>> Major funding is provided by NJM insurance group, Briana: Tonight, Governor Murphy pitches a bid to rescue New Jersey transit from its financial woes.

>> Let's be honest on what this is.

It is a tax on large business in the state of New Jersey.

Briana: Also, fully funded.

The governor proposes an historic investment in public school aid, but there is also going to be money for other aspects of education, whether that school meals, expanding access to preschool, or a number of other initiatives.

Briana: Plus, representative Mike Cheryl says time is running out, pushing lawmakers to find aid for Ukraine as the war passes the two year mark.

>> We are at a rigid critical inflection point where we can choose to stand with our allies, or we can surrender to a brutal dictator.

Briana: And Rikers University students and cover a potential breakthrough for Alzheimer's treatment.

>> That's what is so exciting about this potential drug.

To help prevent the buildup of these neurotoxins and waste.

Briana: "NJ Spotlight News" begins right now.

♪ >> From NJPBS Studios, this is "NJ Spotlight News" with Briana Vannozzi.

Briana: Good evening and thanks for joining us this Wednesday night.

I'm Briana Vannozzi.

The governors proposing another record high budget for the state, roughly 56 -- $56 billion in spending that will now get vetted by the public and lawmakers through a series of public hearings, closed-door meetings and political horse training before getting the Legislature's approval by June 30.

Governor Murphy wants more money for education, to find the public worker pension system and continue property tax relief programs and he is proposing a new -- few new tax and fee hikes to pay for it all.

Most notably what the administration is calling a corporate transit fee.

It is a tax on New Jersey's largest businesses to find New Jersey transit.

Critics concede it stops short of reviving a similar corporate business tax, but it sure looks a whole lot like it.

>> Today, we are proposing a corporate transit fee.

It will provide a dedicated funding stream for NJ transit at no additional cost to our working families.

>> Governor Murphy's controversial transit funding plan got very different reactions.

Transit advocates cheered.

>> It's hard to overstate how big a deal this is for transit riders and for our state as a whole.

>> But business reps jeered.

>> Let's just be honest on what this is.

It is a tax on large business in the state of New Jersey.

>> Governor Murphy wants to keep NJ transit from flying off the physical rails by imposing a 2.5 percent corporate tax surcharge on some 600 New Jersey companies that earned $10 million or more a year.

Think Amazon and Walmart.

The millions raised would be dedicated solely to NJ transit.

Advocates claim that is fair.

>> It sets the foundation for a stable agency that year-over-year can depend on funding that comes from, frankly, the most equitable source in our state, which is megacorporations that are asked to pay a modest fee to see huge improvements to our public transit agency.

>> There is a logic to this in that companies, especially of that size, their customers and their employees, depend on transit to get to work, to get to their facility, and there needs to be some acknowledgment of that relationship.

>> The new tax would generate about $860 million in fiscal 2026, but that's not enough to cover the projected 917 million dollars budget shortfall.

The so-called school clip.

But fair hikes could close that gap, and Murphy didn't cancel the agency's proposed team percent fair hike plan for this July or the 3% annual fare increases every year afterward.

That is a lingering sore spot for progressives.

>> We should not be balancing New Jersey transit's budget on the backs of our riders.

The fair rate should be rolled back and we should end the rates of New Jersey transit's capital budget.

>> Many in the business community feel deeply portrayed -- betrayed other proposal, they point to the governors Peter promises to let -- let a business tax surcharge sunset last year.

>> We said this was a bridge with until we get to a better place, and we meant it.

On the other hand, it does exacerbate the structural deficit we are running at the moment.

>> That surcharge did expire, the new one would impact only the corporate giants, but it would be permanent, and has destroyed trust in the Murphy administration, says >> This business president.

>>When a promise is made and broken, we cannot invest.

This is not just bad policy, when you do an about-face, 360, on two weeks notice.

It is terrible policy.

>> The New Jersey Chamber of Commerce president called it a nightmare scenario that does long-term harm to the state's reputation and the economy.

There is nothing good about it.

Our positive momentum will immediately pay the price, since we will have the highest business tax in the nation.

There is not much applause from warehouse and manufacturing businesses and manufacturing businesses in South Jersey, which suffer from so-called transit deserts of sparse to know service.

>> I would argue it isn't the responsibility to pay for, but they are also paying for something they don't have access to or use regularly.

>> The governor's budget including this proposal now goes to the legislature for consideration where the speaker has already warned any discussion about increasing corporate taxes must be had with our states long-term fiscal health and further commitment to reducing property taxes in mind.

