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>>> HI, EVERYBODY, WELCOME TO "REPORTERS ROUNDTABLE."

I'M DAVID CRUZ.

WITH THE IMPEACHMENT TRIAL DONE, IT LOOKS LIKE WE CAN FINALLY CONCENTRATE ON THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION AND WHAT LIES AHEAD.

THAT'S THE ECONOMY, STUPID, AND MORE.

JOINING US FOR AN UPDATE IS THE JUNIOR SENATOR FROM NEW JERSEY, CORY BOOKER.

GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

>> IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU, MR. CRUZ.

I'M LOVING YOUR HAIRCUT.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

SO, LET'S JUST CLOSE THE DOOR ON THIS WHOLE IMPEACHMENT THING.

OBVIOUSLY, THIS WAS NOT THE OUTCOME YOU WANTED, BUT IT CERTAINLY CAN'T HAVE BEEN UNEXPECTED.

WHAT WAS THE POINT OF THIS EXERCISE?

>> WELL, I THINK FIRST AND FOREMOST, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE GOT TO SEE THE CASE BE MADE FOR A PRESIDENT WHO IT WASN'T JUST ONE SPEECH, WHO HAS SPENT QUITE A LONG TIME, MANY MONTHS BUILDING THE BIG LIE, AS THEY WERE CALLING IT, THIS IDEA THAT SOMEHOW HE WAS CONVINCING HIS SUPPORTERS THAT THEY WERE ROBBED OF AN ELECTION, THAT THEY HAD NO JUSTICE IN THE COURTS, NO JUSTICE WITH REPUBLICAN ATTORNEY GENERALS, NO JUSTICE WITH ANY OTHER CHALLENGE BUT TO DO WHAT HE WANTED, WHICH WAS FOR THEM TO TRY TO STOP THE PEACEFUL TRANSITION OF POWER BY STORMING THE CAPITOL.

AND SO, I DO THINK HISTORICAL RECORD, AND I DO THINK LAYING BARE ALL THE FACTS WAS REALLY IMPORTANT, AND EVEN IF YOU DIDN'T COME ON -- DOWN ON THE SIDE OF IMPEACHMENT, EVEN THOUGH I'M NOT SURE INSURRECTIONISTS IS IN ANY WAY -- IT IS SOMETHING HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN CONVICTED FOR, MAYBE AT LEAST YOU CAME DOWN ON THE SIDE OF PEOPLE LIKE MITCH McCONNELL WHO JUST FOUND WHAT HE DID SO AWFUL THAT HISTORY WILL REMEMBER THIS AND HOPEFULLY WE WILL NEVER HAVE TO FACE THAT IGNOMINY, THAT SHAME AGAIN.

>> I IMAGINE YOU SUPPORT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A 9/11 STYLE COMMISSION TO INVESTIGATE THE EVENTS OF JANUARY 6th BECAUSE THE IMPEACHMENT ITSELF, THERE WASN'T ANY TIME TO REALLY KIND OF INVESTIGATE OR DO ANY OF THAT SORT OF STUFF.

DO WE NEED TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED HERE AND COULD A COMMISSION DO THAT?

>> WELL, I THINK WE HAD ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO KWCONVICT AND I'M HAPPY THEY GOT A RECORD AND THIS IMPEACHMENT WAS MORE BIPARTISAN THAN ANY WE'VE SEEN IN HISTORY, MORE REPUBLICANS CAME OVER, BUT I DO AGREE THAT HAVING AN INDEPENDENT COMMISSION THAT SORT OF INSULATED FROM THE POLITICS OF THE MOMENT TO REALLY EXAMINE THE FACTS, BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING WE CANNOT ALLOW TO HAPPEN AGAIN, AND WE SHOULD MAKE SURE WE HAVE A FULL UNDERSTANDING OF EVERY NUANCE, EVERY ASPECT OF IT AND THAT WE ARE A COUNTRY THAT'S FAR MORE SECURE.

WHAT HAPPENED HERE IS MUCH MORE LIKE WHAT WE SEE IN UNSTABLE DEMOCRACIES, AND IT WAS A VERY, VERY SAD DAY IN AMERICA.

IT WAS A DAY OF DEFEAT, AND IT'S LIKE THAT GREAT POET, AFRICAN-AMERICAN POET SAID, WE MUST FACE MANY DEFEATS BUT WE CAN NEVER BE DEFEATED.

WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO CONTINUE AS A COUNTRY, AND PREVENT THINGS LIKE THIS FROM HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE.

>> ALL RIGHT, CONGRESS NOW IS READY TO FOCUS ON THE PRESIDENT'S $1.9 TRILLION STIMULUS PACKAGE.

YOU HAVE THE VOTES, SO THAT MEANS THIS PACKAGE IS LIKELY TO MORE CLOSELY REFLECT DEMOCRATIC IDEALS.

WHAT ARE WE GOING TO SEE IN THIS PACKAGE THAT WE DIDN'T SEE IN THE OTHER PACKAGES?

>> WELL, ONE IS I HOPE IT'S MUCH MORE ROBUST STATE AND LOCAL AID.

I MET WITH HUNDREDS OF OUR MAYORS TODAY FROM NEW JERSEY AND HAD A VERY CANDID CONVERSATION ABOUT -- FROM NORTH TO SOUTH OF NEW JERSEY TOWNS JUST STRUGGLING RIGHT NOW AND STRUGGLING TO MEET THE DEMANDS OF THIS CRISIS SO YOU WILL SEE HOPE FFULLY MORE ROBUST FUNDING GOING DIRECTLY TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.

I'M HOPEFUL YOU'LL SEE A MUCH BIGGER STIMULUS CHECK, $1,400.

THE LAST STIMULUS CHECKS WENT TO OVER 80% OF NEW JERSEY RESIDENTS AND SOMETHING THAT I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO.

BUT YOU ARE ALSO GOING TO SEE THINGS LIKE AN EFFORT AND IT'S NOT SECURE YET, TO RAISE THE MINIMUM WAGE NATIONALLY, TO PUT IN THINGS LIKE THE EXPANSION OF THE CHILD TAX CREDIT, WHICH WOULD CUT CHILD POVERTY IN HALF.

THERE ARE A LOT OF REAL THINGS, AS YOU SAID, THE ECONOMY, STUPID, THAT WOULD HELP STRUGGLING FAMILIES WORKING CLASS FAMILIES REALLY GET ECONOMIC STABILITY THROUGH ALL OF THIS.

>> I WAS READING THIS WEEK ABOUT HOW SOME ECONOMISTS ARE SUGGESTING THAT A LOT OF JOBS THAT ARE BEING LOST NOW ARE NEVER GOING TO COME BACK AND THERE'S GOING TO BE A MASSIVE NEED TO RETRAIN PEOPLE, BUT THE STIMULUS PACKAGE HAS NO FUNDING FOR THAT AS FAR AS I KNOW.

IS THAT A LOOMING CRISIS?

>> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THERE'S A LOT OF DOOM AND GLOOM THAT WE CAN'T CONCEDE TO.

FOR EXAMPLE, SOMETHING NEW IN THIS BILL I'M VERY PROUD OF, HAVING WORKED ON IT, IS ABOUT $25 MILLION PARTICULARLY FOR RESTAURANTS, MOM AND POP SHOPS, ALL OVER OUR STATE THAT ARE FACING CLOSURE.

IT IS SO MUCH EASIER TO SUSTAIN THE JOBS THAT SMALL BUSINESSES CREATE THAN TO ALLOW THE SMALL BUSINESSES TO CLOSE AND TO TRY TO FIND WAYS TO OPEN UP NEW BUSINESSES.

SO, I AGREE WITH YOU, THAT THIS IS NOT AN ECONOMY WE'RE GOING TO SNAP OUT OF.

BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF STRATEGIC THINGS WE CAN DO HERE THAT WILL DIRECTLY IMPACT THE MAINTENANCE OF MILLIONS OF JOBS IN AMERICA.

BUT WE DO HAVE TO DO THE NEXT PACKAGE AFTER THIS.

THE PRESIDENT HAS SAID THAT HE WANTS A STIMULUS PACKAGE AND THEN HE WANTS A JOBS AND RECOVERY PACKAGE, WHICH WILL BE THE NEXT THING WE GET WORKING ON THAT WILL HAVE MASSIVE INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT WHICH WILL CREATE JOBS, WHICH WILL DO OTHER THINGS AND LOOK AT, I HOPE, APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS.

I THINK THAT WAS THE FIRST BILL I INTRODUCED AS A SENATOR SEVEN YEARS AGO, WAS AROUND APPRENTICESHIPS AND TRAINING.

