>> Funding for NJ Spotlight News provided by Verizon Blue Cross Blue Shield and PSEG foundation.

Breaking news.

Historic prisoner swap with Russia.

>> It may be the biggest swap ever.

>> A virtual roll call begins today for Democrats.

Battling sea level rise.

The state looking for solutions to fight rising tides along the coast.

>> It is part of who we are.

To adapt to the changing coast, we need to connect to developing about the future.

>> And property tax relief.

The window is opening for the rebate program.

What you need to know.

>> The architecture is as you go up the income scale, you get a lesser benefit.

It's trying to push bigger benefits to those in lower income.

>> NJ Spotlight News begins now.

♪ >> From NJ PBS to Rios, this is NJ Spotlight news.

>> Thank you for joining us.

New Jersey native EvanGershkovic along with Paul Whelan was freed as part of a massive prisoner swap coordinated between seven countries including the U.S. and Russia and included 24 adult prisoners and two children.

This includes a Russian operative in prison in Germany after being convicted of killing a militant in a Berlin park in broad daylight.

This is the largest prisoner swap since the Cold War.

President Biden addressed the nation earlier calling it a feat of diplomacy.

>> Incredible for the family members gathered here.

It is a relief to friends and colleagues across the country praying for this day for a long time.

Joanna: The president pointed out the U.S. aggressively sought the release of Russians wrongfully detained, a deal that came too late to save the life of Alexei Navalny, who died in prison.

Evan had been detained since March 29, '23, imprisoned on charges of espionage.

Prosecutors accused him of gathering information on behalf of the CIA.

He is now free.

The former U.S. ambassador to Russia during the Obama administration.

Michael, great to have you.

Historic news.

The biggest prisoner swap in the U.S. since the Cold War.

How big a deal is this?

Michael: it may be the biggest prisoner swap in the history of U.S., Russian and Soviet relations ever.

This may be bigger than anything during the Cold War.

I cannot think of something so complex involving so many countries and kinds of individuals being swapped.

In the past when I participated in one of these when I worked at the White House in 2010, it is often time alleged spies for alleged spies.

This is not that.

This is some criminals, some medicine Americans, some journalists, some innocent Russian opposition leaders.

It involves multiple countries.

Three, the main guy Vladimir Putin wanted is a killer.

Assassin.

This guide in Germany.

Think about how difficult it must have been.

This is historic.

Our diplomats, including diplomats and the other countries should be applauded.

Joanna: Seven countries involved.

U.S., Russia, Germany, Turkey, Poland Pennsylvania -- Poland and Slovenia.

What goes into those conversations including the fact there had to be exchanges of convicted murderers, for example in Germany?

Michael: I number of things are unique.

First, the multiple countries involved.

I cannot think of another case in history that involved so many.

Second, negotiations, I am guessing, but when we learn the full body of what went on behind the scenes my guess is multiple Americans were involved.

The president, Secretary of State, negotiator Carstens, Bill Burns was probably involved given that he has deeper connections and knowledge of Russia than anyone I know in the government.

It was multiple people at the table.

That is different.

There is the negotiations within countries.

2010, I was involved in the swap of spies, alleged spies, because some of them denied they were, we had to negotiate within the U.S. government.

Those involved in catching spies and law enforcement, they don't like giving up criminals in this way.

I suspect in Germany, inside the interagency within the German government, that was probably one of the most difficult negotiations of all.

Joanna: Russia presented no evidence in those hearings.

They were convicted in a closed door process.

How much does that impact future journalists and the work others want to do in that country holding governments accountable?

Michael: Evan was not a criminal.

Alsu was not a criminal.

These were American journalists doing the job.

I cannot prove this but I have benefited from their journalism.

I have many footnotes to Evan for my forthcoming book because he was a fantastic reporter.

That's part of the reason he was arrested.

Putin wants to deter fantastic reporters, people like Evan who know the country well.

This is a scary deterrent.

That's another thing, tragically, he accomplished by arresting them, that I think will make other journalists like them think twice before even working in Russia.

Many journalists, Russians and within other countries work outside Russia because of the dangers.

Two, it will discourage especially the people who know Russia the best.

Those other people Vladimir Putin is afraid of.

It is no accident two of the best journalists who speak fluent Russian and who did fantastic reporting were arrested and swapped today.

Joanna: In the short time we have left, does this signal to countries that detaining journalists, wrongfully accusing and imprisoning them, leads to them being able to get their people out of prison from around the world?

