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Gov. Murphy signs package of housing affordability bills, earlier this month

Builds on the Murphy Administration’s Historic Investments in Affordable Housing

 

TRENTON, N.J. – Gov. Phil Murphy signed a package of bills supporting housing affordability in New Jersey for the new Fiscal Year 2023-24 at the beginning of July.

The three-bill package advances the Murphy Administration’s efforts to prioritize housing investments and initiatives, making New Jersey a more affordable place to live, work, and raise a family.

“As we strive to make New Jersey more affordable for all, we must ensure we remove barriers that prevent people from becoming homeowners,” said Governor Murphy.

“Stable and affordable housing has the potential to be transformative in people’s lives as well as our communities. I am proud to sign legislation that will not only expand opportunities for first-time homebuyers and those seeking affordable housing, but will further advance our state as the best place in the nation to raise a family.”

The three bills signed today include:

  • A-5596/S-3991, which establishes the Urban Preservation Program within the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (NJHMFA). Supported by an $80 million investment of federal American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds in the FY2024 budget, the Program allows investments in rehabilitation and reconstruction projects dedicated to preserving affordable housing in urban areas.
  • A-5595/S-4026, which expands certain State programmatic interventions related to residential foreclosures. Supported by a $15 million investment of ARP funds in the FY2024 budget, this bill provides NJHMFA with a broader set of tools to intervene in foreclosures, keeping New Jerseyans in their homes and rehabilitating and reselling vacant homes.
  • A-5415/S-3780, codifies and expands NJHMFA’s immensely successful down payment assistance program, building on the Governor’s Wealth Disparity Task Force’s work to ensure meaningful benefits specifically for first-generation homebuyers . The bill also establishes Resilient Home Construction Pilot Program in DCA to provide funding for developers to rehabilitate existing homes and construct new affordable homes for sale.

 

“The three housing bills signed today provide breakthrough opportunities for citizens to establish roots and enrich communities in the great state of New Jersey. As the most densely populated state in the U.S., the need for quality, affordable housing for low, and moderate-income residents and opportunities for first-generation homebuyers is a priority. Stable housing provides a stable workforce for business expansion and economic vitality. With homeownership and affordable housing, comes thriving communities, strengthened family bonds, and stable homes for children,” said Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver, who also serves as Commissioner, Department of Community Affairs.

“This legislation, in conjunction with the fiscal year 2024 budget, meaningfully advances the Murphy-Oliver administration’s historic commitment to housing affordability in New Jersey. We thank our partners in the legislature for their tireless advocacy and are committed to utilizing these resources to produce, preserve, and provide access to homes that are affordable to all New Jersey residents,” said NJHMFA Executive Director Melanie R. Walter.

“Owning a home is a key component of the American Dream and critical to creating generational wealth,” said Senator Singleton, Chair of the Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee.

“But, for so many, saving enough for the necessary down payment has made homeownership unattainable and those that do manage to buy a home are often one catastrophe away from losing it. By providing financial assistance to first-time homebuyers and expanding access to foreclosure intervention, we can make homeownership more affordable, accessible and most importantly, sustainable.”

“In our approach to expanding access to affordable housing, we have to consider the current impact of the affordability crisis and lack of income growth for working families,” said Senator Brian Stack, nothing that the Urban Preservation Program “is an investment that will preserve and bolster the supply of affordable housing for low and moderate income families within our urban communities.”

“Housing is a human right,” said Assemblywoman Yvonne Lopez.

“Access to safe, affordable housing is life changing for struggling families. In too many households, the majority of a family’s monthly income goes towards housing costs, leaving little to cover bills, food, health care, and other essentials. By expanding existing programs and supporting the redevelopment of residential properties, we are putting affordable housing in reach for New Jerseyans.”

“New Jersey families should not have to live paycheck to paycheck struggling to make ends meet due to the overwhelming cost of housing. We need to fine viable solutions to New Jersey’s affordable housing shortages,” said Assemblyman Benjie Wimberly.

“Investing in programs that increase affordable housing options for New Jerseyans will help combat housing instability and reduce the number of residents at risk of homelessness.”

“Every family in New Jersey deserves the opportunity to purchase their dream home, and we can do more to help young people overcome barriers to homeownership that for too long have prevented them from putting down roots in our state,” said Assembly Majority Leader Louis D. Greenwald.

“Buying a home is a significant milestone in a person’s life. For many, it’s the first step to growing a family and building generational wealth. By providing down payment assistance to certain first-time homebuyers and establishing a Resilient Home Construction Pilot Program, we are making homes more affordable and accessible for New Jersey families.”

“Fair Share Housing Center commends Governor Murphy, Lieutenant Governor Oliver, and the sponsors of this critical legislation to address significant facets of our state’s housing crisis,” said Adam Gordon, Executive Director, Fair Share Housing Center.

“By maintaining and rehabilitating public and affordable housing in New Jersey’s cities, the Urban Preservation Program will help keep families in their homes and prevent displacement. And the First-Generation Homebuyer Down Payment Assistance Program will help close our state’s massive racial wealth gap by giving lower-income Black and Brown families, historically redlined out of opportunity, access to building generational wealth.”

 

“Access to quality, affordable homes is a serious concern in NJ and it’s going to take bold investments and policy interventions to get us on a path where we can HouseNJ, making our state a place everyone can afford to call home,” said Staci Berger, president and chief executive officer of the Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey.

 

“We thank the Murphy Administration and legislative leaders for prioritizing housing affordability, creating opportunities for lower-income residents, and helping New Jerseyans stay in their homes.”

 

About Us: The New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (NJHMFA) advances the quality of life for residents of and communities throughout New Jersey by investing in, financing, and facilitating access to affordable rental housing and homeownership opportunities for low and moderate-income families, older adults, and individuals with specialized housing needs. To learn more about NJHMFA, visit: https://NJHousing.gov/

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Art & Life Culture Education Lifestyle Perspectives Regulations & Security

‘The Price We Pay:’ Teenager’s story underscores systemic impact of racial prejudice

CHICAGO, Ill. — Author Nikki T. Anthony invites readers into the world and mind of a modern-day Black teenager in her new book, The Price We Pay — the title a nod to the widespread impact of racial prejudice in communities, businesses, schools, families and even churches.

 

The Price We Pay isn’t just a book. It’s a movement to get hard conversations started,” Anthony said. “When difficult conversations become productive, they improve relationships.”

 

The story centers on Zenetta Henchman, a teenage girl with a rebellious streak who is navigating strained relationships with her parents, difficult interactions with her teachers, and complicated feelings about her faith. In the backdrop is a community facing a growing racial divide due to unresolved and unaddressed past injustices.

 

All of this compounds to give Zenetta a “one life to live and a nothing else to lose” attitude. She speaks more than she listens and refuses to take orders quietly. But when she witnesses a fatal incident that rocks and divides her community, Zenetta falls silent, and she and those closest to her suffer the consequences of her inaction.

