>> HELLO AND WELCOME TO "REPORTERS ROUNDTABLE" I'M IN FOR DAVID WHO IS OFF AGAIN THIS WEEK.

THIS WEEK WE'RE HONORING JUNETEENTH WHICH HONORS THE EMANCIPATION OF BLACK PEOPLE AND THE NEWS THAT REACHED GALVESTON, TEXAS TWO YEARS LATER.

SUPPORTERS WILL GATHER TO HIGHLIGHT THE ONGOING RACIAL DISPARITIES IN WEALTH, HEALTH AND EDUCATION AND MORE THAT HAVE ONLY BEEN EXACERBATES BY THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

HERE TO TALK ABOUT THIS IS PRESIDENT OF NEW YORK'S UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL AND FORM HE STATE HEALTH COMMISSIONER.

THANKS FOR BEING HERE.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME ON.

>> THANKS.

IT SEEMS LIKE POLICY INTERSECTS IN ALL WAYS NOW.

BUT WHAT DO YOU SEE AS AT CONNECTIONS BETWEEN HEALTH AND JUNETEENTH AND HOW DOES THE PANDEMIC PLAY INTO THAT?

>> I THINK THOSE CONNECTIONS HAVE ALWAYS EXISTED UNFORTUNATELY.

TODAY IT'S EVEN MORE APROPOS OF THE SITUATION BECAUSE THE DEGREE TO WHICH THE PANDEMIC DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED PEOPLE OF COLOR IT WASN'T AN ACADEMIC ISSUE OR SOMETHING WE READ ABOUT, IT IS SOMETHING WE SAW EVERY DAY AT UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL DURING THE WORSE OF THE SURGE LAST YEAR.

AS WE WERE BRINGING IN BOXES OF PPE TO OUR FRONTLINE EMPLOYEES AND SHOWING UP TO SUPPORT THE HEROES GOING IN AND OUT OF PATIENTS ROOMS AT A VERY SCARY TIME FOR THEM.

OF COURSE YOU COULDN'T HELP BUT NOTICE ALMOST EVERY PERSON IN OUR PATIENT ROOMS WAS A PERSON OF COLOR.

AT BASELINE OF COURSE WE SERVE A VERY DIVERSE COMMUNITY BUT IT WAS A VERY MUCH A PINPOINT ISSUE ON THE MOST VULNERABLE PEOPLE IN THE CITY, THAT HAPPENS TO BE PEOPLE OF COLOR.

AS WE MOVE FORWARD FINALLY RECOGNIZING JUNETEENTH AS A FEDERAL HOLIDAY FOREVER MARKING IT'S IMPORTANCE IN OUR HISTORY IT'S VERY APPROPRIATE AS WE FINALLY EMERGE FROM THIS PANDEMIC THROUGH VACCINATION THAT WE'RE CELEBRATING JUNETEENTH.

>> NICE TO SEE IT CELEBRATED FEDERALLY AS WELL.

DO YOU ALSO SEE A CONNECTION WITH CARE FOR LBGTQ+ INDIVIDUALS, I MEAN, THIS IS ALSO PRIDE MONTH OF COURSE, AND WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT DES DISPARITIES IS THERE A CONNECTION THERE AS WELL?

>> ABSOLUTELY IS, WE PROUDLY HUNG OUR PRIDE FLAG JUST COUPLE DAYS AGO IN OUR HOSPITAL.

WE HAD LBGTQ COMMUNITY THERE AND ALSO NON-LBGTQ EMPLOYEES WHO ARE JUST CELEBRATING WITH THEIR COLLEAGUES AND FRIENDS.

IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT THING AS WELL BECAUSE NOT ONLY ARE LBGTQ INDIVIDUALS AMONG THE MOST DIS DISCRIMINATED AGAINST IN GENERAL, BUT BLACK AND BROWN LBGTQ INDIVIDUALS PARTICULARLY ARE DISCRIMINATED AN AND SO WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO ACROSS COMMUNITIES OF COLOR BUT IN PARTICULAR THIS COMMUNITY, HIGHER RATE OF NEGLIGENT AND ABUSE ESPECIALLY AGAINST TRANSGENDER PATIENTS.