SO IN THE RECOVERY BILL, I'D BE COMING AFTER THIS ONE, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO A REALLY BOLD VISION THAT WE CAN DO WHAT BIDEN SAYS HE WANTS US TO DO AS A NATION WHICH IS TO BUILD BACK BETTER.

>> COVID VACCINE DISTRIBUTION?

ARE WE GOING TO GET ANY MORE?

MORE VACCINES INTO THE HOPPER, AS IT WERE, AND HAVE YOU BEEN VACCINATED?

DO YOU PLAN TO GET VACCINATED?

>> YES, SO, QUESTION NUMBER ONE, YES, WE HAVE TO.

PART OF THIS COVID PACKAGE WE FOUGHT FOR IS SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE FUNDING TO MAKE VACCINES AVAILABLE, AND WE KNOW THAT THE CZAR THAT IS IN CHARGE OF THE COVID CRISIS IN THE ADMINISTRATION IS THAT WE WILL SEE VERY SOON ABOUT A 20% INCREASE IN VACCINES AVAILABLE TO STATES, INCLUDING OURS.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, NOT ONLY ARE YOU GOING TO SEE MORE VACCINE PRODUCTION GO UP FOR THE PLAYERS THAT ARE THERE, LIKE MODERNA, FOR EXAMPLE, BUT YOU'RE ALSO GOING TO SEE MORE PLAYERS GET IN THE GAME, INCLUDING A NEW JERSEY COMPANY THAT SHOULD BE APPROVED SOON, JOHNSON & JOHNSON.

SO, I SEE THAT THIS ADMINISTRATION FOLLOWING THE ONE THAT FELL SO FAR SHORT OF WHAT THEY TOLD US THEY WERE GOING TO DO FOR VACCINES, I THINK NOW YOU'RE GOING TO START SEEING AVAILABLE VACCINES TO NEW JERSEY GO UP SIGNIFICANTLY LIKE A HOCKEY STICK OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS AND THE GOAL OF THE ADMINISTRATION BY THE SUMMER IS TO HAVE ALL OF THAT THINGS WE NEED OUT THERE AND AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE.

THERE WILL STILL BE A LOT OF LOGISTICAL CHALLENGES WE'RE GOING TO FACE.

WE HAVE SLIP-UPS ALONG THE WAY BUT IN MY CONVERSATIONS WITH THE GOVERNOR'S TEAM AND MY CONVERSATIONS WITH THOSE WHO ARE SUPPLYING THE VACCINE, WE'RE, EVERY DAY THAT PASSES IS A BETTER DAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE AND MORE EXPANSIVE OPERATION.

AND I'M VERY HOPEFUL FOR THAT, BECAUSE IF WE'RE GOING TO REALLY GET OUR ECONOMY GOING AGAIN AND PROTECT VULNERABLE POPULATIONS, ESPECIALLY WITH THE MUTATIONS OF THIS DISEASE THAT WE'RE SEEING, THE WAY TO STOP FUTURE MUTATIONS IS TO STOP THE VACCINE FROM SPREADING AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

WITH VACCINES, STOP THE DISEASE FROM SPREADING WITH VACCINES, AND WITH US CONTINUING TO SOCIALLY DISTANCE, WEAR MASKS, AND TAKE THE PRECAUTIONS WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR ALMOST A YEAR NOW.

>> BECAUSE IT'S CRITICAL -- THE REASON I ASKED YOU ABOUT YOUR STATUS IS BLACK AND BROWN -- >> I'M SORRY.

>> YOU CAN ANSWER OR NOT BUT JUST UNDER 10%, WAY UNDER 10% IN SOME CASES, OF BLACKS AND LATINOS GETTING VACCINATED.

>> NO, I'M GRATEFUL FOR YOU SAYING THAT.

I DID NOT ANSWER THE SECOND PART.

I GOT MY SECOND VACCINE JUST DAYS AGO, AND I AM TALKING ABOUT IT BECAUSE I DO THINK IT'S PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS UNDERSTANDABLE DISTRUST BECAUSE OF THE HISTORY WE HAVE HAD OF HORRIFIC EXPERIMENTATION AND FORCED STERILIZATION AND INJECTION OF DISEASES JUST TO SEE HOW BLACK BODIES WERE AFFECTED BY ALL THIS HISTORY HAS LEFT WITH A LOT OF MISTRUST, BUT THE TWO THINGS I'M DOING AS A RESULT IS NUMBER ONE, PUSHING FUNDING FOR LOCALLY BASED ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE COMMUNITY TRUST TO BE INVOLVED IN VACCINE DISTRIBUTION, SO IT'S NOT STRANGERS COMING, TALKING ABOUT VACCINATIONS BUT TRUSTED INDIVIDUALS, AND THEN I'M TRYING MYSELF TO LET FOLKS KNOW AS AFRICAN-AMERICAN, I WAS VERY EAGER TO TAKE THIS VACCINE AND IT HAS HAD A VERY POSITIVE EFFECT IN HELPING ME IN MY OWN SAFETY AND THAT OF MY FAMILY.

SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO ADDRESS.

THIS SUSPICION.

AND WE HAVE TO GET OVER.

BECAUSE AS YOU SAID RIGHTFULLY, THE DEATH RATES FOR BLACKS AND LATINOS IN OUR COUNTRY, IN PARTICULAR, ARE SO ASTONISHINGLY HIGH AND SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN THIS GENERAL POPULATION.

>> ALL RIGHT, SENATOR CORY BOOKER, GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN, MAN.

THANKS FOR COMING ON.

>> I CAN'T WAIT UNTIL I GET TO SEE YOU IN PERSON, MAN.

I THINK THE LAST TIME I SAW YOU MIGHT HAVE BEEN IN IOWA FOR CRYING OUT LOUD.

SO IT WILL BE GOOD TO SEE YOU.

>> ALL RIGHT, LET'S BRING OUR PANEL IN HERE NOW.

SOPHIE NIETA MUNOZ, MAKING HER ROUND TABLE DEBUT, BY THE WAY.

SAM IS THE HEALTHCARE REPORTER FOR POLITICAL NJ AND JOHN IS BUDGET AND FINANCE WRITER FOR NJ SPOTLIGHT NEWS.

WELCOME, PANEL.

JOHN, I'M NOT GOING TO LET YOU GET AWAY WITHOUT BREAKING DOWN THE STATE BUDGET FOR US, BUT WE'LL DO THAT IN A COUPLE MINUTES.

LET'S START WITH SENATOR BOOKER THERE TALKING ABOUT HOW THIS IS NOT THE END OF COVID-RELATED STIMULUS.

FIRST, WHAT'S IN THE CURRENT PACKAGE, IF YOU KNOW, FOR JERSEY, AND WHAT IMPACT IS IT GOING TO HAVE ON THE LEGISLATURE'S GREEN LIGHT FOR THE GOVERNOR TO BORROW ALL THIS MONEY?

>> YEAH, WELL, LOOKS LIKE FIRST AND FOREMOST WOULD BE THOSE $1,400 CHECKS THAT HE TALKED ABOUT FOR A LOT OF NEW JERSEY RESIDENTS, AND YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE THAT ARE HURTING RIGHT NOW, STILL HURTING AND HAVE BEEN HURTING FOR A LONG TIME, THOSE CHECKS WILL BE MEANINGFUL.

IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S ALSO SIGNIFICANT AID FOR STATE GOVERNMENTS AND MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS AND I THINK BECAUSE OF THE $4 BILLION IN BORROWING THAT NEW JERSEY DID A COUPLE MONTHS AGO, THERE'S A LITTLE BIT LESS OF A NEED THAN MAYBE SOME OTHER STATES TO BACK FILL REVENUES THAT HAVE BEEN LOST TO THE PANDEMIC WITH FEDERAL AID.

I THINK WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THE REAL NEED IS AT THE LOCAL LEVEL AND THE SENATOR TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVEN'T SEEN THE PROPERTY TAX APPEALS PROCESS PLAY OUT YET THIS YEAR BUT IF YOU REWIND ABOUT TEN YEARS AGO IN THE WAKE OF THE GREAT RECESSION, THERE WAS A BIG PROPERTY TAX APPEAL PROBLEM THAT A LOT OF MUNICIPALITIES FACED.

THAT WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT REAL ESTATE MARKET, BUT I THINK WITH COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES TAKING THE BRUNT OF THE CURRENT DOWNTURN TRIGGERED BY THIS PANDEMIC, THAT'S -- THE NEED IS GOING TO REALLY BE AT THE MUNICIPAL LEVEL, AND SO I THINK ONE OF THE BIG THINGS TO KEEP AN EYE ON AS THIS STIMULUS PACKAGE KIND OF PICKS UP STEAM NOW THAT IMPEACHMENT IS OVER, IS WHAT DO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS GET IN TERMS OF FEDERAL AID?