 

What follows are a string of deliberate attacks against Zenetta and the people she cares about, especially Tootsie, the free-spirited, colorful personality that paints a different picture of the world in Zenetta’s eyes. Tribal tensions flare, sparking an all-out explosion after Zenetta’s father, the only Black officer on the force, chooses the wrong side of the law when the community, but more importantly when Zenetta, needs him most. It’s not long after her father’s betrayal that Zenetta discovers there is always a price to be paid when those who could speak up choose to remain silent.

 

The Price We Pay weaves real-world issues surrounding racial prejudice with the emotional drama, trauma and tension that conflicts — and often torments — Zenetta, giving rise to a story that Anthony hopes will leave readers asking themselves what price they are willing to pay for silence … or for speaking up.

 

“When people can’t talk to one another, they talk about each other. That’s when misunderstandings grow as trust diminishes and suspicions increase,” Anthony added.

 

“We want to open the door to mature discussion by allowing people from all walks of life to use The Price We Pay as a starting point for healthy conversations around racial issues that can produce real change.”

 

Advance Praise for The Price We Pay
“The To Kill a Mockingbird of the 21st Century — but from a Black perspective.”
—    Ned Barnett, CEO of Barnett Marketing Communications

 

“I haven’t read a book that intertwined history, fact, and fiction so prolifically since BeBe Moore Campbell’s What You Owe Me, or a main character so young but beyond her years in enthralling experiences since Sister Souljah’s The Coldest Winter Ever.”
—     National Bestselling Author E. N. Joy

 

“This book not only told a personal story, but it also told a realistic one that we as African Americans are living through today.”
—     BETA Reviewer

 

About the Author
Nikki T. Anthony is a multi-faceted author and serial entrepreneur who transformed from corporate technical writer, to highly sought after ghostwriter, literary consultant and content developer. Her writings are best known for epic plot twists, enthralling language and richly detailed African American characters.

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Culture Economics Government Lifestyle Programs & Events Regulations & Security

National Integrated Group Plan averts insolvency and reduction of benefits through receipt of Special Financial Assistance

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) recently announced that it has approved the application submitted to the Special Financial Assistance (SFA) Program by the National Integrated Group Pension Plan (National Integrated Group Plan). The plan, based in Scranton, Pa., covers 48,254 participants in the manufacturing industry.

The National Integrated Group Plan will receive approximately $887.1 million in special financial assistance, including interest to the expected date of payment to the plan. The plan was projected to run out of money in 2034. Without the SFA Program, the National Integrated Group Plan would have been required to reduce participants’ benefits to the PBGC guarantee levels upon plan insolvency, which is roughly 15 percent below the benefits payable under the terms of the plan. SFA will enable the plan to continue to pay retirement benefits without reduction for many years into the future.

“These 48,254 manufacturing workers went to work with the promise of a pension when they retired. Today, the Biden-Harris Administration has fulfilled that promise,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employee Benefits Security Lisa M. Gomez.

“Under President Biden’s leadership, the National Integrated Group Plan received Special Financial Assistance to deliver the pensions that these manufacturing workers have earned.”

About the Special Financial Assistance Program

The SFA Program was enacted as part of the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act of 2021. The program provides funding to severely underfunded multi-employer pension plans and will ensure that millions of America’s workers, retirees, and their families receive the pension benefits they earned.

The SFA Program requires plans to demonstrate eligibility for SFA and to calculate the amount of assistance pursuant to ARP and PBGC’s regulations. SFA and earnings thereon must be segregated from other plan assets and may be used only to pay plan benefits and administrative expenses. Plans are not obligated to repay SFA to PBGC. Plans receiving SFA are also subject to certain terms, conditions and reporting requirements, including an annual statement documenting compliance with the terms and conditions. PBGC is authorized to conduct periodic audits of multi-employer plans that receive SFA.

As of June 29, 2023, PBGC has approved about $49.7 billion in SFA to plans that cover over 687,000 workers, retirees, and beneficiaries.

The SFA Program operates under a final rule, published in the Federal Register on July 8, 2022, which became effective Aug. 8, 2022, and was amended effective Jan. 26, 2023.

About PBGC

PBGC protects the retirement security of over 33 million American workers, retirees, and beneficiaries in both single-employer and multi-employer private sector pension plans. The agency’s two insurance programs are legally separate and operationally and financially independent. PBGC is directly responsible for the benefits of more than 1.5 million participants and beneficiaries in failed pension plans. The Single-Employer Program is financed by insurance premiums, investment income, and assets and recoveries from failed single-employer plans. The Multi-employer Program is financed by insurance premiums. Special financial assistance for financially troubled multi-employer plans is financed by general taxpayer monies.

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Governor Murphy recently signs Fiscal Year 2024 budget into law

Budget Provides Historic Levels of Property Tax Relief, Another Record Investment in School Funding

Increases Investments in Affordable Housing, Higher Education, and Economic Growth

Continues Path of Fiscal Responsibility with Another Full Pension Payment of $7.1 Billion and Surplus of over $8 Billion

TRENTON, N.J. – Governor Phil Murphy signed the Fiscal Year 2024 Appropriations Act into Law June 30, building on the historic progress made over the last five years with new investments centered around increasing affordability, promoting fiscal responsibility, and creating world-class opportunities for everyone to succeed.

The budget approved by the Legislature earlier in the day provides record levels of direct property tax relief with additional aid for seniors and renters while once again providing the highest level of school funding in history; making a third consecutive full pension payment; and supporting significant investments in the economy, workforce development, and affordable housing.

The Governor signed the budget in the rotunda of the newly renovated New Jersey State House where he was joined by Senate President Nicholas Scutari, Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, Senate Majority Leader M. Teresa Ruiz, Assembly Majority Leader Louis D. Greenwald, Senate Budget Chair Paul Sarlo, Assembly Budget Chair Eliana Pintor Marin, and State Treasurer Elizabeth Maher Muoio.

“When I first proposed this budget, I said it was a budget designed with a singular purpose – to continue building an economy where every family can afford to make their American Dream come true. Today we are delivering on that promise,” said Governor Murphy.

“Over the last two years we have committed over $6 billion in direct property tax relief, tackling one of the single greatest and longest standing affordability challenges our state faces. This budget will also lower prescription-drug costs for seniors, help hardworking families by expanding free pre-K for kids, create good-paying jobs and fight climate change by building a green economy, expand mental health services for our kids, build and preserve affordable housing so everyone has a place they can call home, help first-generation homebuyers achieve the safety and security of owning a home, and so much more. We are accomplishing all of this in a fiscally responsible way. This budget continues to fully deliver on our commitments to our pension payments and school funding, while also maintaining a healthy surplus.”

“The budget signed into law today will help make New Jersey more affordable for hardworking residents and families by boosting tax relief and investing in affordable housing, social services, and education,” said Lt. Governor Sheila Y. Oliver, who serves as Commissioner of the Department of Community Affairs.

“This budget demonstrates that we remain steadfast in our commitment to providing New Jerseyans of all walks of life the opportunity and resources to thrive.”

