a sort of a homeowner, as a taxpayer, I hear what she says, and it sounds great.

My problem is when I put on that Senechal political hack, I'm thinking Oh, My Gosh, two North Jersey mayors, how is that going to play?

What are the people in South Jersey going to say?

If you are a homeowner or a renter or a resident who is thinking about your services, I can see that appeal working.

I'm just wondering if the politics get in the way of good sense.

I have to say, planners in my area are just generally wise people -- so there is a plug for that.

But I have never met her.

I'm just saying that as an outsider.

But politically, that's still a climb.

David: Matt, it's worth noting that she is from suburban Essex County, just a few miles down the road from Montclair, where another gubernatorial candidate, Mikie Sherrill, lives.

Guest: yes, and I just wanted to say, if there is a significant nerd voting bloc, how come they never are elected prom king and queen?

[LAUGHTER] Except maybe in "carrie."

[LAUGHTER] Not trying to say this will be the kind of situation.

It would be a literal disaster for the state.

And also, we just elected a schoolyard bully, a guy who literally makes fun of people with disabilities, as president.

So, I'm not sure how powerful the nerd voting block is.

But it's certainly in keeping with Steve Fulop's campaign of putting forward really, really detailed policy proposals and not shying away, especially when it comes to housing.

And taking someone from the American Planning Association with real experience and clearly knowledge of how these things work -- someone from a train station town that is really developing a lot, a very desirable place to live.

Anyone who's been to South Orange knows it is the kind of place people went to live nowadays, a train station suburb.

A real community, not like an isolated suburb, sort of the more 1950's-1960's style of suburbia.

But the older suburbs which before cars, were actually a nice place to raise a family, and your kids can go play outside without getting hit by a car.

backyard>> attitude -- there is but also, when you embrace the housing, the yes in my backyard attitude, there is a lot of potential political backlash to this.

We just saw the entire Democratic team in Westfield not seek re-election.

A lot of that is based on, like, housing backlash.

I'm not saying that this is a bad policy in terms of outcome, but politically, it is risky.

David: K's.

Guest: At the same time, those are local elections and may not have the same considerations statewide.

At the same time sectors of this building.

Anyone looked at real estate in South Orange for a second knows that -- she mentioned her property values work -- do they need to raise any more in South Orange?

[LAUGHTER] David Cruz: All right, more on the governor's race.

this week Bill Spadea tried to kick marry her?

Part of the ballot, and successfully.

He told us this week that it was about election integrity.

Charles, it was about bumping another conservative part of the ballot, was it?

>> I think it kind of showed the anxiety of Bill Stadia about reach outside marketing 195, and inside that radio waves of 101.5.

It should have never been clear just how much his booming voice reached beyond Monmouth County and into the Democratic-dance counties in the north.

I think that is what is going on.

He was to eliminate any kind of erosion of that hard, right,.

I didn't even know that the mayor of Englewood saw him as an existential threat, obviously, to that extreme.

David: The man knows how to hold our coffee cup though, does this attempt to hurt Bill Stadia?

Guest: no.

I don't think they saw him as a potential to take a few steps from spadea.

I don't think kranjax is going to be a huge factor in this primary.

as far as spoilers go, I would be much more worried on Ciattarelli's end about Jon Bramnik kind of taking some of the more establishment support away, because Bramnik actually has some money and has contacts and has experience.

David: New road and add this -- about the ad this week about targeting Jewish Republicans.

>> It's called be a Democrat for a day.

Don't freak out.

Calm down.

Calm down.

They have been doing this for years.

Not the worst thing in the world.

You ever dressed up like this?

So you basically dressed up like a Democrat for a day.

we need you to be a sheep in wolf's clothing.

David Cruz: Source unknown, disavowed by Gottheimer.

Offensive to some?

Guest: it is clearly very targeted towards that hhs asidim in Lakewood.

They have the right to do that.

It might seem a little shady, but it is totally legal to change your registration to vote in a primary because you want that guy.

What I have the big problem with -- is we have no idea who's funding this ad.

I don't know who that guy is in that ad.

It's not like an insignificant communication of just some guy on his iPhone.

There is some money behind it.

My only issue is I want to know who is funding this.

It we don't.

Gottheimer can disavow it.

I have nothing to certainly thee benefiting from it.

So he would be the first one I would look to as to why this is happening.

David: Other ads this week, Steve Fulop she went running up to 100 steps in Jersey Cit.

He has been filmed swimming in the Hudson.

Lilo, are viewers going to be able to survive nine campaigns running ads like this through June 10?

Guest: I am already ready to turn off the television.

The fact that I am still watching television dates me, but -- [LAUGHTER] It seems like a lot.

David: Let me ask you this, has a TV ad ever change your mind about a candidate?

Guest: [laughs] No, never change my mind.

But I will say, they are like air warms.

They give you -- they are very good now at giving you a sense of who this person is.

I get this guy.

I identify with this woman, just because I want there too.

