NJ21st

06/01/2026

Summit’s upcoming June 3rd City Council agenda features critical policy updates, including a proposed $78.13 hourly fee for police camera footage review, new drone restrictions, a ban on AI data centers, and $10.5M in bond ordinances.

The agenda for the 06/03 Summit Council meeting starts much the same as the last one – a closed session with potentially important items with little detail and includes some of the same items we saw the last time: Firehouse, Tatlock Community Preservation Assoc. litigation, a Councilmember-at-Larg...

05/31/2026

NJ21st sent City of Summit a letter regarding an ordinance being introduced on the upcoming June 3 Common Council agenda that raises questions and concerns.

Tucked inside a broad schedule of fee updates (Item ID # 12582), the proposed measure seeks to establish a fixed charge of $78.13 per hour for police camera footage.

This rate is exceptionally high compared to other New Jersey towns we've looked at and appears to directly conflict with Government Records Council guidance, which prohibits establishing flat special service charges in advance by ordinance.

The proposed ordinance raises questions regarding potential conflicts of interest in video redaction and the shifting of outside legal costs onto local taxpayers.

Public records are vital for government accountability and police footage is a critically important government record.

We sincerely hope the Mayor and Members of the Common Council will reconsider their position, halt the introduction of this measure, and protect public transparency by creating exemptions for residents and journalists.

05/31/2026

This week in Trenton, we look at four key areas legislators will be tackling: a new statewide EMS planning bill; two school funding bills, including one aimed at districts in development-restricted areas like the Highlands and Pinelands; the Senate housing agenda, including ADUs and a bill that would direct property-transfer revenue to affordable housing; and an NJ Transit accountability bill that would let riders see where delays are coming from.

John Migueis

05/31/2026

05/30/2026

This was a consequential week for NJ residents- AI surveillance in schools, ongoing economic warning signs and local spending starts to pick up as budgets got approved. Read the full summary:

This week was packed, and it feels like we covered almost every topic, so let’s get started because there is a lot. State   There was also a lot of news on the state level this week, starting with a slew of bills covering EMS, energy and AI that had their day in Trenton. While politicos are ce...

05/29/2026

Inside the Berkeley Heights Athletic Committee: Fees, Fields and Locker Room Equity

After two emails to the Berkeley Heights Board of Education regarding the delayed posting of committee meeting minutes, NJ21st received a response email from the Business Administrator confirming that the minutes posted were the most recent minutes received by her office.  Subsequently, within a fe...

05/29/2026

Rethinking Student Safety: The Evidence on AI-Based Monitoring and the Case for Proven Alternatives

Gaggle is a self-described student safety suite of tools that uses AI and ‘trained’ safety ‘experts’ to monitor student activity on student accounts and devices, meaning it can automatically scan student-created content in school-linked accounts, platforms or devices covered by the district....

05/29/2026

A recent stop-work order issued to a Teaneck limo company serves as a stark, six-figure reminder for New Jersey businesses to get their worker classification right under the state’s strict ABC test.

On May 20, 2026 the NJ DOL issued a stop-work order against Kismet International Inc – a limo and taxi company- after an audit that covered 2012-2015 found the company misclassified 80 drivers. As a result, the Department claims the company owes over $200K in outstanding liabilities. This is a use...

05/29/2026

Go Loretta Rivers for NJ

Loretta Rivers, a Piscataway school board member who came within 463 votes of ousting an incumbent assemblyman in the Democratic primary last year, is

05/28/2026

Berkeley Heights BOE Meeting Cancelled Due to Lack of Quorum - will be rescheduled.