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I'M DAVID CRUZ.

JOINTED TODAY BY A HIP YOUNG PANEL OF STATE HOUSE PROS, INCLUDING KAREN YI OF WNYC, MATT ARCO, THE POLITICS REPORTER FOR NJ ADVANCED MEDIA AND DANIEL MUNOZ.

WE'LL HEAR FROM THEM BUT WE BEGIN TODAY WITH A GATHERING OF MAYORS AND OTHER POLITICAL LEADERS IN PATTERSON TO CALL FOR CHANGES TO THE BAIL REFORM LAW OF 2017.

THE MAN WHO HELPED BRING ALL THOSE FOLKS TOGETHER IS THE MAYOR OF PATTERSON, ANDRE, WHO JOINS US NOW.

WELCOME.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME ON.

>> SO, THAT WAS AN IMPRESSIVE ARRAY OF SOME OF THE STATE'S TOP LEADERS IN YOUR CITY HALL THIS WEEK.

WHAT WAS THE POINT OF THAT GATHERING?

>> DAVID, WE HAVE AN EPIDEMIC WITHIN THE PANDEMIC.

VIOLENCE HAS BEEN ON THE RISE DURING THIS ONCE IN A CENTURY CRISIS AND MY COLLEAGUES AND I AGREE THAT BAIL REFORM DOESN'T NEED TO BE ENDED.

IT NEEDS TO BE MENDED, AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE DOING.

WE HAVE LEGISLATIVE LEADERS ON BOARD.

WE HAVE LAW ENFORCEMENT LEADERS ON BOARD.

SO WE HAVE A STRONG CROSS SECTION OF SUPPORTERS TO FOCUS ON REFORMING BAIL REFORM, SPECIFICALLY WHEN IT COMES TO GUN POSSESSION.

RIGHT NOW, WHEN INDIVIDUALS ARE ARRESTED WITH ILLEGAL FIREARMS, THERE'S A LIKELIHOOD THEY'LL BE RELEASED.

IN FACT, I CAN GIVE YOU SOME DATA.

THERE WERE 195 INDIVIDUALS ARRESTED WITH FIREARMS IN PATERSON AND CHARGED, AND OF THOSE 195, 75 WERE RELEASED.

THEY SHOULD BE DETAINED BECAUSE IF THEY'RE RELEASED WITH THESE GUN POSSESSION CHARGERS, CHANCES ARE THEY'RE IS SHOOTER IN THE NEXT SHOOTING OR THE NEXT SHOOTING VICTIM IN THE NEXT SHOOTING.

>> SO, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT FOLKS WHO ARE OUT ON BAIL AND THEN THEY COMMIT ANOTHER CRIME USING A GUN.

SO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THAT IF THE INITIAL CRIME INVOLVES A GUN, NO BAIL.

IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT?

>> CORRECT.

THEY SHOULD BE DETAINED.

THEY SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A DANGER TO SOCIETY.

YOU HAVE AN ILLEGAL FIREARM, YOU HAVE EVIL INTENTIONS, AND OUR PRIORITY IS PUBLIC SAFETY.

WE HAVE TO KEEP OUR RESIDENTS SAFE, AND I STARTED OFF THAT PRESS CONFERENCE WHERE WE HAD MAYORS FROM TRENTON, NEWARK, ROSE EL, ELIZABETH, I STARTED OFF BY SAYING THERE ARE FAR TOO MANY INNOCENT VICTIMS AS WELL.

I WENT TO THE FUNERAL OF AN 18-YEAR-OLD YOUNG MAN WHO HAD JUST BEEN ACCEPTED TO MONTCLAIR STATE WITH A SCHOLARSHIP AND HE GOT CAUGHT IN A CROSS FIRE AND NOW HE HAS A GRANDMOTHER WHO'S GRIEVING AND A MOTHER WHO'S MOURNING.

>> YOU MENTIONED SOME NUMBERS THERE.

IS THERE ENOUGH EVIDENCE YET TO SUPPORT THE CONTENTION THAT THOSE WHO ARE OUT THERE AWAITING TRIAL ON GUN CHARGES ARE COMMITTING GUN CRIMES?

YOU SEE THAT IN PATERSON BUT ALSO AROUND THE STATE?

>> YEAH, THEY'RE STILL COMPILING THE DATA, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO SEE STATISTICS TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE A SERIOUS SITUATION.

GUN VIOLENCE IS A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS, SO IN ADDITION TO COVID-19 BEING THE PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS, WE ALSO HAVE GUN VIOLENCE.

>> HOW WOULD A CHANGE LIKE THAT WORK?

IS IT SOMETHING THAT THE LEGISLATURE WOULD DO?

I SAW BENJI WIMBERLEY, AND EVEN REPUBLICAN STATE SENATOR JOHN ABRAH BRAMNICK WAS THERE.