>> SAM, I FEEL LIKE THERE'S A CANNABIS JOKE I COULD BE MAKING HERE, BUT IT WOULDN'T BE ANY MORE GOOFY THAN WHAT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING IN TRENTON AS LAWMAKERS ATTEMPT YET AGAIN TO GET A SO-CALLED CANNABIS CLEAN-UP BILL OUT OF COMMITTEE.

WHAT'S GOING ON, MAN?

>> WELL, IT'S BEEN KIND OF THE SAME ISSUE FOR THE LAST TWO MONTHS.

THE BILLS THAT ARE CURRENTLY ON THE GOVERNOR'S DESK, ONE OF WHICH SETS UP THE LEGAL AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORK FOR AN ADULT USE MARKETPLACE AND THE OTHER WHICH DECRIMINALIZES UP TO SIX OUNCES OF THE DRUG SET DIFFERENT PENALTIES FOR UNDERAGE POSSESSION.

THE GOVERNOR HAS SIGNALLED REPEATEDLY THAT HE WON'T SIGN EITHER BILL OR BOTH BILLS TOGETHER IN THEIR CURRENT FORM AND AS YOUR QUESTION, THE LEGISLATURE TO PASS A CLEAN-UP VERSION.

THAT CLEAN-UP VERSION HAS GONE THROUGH AT LEAST THREE ITERATIONS SO FAR.

IT'S GONE BACK AND FORTH WITH THE FRONT OFFICE.

THERE HAVE BEEN RED FLAGS RAISED WITHIN THE BLACK AND LATINO CAUCUSES, AND TODAY, AT 3:00, THE SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE IS SCHEDULED TO VOTE ON THE LATEST VERSION.

IF THEY DO NOT MOVE THIS BILL TODAY, THERE'S A VOTE SCHEDULED IN BOTH HOUSES ON MONDAY.

IF THEY DO NOT MOVE THIS BILL TODAY, THEN THE BILLS THAT ARE ON MURPHY'S DESK WILL EITHER BECOME LAW BY STATUTE WITH OR WITHOUT HIS SIGNATURE OR THE GOVERNOR WILL VETO THOSE BILLS OR COULD VOTE THOSE BILLS, I SHOULD SAY.

SO, THE CLOCK'S TICKING AND THIS COMPROMISE BILL, SUCH AS IT IS, IS SORT OF THE LAST DITCH HAIL MARY EFFORT FOR LEGALIZATION TO HAPPEN, PROBABLY THIS YEAR.

>> WE SHOULD SAY THAT WE'RE RECORDING THIS SHOW ON FRIDAY.

>> YES.

>> WHAT IS THE -- WHAT IS THE HOLD-UP IN THIS CLEAN-UP BILL?

IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S THERE AND EVERYBODY LIKES IT AND THEN SUDDENLY IT GETS PULLED.

>> IT'S BEEN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT FACTORS.

SO, IN THIS LATEST VERSION, THE PENALTIES THAT ARE PUT IN PLACE, THERE'S A THREE-TIER WARNING SYSTEM FOR MINORS, KIDS WHO ARE 18 AND UNDER.

ON THE FIRST WARNING, YOU WOULD JUST GET A WARNING.

ON THE SECOND WARNING, YOUR PARENTS WOULD GET NOTIFIED.

ON THE THIRD, THE WAY IT'S STRUCTURED NOW IS YOU COULD FACE $50 FINE OR YOU COULD GET SOME SORT OF REFERRAL OR MANDATE FOR TREATMENT, COUNSELING, THAT SORT OF THING.

THERE ARE AMENDMENTS BEING DISCUSSED CURRENTLY THAT WOULD GET RID OF THAT FINE.

THAT FINE SPECIFICALLY HAS BEEN RAISED AS A BIG PROBLEM FOR CERTAIN MEMBERS OF THE BLACK AND LATINO CAUCUS, BLACK AND LATINO CAUCUSES, I SHOULD SAY.

AS WELL AS SOME PROGRESSIVE MEMBERS.

BUT IF YOU GO TOO FAR THE OTHER WAY, IF THERE ARE NOT TIGHT ENOUGH PENALTIES OR STRICT ENOUGH PENALTIES, YOU RISK LOSING SOME MORE CONSERVATIVE OR OLDER DEMOCRATS WHO ARE ALSO WITHIN THE CAUCUS, INCLUDING SOME MEMBERS POSSIBLY OF THE BLACK AND LATINO CAUCUSES.