“This is a great budget for the people of New Jersey. It will help make their lives more affordable with an historic amount of property tax relief, including increased rebates, an expansion of Senior Freeze and a down payment on StayNJ, which will provide additional tax relief for senior citizens,” said Senate President Nicholas Scutari.

“We are also distributing $150 million in energy tax receipts to municipalities to further hold down property taxes. This is a fiscally-responsible spending plan that includes a record level of school funding, a full pension payment and a surplus of more than $10 billion. This budget will help improve the lives and livelihoods of New Jersey’s residents in meaningful ways.”

“This budget ensures our state will be more affordable for everyone,” said Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin.

“It also meets our obligations with yet another full pension payment, increases in school aid, support for our most vulnerable neighbors, and a healthy surplus for any future economic uncertainty. I am especially proud of what we’ve done for New Jersey seniors, with the StayNJ program set to deliver historic property tax relief. I proposed StayNJ because seniors deserve the dignity of remaining in their homes, enjoying their later years near their families. Thanks to Governor Murphy, Senate President Scutari, and all our partners in the legislature for their work on this. We have demonstrated that we can do big, bold things for New Jersey while being fiscally responsible.”

“The budget signed today represents the culmination of months of long meetings and thoughtful deliberations and includes significant investments in our communities, our families and our future,” said Senate Majority Leader M. Teresa Ruiz.

“We are doubling the child tax credit, continuing on the pathway towards universal Pre-K and once again increasing school funding. We are continuing to fund the postpartum home visitation program and lifesaving mental health initiatives. This budget represents our continued effort to make New Jersey more affordable for all of our residents while making lasting investments in our children and the institutions and programs which will nourish their growth and success.”

“The FY24 State Budget reflects our shared priorities, spending on programs that will make a difference in the lives of New Jersey residents while maintaining a healthy surplus,” said Assembly Majority Leader Louis D. Greenwald.

“New Jersey residents will benefit from new and expanded property tax relief programs and an expanded child tax credit. We are funding programs to support education, affordable housing and healthcare, which will have a meaningful impact.”

“This is a responsive and responsible budget that meets the economic challenges of our time,” said Senate Budget Committee Chairman Paul Sarlo.

“It will provide significant tax relief, install economic safeguards and help fuel economic growth. It addresses our top priority of making the lives of New Jersey’s residents more affordable. It includes a full pension payment, a record amount of school aid, a robust surplus to protect against economic uncertainty and a debt defeasance fund to drive down debt. We need to continue to be fiscally responsible with the use of our resources at the same time we expand economic opportunities that build a better future for New Jersey and our residents.”

“This budget highlights the priorities of a New Jersey that values its residents, promotes inclusivity, and invests in our future,” said Assembly Budget Committee Chairwoman Eliana Pintor Marin.

“Together, we are ensuring that hardworking families receive the retirement security they deserve, access to safe and affordable homes, relief from property taxes, and quality education that empowers our children to thrive.”

“I would like to thank my staff at the Department of the Treasury, particularly the hardworking folks at the Office of Management and Budget and the Office of Revenue and Economic Analysis for their tireless dedication and professionalism. The budget signed by the governor today continues our commitment to making the state a more affordable place to live, work, raise a family, and retire,” said State Treasurer Elizabeth Maher Muoio.

“With unprecedented tax relief for our seniors and middle-class families, a third full pension payment in as many years, record funding of our best-in-the-nation schools and a budget surplus of approximately 15 percent, this budget maintains sound fiscal management that helps prepare for the Next New Jersey.”

The $54.5 billion budget for Fiscal Year (FY2024) includes a historic surplus of $8.3 billion, which is more than 15 percent of budgeted appropriations, dwarfing the surplus inherited five years ago.

Increasing Affordability

With the FY2024 budget, a total of 20 tax cuts for working and middle-class families and seniors have been enacted under the Murphy Administration, including more than $2 billion in direct property tax relief for the second year of the ANCHOR property tax relief program. As the State begins to phase-in the newly enacted StayNJ property tax relief program championed by Assembly Speaker Coughlin, ANCHOR will provide a $250 boost in relief for senior homeowners and renters this year. Eligible senior tenants will now see their relief boosted by more than 55 percent to $700 in the coming year and homeowners will receive $1,250 or $1,750, depending on their income.

 

The StayNJ senior property tax credit affordability program expands income limits and modifies ownership requirements with the aim of cutting property taxes in half for many eligible New Jersey seniors by providing a direct credit of up to $6,500 on property tax bills when fully implemented.

 

Additional relief for seniors was also enacted alongside the budget, which will expand eligibility for the Senior Freeze property tax relief program next year for those with incomes up to $150,000, up from roughly $100,000. To further help boost affordability for seniors, the budget and legislation signed alongside it (S3/A3), sponsored by Senator Joseph Vitale and Assemblyman Chris Tully, also increases eligibility for the State’s senior prescription drug and hearing aid programs to help make New Jersey more affordable for individuals of all ages.

 

In addition to raising the income eligibility limits for the Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled Program (PAAD) to benefit more seniors, the new law includes a number of directives to encourage enrollment in both PAAD and the Senior Gold Prescription Program, including establishing a grant program in the Department of Human Services to support the hiring and training of Senior Save Navigators to assist residents in applying for programs such as PAAD and Senior Gold.

 

For working- and middle-class families, the budget delivers significant relief by including the Governor’s proposal to double the Child Tax Credit that was enacted last year. The program will now provide up to $1,000 per child under age six for families earning under $30,000.

 

For the second year in a row, the budget includes a back-to-school sales tax holiday and waives the fee for entrance into all State parks for another year, including Island Beach State Park. To help boost the ranks of teachers in New Jersey the budget also waives the fee for teacher certification, as proposed by the Governor this year.

 

For the sixth straight year, the Governor has also promised no fare increases for NJ TRANSIT commuters.

 

Additionally, the budget continues to increase indirect property tax relief by providing $150 million in Energy Tax Receipts-related payments to extend the Municipal Relief Fund for an additional year, doubling last year’s funding, which is designed to offset the burden on local property taxpayers by providing additional aid to municipalities.

Expanding Educational Opportunity

The budget also supports the Governor’s commitment to supporting New Jersey’s best-in-the-nation public education system by providing another record total of $11 billion in direct K-12 aid for public schools, including an increase of $832 million, as well as $103 million in supplemental stabilization aid enacted in April for school districts adjusting to changes in aid based on enrollment. With this latest budget, the State has now increased overall K-12 support to New Jersey’s public schools by more than $2.6 billion over six years, a more than 30 percent increase, all of which helps offset local property taxes.

Advancing the Governor’s goal of universal pre-K, the budget includes an additional $116 million for pre-school education aid, $40 million of which will go towards expanding programs in new districts as well as other critical needs for further expansion.