WHO'S GOING TO CARRY THE BALL IN THE LEGISLATURE FOR YOU?

>> FORTUNATELY, WE HAVE BIPARTISAN SUPPORT.

IT'S REALLY RESONATED WITH REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS ALIKE BECAUSE THERE'S NO DEMOCRATIC OR REPUBLICAN WAY TO END GUN VIOLENCE AND GET THESE SHOOTERS OFF THE STREETS SO IF WE WORK IN UNISON, WHICH IS HAPPENING NOW, BECAUSE DAVID, QUITE FRANKLY, THERE'S A GROUND SWELL OF SUPPORT.

WE JUST WANT TO KEEP OUR RESIDENTS SAFE.

THE VACCINE IS THERE FOR US TO PROTECT PEOPLE, SAVE LIVES.

WELL, NOW, WE'RE FEELING LIKE IF WE REFORM BAIL REFORM, WE'LL BE PROTECTING PEOPLE AND SAVING LIVES.

>> ALL RIGHT, LET'S TALK ABOUT PATERSON SPECIFICALLY.

YOU HAVE GONE THROUGH A ROUGH TWO-YEAR PERIOD WHERE GUN VIOLENCE AND HOMICIDES ARE BREAKING RECORDS.

WHAT ARE YOU TELLING RESIDENTS WHO SAY THEY NEED HELP NOW?

>> HERE'S WHAT WE'VE DONE.

LAST YEAR WE SEIZED 219 GUNS.

IN 2020, WE GOT 200 GUNS, SO THAT'S 419 GUNS OVER THE COURSE OF A TWO-YEAR PERIOD.

AND IT COULD HAVE BEEN FAR WORSE IF WE DIDN'T CONFISCATE ALL OF THOSE WEAPONS, AND NOW WE HAVE JOINT OPERATIONS WITH OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS, OUR STATE PARTNERS, OUR COUNTY PARTNERS.

WE HAVE HAD A FEW TAKEDOWNS OF SOME NOTORIOUS GANGS AND DRUG DEALERS, AND UNFORTUNATELY, THIS PANDEMIC HAS JUST MADE MATTERS WORSE, AND LOOK, GUNS ARE GETTING INTO THE HANDS OF INDIVIDUALS WHO LACK CONFLICT RESOLUTION SKILLS.

OUR SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN OUT.

STUDENTS NEED STRUCTURE, AND IF THEY DON'T GET STRUCTURE IN THE SCHOOLS, THEY'LL FIND IT ELSEWHERE.

SO, QUITE FRANKLY, IT'S BEEN A CONFLUENCE OF FACTORS THAT HAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE RISE IN GUN VIOLENCE.

>> YOU HAVE HAD SOME SUCCESS ON THE COVID FRONT, THOUGH, NO?

WHAT'S HAPPENING THERE?

>> WE HAVE THE HIGHEST VACCINATION RATE IN THE STATE, AS A MATTER OF FACT, STATE HEALTH COMMISSIONER WHO NEEDS NO INTRODUCTION, OF COURSE, JUDY, WAS IN PATERSON.

WE WON THAT CHALLENGE THAT SHE ISSUED.

AND WE KNOW THAT THIS IS A HUMANITARIAN EFFORT DURING A GLOBAL CRISIS, AND WE JUST TOOK THIS VIRUS VERY SERIOUSLY.

WE RECRUITED CREDIBLE MESSENGERS, PARTICULARLY AFRICAN AMERICAN MEN, BECAUSE EARLY ON IN OUR POINT AT DISPENSING, WE NOTICED THAT NOT ENOUGH AFRICAN AMERICAN MEN IN OUR COMMUNITY WERE COMING TO GET VACCINATED, SO WE WENT INTO THE FIELD OF ATHLETICS AND EDUCATION AND GOVERNMENT AND WE GOT SOME INFLUENTIAL INDIVIDUALS AND WE EMPHASIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF THE VACCINE BEING SAFE, EFFECTIVE, AND JUST KEEPING PEOPLE ALIVE.

>> ALSO DIFFICULT TO GET THE MESSAGE OUT IN IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES, I WOULD IMAGINE, AND PATERSON IS ONE OF THE MOST DIVERSE CITIES IN THE STATE.

HOW DID YOU TACKLE THAT?

>> DAVID, WE ACTUALLY ARE THE MOST DIVERSE CITY IN THE STATE, BUT HOW WE DID THAT, WE WENT TO THEM.

SO, WE HAVE A MOBILE UNIT.

WE REPURPOSED OUR HIV TESTING UNIT.

WE MADE IT A COVID-19 TESTING UNIT AND VACCINATION UNIT.