Michael: Tough calls.

They are bad incentives.

Having been part of a negotiation wants, the upside versus downside of these swaps are hard decisions.

Ultimately it goes to the president.

In this case the payoff is better than the downside.

All these people are free now.

Very effective Russian opposition leaders are now free and will not die in jail like Alexei Navalny.

For countries like Russia, don't go to Russia.

You should not be an American businessman working in Russia today.

Best to be avoided at this time.

Joanna: The upside, Kevin coming back to New Jersey to see his family, all those others freed -- Evan.

Michael, thank you.

Today is the first day of a process to nominate a Democratic candidate for president.

This has to happen before the DNC where a candidate is typically confirmed because the candidate has to be confirmed by August 7 to appear on the ballot in Ohio this year.

Voting has begun and will continue for five days.

David Cruz has more and how New Jersey delegates are voting.

>> 263 votes for our next president Joe Biden!

>> 2020, Democrats conducted their Covid convention roll call in a clunky, state-by-state video.

This year is expected to be a more traditional roll call.

That will be symbolism more than anything because the official roll call started 9:00 a.m. today.

>> The Ohio legislature passed a law that said if the parties didn't nominate by August 7, that no candidate would appear on the ballot.

>> That vote was reversed but not before Democrats had already set up the virtual rollcall that begins today.

It runs through August 5.

Delegates will get their ballots electronically and will cast them that way.

To qualify, you have to have 300 delegates pledged to you.

Only Kamala Harris met the threshold.

>> I don't belong to an organized political party.

>> She is one of two uncommitted delegates from New Jersey.

A delegation which otherwise fell in line behind Harris almost immediately.

Keating was withholding support for Biden until he got tougher on a Cease Fire in the Israel-Hamas war.

She was still waiting for a ballot this morning.

She says she remains uncommitted.

>> I wanted to watch what Biden did.

The entire point was to kick the Democrats to win the election.

They are not going to win without the young people of America.

Reporter: Young people have shown a resurgence of energy.

Another delegate says the coalition that put Biden in the White House in 2020 appears to be getting back together.

>> You have a lot of people that feel energized now.

Certainly younger voters.

Very supportive of President Biden, you see a different excitement level now, which is wonderful because we need the younger age group to make sure we are calling our president Harris soon.

>> There was more than the impressive fundraising, new registrations and polling that had Democrats in a mid convention mood today.

They are hoping, and there are outward signs, including the Former President's appearance before the national Association of black journalists yesterday that the Trump campaign, which had planned on facing Sleepy Joe, has been thrown for a loop.

>> They have not been able to shift.

Not fast enough.

They are trying to figure out what is the appropriate attack.

>> This is the nightmare scenario for people like Tom Kane, Curtis.

Who just a few weeks ago were sort of rallying behind Trump.

He was looking like reasonable Trump.

This is the Trump now we are seeing that scares away suburban voters.

Reporter: With an overwhelming endorsement from delegates, the vice president pick next week and the convention after that, Kamala Harris has turned the campaign into a new ballgame, with just three months to election day.

Joanna: A federal judge in New Jersey ruled the state ban of the cult AR-15 is unconstitutional.

The law has been on the books since 1990 and bans certain assault rifles.

Peter Sheridan appointed by George W. Bush, only overturns the band on the colt AR-15 specifically.

In his decision, Sheridan said he found it hard to accept the Supreme Court taking certain firearms policies off the table were infrequently radical individuals possess and use the same firearms for evil purposes.

He bemoaned lawmakers reckless inaction to address mass shootings.

Gun rights advocates challenged the 2018 law limiting magazine capacity.

Judge Sheridan did not overrule that.

Gun groups have promised to appeal the ruling.

The AG saying he was disappointed.

Climate threats were top of mind for lawmakers today as Senate and assembly committees her testimony on beach replenishment to climate resiliency.

The topic that spurred the most debate was sea level rise impact on development, coastal communities.

The EPA is proposing new rules getting strong pushback from the business community.

Ted Goldberg was at the joint hearing in Toms River where they argued the rules would push people from the shore.

Reporter: Possible new rules have sparked debate about building and rebuilding.

>> A paradigm shift in how we think about development in flood prone areas.

>> This is the first step to try to force people retreat from the Jersey shore.

Reporter: Resilient draft rules, the DEP chief resiliency officer gave a quick recap of the 1000 page document at a joint hearing in Toms River.

>> There is no no build zone that extends from the regulations.

