>>> WELCOME TO REPORTERS ROUNDTABLE, I'M DAVID CRUZ.

OUR PANEL OF CRAFTY VETERAN JOURNALISTS THIS WEEK INCLUDE COLLEEN O'DAY, SENIOR WRITER A PROJECT EDITOR FOR NJ SPOTLIGHT NEWS.

FRAN JOHNSON, POLITICS REPORTER FOR AN ADVANCED IMMEDIATE, AND CHARLES., POLITICAL COLUMNIST FOR THE RECORD USA TODAY NETWORK.

WE'LL HEAR FROM THEM IN A FEW MINUTES BUT FIRST WE START WITH A DISCUSSION OF ELECTIONS.

ONE OF OUR STATE MUST POPULAR CONTACT, OUR GUEST TODAY WENT THROUGH WHEN ELECTION LAST YEAR AND WROTE AN OP-ED ON THE SHORTCOMINGS OF OUR CURRENT ELECTORAL SYSTEM THAT IT IS A PLEASURE TO WELCOME BACK JACK CHIARELLI.

HOW ARE YOU?

>> VERY WELL, GREAT TO BE BACK.

>> YOUR FIRST OP-ED GENERATED CONTROVERSY ANY FIRST REPORTED ABOUT VOTER TURNOUT AND 1850S TOUR VOTER TURNOUT TODAY, AND NOTE THAT GETTING TO THE POLLING PLACE WAS MUCH HARDER IN THE 19th CENTURY AND THE VOTER TURNOUT IN THAT WAS 81%, ARE WE LAZY?

>> DON'T FORGET THIS PEOPLE TURNED OUT TO VOTE FOR ABRAHAM LINCOLN WANTED TO ABOLISH SLAVERY.

THIS RIGHT THE CONVENIENCES OF EVERYDAY LIFE WE HAVE TURNOUT TODAY THAT DO NOT COMPARE TO PREVIOUS ELECTIONS AND WHAT WE LEARN FROM THE PAST ELECTIONS AS THERE IS ROOM OR PERMIT IN THE CURRENT PARTY SYSTEM IN CURRENT ELECTION REPORTING SYSTEM AND THERE IS CONSISTENT AND CONSENSUS AMONG THE AMONG THE COUNTY CLERK AND BOARD OF ELECTIONS.

THIS IS MY THIRD COLUMN IN THE NEWSPAPERS ALL AROUND THE STATE AND THIS IS TO OFFER IDEAS ON THE DIRECTION THAT WE CAN GO.

>> WHAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH THE CURRENT SYSTEM?

SHOULD WE NOT MAKE IT EASIER AND TIMES THAT ARE MORE COMPLICATED?>> POLICYMAKERS ARE TRYING TO MAKE IT EASIER AND EASIER.

IT TALKED TO COUNTY CLERKS AND BOARD OF ELECTIONS, WE END UP WITH THIS UNMANAGEABLE SYSTEM IN SOME RESPECTS AND ONE THAT DELAYS THE ELECTION RESULTS TOO LONG A TIME, AND ONE THAT IS GETTING MORE AND MORE EXPENSIVE.

THIS COLUMN PRESENTS IDEAS ANOTHER CHANGE ALL THAT.>> THERE IS A LOT OF STUFF AND I WANT TO PICK OUT A FEW.

YOU ASK SHOULD THERE BE SOME DEGREE OF UNIFORMITY AND REPORTING OF ELECTION BOTH COUNTS?

RIGHT NOW YOU DON'T KNOW WHEN YOU'LL GET RESULTS.>> NOT ONLY DON'T YOU KNOW WHEN YOU'LL GET RESULTS, BUT LOOK AT THE CONTROVERSY OUT OF BYRNE COUNTY THIS SET OF PRESENT 100% OF THE RESULTS BY 10.00, IT WAS 100% OF THE MACHINE VOTE COUNTS FROM ELECTION DAY BUT IT DID NOT INCLUDE THE VOTE BY MAIL TABULATIONS.

I WAS AHEAD BY 10,000 VOTES AND TWO HOURS LATER I AM BEHIND BY 20,000 BECAUSE ALL OF THE VOTE MY BILL BELLIS HAD BEEN TABULATED.