THEN, WE WENT INTO THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, OUR CATHEDRAL OPENED UP, WE DIDN'T DISCRIMINATE AGAINST ANYONE, BECAUSE THIS VIRUS DOESN'T DISCRIMINATE AGAINST ANYONE, AND QUITE FRANKLY, THERE WERE A NUMBER OF UNDOCUMENTED INDIVIDUALS.

HOW DO I KNOW?

BECAUSE WHEN I WAS AT THE POINT OF DISPENSING, I SAW THAT SOME INDIVIDUALS LACK, LIKE, A DRIVER'S LICENSE, SO THEY WOULD SHOW ME MAYBE A PASSPORT OR A GREEN CARD, AND THERE WERE PEOPLE THAT WERE COMING FROM AS FAR AS PERU, WHERE THEY WERE HAVING SERIOUS ISSUES BECAUSE THEIR FAMILY SAID, COME TO PATERSON, YOU CAN GET VACCINATED.

WE HAVE PEOPLE FROM PERU, PEOPLE FROM DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD COMING TO PATERSON BECAUSE THEY KNEW THAT THEY CAN GET VACCINATED.

BUT I WILL ALSO TELL YOU THIS, DAVID.

EARLY ON, WE HAD RECEIVED SOME CRITICISM BECAUSE WE WERE SUPPOSED TO JUST VACCINATE P PATERSONIANS AND USE THE STATE APPOINTMENT SYSTEM.

IT WAS PLAGUED BY PROBLEMS AND A LOT OF PATERSONIANS JUST DIDN'T WANT TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT.

BUT THERE WERE OTHERS THAT KNEW FROM OUTSIDE OF THIS COUNTY AS FAR AS OCEAN COUNTY, CAPE MAY COUNTY, THEY CAN COME TO PATERSON, WE'LL VACCINATE THEM.

A 95-YEAR-OLD MAN CAME UP TO ME AND SAID, MAYOR, I DON'T LIVE IN PATERSON BUT I WANT TO LIVE.

HOW DO YOU TELL THAT MAN, YOU CAN'T GET VACCINATED?

SO THAT WAS ALWAYS OUR APPROACH.

>> SO, IS PATERSON GOING TO JOIN THE REST OF THE STATE IN GETTING RID OF MASKS IN SCHOOLS STARTING NEXT MONTH?

>> WELL, WE ARE -- WE PLAN TO DO THAT, BUT AS FAR AS CITY HALL IS CONCERNED, WE STILL HAVE OUR MASK MANDATE.

I KEEP TELLING EMPLOYEES THAT THIS PANDEMIC IS NOT OVER, BUT IF WE TAKE THE NECESSARY MEASURES, IT WILL BE OVER SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.

ACTUALLY, IT WILL NEVER REALLY BE OVER.

THE PANDEMIC WILL PROBABLY BECOME AN ENDEMIC OR JUST HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO DEAL WITH IT.

>> I GOT ABOUT A MINUTE OR SO LEFT, MAYOR.

GIVE ME SOME GOOD NEWS ABOUT SOME OF THE GREAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLANS THAT ARE STARTING TO TAKE SHAPE IN YOUR CITY.

>> THANKS, DAVID.

WE HAVE THE STADIUM, OUR SIGNATURE LEGACY PROJECT.

IT IS ONE OF ONLY TWO BALLPARKS STILL STANDING THAT HOSTED NEGRO LEAGUE GAMES AND IT'S A $94 MILLION ENDEAVOR WHERE WE'RE NOT ONLY GOING TO RESURRECT NEW JERSEY'S FIELD OF DREAMS BUT ALSO PROVIDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO SENIOR CITIZENS AS WELL AS EXHIBIT SPACE SO PEOPLE CAN LEARN ABOUT THE STRUGGLE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS AND INTEGRATION IN AMERICA AND THE ROLE THAT PATERSON PLAYED IN IT.

WE HAVE A VISITOR CENTER SCHEDULED FOR THE GREAT FALLS, NAMED FOR OUR FOUNDER, ALEXANDER HAMILTON, AND THEN THERE ARE AT LEAST FOUR DIFFERENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS TAKING PLACE IN THE CITY, ALONG WITH, AND THIS IS TO BALANCE IT OUT, MARKET RATE HOUSING THAT'S COMING TO OUR CITY AS WELL.

AND WE'RE INVESTING HEAVILY IN OUR PARKS, BECAUSE IF YOU FIND WHERE REAL ESTATE VALUES ARE AT THEIR HIGHEST, IT'S NEAR THE PARKS.

SO, WE'VE ACTUALLY -- RERESURRECTED FOUR FIELDS.

THERE'S TWO MORE ON THE WAY AND WE'RE ALSO INVESTING IN SAFE PLAY SPACES FOR OUR YOUTH.