And truly dedicated funding requires voters to pass an amendment to New Jersey's Constitution.

Buckle up for a long and bumpy ride.

I'm Brenda Flanagan, "NJ Spotlight News".

Briana: The proposed budget also promised a historic investment to New Jersey's public schools that if approved by the legislature would fully find the school funding formula for the first time in state history.

Increasing a by more than 900 million dollars, making it the final payment in a seven-year ramp up land Governor Murphy signed new the beginning of his time in office.

But how many schools end up receiving aid, and how much they will get will depend on how the administration calculates that formula.

More, I'm joined by Hannah Gross.

Good to have you on the set today.

Let's start off big picture, what is in this budget for New Jersey schools?

>> There's going to be about a 908 million dollars increase in school funding, which brings the school to about 11.7 billion, which is a record high for the state.

That is looking at the school funding formula.

There will also be money for other aspects of education, whether that is school meals, expanding access to preschool, or a number of other initiatives.

Briana: There's been a lot of talk since this formula was reformed.

There have been a good number of schools that have gotten the amount of aid that they weren't needing and a lot of schools that have not.

So who stands to gain and who stands to lose?

Do we know yet?

>> My understanding now is that it will be around 140 districts that will be seeing cuts in the funding they receive.

But now that we are in the last year, we are fully funding the formula, it looks like this would be the last that districts would be seeing cuts based on the formula.

They could still see cuts for other reasons such as changes in enrollment.

Briana: Places like Toms River and New Brunswick, why is it if the state is saying they're putting in room running that they are actually getting less aid?

>> The school funding formula has an adequacy budget which is the amount of money that is required for a thorough and efficient education, according to the law.

Some districts were getting more money than if needed for a thorough and efficient education and some are getting less.

So this is trying to equalize that.

Briana: Governor Murphy yesterday also hitting on Universal pre-K, something he has touted since taking office.

More money for that, so more?

Seats for preschool students?

>> Yes, part of that will go to expanding, so adding about 1000 more seats.

So far the administration has added a little bit over 14,000.

This of course has to go for approval with the legislature.

What are we up against, what is the legislature and the governor up against when looking at all of these numbers and having the money to make this type of investment?

>> It seems like there is not a consensus among legislators about how to proceed with the school funding formula.

Some are saying that now we are reaching full funding, it's time to take another look at a formula that hasn't been revisited in about 10 years.

Some are saying we are reaching the end of the governor's administration, maybe we should just wait until the next governor takes office.

Briana: What else did he lay out, because there are a lot of other programs, a lot of funding that goes into a lot of different pots.

So what other programs would stand to get money?

>> Cover all kids is expected to get some money and that would be increasing health care for children.

There is also money to help with the teacher shortage.

So money for stipends for student teachers and also loan redemption for some teachers.

Briana: There has been talk of making universal free school meals in terms of breakfast and lunch, did the governor hit on that at all?

>> They are moving to provide more students with universal free lunch, and they are also going to be providing school lunch in the summer.

Briana: The devil is in the details and whether or not this funding gets there.

Got this process that sets off until June 30.

Anything you heard in reaction to the proposal?

>> Senator Ruiz has been a champion for literacy, improving literacy among New Jersey students.

There's about $2.5 million for literacy screeners that the governor proposed and Senator Ruiz is saying that is not enough I'm a there needs to be more to improve literacy, and that something she will focus on in budget negotiations.

Briana: That is something he hit on in his State of the state.

Hannah Gross, thank you.

Congress returned to session today, working to avert a partial government shutdown and negotiate a wartime aid package in Ukraine's fight against Russia.

The money is currently being held up by Bruce of house Republicans -- group of House Republicans.

Congresswoman Mikey Sheldon was part of a group, this week she held an event at the Ukrainian American cultural center of New Jersey to share her experience and press her colleagues to immediately pass the funding.

Senior correspondent Joanna Gagis reports.

>> We are at an inflection point right now, really critical infection point where we can choose to stand with our allies, or we can surrender to a brutal dictator whose vision for conquest goes beyond Ukraine's borders.

Joanna: Congresswoman Mikey Cheryl attended the Munich security conference in Munich along with a bipartisan group of lawmakers.

She spoke directly with the Ukrainian president and shared that conversation at Ukrainian church where she urge the U.S. to continue its financial support of Ukraine.

>> I met with the president, who was committed, who was resolute, who was determined, who was going to continue to fight along with the people of Ukraine, no matter what.