I DON'T THINK A CLERK SHOULD BE PUTTING UP RESULTS AND I'M NOT PICKING ON BERGEN COUNTY BUT THERE SHOULD BE UNIFORMITY, DON'T PUT UP RESULTS UNTIL IT INCLUDES ALL COUNTIES ELECTION DAY, EARLY VOTING AND VOTE BY MAIL BALLOTS SO PEOPLE DON'T LOSE FAITH IN THE SYSTEM.

>> I IMAGINE THAT YOU FEEL ALL OF THE VOTE BY MAIL THAT ARE IN ON ELECTION DAY SHOULD HAVE BEEN COUNTED BEFORE, OR BY ELECTION, NOT AFTER THE ELECTION DAY AND POLLS CLOSE.

>> SOMEONE UNFORTUNATE THAT ARE COUNTY CLERKS AND BOARD OF ELECTIONS COULD NOT START COUNTY VOTE BY MAIL BALLOTS UNTIL 8.00 P.M. ON ELECTION NIGHT I SUGGEST LET'S START THE COUNT WAS ONE MINUTE AFTER MIDNIGHT ON ELECTION DAY AND LET'S GET THOSE TABULATIONS DONE, THIRD- DEGREE CRIME FOR ANYONE THAT RELEASES EARLY INFORMATION, SO WHEN WE DO PRESENT THESE NUMBERS SOMETIME ON ELECTION NIGHT IT IS ALL INCLUSIVE.

VOTE BY MAIL BALLOTS, EARLY VOTING, AND ELECTION DAY VOTING, SO AGAIN WE ARE NOT SEEMING LIKE WE ARE SHIPPING PEOPLE ARE DECEIVING PEOPLE BY PUTTING UP PARTIAL RESULTS.

>> YOU ASKED RHETORICALLY HOW LONG SHOULD A NON-VOTER REMAIN ON THE VOTER REGISTRATION ROLLS?

YOU HAVE SUGGESTED THAT IF YOU HAVE NOT VOTED IN FOUR CONSECUTIVE NOVEMBER ELECTIONS THAT YOU ARE OUT.

>> I AM SUGGESTING THAT WE WILL NOT REMOVE YOU FROM THE ROLLS BUT WE WILL DEACTIVATE YOU.

THAT IS THE PREFERRED REFERENCE OF THE CLERKS, WILL SEND A LETTER THAT SAYS IF YOU'VE NOT VOTED IN FOUR CONSECUTIVE GENERAL ELECTIONS WE WILL DEACTIVATE YOU.

YOU CAN EASILY REACTIVATE YOURSELF TO GET BACK ON SO THAT YOU CAN VOTE THE NEXT ELECTION.>> I CAN JUST HEAR SOMEONE FROM YOUR PARTY THING WHAT DO YOU CARE WHEN I VOTE?

>> LISTEN, IT IS COSTING MONEY TO SEND YOU A SAMPLE BALLOT.

IT IS COSTING MONEY TO SEND YOU A VOTE BY MAIL BALLOT.

IT IS ALL THE MORE TIME- CONSUMING FOR OUR COUNTY CLERK OFFICES.

WE ARE TRYING TO BRING SOME EFFICIENCY TO THE OPERATING A VOTING AND HOLD THE COST DOWN.

WE ARE DOING AN AWFUL LOT OF MAILING.

IT COST ANYWHERE FROM THREE DOLLARS TO FIVE DOLLARS TO MAIL OUT A VOTE BY MAIL BALLOT, TALK TO THE COUNTY CLERK'S ABOUT THE THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS THAT ARE NEVER RETURNED.

WE ARE LOOKING TO CREATE A SYSTEM THAT NOT ONLY REEMPHASIZES PEOPLE AND RESOURCE CONFIDENCE, IT ALSO HOLDS DOWN ON TAXPAYER COSTS.>> SEVERAL PEOPLE NOTED THIS WEEK THAT IN THE ELECTION OF 1860, WHICH HE REFERENCED DURING YOUR OP-ED, NEITHER WOMEN NOR BLACK PEOPLE COULD VOTE, WHICH MADE MANAGING ELECTIONS A LITTLE EASIER I WOULD IMAGINE SINCE HALF THE POPULATION WAS INELIGIBLE.

IT IS A SMART OR OR SMALLER VOTING POOL, DID YOU CONSIDER THAT?