SO WE'RE REALLY ENCOURAGED THAT PATERSON IS IN GROWTH MODE AND OUR MARKET, OUR REAL ESTATE MARKET IN PATERSON, IS BOOMING.

>> ALL RIGHT.

A CITY WORTH ROOTING FOR.

PATERSON MAYOR ANDRE SAYEGH, GOOD TO SEE YOU, MAN.

>> YOU GOT TO BELIEVE, DAVID.

YOU GOT TO BELIEVE.

>> YEAH.

THE MAYOR'S A BIG METS FAN, SO IT WAS ALL WE COULD DO TO STOP HIM FROM TALKING BASEBALL.

ALL RIGHT, PANEL, KAREN YI, MATT ARCO, DANIEL MUNOZ, GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL.

DANIEL, YOU'RE THE BUSINESS REPORTER.

SHOULD INVESTORS BE BULLISH ON PATERSON OR IS THE MOUNTAIN THERE JUST TOO HIGH TO CLIMB?

>> I THINK PATERSON CERTAINLY HAS ITS WORK CUT OUT FOR IT.

IT HASN'T QUITE GOTTEN, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HASN'T QUITE GOTTEN THE ATTENTION THAT CITIES LIKE KNEW BRUNSWICK OR NEWARK OR ATLANTIC CITY HAVE GOTTEN.

I THINK THE SUBSIDIES THAT IF YOU WANT TO GET STATE AID, IF YOU WANT TO GET A TAX CREDIT, IF YOU WANT TO GET GRANTS, THEN THE SUBSIDIES ARE A LOT MORE LUCRATIVE TO GO TO A CITY LIKE PATERSON OR TRENTON, CITIES THAT HAVE KIND OF BEEN IN THE SHADOWS IN THE STATEWIDE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

SO, I THINK IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN.

I THINK A LOT OF WHAT THE MAYOR TALKED ABOUT ARE PROMISING DEVELOPMENTS BUT IT'S STILL VERY MUCH IN THE EARLY STAGES.

>> STILL A LONG WAY TO GO THERE.

THE MAYOR WAS PROUD OF THE CITY'S COVID RESPONSE, THOUGH, AND ALL THE NEWS, IT SEEMS, ON COVID THIS WEEK WAS POSITIVE.

NEW INFECTIONS, HOSPITALIZATIONS, ALL TRENDING DOWNWARD.

SO, THE GOVERNOR ANNOUNCED AN END TO THE MASK MANDATES IN SCHOOLS STARTING NEXT MONTH.

MATT, A LOT HAS BEEN WRITTEN ABOUT THIS, AND IT'S ALL WRAPPED UP IN POLITICS, EVIDENTLY.

CAN WE IMPACT SOME OF IT?

THE GOVERNOR SAYS DATA IS DETERMINING DATES, BUT THE "TIMES" REPORTED THIS WEEK THAT MAYBE FOCUS GROUPS HAD A LITTLE SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT TOO.

CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT THAT?

>> RIGHT, SO, WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT AFTER THE GOVERNOR'S RECENT RE-ELECTION, MUCH CLOSER ELECTION THAN ANYBODY THOUGHT, THE GOVERNOR DID SAY PUBLICLY THEN OR IN SOME INTERVIEWS THAT HE PLANNED TO HAVE SOME FOCUS GROUPS TO JUST TAKE THE TEMPERATURE OF THE WATER AND SEE WHAT'S GOING ON.

SUBSEQUENTLY, I THINK BETWEEN THEN AND NOW, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY, PEOPLE, I THINK, IT'S SAFE TO SAY, WERE OVER THE PANDEMIC THEN AND AS WEEKS AND MONTHS DRAG ON, THE NUMBERS GET BETTER.

WE'RE SEEING NOW THIS RUSH IN BLUE-LEANING STATES WHERE DEMOCRATIC GOVERNORS ARE PULLING BACK RESTRICTIONS JUST LIKE THE GOVERNOR DID AND THE WRITING ON THE WALL SEEMS TO BE THAT EVERYBODY JUST WANTS TO MOVE ON FROM THIS.

AND NOW YOU HAVE A GOVERNOR WHO, FOR YEARS -- I THINK PEOPLE COULD ARGUE, MADE SOME TOUGH POLITICAL DECISIONS.

RESTRICTIONS IN NEW JERSEY WERE A LOT MORE TIGHT IN A LOT OF OTHER -- THAN A LOT OF OTHER PLACES.

HE FOLLOWED A LOT OF CDC GUIDANCE, EVEN WHEN THE CDC, FOR EXAMPLE, SAID YOU DIDN'T NEED TO WEAR MASKS INDOORS IF YOU REMEMBER THAT, IF YOU WERE VACCINATED, FROM A WHILE BACK.