AS WE PURSUE FORWARD AND ADVOCATE THE RISK COMMUNITY, RECOGNIZING THOSE ISSUES AND FIXING THEM IS OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE.

>> YEAH, IT SEEMS LIKE GOVERNOR MURPHY IS LOOKING TO DO THAT, YOU KNOW, WITH THE TASK FORCE HE RECENTLY CREATED TO LOOK AT RACIAL DISPARITIES, CLEARLY THE PANDEMIC HAS EXPOSED THIS, BUT NOW THERE'S A TASK FORCE TO SORT OF FORMALLY LOOK AT THESE ISSUES, WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO GET OUT OF THAT?

>> WELL, FIRST OF ALL I THINK IT'S VERY REFRESHING TO SEE THAT WE ARE GOING TO TAKE A CRITICAL EYE AT THE RESPONSE NOT JUST AT THE STATE LEVEL BUT AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL, WHAT WE CAN DO BETTER, THE SYSTEMS WE CAN SET UP TO RESPOND TO THE PANDEMIC.

IT'S PARTICULARLY IMPRESSIVE AND IMPORTANT THAT THE GOVERNOR HAS CREATED A GROUP INDEPENDENTLY JUST LOOKING AT ISSUES AROUND HEALTH EQUITY, OF COURSE LONG-STANDING ISSUES, WE SAW WORSE OUTCOMES AND HIGHER INCIDENTS OF COVID-19 IN COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.

BUT REALLY HAS EXPOSED AND SCHOEN A LIGHT ON GENERATIONS OF SYSTEMATIC RACISM AND THE DIS DISPARITIES WE TALK ABOUT.

SO WE NEED TO RESPOND AND CLOSE TOWS DESPAIISPARITY GAPS AS FAST AS POSSIBLE.

AND THIS TASK FORCE WILL BE VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN DOING THAT.

>> AND THE PANDEMIC ISN'T OVER, RIGHT?

I MEAN THE PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY MAY HAVE ENDED BUT WHAT ARE YOU SEEING THESE DAYS AT UNIVERSITY?

ARE YOU SEEING A DELTA VARIANT CASES, WE HEAR ABOUT IT, I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S SHOWING UP IN HOSPITALS.

>> YEAH, SO ONE THING I WANT TO MAKE SURE TO MENTION IS THE SITUATION NOW IS MUCH BETTER THAN CERTAINLY LAST YEAR BUT EVEN JUST FEW MONTHS AGO WE HAVE FOUR TO SIX PATIENTS IN THE HOSPITAL NOW FOR COUPLE WEEKS WITH COVID-19.

OF COURSE WE CONTINUE TO SEE PEOPLE WITH THE DISEASE IN OUR EMERGENCY ROOM AND CLINICS, IT'S NOT COMPLETELY ERADICATED, FAR FROM IT, BUT THE VACCINATION EFFORT WE'RE CELEBRATING TODAY WITH THE GOVERNOR, FILLING THE CRITICAL MASS OF 4.7 MILLION SHOTS ALL OF THAT SPEAKS TO JUST A MUCH BETTER SITUATION THAT HAS LED TO, YOU KNOW, OUR ABILITY TO SAY HEY WE ONLY HAVE FIVE PATIENTS, WHEN WE GET TO ZERO WE'LL CERTAINLY CELEBRATE.

THE DELTA VARIANT IS CONCERNING AND WHILE IT'S DIFFICULT TO KNOW PATIENTS COMING IN IN REALTIME WHETHER THEY HAVE IT, IT HAS A HISTORY OF BECOMING THE MOST PREDOMINANT YOU VARIANT IN OTHER PLACES.

UK HAD THE UK-VARIANT ALPHA VARIANT THAT HAS BEEN DOMINANT FOR MANY MONTHS AND IN ONE MONTH DELTA VARIANT BECAME DOMINANT IN OVER 97% OF SAMPLES AND SEEING THAT IN THE UNITED STATES AS WELL.

MORE TRANSMISSIBLE AND MORE SEVERE THAN THE ALPHA VARIANT, JUST INCREASES THE IMPORTANCE OF GETTING THE SHOT IF YOU HAVEN'T YET.