SPIRIT TURNOUT IS TURNOUT IS TURNOUT, DAVID, THE 1860S THAT DAVIS THE ELECTION OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN, THE FIRST REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT AND THE ONE THAT WANTED TO ABOLISH SLAVERY BY THE WAY, MORE THAN EIGHT OUT OF 10 PEOPLE VOTED DESPITE THE FACT THEY HAD TO TRAVEL SOMETIMES HALF A DAY OR FULL DAY BY HORSEBACK OR HORSE AND BUGGY TO GET TO THE NEAREST POLLING STATION.

AS I SAID IN THE COLUMN, I WANT THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE TURNOUT, I WANT AS MANY PEOPLE FRANCHISED OR RE-ENFRANCHISED AS POSSIBLE.

WE CAN DO THAT WITH SOME OF THESE PROPOSALS AND REFORMS.

>> I THINK THE POINT PEOPLE WERE MAKING IS YOU FAILED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE DIFFERENCE IN THE ELECTORATE OF 1860 AND THE ELECTORATE OF 2022.>> LISTEN, THE DENOMINATOR DOES NOT MATTER THE NUMBER OF REGISTERED VOTERS.

WHAT MATTERS TO ME IS THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT TURN OUT TO VOTE, THE FACT OF THE MATTER THE TURNOUT THESE DAYS ARE LESS THAN WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IN PREVIOUS ELECTIONS.>> LET ME SWITCH GEARS A LITTLE, THE NATIONAL REPUBLICAN PARTY RECENTLY CENSORED REPRESENTATIVE LIZ CHENEY OF WYOMING, AND ADAM KINSINGER OF ILLINOIS, FOR SERVING ON WHAT THEY CALL A QUOTE DEMOCRAT LED PERSECUTION OF ORDINARY CITIZENS ENGAGED IN LEGITIMATE POLITICAL DISCOURSE, BILL PAULA TUCCI IS ON THE RNC AND HE VOTED NO TO THAT RESOLUTION AND ALSO BOB HUGUENIN, YOUR PARTIES STATE CHAIRMAN.

THE QUESTION IS WOULD YOU HAVE VOTED TO CENSURE LIZ CHENEY AND ADAM KINZINGER.?

AND IS WHAT HAPPENED ON JANUARY 6 IN WASHINGTON DC LEGITIMATE POLITICAL DISCOURSE?

>> THERE WAS VIOLENCE ON JANUARY 6, DAVID, DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY AND LOSS OF LIFE.

THE RNC RESOLUTION HAS A GREAT MANY OF US, INCLUDING REPUBLICANS, SCRATCHING OUR HEADS.

IF THEY WANTING TO MAKE COMMENTS MAKE COMMENTS ON THE KITCHEN TABLE ISSUES THAT BOTHER AMERICANS AND NEW JERSEY ENDS.

I DO NOT THINK IT IS RIGHT TO CENSURE PEOPLE WITH A DIFFERENT POINT OF VIEW.

WE ARE THE BIG TEN PARTY, THE PARTY OF LINCOLN AND ALL INCLUSIVE PARTY, WE SHOULD NOT BE CENSURING PEOPLE WITH A DIFFERENT POINT OF VIEW.

>> I HAVE A QUESTION, ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES BRETT JOHNSON, HE DOES WANT TO KNOW WOULD YOU PREFER TO RUN AGAINST STEVE SWEENEY OR MIKEY CHERYL WHEN IT COMES TIME FOR THE GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION?

>> I DO NOT THINK ABOUT MY OPPONENT, DAVID, BUT MY ABILITY TO CONNECT WITH EVERYDAY HARD- WORKING NEW JERSEY PEOPLE AND I THINK WE DID THAT INSTRUMENT WHILE THE LAST ELECTION CYCLE.

IT IS SOMETHING I INTEND ON DOING A GUN.

IT IS MY INTENTION TO RUN AGAIN AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT THE KITCHEN TABLE ISSUES THAT MATTER MOST TO PEOPLE OF NEW JERSEY.

THAT IS WHAT MADE THIS RACE A PHOTO FINISH.

>> ALL RIGHT REPUBLICAN GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE, JACK CHIARELLI, GOOD TO SEE YOU .

THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT.

>> AND THANK YOU.>> LET'S BRING THE PANEL IN AND YOU HEARD JACK CHIARELLI TALKING ABOUT REFORMS ARE VOTING SYSTEM.