SO, IT'S THIS REALLY TOUGH KIND G GOALDY LOCKS SITUATION.

EVEN THOUGH NEW JERSEY VOTERS APPROVED LEGALIZATION BY A TWO TO ONE MARGIN IN NOVEMBER, THE MARGIN IS MUCH, MUCH, MUCH TIGHTER IN THE SENATE.

THE LEGALIZATION BILL, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, PASSED 23-17 WITH TWO DEMOCRATIC SENATORS VOTING NO.

THEY NEED 21 VOTES TO GET THIS CLEAN-UP BILL TO THE GOVERNOR, AND YOU KNOW, IT'S GOING TO BE A TIGHT MARGIN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.

>> ALL RIGHT, WE HAD THE LABOR COMMISSIONER ON "CHAT BOX" THIS WEEK.

THE DEPARTMENT IS UNDER FIRE FROM THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE STILL WAITING FOR THEIR MONEY.

SOFIA NIETA MUNOZ, HAVE THINGS GOTTEN ANY BETTER OVER THERE?

THE COMMISSIONER SAYS THEY'RE HINDERED BY AN ANTIQUATED INFRASTRUCTURE AND OUTDATED REGULATIONS.

IS THAT TRUE?

AND HOW ARE THINGS GOING OVER THERE?

>> WELL, I THINK IT DEPENDS WHO YOU ASK AT THE END OF THE DAY.

THE LABOR COMMISSIONER IS GOING TO SAY THAT A LOT OF THESE ISSUES GO BACK TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THE LAPSE IN BENEFITS DUE TO THE SECOND STIMULUS BEING SIGNED A DAY LATE.

ISSUES GETTING THE 11-WEEK EXTENSION OUT BECAUSE THEY WERE WAITING FOR FEDERAL GUIDANCE.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, EVEN THOUGH THEY DID PUT IN THOSE 75,000 EXTENSIONS IN, THERE ARE STILL THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT GOTTEN THEIR MONEY, WHO ARE STILL FACING ISSUES CERTIFYING WEEKLY WHO HAVE GONE MONTHS WITHOUT RECEIVING THEIR BENEFITS.

SO, HAS IT BEEN FIXED?

PARTS OF IT HAVE.

BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE STILL FACING THOSE UNIQUE ISSUES THAT THEIR CLAIMS NEED TO BE DEALT WITH, AND THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF ISSUES COMING UP.

YOU KNOW, THE NEW STIMULUS PACKAGE, IF THAT REQUIRES A $400 PAYMENT THAT'S GOING TO REQUIRE NEW PROGRAMMING TO BE PUT IN, AND IF THAT LAPSES AGAIN, WE'RE GOING TO SEE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF NEW JERSEYANS SEE THEIR JOBLESS BENEFITS LAPSE AS WELL.

>> AS YOUR COLLEAGUE, MATT, MENTIONED ON THIS SHOW LAST WEEK, THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE WITH $0.

YOU'VE BEEN COVERING THIS STORY A LITTLE BIT.

WHAT ARE YOU HEARING FROM PEOPLE?

I MEAN, THERE'S SOME SERIOUS FRUSTRATION BUT ALSO FOLKS ARE ON THE EDGE ECONOMICALLY, NO?

>> YEAH.

I WOULD SAY PEOPLE ARE GETTING CLOSE TO DESPERATE, UNFORTUNATELY.

I TALKED TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE LITERALLY $0 IN THEIR BANK ACCOUNT.

THEY HAVE NO MONEY IN THEIR SAVINGS.

I'VE TALKED TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD TO SELL THEIR CARS BECAUSE THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY THEIR CAR NOTE ANYMORE.

SO, I THINK THIS IS GETTING -- IT'S BEEN REALLY BAD, BUT IT'S GETTING EVEN WORSE AS TIME GOES ON.

I MEAN, YOU HEAR FROM PEOPLE, AND I KNOW THAT YOU HEAR FROM THESE PEOPLE TOO, AND IT'S LIKE IT GETS WORSE EVERY SINGLE WEEK.

PEOPLE HAVE GONE AT LEAST FIVE, SIX WEEKS WITHOUT BENEFITS JUST BECAUSE OF THE 11-WEEK EXTENSION ISSUE AND THEN THEY'RE FACING ANOTHER UNIQUE ISSUE AND THEY'RE BEING TOLD BY A CALL CENTER AGENT THAT IT'S GOING TO BE ANOTHER SIX TO EIGHT WEEKS AND I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU BUT 11 WEEKS WITHOUT INCOME, IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT TO GO TO THE GROCERY STORE.