>> WHAT IS THE CONNECTION, I MEAN, ARE VACCINES STILL EFFECTIVE AGAINST THE DELTA VARIANT?

DO WE KNOW THAT?

AND NOW THAT WE'VE REACHED THIS MILESTONE, DOES IT MEAN WE'RE DONE VACCINATING FOLKS?

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE >> THE I BEING NEWS IS THAT IN FACT THE MRNA VACCINES, PFIZER IN PARTICULAR WERE SHOWN TO BE 88% EVEN AGAINST THE DELTA VARIANT.

THAT'S EXTREMELY ENCOURAGING.

THERE'S A STUDY OUT OF THE UK BECAUSE THEY HAD SO MANY CASES.

ULTIMATELY THEY COMPARED FOLKS WHO HAD PFIZER TO FOLKS WHO DIDN'T AS WELL AS OTHER VACCINES AND CAME TO THAT CONCLUSION.

AND SO I THINK AGAIN, JUST INCREASES THE RISK OF NOT GETTING VACCINATED BUT REALLY STILL GIVES YOU THAT PEACE OF MIND IF YOU DO GET VACCINATED.

EVERYBODY IS SEEING BREAKTHROUGH CASES HERE AND THERE BUT NOWHERE NEAR AS SEVERE AND HOSPITALIZATION AND ESPECIALLY DEATH IS EXTREMELY RARE IF YOU'VE BEEN VACCINATED.

IT'S A NO BRAINER TO PROTECT YOURSELF AGAINST THESE VARIANTS, PLEASE GET VACCINATED.

>> AND 88% IS REALLY HIGH, RIGHT?

I MEAN, THAT IS A VERY EFFECTIVE VACCINE, CORRECT?

>> IT'S EXTREMELY EFFECTIVE.

WE'RE LUCKY, BEFORE THE COVID PANDEMIC WE WERE LUCKY IF WE GOT A VACCINE THAT WAS 60 OR 70% EFFECTIVE.

THE FACT THAT MODERNA AND PFIZER VACCINES WERE OVER 90% AGAINST THE ORIGINAL VIRUS AND CONTINUE TO BE EFFECTIVE AGAINST THE VARIANTS, IS VERY IMPRESSIVE AND SPEAKS TO THE MOVEMENT WE WILL SEE IN OTHER VACCINES AGAINST VIRUSES LIKE HIV AND OTHER THINGS FOR WHICH WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DEVELOP A VACCINE YET SO I'M VERY OCPTIMISTIC BEHIND THE BIOMEDICAL ABILITY DURING THIS 357BD SO EXCITING.

>> THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND HAPPY FATHER'S DAY AND HAPPY JUNETEENTH.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH AND HAPPY JUNETEENTH TO YOU AS WELL.

>> NOW WE TURN TO OUR VIRTUAL ROUNDTABLE OF REPORTERS TO TALK MORE ABOUT THE PANDEMIC, ITS IMPACT THE BUDGET, SCHOOLS AND MORE, THANKS TO KARMY FROM NEW JERSEY, MICHAEL SIMONS FROM NEW JERSEY 101.5.

AND OUR OWN JOHN WRIGHTMYER FROM MJ SPOTLIGHT NEWS.

WELCOME, EVERYBODY.

NOW FOR THOSE FOCUSED ON TRENTON, OF COURSE, JUNE ISN'T JUST ABOUT JUNETEENTH OR PRIDE OR ANY OF THESE OTHER CELEBRATORY THINGS BUT IT'S ABOUT THE BUDGET SO WE GOT TO START WITH YOU JOHN.

JOHN, AS SOMEONE WHO COVERED THESE MORE THAN A FEW TIMES, WHAT STRIKES YOU MOST ABOUT THIS POST-PANDEMIC BUDGET, I MEAN, WE HAVE A TON OF FEDERAL MONEY, LIMITED PUBLIC INPUT, ONE OF THOSE IS NEW.

WHAT IS YOUR TAKE AWAY?

>> YEAH, WELL, YOU KNOW, SOME THINGS ARE WAY DIFFERENT AND SOME THINGS HAVEN'T CHANGED AT ALL.

I THINK THE STATE'S IN A UNIQUE SITUATION WHERE IT ACTUALLY HAS MONEY.

