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 may offer to give you $5,000 to buy an electric car
Long-stalled legislation promoting plug-in electric cars is now accelerating toward Gov. Phil Murphy’s desk over the next week.
To draw election map, NJ may count inmates in prior hometowns
Legislature advances bill allowing online voter registration, in addition to possible end of "prison-based gerrymandering."
Enviros’ 2020 goals for NJ include ban on new fossil fuel plants
After a ban on plastic and paper bags and a bill promoting electric vehicles, environmental groups and lawmakers set ambitious goals for next session.
To avoid vote-by-mail overtime costs, NJ may change primary deadline
The primary would remain June 2, but the March 30 filing deadline might shift two weeks earlier to avoid a time crunch and costly overtime.
NJ may fund Climate Change Resource Center at Rutgers
Even before a new climate change center at Rutgers gets off the ground, its proposed state funding has been shrunk by three-fourths.
Small business tax help of $400M now on Murphy’s desk
New Jersey is on the cusp of approving another attempt to help its taxpayers – small businesses, this time – find a way to restore a federal tax write-off.
New law seals marijuana convictions in NJ, expands expungement
Gov. Phil Murphy signs law making it easier to erase and get past criminal convictions. "Who hasn’t made a mistake, for crying out loud?” he said.
Tax incentives unresolved, but Murphy finally remakes EDA board
Gov. Phil Murphy announces he will appoint four new members to the Economic Development Authority board. A tax incentives resolutions appears farther off.
Murphy on vaccines bill: We’ll be guided by ‘science and facts’
Governor says Monday's demonstrations at the Statehouse against ending religious exemptions showed "enormous passion, which at least did not surprise me."
A win for mandatory vaccine opponents — but fight’s not over
Legislation ending religious exemptions to New Jersey’s mandatory vaccination rules stalled in the Senate amid fierce daylong demonstrations.