IS THAT REALLY STILL AN ISSUE HERE IN NEW JERSEY, COLLEEN?>> THESE PROPOSALS ARE INFORMED BY WHAT HE WENT THROUGH, WHAT WE SAW THE LAST ELECTION, WHICH WAS THIS CONFUSION ON ELECTION NIGHT.

AND FOR AT LEAST A DAY OR TWO FOLLOWING.

AND THAT IS OVER THE WAY THE VOTES ARE COUNTED, YOU KNOW THERE REALLY IS NO UNIFORM REGULATION RIGHT NOW FOR WHAT VOTES HAVE TO BE COUNTED WHEN.

WE NOW HAVE A LOT OF VOTE BY MAIL COMING IN, WE HAVE FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS, PARTICULARLY SINCE COVID STARTED.

AND WE HAVE THIS NEW EARLY IN PERSON VOTING.

WHAT WE COULD NOT REALLY TELL FROM ELECTION NIGHT WHEN JACK CHIARELLI AT ONE POINT TOOK THE LEAD FROM GOVERNOR MURPHY WAS WHAT VOTES WERE IN ALREADY?

BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF THINGS WITH TROUBLESOME ADVOCATES FOR INSTANCE, HE IS CALLING FRIDAY FOR ALL KINDS OF VOTING, WHICH I ASSUME WOULD BE VOTE BY MAIL AS WELL.

AND WE KEEP HEARING THAT ANY KIND OF VOTER ID TENDS TO DISENFRANCHISE SOME PEOPLE OF COLOR.>> BRENT, WELL, MAYBE I DON'T KNOW WHAT HIS POINT IS AS FAR AS CORRUPTION IN TERMS OF OUR ELECTORAL PROCESS HERE IN NEW JERSEY.

OUR ELECTIONS MAY BE SLOW AND PONDEROUS, BUT THERE REALLY HASN'T BEEN EVIDENCE THAT THERE ARE THINGS GOING ON IN THE BACKGROUND THAT MIGHT BE ILLEGAL OR UNLAWFUL, RIGHT?

>> THAT IS TRUE, HE DID NOT HEAR ANY OF THAT IN THE LAST ELECTION COME AND TO BE FAIR TO JACK HE DID NOT MAKE ANY OF THOSE ACCUSATIONS AS HE WAITED A WEEK TO CONCEDE LAST YEAR.

VOTER FRAUD ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAS BEEN PROVEN TO BE VERY RARE.

THERE ARE CASES OF IT BUT NOT WIDESPREAD AS FAR AS EVIDENCE SHOWS THAT AGAIN NEW JERSEY DOESN'T HAVE A PROBLEM EITHER, BUT THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH ELECTION RESULTS TRICKLING IN AND IT WAS CONFUSING TO MAKE SENSE OF ALL OF IT IS ELECTION NIGHT ROLLED AROUND.

THERE ARE DEFINITELY SOME ROOM FOR MORE CHANGES.>> IT SEEMS LIKE ON THE ONE SIDE WE HAVE DEMOCRATS CALLING FOR MORE ACCESS TO VOTING.

AND REPUBLICANS IN THE STATE SUGGESTING ALL OF THE DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE VOTE CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR CORRUPTION.

>> I DO NOT SEE JACK CHIARELLI MAKING THAT ARGUMENT AS MUCH .

I THINK HIS ARGUMENT IS THE TALLYING AND THE VOTES OR HOW THE PROCESS TAKES PLACE AFTERWARDS.

MEMBER, THAT 10 DAY TIMEFRAME THAT COLLEEN ALLUDED TO, IT CREATED A VACUUM.

AND IN THE VACUUM CAME ALL OF THESE CRACKPOT THEORIES, THIS FEVER SWAMP PARANOIA ON THE INTERNET.

FRANKLY IT WAS HIS CAMPAIGN THAT WAS TRYING TO TAMP IT DOWN BECAUSE THEY DID NOT SEE ANY ACTUAL EVIDENCE TO BACK ANY OF THAT OUT.

THEY WERE FACING PRESSURE FROM THE FRENCH TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, OR ACKNOWLEDGE IT.

>> WE TOUCHED ON THIS A LITTLE BIT ON THIS SHOW OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS.

WE HAVE MOVED ON OUT TO THE LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT PORTION OF THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS.

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING?

LOOKS LIKE WE WILL KNOW WHAT THE LEGISLATIVE DISTRICTS WILL LOOK LIKE BY THIS WEEKEND.