YOU'RE WATCHING YOUR RENT PAYMENTS STACK UP.

YOU'RE WATCHING ALL YOUR BILLS STACK UP.

AND IT'S GETTING REALLY HARD FOR PEOPLE AND THEY'RE JUST BECOMING REALLY DESPERATE, UNFORTUNATELY.

>> DO YOU GET THE SENSE THAT THEY'RE STARTING TO BLAME THE GOVERNOR FOR ALL OF THIS?

>> I THINK PEOPLE ARE BLAMING THE GOVERNOR AND THEY'RE ALSO BLAMING THE LABOR COMMISSIONER.

I THINK THAT PEOPLE DO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A DISCONNECT WITH WHAT THE STATE CAN DO AND WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO DO AND HOW MUCH PUSH AND PULL THE STATE HAS WITH SOMETHING LIKE REGULATIONS ON MAKING SURE NONE OF THESE ARE FRAUD CLAIMS, RIGHT?

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, PEOPLE ARE BLAMING THE GOVERNOR AND THE LABOR COMMISSIONER FOR THE LACK OF COMMUNICATION THAT THEY'RE RECEIVING.

YOU KNOW, THEY GO ON TO CERTIFY AND THEY JUST HAVE A POP-UP THAT SAYS, SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, KIND OF IN A JUMBLED UNEMPLOYMENT JARGON THAT'S HARD TO DECIPHER IF THIS IS YOUR FIRST TIME DOING THIS AND YOU'RE EXTREMELY STRESSED ABOUT WHERE THE NEXT MONEY IS GOING TO COME FROM TO GO TO THE GROCERY STORE.

SO, A LOT OF PEOPLE'S ANGER, I THINK, DO LAY WITH GOVERNOR MURPHY AND COMMISSIONER ANGELO.

>> JOHN, THERE WILL BE A BUDGET ADDRESS NEXT WEEK, RIGHT?

WILL IT BE VIRTUAL OR IN-PERSON?

>> SOUNDS LIKE THEY'RE GOING TO GO VIRTUAL.

WE'RE JUST LEARNING, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, SIMILAR TO HOW THE STATE OF THE STATE PLAYED OUT A MONTH AGO, WHICH WAS KIND OF AN ONLINE ADDRESS AND IT DOESN'T EVEN HAVE TO BE LIVE ADDRESS.

AND YOU KNOW, LOOKS LIKE IT IS GOING OFF AS PLANNED ON TUESDAY WHEREAS, YOU KNOW, MAYBE A FEW DAYS AGO, THERE WAS SOME TALK THAT THERE COULD BE A DELAY.

AGAIN, AS WE WAIT FOR THIS NEXT FEDERAL STIMULUS BILL, SOMETIMES WHEN WE'RE IN THESE SITUATIONS, THERE'S REASON TO PUT IT OFF.

BUT IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S GOING TO GO AHEAD AS PLANNED ON TUESDAY WITH A VIRTUAL ADDRESS FROM THE GOVERNOR.

>> SO YOU KNOW I RELY ON YOU TO MAKE SENSE OF ALL OF THIS FOR ME AND FOR OTHERS.

SO, WHAT'S THE BUDGET PICTURE LOOK LIKE?

WHAT ARE THE REVENUE PROJECTIONS, AND WHAT SHOULD NEW JERSEY RESIDENTS EXPECT?

>> YOU KNOW, WE'LL FIND OUT A WHOLE LOT MORE IN A COUPLE DAYS.

I CAN TALK ABOUT THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR THAT WE'RE IN AND YOU KNOW, THERE WERE SOME PRETTY DIRE PREDICTIONS MADE JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO ABOUT REVENUE LOSSES, MADE IN GOOD FAITH WHEN WE DIDN'T KNOW KIND OF WHERE WE WOULD BE WITH THIS PANDEMIC.

AND SINCE THEN, YOU KNOW, THINGS HAVE BEEN A LOT BRIGHTER THAN MAYBE WAS FIRST FORECAST, NOT GREAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S STILL SOME BIG REVENUE SOURCES THAT ARE NOT PERFORMING IN THE SAME WAY THAT THEY HAD IN PRIOR YEARS, BUT YOU KNOW, SOMETHING LIKE THE SALES TAX, ALL OF THE FEDERAL MONEY THAT'S COME INTO NEW JERSEY, WHETHER IT'S THOSE UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS OR PRIOR STIMULUS PAYMENTS, YOU KNOW, NEW JERSEY, YEAR OVER YEAR, IS GETTING MORE OUT OF THE SALES TAX THAN THIS TIME LAST YEAR IN THE FISCAL YEAR.

