MORRIS COUNTY —  Senator Anthony M. Bucco has introduced legislation that would delay the fourth round of fair share affordable housing obligations for municipalities from 2025 to 2028.

“The pandemic and related shutdowns and restrictions imposed by Governor Murphy had a major impact on the ability of municipalities to resolve their third-round affordable housing obligations,” said Bucco (R-25). “While towns are still trying to get back on track, the next round is quickly approaching. If we don’t implement a reasonable delay to the fourth round, we’re sure to end up with more confusion, litigation, and unnecessary costs for property taxpayers. This bill offers relief to our towns and much-needed time to keep working.”

Bucco’s bill, S-3739, would delay the start of the fourth round of affordable housing obligations, including present and prospective needs and related litigation, until July 1, 2028.

The legislation recognizes that municipalities have incurred significant expenses in complying with fair share affordable housing obligations, which ultimately are borne by New Jersey taxpayers.

It also notes the severe hardship towns have faced in trying to comply with their affordable housing obligations as a result of the pandemic, along with the recognition of the New Jersey Supreme Court that affordable housing policies are best left to the Legislature.

“The short delay we’re proposing is no different than the numerous other deadlines and timeframes the Legislature has already updated to account for the disruptions of the pandemic,” Bucco added. “By delaying the fourth round of affordable housing obligations, we can provide much-needed relief to taxpayers and municipalities while also ensuring that we have the data and resources necessary to make informed decisions about future affordable housing policies.”

MORRIS COUNTY — Assemblyman Brian Bergen is marveling that Gov. Phil Murphy and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer—two governors that imposed some of the harshest pandemic restrictions in the nation—are hosting a one-day event on Wednesday about teen mental health at the MGM Grand Detroit.

Lockdowns and social isolation, brought to New Jersey residents by unchecked executive powers over the last three years, led to the teen mental health epidemic today, Bergen said. After Murphy barred in-person learning March 18, 2020, students endured remote learning for the entire 2020-2021 school year, only returning to the classroom, masked and distanced, the following September.

Bergen has staunchly advocated for curbing executive and public health emergency powers since early in the Covid-19 pandemic. His bill (A875), with near-unanimous Republican support in the Assembly, would limit the governor’s emergency orders, rules, or regulations to 14 days without Legislative extension. Otherwise, the orders expire.

His resolve to see this bill advanced strengthened after abysmal test scores and skyrocketing self-reported incidents of depression and anxiety in teens started being reported by mainstream media outlets and intergovernmental organizations, who were cheerleaders for lockdowns despite warnings for poor mental health outcomes, he said.

“Murphy inflicted this mental health crisis on our teens when he adopted God-like powers to the deafening silence of Democrats,” Bergen (R-Morris) said. “As for him and Whitmer, I’d sooner discuss mental health with Lorraine Bracco, who only played a psychiatrist on television.”

The New Jersey governor is among the most powerful in the nation, with the state’s constitution granting him or her the authority to issue executive orders. In 2005, then acting Gov. Albio Sires signed the Emergency Health Powers Act. The legislation, sponsored by Democrat Sen. Joseph F. Vitale, expanded the powers of the governor and state health commissioner to declare a public health emergency and grant them access to whatever tools are needed to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the emergency. The governor can extend that emergency every 30 days without legislative oversight.

Murphy signed more than 130 Covid-related public health emergency executive orders and extended his powers 17 times.

“He got a taste of monarchic authority and it shows, not only in his regal decorating choices but his absolute abuse of emergency powers, which by the way, he only let go of recently when he could no longer hide behind the CDC or feds,” Bergen said. “The blank check he was handed needs to be revoked. Our children’s educations and lives were forcibly given into his hands, and he failed them. Never again.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in February 2023 reported that three in five teen girls “felt persistently sad or hopeless in 2021–double that of boys, representing a nearly 60% increase and the highest level reported over the past decade.” Its findings echo that of Johns Hopkins University, which during the same year found that more than 50% of teens surveyed said “the pandemic and response has created problems,” especially causing significant changes in sleep and eating patterns. The World Health Organization said overall reports of depression and anxiety spiked 25%.