Additionally, the Governor is working to shore up the ranks of teachers, budgeting over $20 million in new investments and other supports to help ensure New Jersey has the trained and dedicated workforce to provide a top-quality education for public school students years into the future. This includes $10 million for student teacher stipends to help future educators meet the costs of living while working and studying for their credentials, $5 million to waive teacher certification fees, $2 million for Culture and Climate Innovation Grants to help improve educator quality of life, $1 million for the Teachers Loan Redemption Program, $1 million to develop local partnerships for para-professional training, $800,000 for a teacher apprenticeship program, and $500,000 to expand the Teacher Leader Network. The proposed budget also maintains funding for Men of Color Hope Achievers (MOCHA) and the Minority Teacher Development Programs to support a diverse educator workforce.

To accelerate learning outcomes, the State will also dedicate nearly $55 million this year in federal funds for learning acceleration and other recovery programs, as proposed by the Governor.

The budget also strengthens the Governor’s “College Promise” programs by increasing the eligibility threshold for both the Community College Opportunity Grant and the Garden State Guarantee so that students with family incomes up to $100,000 can benefit. Additionally, the budget increases the value of Tuition Aid Grants for over 20,000 students and expands the Some College, No Degree program, so that former students with some credit receive the support they need to complete school.

The budget also provides over $150 million in the Outcomes-Based Allocation this year for State colleges and universities, compared to $55 million in FY2023, to help keep tuition affordable and support the next generation of New Jersey’s educated workforce. Additionally, it includes $70 million to help cover fringe benefit costs at public research universities, an additional $20 million for community colleges, and an additional $5 million for independent colleges and universities.

Increasing Affordability

With the FY2024 budget, a total of 20 tax cuts for working and middle-class families and seniors have been enacted under the Murphy Administration, including more than $2 billion in direct property tax relief for the second year of the ANCHOR property tax relief program. As the State begins to phase-in the newly enacted StayNJ property tax relief program championed by Assembly Speaker Coughlin, ANCHOR will provide a $250 boost in relief for senior homeowners and renters this year. Eligible senior tenants will now see their relief boosted by more than 55 percent to $700 in the coming year and homeowners will receive $1,250 or $1,750, depending on their income.

 

The StayNJ senior property tax credit affordability program expands income limits and modifies ownership requirements with the aim of cutting property taxes in half for many eligible New Jersey seniors by providing a direct credit of up to $6,500 on property tax bills when fully implemented.

 

Additional relief for seniors was also enacted alongside the budget, which will expand eligibility for the Senior Freeze property tax relief program next year for those with incomes up to $150,000, up from roughly $100,000. To further help boost affordability for seniors, the budget and legislation signed alongside it (S3/A3), sponsored by Senator Joseph Vitale and Assemblyman Chris Tully, also increases eligibility for the State’s senior prescription drug and hearing aid programs to help make New Jersey more affordable for individuals of all ages.

 

In addition to raising the income eligibility limits for the Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled Program (PAAD) to benefit more seniors, the new law includes a number of directives to encourage enrollment in both PAAD and the Senior Gold Prescription Program, including establishing a grant program in the Department of Human Services to support the hiring and training of Senior Save Navigators to assist residents in applying for programs such as PAAD and Senior Gold.

 

For working- and middle-class families, the budget delivers significant relief by including the Governor’s proposal to double the Child Tax Credit that was enacted last year. The program will now provide up to $1,000 per child under age six for families earning under $30,000.

 

For the second year in a row, the budget includes a back-to-school sales tax holiday and waives the fee for entrance into all State parks for another year, including Island Beach State Park. To help boost the ranks of teachers in New Jersey the budget also waives the fee for teacher certification, as proposed by the Governor this year.

 

For the sixth straight year, the Governor has also promised no fare increases for NJ TRANSIT commuters.

 

Additionally, the budget continues to increase indirect property tax relief by providing $150 million in Energy Tax Receipts-related payments to extend the Municipal Relief Fund for an additional year, doubling last year’s funding, which is designed to offset the burden on local property taxpayers by providing additional aid to municipalities.

Expanding Educational Opportunity

The budget also supports the Governor’s commitment to supporting New Jersey’s best-in-the-nation public education system by providing another record total of $11 billion in direct K-12 aid for public schools, including an increase of $832 million, as well as $103 million in supplemental stabilization aid enacted in April for school districts adjusting to changes in aid based on enrollment. With this latest budget, the State has now increased overall K-12 support to New Jersey’s public schools by more than $2.6 billion over six years, a more than 30 percent increase, all of which helps offset local property taxes.

Advancing the Governor’s goal of universal pre-K, the budget includes an additional $116 million for pre-school education aid, $40 million of which will go towards expanding programs in new districts as well as other critical needs for further expansion.

Additionally, the Governor is working to shore up the ranks of teachers, budgeting over $20 million in new investments and other supports to help ensure New Jersey has the trained and dedicated workforce to provide a top-quality education for public school students years into the future. This includes $10 million for student teacher stipends to help future educators meet the costs of living while working and studying for their credentials, $5 million to waive teacher certification fees, $2 million for Culture and Climate Innovation Grants to help improve educator quality of life, $1 million for the Teachers Loan Redemption Program, $1 million to develop local partnerships for para-professional training, $800,000 for a teacher apprenticeship program, and $500,000 to expand the Teacher Leader Network. The proposed budget also maintains funding for Men of Color Hope Achievers (MOCHA) and the Minority Teacher Development Programs to support a diverse educator workforce.

To accelerate learning outcomes, the State will also dedicate nearly $55 million this year in federal funds for learning acceleration and other recovery programs, as proposed by the Governor.

The budget also strengthens the Governor’s “College Promise” programs by increasing the eligibility threshold for both the Community College Opportunity Grant and the Garden State Guarantee so that students with family incomes up to $100,000 can benefit. Additionally, the budget increases the value of Tuition Aid Grants for over 20,000 students and expands the Some College, No Degree program, so that former students with some credit receive the support they need to complete school.

The budget also provides over $150 million in the Outcomes-Based Allocation this year for State colleges and universities, compared to $55 million in FY2023, to help keep tuition affordable and support the next generation of New Jersey’s educated workforce. Additionally, it includes $70 million to help cover fringe benefit costs at public research universities, an additional $20 million for community colleges, and an additional $5 million for independent colleges and universities.

Promoting Fiscal Responsibility

In addition to a record projected ending surplus of $8.3 billion – 20 times larger than the surplus the Murphy Administration inherited – the FY2024 budget also makes good on the Administration’s commitment to public sector employees by including the third consecutive full pension payment. The $7.1 billion payment, which includes contributions from the State Lottery, brings the total contribution to the pension fund under the Murphy Administration to $32.6 billion, nearly triple the $12.2 billion paid under the previous six administrations combined. The FY2024 payment will mark the first time in a quarter of a century that the State has contributed 100 percent of the Actuarially Determined Contribution three years in a row.

The budget also puts additional money in the Debt Defeasance and Prevention Fund, bringing the current available balance to $2 billion to support important State infrastructure projects and avoid incurring new debt in the future. The FY2024 deposit brings the total allocation to the fund to $9.25 billion over the last two years, which has been used to retire existing debt while setting aside money to pay for upcoming projects that might otherwise be bonded. Over a two-year period, $3.5 billion from the fund has already been used to defease $4.7 billion in State debt service through FY2042, saving the State’s taxpayers $1.2 billion.