DID I READ TODAY THAT REPUBLICANS MAY LIKE THE RESULTS BECAUSE IT MAKES MORE DISTRICTS COMPETITIVE FOR THEM, BRENT?>> IT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE, ALTHOUGH A VERY NARROW PATH, THAT REPUBLICANS WOULD RETAKE THE LEGISLATURE, ALTHOUGH IT WOULD BE A TOUGH THING TO DO.

THEY DEFINITELY DID BOLSTER THEIR RECENT WINS IN SOUTH JERSEY.

AND THERE ARE A FEW MOVES IN THE NORTH THAT SHAKES IT UP AMONG DEMOCRATS.

THE MAP IT APPEARS LOOKS TO HIT TWO SETS OF INCUMBENT VETERAN DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKERS AGAINST EACH OTHER.

NEXT SOCKO AGAINST BRIAN STACK IS ONE MATCHUP.>> IF THAT MAP CREATES THOSE TWO CONTESTS, FOR US THAT IS INCREDIBLE SPOILS FROM THE PROCESS.

THAT WOULD BE A COUPLE OF PRETTY INTERESTING PRIMARIES, CHARLES.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

ESPECIALLY WITH SACKO AND STACK, THAT WOULD PUT THEM ON A WARTIME FOOTING, I COULD ALMOST SEE SANDBAGS SEPARATING THE TWO COUNTS.

THESE TWO GUYS ARE OLD SCHOOL LEADING POLITICIANS, AND THEY ARE IN TRENTON TO REALLY BOLSTER THEIR POSITION BACK HOME WHEREAS SOME GUYS AND WOMEN COME TO TRENTON TO EXPAND THEIR PORTFOLIO AND EXPAND AMBITIONS AND GO TO SOME HIGHER OFFICE.

THEIR WHOLE REASON IS TO BRING IT HOME.

SO TO SURRENDER SACKO AND STACKTHIS BECAUSE OF REDISTRICTING, I DO NOT SEE NEGOTIATIONS ENDING IT, I THINK THIS POTENTIALLY WILL BE PRETTY UGLY.>> MOVING ON TO THE CONTINUING BATTLES BETWEEN REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS OF NEW JERSEY.

A COUPLE OF CHANCE OF PASSED RESOLUTIONS CALLING FOR AN END TO THE GOVERNOR'S EMERGENCY POWERS.

SOUNDING A LOT LIKE REPUBLICANS THAT HAVE STARTED THE HASHTAG GIVE IT BACK.

IS THIS JUST A REPUBLICAN THING?

OR IS GIVE IT BACK GETTING TRACTION?

CHARLES.

>> I THINK IT IS GETTING A LITTLE TRACTION, I HAVE SEEN A LITTLE DEMOCRATIC SUPPORT AND I HAVE SEEN SENATOR BILL POWELL SIGNING ON TO THIS LEGISLATION, LET'S NOT FORGET HE HAS FACED A VERY CLOSER THAN EXPECTED REELECTION.

THAT DISTRICT HAS BEEN A SWING DISTRICT OF THE PAST.

HE'S FEELING SOME OF THE HEAT ON HOME TURF.

I AM NOT SURE EVERY DEMOCRAT IN THE STATE OR A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF DEMOCRATS ARE DOING THE SAME LEVEL OF HEAT.

BUT I THINK THERE IS SOME SUPPORT.

I AM A LITTLE SKEPTICAL ABOUT ITS LONG-TERM VIABILITY AS OMICRON FADES, AND PEOPLE ARE NOW STARTING TO RESUME SOME SORT OF NEW NORMALCY, WHETHER THE FEVER FOR THIS OR THE SPORT FOR THIS WILL BE SUSTAINED.

>> BRENT, THE REPUBLICANS, ARE THEY REALLY RESURGENT?

OR IS THIS A TEMPORARY BLIP?>> IN TERMS OF CORONAVIRUS I DO AGREE WITH CHARLIE.

I THINK UNLESS A NEW VARIANT COMES AND MESSES IT UP, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE WILL BE MUCH MORE TO ARGUE ABOUT WITH MURPHY HAVING TO GIVE IT BACK.

AND THERE HAS BEEN TALK, I WAS TOLD THERE WERE LIKELY BE SOME CHANGES TO THE EMERGENCY HEALTH POWERS LAW THAT GAVE MURPHY ALL THIS POWER DID THE REPUBLICANS DID GAIN SEATS, THEY ARE LITTLE BIT STRONGER BUT THE DEMOCRATS ARE STILL IN CONTROL.