THAT'S NOT SOMETHING I'VE EXPERIENCE THE OVER MY CAREER, USUALLY IN TRENTON THIS TIME OF YEAR IT'S A SCRAMBLE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO FIND THE MONEY TO PAY FOR ALL OF THE THINGS LAWMAKERS WANT TO SPEND IT ON AND USUALLY THERE'S NOT ENOUGH RESOURCES TO COVER THOSE SPENDING PRIORITIES, THIS YEAR DUE TO SURPRISE TAX WINDFALL AND THEN ON THE SIDE WE HAVE A BIG TRAUNCH OF FEDERAL AID THAT JUST ARRIVED, THE STATE HAS A LOT OF MONEY SO THAT'S THE DIFFERENT THING, BUT, WHAT'S STILL THE SAME?

THREE GUYS ARE BASICALLY MAKE THE BIG DECISIONS, THEY'RE IN NEGOTIATIONS RIGHT NOW DECIDING HOW TO DIVVY UP WHAT LOOKS TO BE ALMOST $50 BILLION IN STATE RESOURCES BY A JULY 1 DEADLINE.

SO WE'RE SITTING HERE RIGHT NOW WITH NO BUDGET BILL BUT THE DEADLINE FOR A NEW BUDGET IS JULY 1. WHO KNOWS IF WE'LL GET THAT BILL WITH AMPLE TIME TO SCRUTINIZE IT AND TO REALLY HAVE A ROBUST PUBLIC DEBATE HOW WE SHOULD USE THESE IMMENSE RESOURCES.

THAT, UNFORTUNATELY IS STANDARD PROCEDURE FOR TRENTON THE SWIMMING IN CASH PART OF IT IS NEW FOR THIS YEAR.

>> BUT, USUALLY WITH BUDGET SEASON, I MEAN, EVEN IF THERE'S A LACK OF TRANSPARENCY AROUND HOW THE BUDGET ITSELF IS DEVELOPED, THERE IS A PROCESS, RIGHT, WHERE PEOPLE GET TO WEIGH IN, SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS.

I KNOW LEGISLATORS CALL IT THE BEG A THON IT IS WHEN SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS BRING THEIR REQUESTS TO THE GOVERNMENT, RIGHT?

THAT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE FUNCTIONING THE SAME WAY THIS YEAR.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE THERE?

>> YEAH, THE THING IS, THAT -- THOSE PUBLIC HEARINGS WHERE WE HEAR FROM A LONG LIST OF PEOPLE WHO SAY THE STATE SHOULD BE SPENDING MORE MONEY IN DIFFERENT AREAS, THEY WRAPPED UP IN MARCH.

THE FISCAL OUTLOOK FOR NEW JERSEY WAS CERTAINLY IMPROVING AT THAT TIME BUT WAS NOWHERE NEAR IN THE SHAPE THAT IT IS RIGHT NOW.

SO THE QUESTION WOULD BE, DO YOU REOPEN THE DOOR AND TAKE NEW INPUT?

BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES WHAT THOSE ADVOCATES ARE TOLD IS WE'D LOVE TO PAY FOR THIS BUT WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE MONEY.

NOW IT BECOMES A HARDER ARGUMENT TO MAKE BECAUSE WE KIND OF DO HAVE THE MONEY, IT'S JUST, BECOMES WHETHER THEY STILL WANT TO SAY THEY WANT TO FUND THOSE PRIORITIES.

SO YOU WOULD HEAR FROM A LOT OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE UNDER THESE NEW CIRCUMSTANCES SAYING, HEY, WAIT A MINUTE IN THE PAST YOU SAID WE CAN'T AFFORD IT, NOW WE HAVE THIS WINDFALL OF CASH, WHAT SAY YOU NOW?

>> RIGHT.

AND YOU KNOW, THE GOVERNMENT THE OTHER DAY AS WE HEARD WAS ASKED ABOUT HOMESTEAD REBATE AND HE SAID THAT'S SOMETHING WE'D LIKE TO CONSIDER.

YOU KNOW.

IT'S ONE OF THOSE MANY QUESTIONS ON THE TABLE.

SURE.

CARTER, LET'S TURN TO YOU.