The continued commitment by the Governor and the Legislature to bolster the pension system, reduce debt, and build up the State’s surplus has saved taxpayers money and garnered a total of seven credit rating upgrades from the four major rating agencies over the last 16 months.

The budget also includes substantial funding to continue upgrading the State’s service-based infrastructure to ensure a more efficient delivery of essential services to taxpayers, including more than $40 million to continue improving the unemployment insurance system, digitizing more services at the Motor Vehicle Commission, and expanding the Division of Taxation’s property tax relief call center.

Expanding Opportunity and Promoting Economic Growth

The budget also places a concerted focus on expanding opportunities for every New Jerseyan in tandem with supporting economic growth, a hallmark of Governor Murphy’s time in office.

An $80 million allocation of federal American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds will be used to create an Urban Investment Fund and Atlantic City Economic Foundations Fund to work alongside current and proposed business incentive programs. The funds will aid in the revitalization of urban areas and catalyze new economic and community activity where shifting patterns of work and commuting since the pandemic have reduced foot traffic and created ongoing challenges to community vitality.

Grants from the fund would be flexible and responsive to the needs of cities and could include funding to reimagine the use of now-underutilized office space, support capital construction projects that renovate or restore vacant buildings, or build new destinations and spaces for urban communities. As proposed by the Governor in February, the budget also includes a specific set-aside for Atlantic City to improve public safety, rebuild distressed housing, and diversify economic development in the city.

The FY2024 budget also allocates $50 million in continued support for the Main Street Recovery Program, which funds multiple financial assistance products aimed at supporting the growth and success of small businesses in New Jersey.

The budget continues to expand job opportunities for New Jerseyans, increasing the allocation for the Workforce Development Partnership Fund (WDPF) by $5 million, to $27.5 million, to invest in apprenticeships, pre-apprenticeships, on-the-job training, and other programs that develop skills while bringing more women and minorities into job training opportunities. The State has invested a total of $50 million through grant programs since the Governor took office to create and develop work-based learning, pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs across the state.

The budget also includes significant investments to grow New Jersey’s green economy and combat climate change, including $12 million more for the Clean Energy Program, which previously went to NJ TRANSIT, a $40 million Green Fund to leverage both private capital and federal funds, $20 million for the Resilience and Stormwater Planning and Infrastructure program, and an additional $10 million to support the continued installation of EV charging infrastructure throughout the State.

Additionally, the budget agreement includes $20 million to support the creation of a Social Impact Investment Fund, an innovative new financing tool to provide below-market loans for socially conscious projects in distressed municipalities.

The budget agreement also includes the $100 million Boardwalk Fund Governor Murphy initially proposed in February, which will support repairs and renovations to boardwalks up and down the Jersey shore that support the State’s tourism industry and provide a crucial economic engine.

The budget also includes an additional $20 million for continued development of the ambitious, new, nine-mile Greenway that will convert a former rail line into a new State park connecting eight Essex and Hudson County communities.

The budget agreement not only reduces NJ TRANSIT’s capital-to-operating transfer to its lowest level in 21 years, it also includes $137 million in new funding from the Debt Defeasance and Prevention Fund to match federal funding earmarked for transportation-related capital investments. Additionally, the budget will expand the Department of Transportation’s innovative Simple Fix Safety program.

The FY2024 budget also funds substantial investments to improve public health and social outcomes and reduce long-standing disparities.

To that end, the budget includes nearly $300 million for a host of housing affordability initiatives, including over $100 million in federal ARP funds to build upon last year’s $300 million landmark creation of the Affordable Housing Production Fund. A new Urban Preservation Fund will provide $80 million to maintain affordability of existing units in New Jersey cities, and additional funds will be used to develop new workforce housing units to improve affordability in transit-served areas, enhance urban vitality, and launch a Resilient Homes Construction Pilot program to expand building stock and affordable homeownership across the state. All told, the Murphy Administration will have committed over $1.3 billion in federal ARP funds to housing programs over the last three fiscal years.

Drawing on the work of the Wealth Disparity Task Force, the budget also includes an additional $15 million to enhance the existing Down Payment Assistance Program to provide game-changing assistance for first-generation homebuyers and help families who have been excluded from homeownership for generations.

The budget also includes over $300 million more than last year in ARP and State funding to support hospital capital investments to bolster New Jersey’s public health infrastructure. This includes $30 million to create the City of Newark Access to Health Care Partnership, and $60 million in additional funding for University Hospital to expand and improve its emergency and maternity departments.

Additionally, the budget includes $86 million that was initially proposed by the Governor in February to support a one-time program through the Department of Human Services to subsidize training and recruitment for mental health, substance use, and developmental disabilities service providers to help address what has become a national crisis.

As part of Governor Murphy’s national leadership on youth mental health, the budget also includes $43 million to launch the New Jersey Statewide Student Support Services (NJ4S) network, which will deliver wellness and prevention supports from regional hubs. An additional $40 million will support providers across multiple divisions in the Department of Children and Families, including the Children’s System of Care.

The budget also continues to invest in improving maternal and infant health and mortality rates throughout New Jersey. As part of First Lady Tammy Murphy’s Nurture NJ initiative, the proposed budget includes new funds for a maternal health data center and to train community health workers and doulas. Additionally, $15.6 million in State funding will support the continued expansion of the landmark, statewide Universal Newborn Home Nurse Visitation Program, putting New Jersey further along the path to being one of the first states in the nation to provide this critical care for all mothers and newborns within the first two weeks of birth.

The budget also continues to provide crucial investments to make health care more affordable and accessible for every New Jerseyan, leveraging State and federal funding through the Get Covered New Jersey exchange, while also supporting Cover All Kids and funding a $10 million pilot program to eliminate personal medical debt.

To address the disparate, long-term impact that many justice system fees and fines can have on people of limited means, the budget includes Governor Murphy’s proposal to eliminate public defender fees, which are currently assessed on indigent clients regardless of whether they are ultimately found guilty. Additionally, the budget provides funding for the Parole Revocation Defense Unit and to increase the rates paid to attorneys assisting the Office of the Public Defender to help ensure that residents of limited means have access to an effective legal defense.

The budget also includes the Governor’s proposal to provide over $8 million in increased State funds to support the first-in-the-nation statewide expansion of the ARRIVE Together program, which stands for Alternative Responses to Reduce Instances of Violence and Escalation and pairs police officers and State Troopers with mental health professionals when responding to a person who is experiencing a mental health crisis.

To ensure that the State’s first responders and law enforcement professionals receive the training and equipment necessary to protect and serve New Jersey’s nine million residents, the budget funds the Governor’s proposed doubling of the successful Firefighters Grant Program, bringing the total to $20 million. The budget also makes significant investments to strengthen the ranks of the New Jersey State Police, allocating $120 million to begin building a new training center for the next generation of New Jersey State Police and including an additional $5 million for the 166th State Trooper recruit class.

An additional one-page policy summary on the central commitments of the FY2024 budget can be found online here.