SO, THAT REALLY BODES WELL, BUT THE BIG QUESTION IS, IS THAT KIND OF THEN FALSELY PROPPED UP BY ALL OF THIS FEDERAL MONEY THAT'S COME INTO THE STATE AND CAN THAT BE CARRIED OVER AND RELIED ON AS WE LOOK OUT THIS NEW BUDGET IS GOING TO COVER A PERIOD THAT DOESN'T START UNTIL JULY 1 AND LOOKS ALL THE WAY OUT UNTIL JUNE 30 OF 2022.

SO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE CRUNCHING THE NUMBERS AND COMING UP WITH THE PROJECTIONS RIGHT NOW, IN SOME WAYS, THEY HAVE TO DISCERN WHETHER SOME OF THE THINGS WE'RE SEEING CURRENTLY, SOME OF THE REVENUE SOURCES THAT ARE DOING REALLY WELL, WHETHER THAT'S KIND OF FALSELY BEEN PROPPED UP AND THEN ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN, SOME OF THE REVENUES THAT HAVE NOT BEEN DOING WELL, LIKE THE INCOME TAX, WELL, USUALLY, WHEN WALL STREET DOES WELL, NEW JERSEY'S INCOME TAX DOES WELL, AND WALL STREET HAD A REALLY GOOD YEAR LAST YEAR, DESPITE THE PANDEMIC, AND SO, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD SEEM TO INDICATE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A STRONG BASE MOVING FORWARD WITH THE BIGGEST SOURCE OF REVENUE FOR THE BUDGET.

SO, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF MOVING PARTS, THINGS WORKING KIND OF IN DIFFERENT WAYS AND PUSHING AND PULLING THAT WE'LL KNOW A LOT MORE ABOUT IN JUST A FEW DAYS, AT LEAST IN TERMS OF WHERE THE GOVERNOR SEES THINGS GOING.

THEN THIS GOES TO THE LEGISLATURE FOR THE NEXT FEW MONTHS TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THEY THINK THINGS ARE GOING TO GO.

>> ALL RIGHT, SAM WINTER STORMS AND COVID VACCINE SHORTAGES, IT'S LIKE YOU COULDN'T FIND TWO MORE THINGS WORKING BETTER AGAINST AN EFFICIENT DISTRIBUTION OF VACCINATIONS.

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT WHAT THE IMPACT HAS BEEN OF THE SHORTAGES AND THE WINTER STORMS?

>> WELL, THE WINTER STORMS CERTAINLY HAVEN'T HELPED AT ALL.

AND THAT'S GOING BACK THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS.

AS YOU MAY KNOW, THE VACCINATION MEGA SITES WERE SHUT DOWN A COUPLE WEEKS AGO FOR TWO DAYS, I BELIEVE, BECAUSE OF THE REALLY BAD WINTER STORMS THAT WE WENT THROUGH, AND THEN YESTERDAY, THE GOVERNOR SAID THAT SOME OF THE VACCINE SUPPLIES THAT WE WERE SLATED TO GET THIS WEEK WERE GOING TO BE DELAYED AS WELL.

THAT'S OBVIOUSLY GOING TO HAVE A RIPPLE EFFECT THROUGH THE REST OF THE MARKETPLACE, FOLKS WHO ARE TRYING TO GET APPOINTMENTS CURRENTLY, FOLKS WHO HAD APPOINTMENTS SCHEDULED WHO PROBABLY MAY HAVE THOSE APPOINTMENTS RESCHEDULED.

IT'S A MESS IN THAT REGARD.

BUT I THINK THAT THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT, YOU KNOW, COMPARED TO A MONTH AGO, NEW JERSEY'S VACCINATING A LOT MORE PEOPLE EACH DAY THAN THEY WERE PREVIOUSLY.

AND IT'S LOOKING LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE FEDS ARE STARTING TO COUGH UP A LOT MORE DOSES TO KIND OF BREAK SOME OF THESE LOGJAMS.

>> LET'S END IT ON THAT HIGH NOTE.

THAT'S ROUNDTABLE FOR THIS WEEK.

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