THE GOVERNOR HELD IT IN PLACE THEN.

SO, NEW JERSEY HAS NORMALLY BEEN A LOT MORE STRICT, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, YOU KNOW, THE GOVERNOR IS SAYING, OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO SET THIS DATE FROM A MONTH FROM NOW WHERE WE WON'T NEED MASKS IN SCHOOL AND BASICALLY WHAT HE'S SAYING IS, WE THINK WHERE THE PROJECTIONS -- WE'RE PROJECTING THAT WE'LL BE IN THIS POSITION THEN.

AND IT'S A DEPARTURE FROM WHAT HE HAS DONE IN THE PAST AND IT IS JUST WORTH NOTING REAL QUICK THAT THE CDC STILL RECOMMENDS THAT MASKS BE WORN IN SCHOOLS, EVEN THOUGH THE RATES IN JERSEY SINCE WE GOT HIT WITH OMICRON IN THE BEGINNING HARDEST, IN THIS REGION, WERE RECEDING OTHER PARTS OF THE NATION.

>> KAREN, YOU HAD AN INTERESTING PIECE THIS WEEK ABOUT HOW MUCH THE STATE SPENT TO TEST UNVAXXED WORKERS.

TELL US ABOUT THAT.

>> RIGHT, SO, A COUPLE MONTHS AGO, GOVERNOR MURPHY'S OFFICE TOLD US MOST STATE WORKERS WERE VACCINATED UNDER HIS VAX OR TEST RULE, WHICH ESSENTIALLY REQUIRED MOST STATE WORKERS TO GET FULLY VACCINATED OR AGREE TO TEST ONCE A WEEK WHEN THEY STARTED GOING BACK INTO THE OFFICE FULL-TIME AND THIS STARTED HAPPENING IN WAVES IN MID-OCTOBER, SO I WANTED TO DIG INTO THAT AND SEE, OKAY, WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE BY DEPARTMENT AND HOW MUCH IS THE STATE SPENDING TO TEST THE PERCENTAGE OF THE WORKFORCE THAT ISN'T VACCINATED?

THERE'S -- YOU CAN GET EXEMPT FROM BEING VACCINATED FOR MEDICAL OR RELIGIOUS REASONS, AND SO WHAT I FOUND IS, WE ACQUIRED A LEDGER THAT SHOWS THE PAYMENTS THAT EACH DEPARTMENT AND AGENCY MADE TO THE PRIMARY TESTING PROVIDER, WHICH IN THIS CASE WAS VAULT HEALTH, AND WE SAW THAT AT LEAST $9.5 MILLION IN PAYMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE BETWEEN MID-OCTOBER, WHICH IS THAT, LIKE, WHEN THE VAX OR TEST RULE TOOK PLACE THROUGH THE BEGINNING OF FEBRUARY, AND YOU KNOW, THE RATES VARY BY DEPARTMENT, DEPENDING ON THEIR VACCINATION RATES.

I MEAN, WE FOUND A GENERAL CORRELATION THAT IF YOU HAD MORE PEOPLE WHO WERE VACCINATED, YOU WERE SPENDING LESS PER EMPLOYEE ON TESTS, SO ONE EXAMPLE OF THAT IS THE STATE PAROLE BOARD.

THEY HAD A RELATIVELY, COMPARATIVELY LOW VACCINATION RATE AT 71%, AND THEY WERE SPENDING LIKE $425 PER EMPLOYEE TO TEST.

AND THEN OTHER DEPARTMENTS WITH HIGHER RATES WERE SPENDING A LITTLE BIT LESS.

SO, THAT WAS SORT OF OUR BREAKDOWN, AND OVERALL, WE'RE AT 74% OF THE STATE WORKFORCE BEING FULLY VACCINATED AT THIS POINT.

>> WERE YOU SURPRISED AT SOME OF THE NUMBERS?

LIKE FOR INSTANCE, TRANSIT HAS THE LOWEST RATE.

41% VACCINATED OR IS IT 41% OR 61%?

>> TRANSIT HAD 61% AND DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS WAS 41%.

>> THAT SEEMS REALLY LOW.

>> SO, DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS WAS BY FAR THE BIGGEST OUTLIER AND STANDOUT.

I WILL SAY MOST DEPARTMENTS WERE OVER THAT 70% MARK, WHICH KIND OF LINES UP WITH WHERE WE ARE STATEWIDE, ABOUT 77% OF RESIDENTS ARE FULLY VACCINATED.

BUT CORRECTIONS, YES, WAS SORT OF LIKE THE DOT AT THE END OF THE MAP.

AT 41%.