In addition to the Appropriations Act, Governor Murphy also signed the following bills into law today:

A-1/S-1 (Coughlin, Greenwald, Freiman, Swain, Moriarty, Wimberly, Lopez, Tully/Scutari, Gopal, Lagana) – Establishes Stay NJ senior property tax credit affordability program; expands income limit and modifies ownership requirement for eligibility to receive homestead property tax reimbursement; appropriates not more than $300 million

S-3980/A-5673 (Sarlo/Freiman) – Credits $400 million to “New Jersey Debt Defeasance and Prevention Fund”; appropriates $371 million to DOC, DLPS, South Jersey Port Corporation, and DOT; establishes process for authorizing future appropriations for debt defeasance and capital projects

A-5668/S-3978 (Pintor Marin/Sarlo) – Makes FY 2023 supplemental appropriations of $158,525,000 and modifies certain language provisions

A-5590/S-3941 (Lampitt, Carter, Jasey/Gopal) – Waives certain certification and credentialing fees for teachers for one year

S-3940/A-5672 (Ruiz, Singleton/Reynolds-Jackson, Speight, Spearman) – Increases child tax credit under gross income tax

A-3/S-3 (Tully, Moriarty, McKnight, Freiman, Quijano, Mukherji, Swain, Carter/Vitale, Lagana, Zwicker) – Revises income eligibility criteria for, and provides for promotion of, PAAD and Senior Gold Prescription Discount Program; establishes “Senior Save Navigator Grant Program” to assist applicants with NJ Save applications.

A-590/S-405 (Spearman, McKnight, Haider/Johnson, Singer) – Codifies, and increases under certain circumstances, current minimum Medicaid per diem reimbursement rates for assisted living residences, comprehensive personal care homes, and assisted living programs; makes appropriation

A-5082/S-3587 (Greenwald, Mukherji, McKnight/Lagana, Gopal) – Establishes Medicaid per diem rate for pediatric medical day care services delivered by provider offering on-site services; appropriates $3.6 million to DHS

A-5173/S-2362 (McKnight, Speight, Tully/Beach, Madden) – Requires hourly reimbursement rate for home health aide services provided through Statewide Respite Care Program and Jersey Assistance for Community Caregiving Program to be no less than Medicaid fee-for-service rate for personal care services; makes appropriation

A-4674/S-3278 (Moriarty, Danielsen, McKnight/Stanfield, Bucco) – Concerns eligibility for senior freeze reimbursement if eligible claimant exceeds income limit

S-2857/A-4167 (Gopal, Ruiz/Benson, Sumter, Verrelli) – Establishes “Sustainable New Jersey Fund” in DEP to support certain sustainability initiatives; appropriates $1 million

A-5209/S-3615 (Freiman/Sarlo, Zwicker) – Establishes Agritourism Fund; requires annual appropriation of $2.5 million from General Fund; appropriates $2.5 million

S-4052/A-5654 (Smith/Freiman, Reynolds-Jackson, Quijano) – Appropriates $9,184,427 to DEP from constitutionally dedicated CBT revenues for grants to certain nonprofit entities to acquire or develop lands for recreation and conservation purposes, and for certain administrative expenses.

S-4018/A-5584 (Johnson, Turner/Jimenez, Freiman, Moriarty) – Revises New Jersey False Claims Act to comply with federal law for purposes of entitling State to enhanced recovery in Medicaid fraud cases

A-2190/S-3075 (Caputo, Chaparro, Greenwald/Beach, Polistina) – Extends authorization for Internet gaming law to 2028

A-5606/S-3953 (Haider, Moen/Sarlo) – Appropriates unexpended funds from “1999 Statewide Transportation and Local Bridge Fund”

Revenue Certification

S-2024/A-5669 (Sarlo/Pintor Marin) – LINE ITEM VETO – Appropriates $54,357,547,000 in State funds and $26,144,171,463 in federal funds for the State budget for fiscal year 2023-2024.

Line Item Veto Statement

Line Item Veto Message

The Governor also conditionally vetoed the following bills earlier today and signed them later in the day upon concurrence by the Legislature:

A-4701/S-3144 (Pintor Marin, Speight, Schaer/Gopal, Ruiz, Singer) – Supplemental appropriation of $3.6 million to DHS to increase adult medical day care Medicaid per diem rate from $86.10 to $89.54

Conditional Veto Message

S-4053/A-5655 (Greenstein, Turner/Sumter, Tully) – Appropriates $87,783,515 from constitutionally dedicated CBT revenues and various Green Acres funds to DEP for local government open space acquisition and park development projects, and for certain administrative expenses.

Conditional Veto Message

About Us: The New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (NJHMFA) advances the quality of life for residents of and communities throughout New Jersey by investing in, financing, and facilitating access to affordable rental housing and homeownership opportunities for low and moderate-income families, older adults, and individuals with specialized housing needs. To learn more about NJHMFA, visit: https://NJHousing.gov/

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Energy Government International & World Regulations & Security Science Technology

EMP expert shares message of hope, advises about impact of strikes and attacks

For nearly two decades, William R. Forstchen, Ph.D., a military historian and renowned expert on nuclear energy (electromagnetic pulse) EMP strikes, has been spreading the word about the importance of updating America’s aging power grid to not only protect our population in the event of an EMP attack, but to also make our opponents think twice about launching one in the first place. Dr. Forstchen is also a New York Times bestselling author who has written extensively about EMP weapons.

 

EMP expert shares message of hope, and says working together as a community is key

 

BLACK MOUNTAIN, N.C. — Military historian William R. Forstchen, Ph.D., considers himself an optimist by nature, even though he has written extensively about the catastrophic impact of an EMP strike and has spent nearly two decades urging national and local governments to heed his warnings.

 

“In the first hours, people will be relatively civil to each other … but at what point does that start changing?” he said in a recent interview. “Within about 24 hours, it’s going to start to get squirrely, and the big factor right at the start is water.”

 

Widely considered one of the foremost experts on EMP attacks, Forstchen is the New York Times bestselling author of the One Second After series, a fictional exploration rooted in the cold, solid facts of how an EMP strike above U.S. soil would impact society. There are now four books in the series, which should give people hope that survival is possible, with the right measures and mindset in place.

 

“The component of my [first] book that was so important … is the realization that the only way we’re going to get through this as a community is by working together as a community, helping those who need help … and then planning realistically for how we’re going to get through the next six months, the next year, and still have food on hand, water supply, medication, etc.,” Forstchen added.

 

The latest book in the series, Five Years After, follows protagonist John Matherson as he contends with new threats to the fragile civilization that he helped rebuild.

 

In Five Years After, the Republic of New America has all but collapsed into regional powers, and the world at large is struggling to remain stable as regional conflicts ravage the post-EMP landscape. After several years attempting to lead a quiet life, John receives word that the President is terminal with cancer, and John is asked to take over the reins of government.

 

Pulled back into the fray, John struggles to hold the tottering Republic together. Facing threats on multiple fronts, he races against time to stop another EMP attack on the former United States and China, putting years of progress at risk. With so much of his work under threat, John must find the strength within to start over, so that he can save the country and the people that he holds dear from even greater calamity.