UNTIL THAT CHANGES THEY WILL ALWAYS BE THE MINORITY PARTY YELLING ABOUT IT.

RIGHT NOW YOU DO SEE DEMOCRATS STARTING TO MOVE A LITTLE BIT TOWARDS WE HAVE TO CHANGE THEM THINGS.>> EVE HEARD THE NAME BILL POWELL, AND CHARLIE JUST TALKED ABOUT HIM, IS COSPONSORING A BILL WITH DECLAN O SCANLON AND COSPONSORING ANOTHER BILL WITH SENATOR OR A HOE.

WILL WE SEE POWELL CAUCUSING WITH THE REPUBLICANS ANYTIME SOON, COLLEEN?>> I DO NOT THINK WE WILL GO THAT FAR.

HE IS A DEMOCRAT THROUGH AND THROUGH.

HE IS A GOOD AND LOYAL.

AS CHARLIE POINTED OUT, HE HAD A TOUGH REELECTION CAMPAIGN AND HIS RUNNING MATE LOSS AND HE SEES THE WRITING ON THE WALL, LIST THE DISTRICT AS IT IS CURRENTLY CONSTITUTED.

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WILL LOOK LIKE WHEN IT IS REDRAWN.

I CERTAINLY THINK THERE IS MERIT TO LOOKING AT THE SCHOOL FUNDING FORMULA.

IT SEEMS TO BE DOING SOME THINGS PEOPLE DID NOT EXPECT, AND CERTAINLY THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE UNHAPPY WITH.

THERE ARE FOLKS IN MONMOUTH COUNTY THAT ACTUALLY HAD TO SUE THE STATE TO GET THE MECHANICS BEHIND THE SCENES OF THIS FORMULA BECAUSE THE STATE WASN'T GOING TO PUT OUT EXACTLY HOW IT CALCULATES THESE NUMBERS.

THAT ALONE MAKES IT WORTH LOOKING AT I THINK.

>> CHARLIE, COLLEEN MENTIONED THAT BILL WITH EVALUATING THE SCHOOL FUNDING SYSTEM.

SEEMS LIKE EVERY YEAR THERE IS A NEW CALL FOR REEVALUATING THE SCHOOL FUNDING FORMULA.>> IT IS POSSIBLE.

THERE ARE A LOT OF DISTRICTS AND LAWMAKERS WHO STILL FEEL THEY CAME OUT ON THE SHORT END, THE TOWNS AND MUNICIPALITIES CAME OUT ON THE SHORT END ON THE LAST TWEAKING OF THE FORMULA.

BUT, I ALSO FIND OR I THINK IT IS INTERESTING, I THINK WE WILL SEE MORE OF THE BIPARTISAN TEAMING UP ON LEGISLATION.

I THINK THE REPUBLICANS WILL TRY TO PRESS THEIR ADVANTAGE IN CERTAIN AREAS.

I WAS INTRIGUED TO SEE A BILL TO BAN SMOKING IN THE ATLANTIC CITY CASINOS FROM TWO SOUTH JERSEY REPUBLICAN SPONSORS.

I'M NOT SURE WOULD'VE SEEN THAT IN THE PAST.

SO YEAH.

I THINK THAT BECAUSE OF THE TIGHTENING OF THE LINEUPS, THE PARTISAN LINEUPS AND LEGISLATURE, I THINK YOU'LL SEE MORE OF THAT.>> WHAT DO YOU THINK, BRENT?

IS IT JUST REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS BEING NICE OR IS POWELL ANGLING FOR A RUN AT GOVERNOR?>> CERTAINLY BROUGHT UP, A KIND OF ON PERIPHERY RATHER THAN THE MAIN, BUT YOU WILL SEE MORE OF THIS, PREVIOUS ELECTION THE REPUBLICANS GAINED GROUND IN THE DEMOCRATS GOT SPOOKED.

SO BIPARTISANSHIP, NEVER THAT FAR AWAY IN NEW JERSEY, NEVER HAVE A HYPER- PARTISAN AND GREENEST THAT TAKES OVER THE ENTIRE CITY LIKE YOU SEE IN WASHINGTON BUT IT WOULD NOT SURPRISE ME IF BIPARTISANSHIP BECOMES NEXT IN VERY COMMON.