AND THEN WHAT'S INTERESTING ABOUT CORRECTIONS IS THEY ACTUALLY TEST THEIR WORKERS AND HAVE BEEN TESTING THEIR WORKERS AND CONTRACTORS SINCE MAY OF 2020 EVERY WEEK, WHETHER THEY'RE VACCINATED OR NOT, SO THAT $9.5 MILLION FIGURE DOESN'T INCLUDE WHAT WE'RE SPENDING IN CORRECTIONS BECAUSE IT WAS SORT OF HARD TO MAKE AN EQUAL COMPARISON THERE.

BUT THE D.O.C.

DID SAY THAT TESTING CONTRACTORS, EMPLOYEES, AND INMATES SINCE 2020 HAS COST ABOUT $68 MILLION.

AND CORRECTIONS IS GOING TO ACTUALLY FACE A LOOMING DEADLINE.

THAT'S BEING FOUGHT IN COURT AT THE MOMENT BY THE UNIONS, SO WE'LL SEE HOW THAT PLAYS OUT.

BUT THAT'S A LOT OF PEOPLE.

THAT'S AN 8,000-PERSON DEPARTMENT.

A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO HAVE TO GET THEIR FIRST JAB BY NEXT WEEK.

>> DAN, I IMAGINE THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY WELCOMES ANYTHING THAT TAKES MASKS OFF PEOPLE'S FACES, RIGHT?

IS THERE OPTIMISM, GENERALLY, FROM THAT SECTOR?

ABOUT CONDITIONS IN 2022?

>> I THINK IT'S SORT OF -- I WAS ACTUALLY ASKED THIS A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, WHAT WILL THE ECONOMIC RECOVERY BE IN 2022 FROM A SCALE OF 1 TO 10 AND I GAVE IT AROUND A 6.

I THINK THERE'S, GOING AWAY FROM COVID, THERE'S STILL SHIPPING DELAYS, THERE'S STILL HIRING SHORTAGES, THERE'S STILL RISING COSTS OF GOODS, CONSUMER PRICE INDEX, SO EVEN IF THE MASK MANDATES ARE GETTING LIFTED OR ROLLED BACK, THERE'S ENOUGH ELSE TO BE WORRIED ABOUT THAT I THINK THAT THAT SORT OF KIND OF CHIPPING AWAY AT THE OPTIMISM.

>> INFLATION IS GOING TO BE A BIG PART OF IT, RIGHT?

I MEAN, FOR A LOT OF US, YOU KNOW, WHO HAVE LIVED OUR LIVES WITH INFLATION AROUND 1% OR 2%, A LOT OF PEOPLE WON'T REMEMBER IN THE '70s WITH DOUBLE-DIGIT INFLATION.

HOW MUCH OF A CONCERN IS THERE ABOUT THE IMPACT THAT INFLATION IS HAVING ON THE ECONOMIC RECOVERY HERE IN THE STATE?

>> I THINK IT'S ALL SORT OF BARRELLING INTO EACH OTHER.

IT'S ALL HAVING THIS VERY LARGE SNOWBALL EFFECT THAT IT GETS MORE EXPENSIVE TO BUY GOODS, IT'S A RISING COST OF LABOR OR RISING COST OF GOODS OR RISING COST FOR THE CONSUMERS, SO I THINK IT IS GOING TO BE JUST QUITE A BIT OF A HEADACHE THIS YEAR.

IT'S STILL PRETTY EARLY, BUT I DON'T IMAGINE IT TO BE, AGAIN, ON A SCALE OF 1 TO 10, I THINK A 5 OR 6 IN TERMS OF ECONOMIC GROWTH THIS YEAR BECAUSE OF ALL THOSE FACTORS.

>> YOU ALSO HAD A GOOD PIECE ON DEVELOPMENT IN NEWARK WHERE I WAS JUST LAST WEEK, AND SEEING HOW THINGS ARE GOING AS FAR AS BUILDING IS REALLY GOING FAST TRACK OVER THERE.

THE CITY'S TRYING TO AVOID THE PITFALLS, THOUGH, OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WHICH ARE MAINLY GENTRIFICATION AND DISPLACEMENT.

TELL US ABOUT WHAT THE CITY'S DOING ABOUT THAT.

>> SO, THERE'S THIS SORT OF INCLUSIONARY ZONING ORDINANCE WHERE IF YOU GET, SAY, SUBSIDY -- SORRY, MUNICIPAL SUBSIDIES, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT TOWARDS AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT BENCHMARK, YOU HAVE TO PUT A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY IN THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST, WHICH IS SORT OF HAD THE CITY PACED FOR AFFORDABLE APARTMENTS.

THERE'S APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS, JOB TRAINING PROGRAMS TO GET MORE NEWARK RESIDENTS DOING CONSTRUCTION ON THOSE PROJECTS, SO THERE ARE THINGS THAT THE CITY IS TRYING TO DO, AND THERE ARE COMMITMENTS AND SORT OF HANDSHAKE AGREEMENTS THAT DEVELOPERS SAYING WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS AMOUNT.