“The governor made his ego ‘the science.’ That he has the Fauci’s chutzpah to lead the charge in ‘strengthening teen mental health’ is, quite frankly, bizarre,” Bergen said. “I truly believe we wouldn’t be in this mess had government functioned the way it should, emergency or none. No one man in this nation should have the power he had, and still has.”

“At least he’s holding the roundtable in a majestic hotel,” Bergen added.

MORRIS COUNTY — New Jersey no longer has a statewide universal directive requiring people in all healthcare facilities such as hospitals and doctor’s offices to wear masks to fight COVID-19, Governor Phil Murphy confirmed Monday as he defended the decision.

“We have lifted these mandates,” Murphy noted during his call-in TV show when a caller said he was “deeply concerned” about the move. “It was a very important decision. We did not take it lightly.”

Three years after the start of the pandemic, masks are optional in most locations in New Jersey — unless individual businesses or facilities choose to require them.

In September, the CDC ended its recommendation that masking be universal in healthcare settings and instead shifted to a risk-based approach, with facilities recommended to require face coverings if there is a high level of community spread.

MORRIS COUNTY — For Autism Acceptance Month, the Morris County community can help Rose House residents without costing a cent!

Answer multiple-choice questions about your shopping experiences, and Rose House will receive automatic donations from HundredX of up to $150 per participant from now until May 2, 2023. ($2 per survey, up to 75 surveys)

Sign up today by texting “contribute” to 90412, or click here on any device. Please share this info with friends and family members aged 18 and up.

Your personal information is safe and secure, as HundredX Causes will not give it to any third-party company.

If you have any questions about this campaign, please email contact@therosehouse.org.

MORRIS COUNTY — Chatham residents and Sorriso Kitchen owners Jimmy and Karen Bellas announce the launch of Reasons to Smile Foundation Inc., a public 501(c)3 charity to support, promote and expand employment opportunities for young adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities.

About 19% of physically and developmentally disabled people are employed, compared with 64% of the non-disabled population, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics. They want to help change that.

To help improve this number, Sorriso Kitchen has been offering real-life job training classes in service and hospitality for students of ECLC of Chatham and The Center School of Somerset. The eight-week session of the Monday Job Training Program (the day the restaurant is closed) was inspired by the Bellas’ son LJ, who has Down Syndrome.

Starting in 2019, the program has had multiple graduates and is expanding. For their ‘graduation exercise’, the students meet, greet, and serve family and friends lunch at the restaurant, followed by a graduation certificate presentation. “This is always our favorite part of the program”, says Jimmy Bellas. “Everyone is beaming with pride! Especially the kids”.

The foundation’s mission is to offer and support job training, education, and community programs that provide the skills, experience, and services to empower students and young adults to reach their potential in the workforce and community. This benefits not only individuals but businesses as well. “We want to help the businesses understand how little it takes to have a few young adults in for an hour or so a week to learn a new job skill. This can change their futures,” says Karen Bellas. ”And it is simpler than you think.”

“We’re grateful for the enthusiasm and support from this amazing community we’re in,” says Karen. “We quickly realized this program was bigger than our one-day-a-week training sessions at Sorriso Kitchen. The Reasons to Smile Foundation came out of that. Together we hope to make a difference.”

Last month we had our first “Breakfast for Dinner” event at Sorriso Kitchen, where graduates from our Monday Job Training Program served a full dining room of customers. The students did everything from greeting guests at the door, seating them, taking both drink and food orders, and serving and clearing. And “They did a fabulous job! We were so proud of them and their skills, but even more so, they were proud of themselves.”  Watching that was everything, remarked Bellas. “And it was a great fundraiser for the foundation. We plan on scheduling these monthly, with the next one coming in May.”

The foundation is accepting donations and will host the first Annual Spring Gala fundraiser on Saturday, April 29, 2023, at The Frelinghuysen Arboretum’s Haggerty Center in Morristown, with Jazz pianist Jerry Vezza providing entertainment. Executive Chef Ryan Chatfield from Sorriso Kitchen has created a wonderful menu for the event.  Several students who have graduated from the training program will also attend.

For more information, donate or purchase tickets to the Gala, click here and follow them on social media.