That time – already!

Yep, it is already time to gear up for the June primary…

To that end, Freeholder Margaret Nordstrom, the only board member up this year, plans a $150 per person fundraiser on Monday at the Grand Cafe in Morristown.

Will she have a challenge? I have heard rumors of one, but nothing concrete has developed as of yet.

And speaking of fundraisers, state Sen. Anthony R. Bucco, R-Boonton, whose term also is up this year, has a lobster party set for Feb, 16 at Pub 199 in Mount Arlington.  Last year, Bucco was served a lobster about the size of an elephant. We are being facetious, but you get the idea.

Jack Schrier resigning

Jack Schrier is resigning his seat on the Mendham Township Committee effective Jan. 31.

If Schrier had done that a year ago, he may have held on to his job as a freeholder. Schrier lost a reelection bid in last June’s Republican primary and his status as a dual office holder _ freeholder and township committee man _ certainly did not help him.

Parsippany is sure being good to the governor

At least in terms of giving him fodder on which to comment. Last year, Chris Christie used Parsippany superintendent of schools Lee Seitz as the “poster boy” for greedy educators after the board gave Seitz a new contract far in excess of the state’s pending cap on super’s salaries.

And just this week, the governor was talking about Parsippany again. This time it was to highlight hundreds of thousands of dollars paid to retiring cops in unused sick and vacation time. The governor was stressing the need for benefit reform.

Reviving the death penalty?

Don’t bet on it.

Anywho, state Sen. Robert Singer, R-Ocean, has introduced legislation to bring back the death penalty in certain instances _ among them murdering a child or a law enforcement officer.

The governor says he would sign such a bill, but that is unlikely to happen with Dems controlling the Legislature,

The State of the Union

It arrives, or at least the speech does, at 9 p.m., and it comes with the president seeing his highest aproval ratings in months. His average is now above 50 percent and even polls by conservative outfits like Fox News and Rasmussan show him with more pluses than minuses.

Tell us what you think of the speech.

The gov. and Illinois

Did you see that New Jersey is about to take out ads in Illinois asking businesses in that state to move here …

It’s an interesting move; trying to raid another state. It’s done all the time, but, in truth, how advantageous is the business climate in N.J. It is 48th according to a recent survey.

The governor has had Illinois on his mind for a while. He criticized the state in his state of the state address for increasing the income tax by 67 percent.  Prior to that, the governor had campaigned in the state for Republican candidate Bill Brady, who lost to Democrat Pat Quinn. 

Let’s see if folks in Illinois launch a counterattack.

Crawford switches gears in Parsippany

Bob Crawford, one of two dissident members of the board of education, is giving up his board seat to run for the township council.

The plus for Crawford is that he’s done something school board members are not supposed to do _ speak out, He and Mike Strumolo have been at times the only board members to oppose the majority, especially in regard to a new contract for superintendent of schools Lee Seitz, an agreement that has gotten statewide attention,

The minus here is that Crawford’s independence may be needed more on the school board than it would be on the council.

Christie and the Jets

The governor is scheduled to show up at tomorrow’s 11 a.m. rally for the Jets at their training complex in Florham Park.

He missed a similar rally last year and the Jets lost the AFC Championship game.  Maybe, he’ll bring them better luck this year.

Christie also plans to attend Sunday’s game in Pittsburgh.

The governor and pot

Our blessed newspaper has supported Chris Christie more times than we have not.  Despite that record, it is hard to understand why the governor is trying to essentially not allow medical marijuana to be dispensed in New Jersey.

Rules the administration supports are so unduly restrictive that one lawmaker is not wrong when he says you might as well give sick and dying patients aspirin.

To be sure, there are anti-drug crazies in the Republican party _ people who can’t distinguish between a joint and a pound of heroin _ but that doesn’t explain it all. The GOP also has a libertarian wing that understands the folly of most drug laws.

The administration wants to limit potency of the drug, ban home deliveries and even prohibit an edible version of the drug. This is really a cruel way to treat sick patients who are dying. Really now, how long can they be expected to wait?

Obama still rising ..

By the way, Fox News now shows Obama’s approval rating at 47 pro to 44 con …
Things are clearly going in the right direction for the president. And by staging that dopey health care reform repeal  vote, Republicans are not helping themselves.

You may have seen Rodney’s column on that topic today in the Daily Record. It is noteworthy that he never explained how repeal would happen given the opposition in the Senate.  That is why it was a stunt.