WHETHER OR NOT THAT BENEFITS REMAINS TO BE A SEEN.

A LOT OF LONG-TIME NEWARK RESIDENTS AND ACTIVISTS THINK IT'S NOT GETTING THROUGH TO THE POOREST OF THE CITY'S RESIDENTS WHO LIVE ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF TOWN AND HAVEN'T REALLY BENEFITTED FROM ANY OF THE DEVELOPMENT, BE IT NJ PAC OR THESE NEW DEVELOPMENTS OR UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS.

>> YEAH.

ALL RIGHT, ON TO THE LEGISLATURE.

IT'S EARLY IN THE SESSION, BUT MATT, HAVE YOU SEEN ANYTHING TO SUGGEST A CHANGE IN HOW BUSINESS IS CONDUCTED OR HOW THE NEW SENATE PRESIDENT AND THE GOVERNOR ARE GOING TO GET ALONG?

>> I THINK ON THE QUESTION OF THE NEW SENATE PRESIDENT AND THE GOVERNOR AND THAT RELATIONSHIP, OR EVEN THE NEW SENATE PRESIDENT AND HIS CAUCUS IS STILL TO BE DETERMINED.

IT DOES SEEM, RIGHT NOW, THAT THINGS ARE NOT CONTENTIOUS, THAT THERE'S SOME SORT OF HUMILITY THAT'S GOING TO THE ROLE OF THE NEW SENATE PRESIDENT.

I HEAR FROM OTHER COLLEAGUES THAT HE IS LISTENING TO COLLEAGUES AND HEARING WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY, AND HE'S COMING INTO THIS POSITION WHERE, LOOK, WHEN THE GOVERNOR -- WHEN GOVERNOR MURPHY TOOK OFFICE, GOVERNOR MURPHY AND STEVE SWEENEY JUST DIDN'T GET ALONG.

THERE'S NOT NECESSARILY BAGGAGE COMING TO THE TABLE THIS TIME AROUND.

WHAT I WILL SAY IS WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE LEGISLATURE, WHICH IS VERY INTERESTING, IS THAT THE REPUBLICAN GAINS IN THE LAST ELECTION, WHILE IT DIDN'T TIP THE COURSE OF WHO CONTROLS AND HAS POWER IN THE LEGISLATURE, WHAT I HAVE NOTICED OVER THE PAST MONTH OR SO IS JUST THE, I GUESS, OUTSPOKENNESS, BUT THE -- REPUBLICANS IN THE LEGISLATURE SEEM TO HAVE A REAL PEP IN THEIR STEP IN TERMS OF THEM BEING PART OF THE CONVERSATION.

I FEEL LIKE THE LAST ELECTION REALLY JUST MADE THEM FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT?

WE REALLY GRABBED ON TO SOMETHING.

THE MOMENTUM IS WITH US.

AND WHY IT DOESN'T CHANGE THE BALANCE OF POWER, I'M JUST SEEING A LOT MORE PRESS RELEASES JUST BANGING THE DRUM CONSTANTLY ABOUT COVID MANDATES, WHICH ARE FALLING BY THE WAYSIDE, BUT ARE STILL, FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF MANDATES LEFT, AND THEY'RE GOING TO END, THE BIGGEST ONES ARE GOING TO END IN A MONTH.

BUT THEY'RE STILL JUST HAMMERING AWAY AT THAT BECAUSE IT'S AN ISSUE THAT RESONATED IN THE LAST ELECTION.

SO IT'S BEEN INTERESTING TO SEE THAT NEW DEVELOPMENT.

>> YEAH.

ASSERTIVE REPUBLICANS FOR SURE.

SPEAKING OF REPUBLICANS, THEY'RE SAYING THAT MURPHY IS QUIETLY RELEASING MORE INMATES ON COVID CONCERNS.

THAT BEGAN THIS WEEK, I THINK.

KAREN, IS THE ADMINISTRATION DOWNPLAYING THE RELEASE AS COMPARED TO THE LAST TIME THEY DID THIS?

>> I DON'T THINK SO.

I MEAN, THE D.O.C.

WAS VERY TRANSPARENT ABOUT WHEN THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN AND HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE RELEASED.

THE FIRST RELEASE HAPPENED YESTERDAY, 260 PEOPLE, AND THIS IS ROUND TWO, RIGHT, OF A PROGRAM THAT HAPPENED IN 2020 WHICH WAS REALLY THE FIRST IN THE NATION.