SCHOOLS ARE ALSO GETTING A SIGNIFICANT SLUG OF FEDERAL MONEY, RIGHT, WHAT ARE THEY LOOKING FOR FROM THE STATE.

WHAT ARE YOU HEARING ABOUT SCHOOL FUNDING THIS YEAR?

>> YEAH, SO SCHOOLS ARE GETTING A LOT OF THE FEDERAL MONEY, BUT STILL AS OF GOVERNOR MURPHY'S PROPOSED BUDGET THE STATE IS ON THIS SEVEN-YEAR PATH TO KIND OF CHANGE AND REALLOCATE AND DISTRIBUTE THE WAY IT ALLOCATES SCHOOL FUNDING AND ON THAT SCHEDULE THERE'S 200 SCHOOL DISTRICTS STILL SCHEDULED TO GET STATE-AID CUTS THIS YEAR AND THEY'RE PUTTING UP A REALLY BIG FIGHT SAYING HEY YOU ARE OUT THERE SAYING YOU HAVE MORE MONEY YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH AND TURNING TO US AND SAYING WE'RE GOING TO CUT YOUR STATE AID.

ALL OF THE COST TO OPEN BUILDINGS, VENTILATION, ADEQUATE PPE, CLEANING, DEVICES FOR STUDENTS.

SO A LOT OF THESE DISTRICTS ARE NOW LAUNCHING KIND OF AN ATTACK SAYING, HEY, YOU KNOW, WHETHER THAT MONEY COMES THROUGH THE SCHOOL FUNDING FORMULA OR WHETHER IT COMES THROUGH THE STABILIZATION AID POOL MURPHY HAS PROPOSED, EITHER WAY, WE IN THIS NEW YEAR WE SHOULD GET SOME OF THAT MONEY TO MAKE US WHOLE IN A YEAR THAT WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF DEBATE OVER, YOU KNOW, WILL WE PUT ALL THAT MONEY BACK INTO SCHOOLS, YOU KNOW, WHERE'S THAT MONEY GONNA GO.

>> RIGHT.

I MEAN, YOU HEAR ABOUT THESE PHYSICAL, YOU KNOW, SORT OF BUILDING EXPENSES, RIGHT, THE PPE AND CIRCULATION SYSTEMS, BUT THERE'S ALSO THIS QUESTION OF LEARNING LOSS, RIGHT?

THERE WAS A RECENT REPORT ABOUT THAT.

WHAT DID THAT SAY AND HOW DO YOU OFFSET THAT IS THERE AN INVESTMENT TO BE MADE IN OFFENSE -- OFFSETTING A YEAR AND HALF WORTH OF LEARNING LOSS.

>> THAT'S GOING TO BE THE ENTIRE SUMMER.

THE STATE BOARD THIS WEEK HEARD THE FINAL RESULTS OF THE INTERIM ASSESSMENT THAT SHOWED THAT 37% OF STUDENTS ACROSS THE STATE WITH LOW GRADE LEVEL IN MATH AND ENGLISH LANGUAGE.

THAT'S SURPRISING.

S THE ACHIEVEMENT GAPS ESPECIALLY FOR BLACK AND HISPANIC STUDENTS AND HOMELESS AND OTHER DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS.

IT'S GOING TO BE A REAL CHALLENGE THIS SUMMER FOR DISTRICTS TO STAND UP SUMMER PROGRAMMING AND INTRODUCE RAPID SERVICES AND DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN, AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS IN THE FALL, TO ENSURE THAT KIDS ARE GETTING WHATEVER EXPERIENCE BY THE STATE THAT DOUBLE FOSHZ KIDS WITH SPECIAL NEED THAT'S A LOT OF TIMES WERE DENIED WHAT THEY NEEDED IN THE PAST YEAR JUST BECAUSE OF THE REALITIES OF THE PANDEMIC THROUGH NO FAULT OF ANYONE INDIVIDUALLY.

AT THE SAME TIME GOVERNOR MURPHY HAD BEEN RECEIVING A LOT OF PRESSURE TO SIGN THE BILL TO EXTEND SPECIAL ED SERVICES FOR STUDENTS WHO WERE EFFECTED UP TO THREE YEARS THROUGH THE PANDEMIC.