Vastly oversimplified, you have to build higher and recognize you are vulnerable.

Reporter: The panel included by Romo -- the panel included environmental experts.

>> It's impractical to imagine the New Jersey shore is going to be abandoned but if we have large sea level rise, it's going to be difficult to maintain status quo.

>> The coast is part of who we are as New Jerseyans.

To effectively adapt, we need to connect knowledge we are building and developing about the future to what people care the most deeply about.

>> Tourism in New Jersey generates $49 million in revenue.

Pretty good for a small state.

>> Part of the rules include properties in flood prone areas must be built five feet higher than previously to accommodate sea level rise, among other things.

>> There are several longtime loopholes that have kept the state from regulating development.

>> You won't be able to develop in those areas.

There will be draconian requirements to maintain or approve property.

The end result of all of this, it is quite clear in other documents, they want people to leave the barrier islands and parts of the coast.

Reporter: Some in the business community say these regulations are onerous and would stifle development.

>> What level of certainty do you have, from the statistical sense, in these projections?

>> There is a range of options.

Within that likely range, we are looking at the upper end of that.

>> Other debates included beach replenishment, which have helped beaches effected by erosion.

>> If we want wide beaches to protect infrastructure, people, support tourism, this is the most effective and economical way to handle our beaches.

It is a $50 billion industry.

The return on investment is excellent.

>> It's a temporary solution.

Best, you get five years out of it.

As we've seen lately, sometimes that timeframe is shorter.

You incur those expenses repeatedly.

>> Senator Bob Smith says the committees will accept public comment for another two weeks.

If you have something to say about this, lawmakers say they are all years.

-- ears.

Joanna: Tonight, another round of property tax relief about to go out in New Jersey, the state opening up the application process for the next distribution of the property tax rebate, for the year 2021.

New Jersey is still working through its backlog of rebates after the program was stopped during Covid.

Here to offer some insight, John, good to have you here.

We know during the budget process there was talk of the state reducing what the rebates would be under anchor.

Where did we end up?

John: It was a tight budget year.

We ended up where we were this time last year.

The budget fully funded the anchor program.

We used to have a program called homestead.

Within the last few years, it has changed to anchor.

The important change as part of that new program is renters qualify again for benefits.

Recognizing property taxes place a burden on tenants because they are charged indirectly property taxes through their monthly rent payments.

The anchor program is funded with more than $2 billion in the budget and that will enable the paying out of benefits to homeowners so homeowners making $250,000 annually qualify and also renters qualify making up to $150,000.

Joanna: There are caveats for folks.

What can you tell us about the different rebates at different income levels?

John: That's right.

The architecture of the program, as you go up the income scale, you get a lesser benefit.

It is trying to push bigger benefits to those in the lower income, the change happens at $150,000.

If you are under that, you get a bigger benefit.

If you are over, you get a smaller one as a homeowner.

Joanna: A $1000 rebate at $250,000 per year.

John: $1500, $150,000 per year.

Joanna: What about fermenters?

John: It's $450 for renters, making $150,000 annually as of the 2021 tax year.

That speaks to the backlog.

There have been years in the past when these programs have been interrupted because they are subjected to the state budget.

In the years when the budget is lean, the rebates will be delayed.

That is why you see this backlog.

Joanna: In 2021, folks were struggling out of the pandemic.

This could be relief for some whose income may have been affected.

What is the timeline so folks don't miss this deadline?

John: We are still waiting for the complete details to come out from the Department of treasury.

They have indicated mid August.

This is the time to plant that idea.

Joanna: That's when the applications will go out to homeowners?

John: That's right.

Or you will get a letter.

Last year, we have been told it will play out similarly this year, some will be automatically enrolled based on largely if you have been a part of this program previously.

Treasury has automatically enrolled people in the past and we have been told that will happen again.

For people who will be newly eligible, there will be applications going out.

We have been told this will happen in mid August this year.

Last year they got benefits out by November 1 who were automatically enrolled.

There is a deadline for people submitting new applications at the end of December, benefits were provided on a rolling basis to that group.

Something to look forward to.

Joanna: Something to check the mail for.

Don't throw away those cards from treasury.

Could be a lot of savings.

Thank you so much.

John: You're welcome.

Joanna: Stocks dropped today taking a big hit after data shows a slowing U.S. economy.

Here's how the markets reacted.

♪ >> Download the NJ Spotlight news podcast so you can listen to us anytime.

For the entire team here, thank you for being with us.

Have a great night and we will see you back here tomorrow.

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