AT THE TIME, NEW JERSEY'S PRISONS HAD CRAZY RATES OF COVID INSIDE THEIR PRISONS AND THE HIGHEST DEATH RATE PER CAPITA, AND SO LAWMAKERS AND MURPHY HAD TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT SO MURPHY SIGNED A BILL THAT ESSENTIALLY ALLOWED PEOPLE WHO WERE ELIGIBLE, PRISONERS WHO WERE ELIGIBLE TO SHAVE UP TO EIGHT MONTHS OFF THEIR SENTENCE.

SO THESE WERE FOLKS THAT WERE GOING TO GET OUT WITHIN A YEAR WHO ARE JUST GETTING OUT AND COMING BACK TO THEIR DMUCOMMUNIA LITTLE BIT EARLIER AND THAT PROGRAM, ULTIMATELY, OVER THE COURSE OF 11 MONTHS, RELEASED 5,300 PEOPLE SO ROUND TWO, WE'RE SEEING 260 PEOPLE YESTERDAY.

WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO SEE A COUPLE MORE HUNDRED NEXT MONTH.

AND THEN WITH -- WE EXPECT THE GOVERNOR TO NO LONGER KEEP THE PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY IN PLACE AND THIS PROGRAM IS REALLY TIED TO THAT PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY SO ONCE HE ENDS THAT, THIS PROGRAM WILL DWINDLE DOWN OVER TIME.

SO I DON'T EXPECT TO SEE THE NUMBERS THAT WE WERE SEEING IN THE FIRST ITERATION OF THIS PROGRAM.

>> DO WE HAVE ANY NUMBERS ABOUT THE RATES OF RECIDIVISM OF WHO HE HAS WHOTHOSE WHO WERE RELEAS IN THAT FIRST PHASE?

REPUBLICANS SAY CRIME WENT UP AS A RESULT.

>> IF YOU LOOK AT THE COHORT OF FOLKS WHO WERE RELEASED, THE FIRST NOVEMBER-DECEMBER, WHICH IS THE FIRST TWO MONTH OF THE PROGRAM, WE ACTUALLY CRUNCHED THE NUMBERS LOOKING AT AFTER A YEAR OF THEIR RELEASE, HOW MANY WERE REINCARCERATED AND THAT PERCENTAGE WAS 9%.

AND THAT'S ACTUALLY LOWER THAN THE RECIDIVISM RATES FOR FOLKS PRE-PANDEMIC.

AND SO, THE REINCARCERATION RATE WASN'T HIGH, AND AGAIN, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE D.O.C.

STUDIES OVER A THREE-YEAR PERIOD, SO THAT'S LEFT TO BE SEEN.

BUT THE DATA ISN'T THERE TO SUPPORT THAT CONCLUSION.

I MEAN, ONE OF THE EXPERTS THAT I SPOKE TO KIND OF ANALYZES THESE NUMBERS ALL THE TIME, AND SAID, WHAT CHANGES IS, YOU KNOW, WHEN THESE CRIMES ARE COMMITTED.

SO, IF SOMEONE IS LIKELY TO REOFFEND, WHETHER THEY GET OUT NOW OR A YEAR FROM NOW, YOU KNOW, IT JUST MOVES UP THAT DATE AND WHAT WE SAW GENERALLY IS THAT THAT TREND WAS ACTUALLY LOWER.

>> ALL RIGHT, MATT, I GOT ABOUT A MINUTE FOR THE BUDGET ADDRESS.

HIS INAUGURAL AND HIS STATE OF THE STATE SPEECHES DID NOT GO GANGBUSTERS.

IS THE BUDGET ADDRESS THE THING THAT'S GOING TO LAUNCH THIS SECOND TERM?

>> I THINK THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING THAT THEY WANT TO ROLL OUT.

I MEAN, IT'S THE FIRST YEAR ON THE SECOND TERM, BUT LOOK, AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE ELECTION WAS SO CLOSE, THE IDEA THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE ANY GRAND PROPOSALS COMING OUT OR EVEN THAT HE RAN ON GRAND PROPOSALS, THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN, SO I'M NOT EXPECTING ANYTHING TO BLOW UP HERE, TO BE PART OF THE NATIONAL CONVERSATION.

BUT LOOK, WE'LL SEE.

I MEAN, IT'S TRADITIONALLY THAT FIRST YEAR AFTER THE RE-ELECT WHERE YOU REALLY HAVE TO STRIKE WHILE THE IRON'S HOT.

THE PROBLEM IS, DEMOCRATS IN THE LEGISLATURE WERE, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY MOVING FORWARD ARE SCARED ABOUT WHAT THE LAST ELECTION RESULTS MEAN FOR THEM GOING FORWARD.

>> YEAH.

ALL RIGHT.

MATT ARCO, DAN MUNOZ, KAREN YI, GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL.

THANKS FOR COMING ON WITH US THIS WEEK.

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