SO THAT WAS, MURPHY WAS ON TO THE TABLE SAYING, WELL, WE DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY WE WILL PAY FOR IT BUT THEY PUT A PRICE TAG OF $600 MILLION AND HE SIGNED THE BILL.

SO I THINK OVER THE SUMMER WE'RE GOING CONTINUE TO SEE MONEY ROLLING OUT TO DISTRICTS AND TO SCHOOLS AND TO SYSTEMS TO HELP KIDS KIND OF MAKE UP FOR ANYTHING LOST OR ANY UNFINISHED LEARNING THAT HAPPENED DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR.

>> YEAH, I MEAN, THIS IS JUST A HUGE IMPACT.

YOU THINK OF SOMEONE EIGHT OR NINE YEARS OLD, IT'S A BIG CHUNK OF THEIR LIFE, RIGHT, A YEAR AND HALF, THEIR ENTIRE LEARNING EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN DRAMATICALLY IMPACTED BY THIS PANDEMIC.

MIKE, I'D LIKE TO COME TO YOU AND TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT POLITICS.

OF COURSE, THE PRIMARIES NOW BEHIND US, WE HAVE THE POLITICAL WORLD IS LOOKING TO NOVEMBER, INCLUDING GOVERNOR MURPHY AND HIS CHALLENGER REPUBLICAN JACK C HOW DO YOU SEE THE PANDEMIC OR THE ENDING OF IT OR WHEREVER IT NOW IMPACTING THE RACE GOING FORWARD.

USUALLY THE SUMMER IS A SLEEPY TIME, MAYBE NOT THIS YEAR.

>> SO, AT LEAST FOR NOW IT LOOKS LIKE THE PANDEMIC POLITICS THERE'S A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO ARE AND WILL REMAIN ANGRY WITH GOVERNOR MURPHY BUT AS THINGS REOPEN, AS PEOPLE GET TO ENJOY THEIR SUMMER, MAYBE GO ON VACATIONS AND THINGS, IN THE SHORT-TERM I THINK THAT THAT KIND OF LESSONS IN TERMS OF POTENT POLITICAL ISSUE THAT COULD HURT THE GOVERNOR AND IT DEPENDS ON WHERE WE ARE IN THE FALL.

I MEAN, IF WE GET TO THE FALL AND THE NUMBERS START RISING OR KIDS ARE BACK IN SCHOOL AND ARE STILL REQUIRED TO WEAR MASKS BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE CONDITIONS DEMAND AT THAT TIME IT'S HARD TO PROJECT WHAT THINGS BE LIKE IN SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, NOVEMBER.

BUT FOR NOW IT SEEMS TO BE THEY'RE HAVING AN EVENT TODAY TO CELEBRATE THE 4.7 MILLION PEOPLE WHO ARE VACCINATED.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE WITH HITTING THAT VACCINATION GOAL THAT THAT GOAL INCLUDES A BUNCH OF PEOPLE BETWEEN THE AGES OF 12 AND 17 WHO AREN'T REALLY PART OF THE 4.7 MILLIONS PART OF THE ORIGINAL CALL.

THE CDC NUMBERS SHOW US AS OF YESTERDAY STILL 117,000 SHORT OF HAVING THAT MANY ADULTS.

BUT WE'LL GET THERE BY JUNE 30TH, THEY'RE JUST HAVING THEIR CELEBRATION A LITTLE BIT EARLY.

>> IT WAS MORE CONVENIENT TO HAVE IT TO TODAY.

THE GOVERNOR HAS SAID HE DOESN'T DO PHOTO OPS SO TODAY IS DEFINITELY NOT ONE OF THOSE, BUT, WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF, MIKE, THE -- THE BRIEFINGS -- YOU KNOW, THE PANDEMIC BRIEFINGS, RIGHT.

AS REPORTERS WE'VE BEEN GOING TO THESE FOR, YOU KNOW, 16, 17 MONTHS NOW.

PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY IS OVER BUT THE WAY THINGS ARE NOW CONTINUING, WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THAT?

ESPECIALLY FOR A CANDIDATE WHO IS SEEKING REELECTION.

