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
How NJ spends $10M a year trying to tame property taxes
Through the Local Efficiency Achievement Program, New Jersey allocates up to $10 million a year in grants for counties, towns and school districts.
NJ senator: Treat recovered COVID patients same as vaccinated
Sen. Joe Pennacchio opposes vaccine mandates or entry rules but says any such system should recognize the natural immunity that follows a past infection.
NJ pension fund to divest from Ben & Jerry’s over Israel boycott
Unilever has until Dec. 1 to persuade the state not to follow through on preliminary finding, which would affect $182 million in pension investments.
NJ electric vehicle incentives out of cash, going on hold again
If you're planning on New Jersey's $5,000 incentive to buy a new electric vehicle, you've got until 9 p.m. Sept. 15 – then may to have wait until mid-2022.
Council OKs emergency NJ bear hunt; Murphy still won’t allow it
Fish and Game Council cites "imminent peril" if there isn't a bear hunt. But Gov. Phil Murphy would have to sign off and prefers a nonlethal approach.
Despite pandemic, poverty in NJ declined for 7th straight year
Census Bureau report paints a complicated picture of personal finances in the United States, with incomes down and poverty up if not for government aid.
Report suggests reparations to fix NJ school funding inequities
School funding remains unequal because city home values were undercut by discrimination, says a report seeking direct rebates to Black and Hispanic households.
School official warned over mask says NJ rules need common sense
The president of the New Brunswick school board was reprimanded for not wearing a mask for a meeting. It's at least the third dustup in New Jersey this month.
Here comes the rain tax, again? 2nd look for NJ stormwater utilities
Floods brought by Henri and Ida reinvigorated talks about climate resilience projects, including the concept of stormwater utilities mocked as a rain tax.
FEMA adds four NJ counties to Ida major disaster declaration
Essex, Hudson, Mercer and Union counties were added to the declaration that already included Bergen, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Passaic and Somerset.