 

Forstchen’s depiction of a post-EMP society throughout his One Second After series is rooted in years of extensive research, and he has long been advocating for greater awareness and preparation against an EMP strike, which he considers a very real threat. His goal is not to alarm, but to prompt proactive measures to protect the American public.

 

“We’ve got to live our lives; we’ve got to enjoy ourselves … don’t make this the obsession,” Forstchen said of the topic of EMPs. “But it should be out there. You should be thinking about this and doing some basic planning.”

 

About the Author

William R. Forstchen is a New York Times bestselling author and a Professor of History at Montreat College, in Montreat, North Carolina. He holds a doctoral degree from Purdue University with a specialization in military history and technology. He is the author of more than 50 books, including the One Second After series that details the realistic effects of an EMP strike.

 

He is a noted expert historian and public speaker and has been interviewed on FOX News, C-SPAN and many others on topics ranging from history to technology and cultural issues, to space technology development, to security threats.

 

For more information about the One Second After series, please visit https://www.onesecondafter.com/.

Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Five-Years-After-Matherson-Novel/dp/1250854563/

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Art & Life Business Culture Environment Lifestyle Regulations & Security

From natural hair to biological sex, July 1 brings new employment laws to your workplace

CHICAGO — When it comes to employment laws, human resource experts know that July is the new January. This is because many employment rules and regulations often go into effect on July 1.

 

The same is true for this year. Rob Wilson, human resources expert and President of Employco USA, can speak to the new regulations that has hit many states in July, including:

 

  • Reproductive Health: “Nevada is going to require all employers that offer health insurance plans to only offer plans that cover contraception,” says Wilson. “If you are a Nevada-based company and your health insurance for your employees doesn’t cover contraceptive services, you have to change this or risk penalty.”

 

  • Biological Sex: “Starting on July 1, Kansas SB 180 goes into effect,” says Wilson. “This bill states that for the purposes of any state laws and regulations, biological sex is defined as the sex which was observed at a person’s birth. This will have an impact on everything from an employee’s identification documents to sex-segregated spaces in the workplace.”   
  • Artificial Intelligence: “Employers in New York have until July 5 to use an independent auditing service to test their A.I. tools for any potential bias or discrimination that may exist,” says Wilson. “They want proof from employers that their A.I. is not racist.”  
  • Anti-Semitism: “Starting July 31, Arkansas has given employers a newly updated definition of antisemitism that is to be used when determining whether or not antisemitism occurred in the workplace,” says Wilson.  
  • Workplace Violence: “In Utah, employers will now have the right to get a workplace violence protection order against any ex-employee who demonstrated violent or abusive behavior on the job,” says Wilson.

 

Also, upcoming:  

 

  • Natural Hair: “The CROWN Act goes into effect on August 1,” says Wilson. “Under this act, it is illegal for an employer to discriminate against an employee or potential employee because of their natural hair. This means that dreadlocks, twist, locs, and other natural hairstyles will be protected in the workplace.”
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Art & Life Culture Education Lifestyle Programs & Events Regulations & Security

Don’t be an easy target: ‘Armed & Female II’ empowers women to protect themselves

NEW YORK CITY — Self-defense and firearms expert Paxton Quigley paved the way for the women’s gun movement decades ago and continues to advocate for responsible gun ownership, particularly in light of today’s shifting social landscape.

 

Every month, 70 women on average are shot and killed by an intimate partner, according to the latest figures from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

 

“If you find yourself in a potentially violent situation,” Quigley said, “you should understand that in almost every case you will be the only person you can truly depend on to protect yourself. You cannot count on the police, unless they happen to be nearby, and bystanders most likely won’t be able to help you.

 

“There are more women living alone and more single mothers than ever, and more women are realizing that they have to learn to take responsibility for their own safety, as well as that of their loved ones,” Quigley said.

 

“And in a country with more guns than people, owning a firearm for self-defense has become a necessity for many women.”

 

But with the right to own a gun comes extraordinary responsibility and accountability, and Quigley wants to help new and existing gun owners realize their potentially lethal as well as non-lethal options.

 

Quigley’s latest book, Armed & Female II: Never an Easy Target (available in paperback and Kindle versions from Amazon.com), aims to help guide readers through the process of making the initial decision to purchase a firearm, choosing the right one, finding the right path for learning how to shoot and care for the gun, and most important, keeping children safe in a home from firearms.

 

Federal background checks for gun purchases hit an all-time high of 21 million in 2020 (according to the National Shooting Sports Foundation). Nearly half (48%) of the new, first-time gun buyers were women, and of these female buyers, 21% were Black (according to the 2021 National Firearms Survey), none of which surprises Quigley.

 

“The pandemic caused many changes in American society, not the least of which was making people, especially women, feel vulnerable,” she said.

 

“The increase in women choosing to arm themselves, especially those who have suffered intimate partner violence or race related threats, has resulted in more choices and diversity in shooting clubs and firearms instruction. There are liberal gun clubs, gay gun clubs, African American and Latinx gun clubs, and so many excellent women shooting instructors, three of which I profile in my book.”

 

With plenty of helpful photos and diagrams, Armed & Female II also includes compelling true stories about women who have survived life-threatening situations; everything readers need to know about handguns and non-lethal self-defense, including non-lethal strategies for personal safety at home and while traveling; and expert advice from some of the country’s most respected firearms safety instructors.

 

“Though written for women, this book is also excellent for men who are new to firearms or want to learn as much as they can as quickly as they can,” Quigley added.

 

“Because when it comes to self-defense, what you don’t know canhurt you.”

 

About the Author

Paxton Quigley is the author of the bestselling women’s gun self-defense series: Armed & Female (hardcover, E.P. Dutton; paperbacks, St. Martin’s Press); Not an Easy Target (Fireside); Staying Alive: Armed & Female in an Unsafe World (Merril Press); and Armed & Female: Taking Control (Merril Press). She has taught personal protection strategies to more than 7,000 women in the U.S. and abroad.

 

No stranger to the media, Paxton has appeared on more than 300 TV and radio shows, including Oprah, 60 Minutes, The Today Show, Good Morning America and NBC Nightly News. She was briefly a bodyguard for Yoko Ono and other high-profile women, and taught self-defense to numerous celebrities, including actresses Laura Dern, Diane Ladd, Geena Davis and Judith Light.

 

For more information, visit www.paxtonquigley.com, or follow the author on Instagram at @Armed_and_female and on Facebook, Armed & Female II: Never An Easy Target.

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Art & Life Culture Economics Education Lifestyle Regulations & Security

Heading toward splitsville? Here’s how to take the high road

GREENWICH, Conn. — Attorney Jeffrey Stephens and psychologist Ronald Raymond help pave the way through legal and emotional aspects of divorce in their new book, The Road to Splitsville: How to Navigate the Road to Divorce without Making Yourself Crazy, Your Children Miserable, or Your Lawyer Wealthy … and Then Discover Your Path to Happiness.