>> I WOULD ANTICIPATE THAT THOSE WILL WIND DOWN, AT ONE POINT THEY WERE FIVE DAYS A WEEK WITH PHONE CALLS ON WEEKENDS IN THE EARLY DAYS AND IT BECAME THREE AND NOW IT'S IN TRENTON TWICE A WEEK.

OTHER STATES, THEIR GOVERNORS HAVE BEEN DOING THE SAME THING AND THEY'RE STARTING TO PHASE THOSE OUT.

SO I'D EXPECT WE'LL GET TO A POINT IT WILL BE ONCE A WEEK AND THE REST ON THE ROAD.

THEY SERVED AN IMPORTANT PURPOSE FOR A LONG TIME BUT THERE'S LESS AND LESS NEWS AND DEVELOPMENTS THAT NEED TO BE REPORTED AT THOSE.

>> EXACTLY.

YEAH.

YEAH.

POLITICALLY, ONE THING, PANDEMIC-WISE THAT HAS BECOME VERY POLITICAL OF COURSE IS THE MASKS, PARTICULARLY IN SCHOOLS.

CARLY, WHAT IS THE LATEST ON THIS?

THE GOVERNOR HAS SORT OF GONE BACK AND FORTH, HE'S GIVEN SOME OF THE CONTROL TO THE DISTRICTS.

WHAT ARE YOU HEARING ABOUT WHERE THIS STANDS AND HOW SCHOOLS FEEL ABOUT THE CURRENT STATUS?

>> SO, THERE WAS ANNOUNCEMENT A WHILE AGO THAT SOME KIDS COULD BE LIFT IN SCHOOL SETTINGS UNDER EXTREME HEAT OR EXTREME WEATHER CONDITIONS, ANTICIPATING THINGS TO GET REALLY HOT IN THE SUMMER AND U67B8 UNFORTUNATELY A LOT OF SCHOOLS DON'T HAVE ADEQUATE FAN OR VENTILATION SYSTEMS AND WHEN THAT ANNOUNCEMENT CAME OUT A LOT OF SCHOOLS TOOK IT TO MEAN WE'RE GOING MASK-OPTIONAL AND THERE WAS AN INFLUX OF DISTRICTS SAYING WE'RE GOING MASK-OPTIONAL.

THE GOVERNOR SAID WE COULD.

WE THINK IT'S HOT.

WHATEVER.

AS THAT HAPPENED THE GOVERNOR HAD TO JUMP BACK ON TOP OF IT AND SAY, YOU KNOW, DISTRICTS HAVE THE OPTION AS LONG AS EVERYONE'S ABIDING BY THE CDC GUIDELINES AND B, WHATEVER LOCAL HEALTH OFFICIALS ARE SAYING.

I THINK THEY'RE KIND OF HAMPERED BY THE FACT THAT THERE'S NO VACCINE FOR KIDS UNDER 12 YET AND CDC IS STILL RECOMMENDING KIDS IN THAT AGE GROUP THAT THEY WEAR MASKS.

SO THE GOVERNOR IS STRADDLING THE CHALLENGE BETWEEN PARENTS AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT ARE PUSHING TO HAVE KIDS BACK TO NORMAL AND CDC AND GOVERNMENT AND HEALTH OFFICIALS ARE SAYING, HOLD ON, I'M NOT SURE WE'RE QUITE THERE YET.

WE'RE ANTICIPATING REALLY ROBUST AND FEDERAL REOPENING GUIDANCE TO COME AT SOME POINT THIS MONTH WE'VE BEEN PROMISED.

SIMILAR TO THE ROAD BACK THAT THEY ANNOUNCED LAST YEAR AROUND THIS TIME WHICH WILL HOPEFULLY HAVE NO GUIDANCE ON MASKING IN SCHOOLS, HOWEVER, UNTIL THAT HAPPENS WE KNOW WHERE HE STANDS.

>> RIGHT.

MIKE, AS A PARENT, YOU'RE THE PARENT AMONG THIS GROUP, WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF KIDS WEARING MASKS IN SCHOOLS?

HOW DO YOUR KIDS FEEL ABOUT IT?

>> IT GETS OLD.

IF YOU GET INTO SCHOOL BY HIGH SCHOOL MAYBE 7:30 IN THE MORNING, 8:00 IN THE MORNING AT THE LATEST AND YOU'RE THERE UNTIL NOON OR LATER THAT'S A LONG TIME TO BE WEARING A MASK.