Good for him for working out outside.

Whatever.

Any number of things about these ads we are watching could resonate with people.

And for millions of voters -- not millions, but millions nationwide, that is enough, you know?

Maybe it is effective.

David: Yeah.

Charlie, I don't know how you -- >> There is an elevator right there.

[LAUGHTER] David: on the GOP side, it feels like a race to Donald Trump heart.

Jack Ciattarelli had a picture with Trump.

Now the president's daughter-in-law pulls out of a Spadea fundraiser.

Should we read anything into that as far as who's winning the race to Trump's heart?

Guest: It's very confusing.

That doesn't give me any clarity.

What is interesting going forward, is that the Republicans , the -- Trump is remaining a big shadow of them.

Because of these tariffs, I he will shift from shadow to albatross.

The whole purpose, the whole goal -- goal is not the right word, the theme of the Republicans since 2021 is, We seize the initiative on affordability.

We have got the Democrats on the run on this issue.

This is going to be our big issue.

And along comes Trump, and he spikes -- potentially spikes -- the prices on everything.

David Cruz: Yeah.

>> Port raises the price.

So he kind of ruins their whole affordability narrative.

On the flip side, though, Democrats have a problem with electric rates.

I think that is going to really zap them.

David: I see what you did there, Charles, they are going to get zapped.

[LAUGHTER] Alright, we asked rhetorically last week, where is Cory Booker?

Well, here is Cory Booker.

>> Let's get in good trouble, my friend.

Madam President, I yielded the floor.

[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] David: Matt, launching a presidential campaign or a true rallying point for Democrats?

MATT: both, potentially.

We always talk about whether his presidential campaign -- and who knows, and at this point, who cares, really?

For years grandstander.>> But , in terms of Cory Booker, the biggest knock on him in New Jersey was that he is such a short border and a grandstander.

He is literally grandstanding here.

It was very successful I think in terms of messaging.

It didn't accomplish anything solid, but in terms of what Democrats want to do -- the idea that they're fighting standing there and symbolically, a black man smashing the record that Strom Thurmond set, and demonstrating incredible bladder control -- I think all of that was a kind of smashing success.

David: lilo, another Booker stunt or finger on the pulse of Democrats?

Guest: I would agree that if the goal, it didn't accomplish anything.

He wasn't even filibustering an actual vote.

and business as usual continued afterwards, it was the most boring come-down from this high ever.

But I if the goal was to get Dems fired up, I mean I had young progressive friends who were like texting into the midnight hour.

they were fired up.

lots of good emojis.

What happens of it?

Who knows.

It always takes me so we in New Jersey, the cynical politics folks among us here, tend to pooh-pooh Cy Booker when, meanwhile, you go to other states, and they're like, "Ah, Cory Booker, he is so cool?

He is so great, what is he going to run for president?

I think there is a sense that the grass is greener.

I don't know, there is something there that people like.

I will be interested to see where this goes.

At thought the speech was amazing and I do think, what is he, the seventh black senator ever elected?

Something like that?

This is flicking historic.

This is like -- for people of color, this is a BFD.

So I think it is important to note.

David: let me get to something here on your particular need, they pray Wernicke's federal courts, the health care and everything like that.

What is that going to be in New Jersey?

Guest: there is a lot of freaking out right now.

I am hearing stories about small local health departments that may have to lay off five of seven staffers, or four of seven staffers, things like that.

What I thought was very interesting with state lawmakers are also hearing about this.

The made it very clear in hearings yesterday.

This was a big traffic.

It's O'Scanlon was talking about possibly backfilling, I have also been told there is no affidavit among Democratic leadership for any backfilling, because they are fairly confident that the state will succeed in court in protecting this money.

But Republicans point out that, even under Former President Biden, there had been talk about clawing some of this money back.

A lot of money went out the door.

The $350 million or so for public health is a very small percentage of the overall total.

New Jersey got billions of billions of dollars and a lot of that has not yet been spent.

So, this is, I would say, a bit of reliability here.

But I think when it comes to the money -- it very much depends on what grounds and many of your talking about.

The money that is going for public health, the impact will be felt right away.

The money that has gone, tens of millions to some hospitals, I don't know how much of the impact of that will be.

Still TBD there.

David: Alright, we're going to leave it there.

That is "Roundtable" for this week.

Charles, Matt, Lilo -- good to see you all.

Thanks also to Mayor Sheena Collum for joining us.

We are on Blue Sky now.

You can follow me at @DavidCruzNJ, and keep up with what the rest of the news team is up to by subscribing to the NJ Spotlight News YouTube channel.

I'm David Cruz, for all the crew here at Gateway Center in downtown Newark, we thank you for watching, and we will see you next week.

ANNOUNCER: major "Reporters funding for Roundtable" with David Cruz is provided by RWJ Barnabas health.

Let's be healthy together.

Rowan University: Educating New Jersey leaders, partnering with New Jersey businesses, transforming New Jersey's future.

♪