Joanna: But the Ukrainians are asking the U.S. for more soup you -- more support as we had to withdraw troops, losing ground because they lacked the munitions needed to hold the Russians.

A $60 billion aid package has cleared the U.S. Senate with bipartisan support, but it is stuck in the Republican-controlled House right now.

This wounded Ukrainian soldier said that aid would change everything.

>> A lot of soldiers are getting killed and wounded.

Joanna: President Biden and the vice president met with leaders of both houses yesterday to discuss the looming government shutdown.

A major piece of that conversation was aid for Ukraine, which got tense, according to reports.

Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer had this to say to House Speaker Mike Johnson.

>> Get it done.

I told him, I set up been around here a long time, maybe four or five times that history is looking over your shoulders, and if you don't do the right thing, whatever the immediate politics are, you will regret it.

Joanna: Johnson told reporters yesterday he believes we must take care of America's needs first.

>> Is being held hostage by a significant and minority of politicians who are ignoring the obvious.

This is not spin or hyperbole.

On January 23, 2023, Sergey Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Minister, held a press conference and openly declared that Russia's assault on Ukraine was a war with the West.

Intended to create what he calls a multipolar world.

Joanna: All those at the Munich security conference learned that Alexei Navalny had died in Russian prison.

His wife was there with them.

>> Anticipating that she would be talking about his ongoing work, and instead she was talking about the brutality of his death.

If there was anything that put a finer point on why the Ukrainians are fighting and why we are supporting them, I'm not sure what it is.

A nation where simply speaking against the government get you a death sentence.

Joanna: Congresswoman Cheryl is back in Washington today and plans to sit down with our speaker Mike Johnson to share with him the details of her conversation with President Zelenskyy and what was shared here at the Ukrainian church in New Jersey.

She says she does believe the bill will pass the house.

I'm Joanna Gagis, "NJ Spotlight News".

Briana: State leaders are hitting the gas on a plan to expand an eight mile section of the Turnpike North Jersey.

But it is getting major pushback from community surrounding the proposed construction.

The New Jersey Turnpike Authority held a public information event last night to get more details on the plan, but things quickly heated up with environmental advocates protesting the expansion, arguing it will increase traffic and pollution are already disadvantaged communities.

Ted Goldberg was there.

>> A little rain didn't stop protesters from stopping by last night's open house in Newark hosted by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.

The Authority is planning to widen an eight mile stretch of the Turnpike we between Rick city and Jersey City.

X verse explains why the $10 million project is needed.

>> Our number -- number one priority is safety.

>> This is a must do project.

This is something that has to be done.

>> Construction could be a headache, but the authority argues that bridges like the Newark Bay Bridge or at the end of their life spans.

Even anti-expansion advocates agree with that.

>> This is a 75 year old bridge that failed.

One of the support structures cracked and failed within the last decade.

>> Our infrastructure is crumbling, but how are they going to do it?

Are they going to do it at the expense of people of?

Color and frontline communities?

>> We know that those bridges need repair, but not at the expense of our children's lives.

>> Advocates say increased traffic will lead to more pollution and communities that have traditionally been dumping grounds.

>> One out of four children in the city of Newark suffer from asthma.

When you talk about expansion of highways, you are increasing truck traffic.

>> The second biggest port in the country, the biggest source of diesel pollution and air pollution we have is diesel from the truck operations.

This doesn't help, it's going to create more pollution in a neighborhood that is already heavily overburdened.

>> Advocates don't buy the argument that the Turnpike expansion Middle East traffic.

Another argument the authority has used.

>> Less traffic means fewer crashes, less pollution I'm a it's better for the climate crisis, but they seem to want to just increase traffic.

It is a self-perpetuating authority.

>> That's a billion dollars a mile.

Think what you could do with that $10 billion.

You can invest in mass transit, clean up our air, get everybody moving faster on the highways because of fewer cars.

>> We don't need to expand a highway.

What we need is better transportation services and then we need to spend the money to fix the bridges, as opposed to expand them, and then increase more pollution into our communities of black and brown individuals.

>> Protesters were angry about last night's format.

Since it wasn't a public hearing, many of them did not feel the need to stick around.

Some told me the authority should just fix the bridges instead of widening the entire stretch of Turnpike.

The supervising engineer said that is not feasible because the bridges were not designed to accommodate the number of cars driving on them now or in the future.

>> In addition to the successes of the community as well as it is now, in addition to increased growth in the years to come.