 

Intended for folks seeking a less stressful, more amicable approach to divorce, The Road to Splitsville offers an abundance of practical, impartial and immensely helpful information designed to help keep matters less combative — and therefore less costly.

“Our purpose is to demystify this journey, simplify the expedition, minimize the emotional turmoil and expense, and have you reach the other side of this path without the scars so many suffer unnecessarily on the road to a new life,” the authors write in the book’s first chapter.

Topics covered include:

  • Confronting and understanding the “why” of the divorce
  • Techniques for dealing with the inevitable emotional factors
  • Choosing the legal process best suited for your individual circumstances
  • Selecting an attorney, managing that relationship and limiting the costs
  • What to do if you need help from a therapist and how to choose one
  • Avoiding advice from well-meaning, but dangerous, friends
  • How to deal with adult children of divorce
  • How to deal with young and adolescent children of divorce
  • How to handle the loss of love
  • How to rebuild your life and find happiness

Useful and interactive — with brief questionnaires to help readers see things more objectively — The Road to Splitsvilleis intended to make the journey toward ending a marriage a little less rocky.

“This book is for people who have concluded that divorce is inevitable,” Jeffrey Stephens added. “We hope to minimize the emotional and economic damage and point them toward a path to happiness.”

About the Authors

A native of New York City, Jeffrey Stephens is a successful attorney in private practice, having handled many divorces and family law issues, both in New York and Connecticut. Stephens has lived for more than 30 years in Greenwich, which is where he and his wife, Nancy, raised their two sons, Graham and Trevor. Stephens is the author of the Jordan Sandor thrillers, Targets of Deception, Targets of Opportunity, Targets of Revenge and Rogue Mission, as well as the Anthony Walker murder mystery Crimes and Passion and the Pencraft First Place Award winning novel, Fool’s Errand. His newest novel is the just released thriller The Handler from Post Hill Press.

Dr. Ronald Raymond is a clinical and neuropsychologist who has been practicing for over 50 years. His background includes being a professor and adjunct professor at several universities. He served as the Director of Psychology at one of the nation’s most prestigious psychiatric hospitals, Silver Hill Hospital in New Canaan, and was the developer of Transition, Inc., where he had the opportunity to counsel, in group fashion, over 5,000 prospective corporate transferring families. In private practice, Dr. Raymond has counseled children and adults, including many going through the issues of divorce. He is also the coauthor of Ring of Destiny, Destiny Revealed and The Four Essential Ingredients for Effective Parenting.

For more information, please visit www.theroadtosplitsville.com.

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Art & Life Culture Lifestyle Perspectives Regulations & Security

Bar crawl through a blizzard leads to to unforgettable ‘First Date’

CINCINNATI, Ohio — It was a dark and snowy night, and Jack and Aria should have been dead. Instead, they find themselves shivering on a riverbank, having survived a fall from a suspension bridge into the currents and debris of the Ohio River. Lucky enough to slam into an anchored barge, they emerge from the water stunned, bruised and still somewhat drunk. Now, they must work their way through the muck of the riverside to solid ground. Fully intent on ending it all just minutes before, Jack finds himself clinging to Aria for dear life — a life he feels just might be worth living after all.

 

 

In First Date, the new book from Mark E. Scott, readers follow Jack and Aria through the next eight hours of their story — hours harrowing, ludicrous and poignant — as they grapple with law enforcement, EMTs, firemen and the medical system. Confronted by an over-zealous sheriff’s deputy, the formidable Nurse Rita, and an inebriated priest with anger management issues, they are forced to navigate the immediate aftermath of their bifurcated bar crawl through a blizzard.

First Date is a story of individuals haunted by suicide, remorse and unanswered questions: questions whose answers are not to be found in the bottom of a bottle. Secrets are revealed and souls are bared, but answers are still elusive. For now, they only have each other, a dollar store notebook and a teddy bear.

First Date is the second installment in Scott’s three-part, Day in the Life series, in which the unexpected, twisted saga of Jack and Aria unfolds over a combined period of 24 hours. Book One, Drunk Log, was released in 2022 and traces the first eight hours of Jack’s unsteady march toward his intended demise.

About the Author

Born in the small manufacturing town of Galion, Ohio, author Mark E. Scott lived in various burgs in Ohio and Michigan before joining the Navy and spending four years traveling the world aboard the USS Mount Whitney. Upon returning home to southwest Ohio, he enrolled at Miami University and completed a degree in Education, only to become a banker soon thereafter. Scott now lives happily in a condo in the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood of Cincinnati. In his free time, he enjoys writing, finding new and creative ways of tricking his children into answering their phones, and anything related to travel and outdoors, of late including tumbling down snow covered mountains while dragging otherwise perfectly good skis behind him.

For more information, please visit www.markescottauthor.com, or connect with him on Instagram (markescottauthor) and Facebook (Mark E. Scott, Author).

Categories
Culture Education Environment Politics Regulations & Security

C-suite coach interested in empowerment of women to overcome corporate barriers

Kathleen Gonzales from Elevated PR brings attention to the challenges women face in climbing the corporate ladder and introduces the invaluable support provided by Ephraim Schachter, a renowned C-Suite coach, and leadership advisor.

 

Did you know that only 6.6% of women currently hold CEO positions in Fortune 500 companies? This glaring statistic highlights the persistent obstacles women encounter when striving for top leadership roles in the corporate world. Despite progress, significant barriers hinder women’s advancement and limit their leadership opportunities, states  Gonzales.

 

Schachter has dedicated his career to addressing these challenges head-on. As an expert in executive coaching and leadership development, he provides invaluable guidance and support to women navigating the complexities of the corporate landscape. He understands the unique struggles faced by women, and he is committed to helping them overcome the biases and obstacles that impede their progress.

 

One of the primary issues women face in the C-suite is the unfair scrutiny they often endure. They are held to different standards compared to their male counterparts, leading to a narrower margin for error. Schachter’s female clients frequently express their frustration about being judged harshly for displaying toughness, often being labeled as a “bitch.” On the other hand, when they adopt a more lenient approach, they are perceived as too soft, undermining their authority and ability to lead effectively.

 

Furthermore, studies have shown that women are often given shorter timelines to prove themselves compared to their male colleagues, limiting their opportunities for advancement. Schachter actively advocates for the support and guidance needed for his clients to demonstrate their value and thrive in their careers.

 

His dedication to empowering women is exemplified by the fact that most of his practice consists of female clients. Schachter’s expertise, combined with a deep understanding of the gender dynamics within corporate environments, makes him a trusted partner for women seeking to shatter glass ceilings and claim their rightful place in leadership roles.

 

Schachter’s gains insights into the specific challenges women face in the corporate world and the strategies he employs to empower them. His holistic approach fosters confidence, resilience, and a sense of empowerment, ultimately enabling women to overcome obstacles and reach their full potential.

 

He is shedding light on the persisting barriers that hinder women’s advancement and offering practical solutions to address these challenges. Schachter’s expertise and commitment to gender equality in the workplace make him an ideal expert for this important discussion.