HE COULD ANGLE FOR DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION FOR GOVERNOR>> COLLEEN WE TALKED ABOUT EFFECTS AND IMPACTS OF COVID POLITICALLY FOR THE GOVERNOR AND OTHERS, BUT ALL THE NEWS HAS BEEN ON THE POSITIVE SIDE.

ARE WE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE END OF THIS PHASE OF COVID?>> I SURE HOPE SO.

I THINK I SPEAK FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE WHEN I SAY THAT AND IT SEEMS TO BE, WE ARE IN FEBRUARY AND WE HAVE A DECLINE IN NUMBERS, AND THE NUMBERS ARE AT WHAT MANY WOULD THINK ARE A MANAGEABLE LEVEL.

WE DID NOT USE TOGETHER, I THINK LAST YEAR, THE FIRST YEAR OF COVID, EVERYTHING WAS SKYROCKETING.

LAST YEAR WHAT HAPPENED WAS IT WAS AFTER HE GOT INTO THE SPRING THAT WE SAW THE NUMBERS DECLINING.

THE FACT THAT WE ARE IN FEBRUARY, SO THE MENTOR OR MIDDLE OF ADDRESSING THESE THE CLIENTS IS A GOOD SIGN.

AS BRENT SAID, UNLESS WE GET ANOTHER CRAZY VARIANT COMING OUT, WE ARE ALMOST AT THAT POINT THAT IT BECOMES AN ENDEMIC AND SOMETHING LIKE THE FLU THAT EVERYBODY LEARNS TO LIVE WITH.>> YOU KNOW THERE IS A NEW FUTURE OF WORK AND COLLEEN YOU DID A PIECE ON THE FUTURE OF WORK TASK FORCE.

WHAT IS IT AND HOW WILL IT GIVE A THREE DAY WORK WEEK?>> WHILE THEY DO NOT RECOMMEND THAT, BUT THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN MY RECOMMENDATION.

MAYBE ONE DAY.>> WELL IN GENERAL, COLLEEN, OUR WORK ENVIRONMENTS HAVE CHANGED.

HOW HAS WORKED CHANGED FOR YOU AND ARE YOU WORKING FROM HOME A LOT MORE NOW?>> OH, I THINK THE LAST TIME I WAS IN THE OFFICE WAS A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO WHEN I FILLED IN FOR YOU, DAVID.

BEFORE THAT IT WAS ELECTION NIGHT.

SO YEAH IT IS WORKING HERE.

THERE IS SO MUCH WE CAN DO FROM HOME.

WE HAVE OUR COMPUTERS AND WE HAVE OUR INTERNET AND ZOOM AND CELL PHONES.

WHAT MORE DO WE NEED?>> AND A REFRIGERATOR.>> YES WE DO HAVE THAT.

BUT THE REPORT WAS REALLY LOOKING AT HOW TO HELP FOLKS WHO ARE IN THE LOWER PAYING JOBS THAT MIGHT LOSE THEIR JOBS TO AUTOMATION.

OR LIKE UBER DRIVERS THAT DON'T HAVE BENEFITS AND GIVING THEM PORTABLE DAN FETES THEY CAN TAKE FROM JOB TO JOB.

AND LIFELONG LEARNING ACCOUNTS THAT PEOPLE CAN USE TO GET THE TRAINING FOR THE NEXT JOB WHEN THEY LOSE A JOB.

THERE IS LEGISLATION FOR BOTH THOSE THINGS THAT IS PENDING.

WE'LL HAVE TO SEE IF THOSE THINGS MOVE FORWARD.>> AND YOU KNOW THE EVOLUTION OF WORK.

IT WILL BE A CONTINUING STORY.

CHARLES, BRENT, COLLEEN, GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL AND THANKS FOR COMING ON THIS WEEK.

THAT IS A ROUNDTABLE FOR THE WEEK, THANKS ALSO TO JACK CIATTARELLI .

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER AND BE SURE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE YOUTUBE CHANNEL WHERE YOU WILL FIND LIVE STREAMS OF IMPORTANT EVENTS FROM AROUND THE STATE, AS WELL AS BUSINESS BEEF, AND NJ SPOTLIGHT NEWS.

I'M DAVID CRUZ AND FOR THE ENTIRE CREW OVER HERE, THANKS FOR WATCHING.

WE WILL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

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