MY SON'S ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HAD GONE BACK FINALLY TO FULL DAYS.

THEY WERE GETTING THERE BEFORE 9:00 AND STAYING UNTIL AFTER 3:00.

SO THEY GET TO TAKE IT OFF WHEN THEY GO OUTSIDE BUT IT MAKES FOR A LONG DAY AND IT'S FRUSTRATING.

BUT WE KIND OF ALSO KNOW THAT MASKS WORK SO IT'S A REALLY DIFFICULT BALANCING ACT.

SO, CERTAINLY EVERYBODY STATEWIDE, PARENTS, SCHOOLS, THE KIDS ALL HOPE THEY'RE NOT REQUIRED IN SEPTEMBER BUT I DON'T THINK, EVEN WHATEVER GUIDANCE WE GET IN THE COUPLE OF WEEKS I DON'T THINK THEY CAN SAY WITH ANY CERTAINTY UNTIL IT GETS CLOSER.

>> RIGHT, RIGHT.

UNFORTUNATELY WE JUST SORT OF HAVE TO WAIT FOR THOSE NUMBERS.

JOHN, WE'RE COMING DOWN TO THE END BUT I WANT TO ASK YOU AGAIN ABOUT THE BUDGET, WHEN IT COMES TO MURPHY AS GOVERNOR RUNNING FOR REELECTION, WHAT DO YOU SEE IN THIS BUDGET OR IN WHAT HE IS AT LEAST TALKING ABOUT NOW.

AS SORT OF ELECTIONS SPENDING.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE TOP ITEMS YOU WOULD SAY THIS A GOVERNOR RUNNING TO KEEP HIS SEAT.

>> YEAH, ALL OF THE ABOVE.

NUMBER ONE, AND HEARD THE GOVERNOR AND LEWDED -- ALLUDED TO IT IN RECENT DAYS TALK ABOUT INCREASING FUNDING FOR HOMESTEAD REBATE GOING TO THOUSANDS LOW AND MIDDLE INCOME, SENIOR, THE DISABLED AND GOVERNORS AND LAWMAKERS HAVE BEEN SHORT CHANGING HOMESTEAD BENEFITS FOR YEARS BIP USING OUTDATING PROPERTY TAX BILLS AS A BASE LINE, SO HE'S SAID THAT WITH AN EYE TOWARDS NOVEMBER.

IF YOU REMEMBER, LAST YEAR THEY SAID THEY WILL CREATE A WHOLE NEW REBATE PROGRAM TO GO TO SOME NEW JERSEY FAMILIES USING SOME MONEY AT THE TIME THEY WERE GOING TO GENERATE FROM A NEW MILLIONAIRE'S TAX.

SO I THINK THAT HAS THE ELECTION WRITTEN ALL OVER IT.

AND IS SOMETHING THAT IS STILL IN THE CARDS AND WE'RE WAITING FOR MORE INFORMATION WHAT THAT WILL LOOK LIKE AND WHAT EXACTLY THOSE, WHAT THEY'RE CALLING REBATES, ARE GOING TO GO OUT.

I EXPECT THAT TO BE PRETTY SOON AS WELL.

>> WELL, THAT'S ALL THE ROUNDTABLE WE HAVE TODAY.

IT'S A GOOD PLACE TO LEAVE IT.

HUGE THANKS TO OUR GUESTS AND THE CREW BEHIND THE SCENES.

PLEASE FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER AND TUNE IN NEXT WEEK WHEN DAVID WILL BE BACK.

ALSO BE SURE TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL FOR EXCLUSIVE CONTENT LIKE BUSINESS BEAT, CHAT BOX AND SPOTLIGHT NEWS.

THANK YOU FROM ALL OF US FOR WATCHING AND HAPPY, HEALTHY JUNETEENTH.

>> MAJOR FUNDING FOR REPORTERS ROUNDTABLE WITH DAVID CRUZ IS PROVIDED BY -- NEW JERSEY REALTORS MORE INFORMATION IS ONLINE AT NJREALTOR.COM.

RWJ BARNABAS HEALTH LET'S BE HEALTHY TOGETHER.

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

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

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