>> This is a much needed traffic engineered marble that's going to put a lot of good people and good jobs, good union jobs.

>> A marvel that could have opponents every step of the way, from now until construction starts, which could be in two years.

In Newark, I'm Ted Goldberg, "NJ Spotlight News".

Briana: Clean work on three toxic waste sites are getting boosted by millions of dollars in federal money.

They are part of a larger federal Superfund program put in place under the 2021 infrastructure law signed by President.

That is targeting over 100 toxic waste sites across the country.

In New Jersey, that includes the Roebling steel company site and others.

About $30 million is going to Matlack which was used for decades to clean trucks and tankers carrying hazardous substances.

Raritan Bay's site will get roughly a million dollars to clean lead waste/and about $2 million will go to the old steel site along the Delaware River in Florence Township that was once home to heavy steel manufacturing.

This is the third and final installment of a $3.5 billion cash infusion to the Environmental Protection Agency's Superfund program to help clear a backlog of hazardous sites in the health threats they posed to residents.

On Wall Street, stocks ticked over today, coming off Tuesday's mixed lows.

Here's how trading numbers landed for the day.

♪ Briana: A groundbreaking discovery in the fight against Alzheimer's disease made right here in New Jersey by a group of undergrads at Rutgers university.

The team found an experiment of drug may help the brain get rid of toxins that cause Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia.

I recently spoke with a resident researcher at Rutgers about what this discovery means for treatment.

Great to talk to you.

On paper, this definitely looks like a pretty significant breakthrough.

What exactly did you and your team find?

>> We have been researching and studying the brains waste clearance system, and this is a system that allows the brain to clear metabolites and waste, including neurotoxins.

These neurotoxins consist of amyloid data and these are culprits in degenerative diseases like Alzheimer's.

What we have found is by studying a mouse model for a craniofacial disorder, this is a disorder that affects how the skull grows, we serendipitously discovered that there were changes to how these systems develop and how they are maintained over the lifespan.

And that is very important, because recent data has shown that as we age, our ability to clear waste from the brain declines.

So there is a lot of interest in understanding how can we facilitate and rejuvenate these brain waste clearance systems.

That is part of what our team was able to find, using a small molecule drug.

Briana: How does it target that brain waste as you call it, or the amyloid plaque, which we have really come to know to be synonymous with conditions like dementia?

>> I think that question has potentially two answers.

One of which as we showed, it facilitates the ability of fluid to actually infuse into your brain and clear the waste out.

Once the waste is cleared out, it is strange through something called lymphatic vessels.

These are vessels that basically reside around the brain beneath our skull.

These were just discovered 10 years ago, and for that reason, there's a lot of interest in these vessels.

Briana: I was just about to ask you while we are just looking at these vessels, think about treatment like craniosacral therapy that does a similar process of getting that cerebrospinal fluid into the brain.

Why is science just now getting to look at these vessels?

>> Interestingly enough, these vessels were first described in the late 1700s, but scientist tend to challenge each other's observations.

Because of that, for hundreds of years, we lost sight of these vessels, and only within the last 10 years or so where they rediscovered by two different groups.

Now that we've discovered them, we cannot figure out how we can manipulate them to actually help clear waste.

Briana: These trials are being done on mice.

How soon might we see human trials?

>> As anything was science, the first breakthroughs usually come through an animal model.

The drug has not been tested yet with humans, but given the results we recently reported and that of others, there may be a push very soon to actually ask, how might this drug effect fluid dynamics in a human?

Of course, would it be safe, would have non-toxic properties, and in mice, we know that in fact it does.

But that is one of the interesting and important aspects to consider.

It could be very safe for human usage.

Briana: Max, thank you so much.

>> Thank you for having me.

It is a pleasure to be here.

Briana: That does it for us tonight.

Tune into Chat Box with David Cruise tomorrow night, he's taking a deeper look at the governor's plan to rescue New Jersey transit through attacks on corporations.

A panel of transportation experts and policy analysts down whether it's enough of a lifeline for the troubled agency.

That's tomorrow on the "NJ Spotlight News" YouTube channel.

Answering with us.

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

>> New Jersey education Association, making public school great for every child, and RWJBarnabas Health, let's be healthy together.

>> Look at these kids.

What do you see?

I see myself.

I became an ESL teacher to give my students what I wanted when I came to this country.

The opportunity to learn, to dream, to achieve.

The chance to belong and to lead .

I am proud to be an NJEA member.

♪