I'm the Statehouse bureau chief for New Jersey 101.5, covering the governor, Legislature and state politics, and had previously covered the Statehouse for Gannett newspapers for more than 15 years. I'm a lifelong New Jerseyan -- raised in Bergen, living in Hunterdon, Rutgers graduate. I'm co-author of the 2012 biography 'Chris Christie: The Inside Story of His Rise to Power.' I am not the Iron Chef with a similar name though sometimes get tweets meant for him, especially around Thanksgiving. Believe me, you don't want my cooking tips.
Michael Symons
NJ car dealerships pay to settle consumer protection complaints
The dealerships are paying more than $436,000 to settle complaints about their sales practices.
NJ payroll tax plan: Allow tax hike, then give credits to some
Businesses have been looking for help to avoid a hike in what they pay into the unemployment fund. They might instead get credits offsetting other taxes.
NJ sex education transparency bill advances – but would it do much?
Education groups say the suggested transparency measures in a proposed bill are generally already being followed by schools.
Licenses for police officers may finally be coming to NJ
New Jersey licenses more than 50 professions, though not police officers. After years of negotiations, a bill is now ready that would change that.
Former congressional candidate threatened to kill NJ cops, judges
Eric Hafner, who ran for Congress in Hawaii and Oregon, threatened to kill people associated with past arrests and court cases.
NJ ‘immigrant trust’ directive affecting number of deportations
Research from Rutgers Law School finds a big drop in detainers but only small declines in removals. It also finds inconsistencies in how police made changes.
Last day to register for NJ June 7 primary; here’s who’s running
New Jersey allows for online voter registration, but the deadline to register is three weeks before the date of the election.
Bigger tax relief likely amid ‘unprecedented’ NJ revenue surge
The Murphy administration says revenues in the current and upcoming years will be $7.8 billion higher than it expected in March.
Could extending retirement age help fix NJ judge shortage?
A bill under consideration at the Statehouse seeks to extend the mandatory retirement age for judges and county prosecutors from 70 to 72.
NJ MVC could be forced to make things more convenient for drivers
Since reopening during the pandemic, the Motor Vehicle Commission has had licenses-only and vehicles-only agencies. An advancing bill would end that.