Memo To The Fulop Campaign
Huge Opportunity To Lead On A Bold Progressive Agenda
But Don’t Expect The Current Crop Of Lame NJ Hacks To Draft That Agenda
[Update – 6/24/24 – Wow. My timing was eerily prescient – the Fulop campaign released this reform plan today. It addresses some of the government reform items I mentioned, but didn’t go so far as to include whistleblower protections, adequate OPRA reforms, or corporate capture and revolving door, see:
- Meaningful Government Reform In New Jersey ~~~ end update]
The algorithm just sent me a Tweet from 2025 NJ Gubernatorial candidate Steve Fulop regarding transportation infrastructure.
I was impressed by Fulop’s call for reallocation of $10 billion slated for NJ Turnpike expansion funds to mass transit. Fulop Tweeted:
Re-Allocation of the $10B NJ Turnpike widening project into mass transit investment instead is the next step towards correcting our mass transit issues.
Our campaign was the first to float the idea of the CBT dedication to NJT last year that will now be law and now we must continue being proactive with the next reasonable decision towards mass transit improvement.
Longer term beyond those we have outlined our detailed transportation plans at http://stevenfulop.com – we are the only campaign putting our policy bc that is what NJ deserves
I was so impressed by a politician actually proposing a sound public policy I support, that the Fulop Tweet sparked somewhat of a Twitter storm in my brain in posting comments on it.
I strongly doubt that the current crop of so called NJ environmental and climate leaders have the vision, competence, and integrity to be reaching out to his campaign with bold demands, so maybe I can shame them into at least something of serious substance:
So, I here cut and paste them into an informal strategic & policy Memo To The Fulop Campaign.
1. I just checked your website for “policies”. You don’t have climate, energy, land use, environmental quality, parks, green cities, environment justice, or public health policies posted. Do NOT rely on the usual suspects to draft these policies. HUGE OPPORTUNITY HERE if done right (in policy substance, not just message and narrative).
2. Don’t expect any of the lame “environmental and climate leaders” to help. They have no vision, no competence, courage, and integrity. You will need your Staff to put the policy plans out, create public review process, and embarrass them into support, like Gov. McGreevey did on Highlands.
3. Land use is back on the agenda. Don’t go for the single issue (e.g. warehouse) incremental crap. Adopt a moratorium on destruction of what’s left of NJ forests and farmlands. Go big on reforestation and urban forestry and urban parks. Put regulatory teeth in the State Plan. Time for bold leadership and big plans.
4. Your next regional and infrastructure policy plan should focus on bicycles, restoring riverfronts, and urban parks. Duck Island is Trenton could be the first example. Tremendous opportunity here with vision and leadership.
5. Climate & energy policy agenda needs to put regulatory teeth and real investment in Murphy administration’s rhetoric, press releases, & unenforceable Executive Orders. Moratorium on new fossil, phase out of existing. Retrofit existing development, residential solar, public power. Terminate NJ role in PJM regional corporate grid. Mandates for accelerated electrification. Guarantee jobs (just transition).
7. There also needs to be a coastal “strategic retreat” plan to address resettlement of displaced residents and businesses and the natural recovery of highly vulnerable coastal lands. Shift beach replenishment funding to that. Built Bike & shuttle/light rail to beaches along coast.
8. No more infrastructure or development in the coastal zone – it will be inundated in 20 years or so. Time to start planning for “strategic retreat”.
8. Expand the Riverline – light rail in the medians of Rt 1. to Newark and Rt. 31 to at least Flemington.
9. The Environmental justice agenda needs to close loopholes in current law; ratchet down on air pollution, particularly on mobile sources and hazardous air pollutants from industry; mandate advanced drinking water treatment; address food deserts; huge public housing program; community gardening, urban forestry, pocket parks, & schools. Green cities. New CCC.
10. Take a fresh look at ways to truly implement NJ’s Hazard Mitigation Plan, particularly on public health/pandemic issues. Repeal liability relief for senior care COVID. Strengthen port infrastructure, rail, river and chemical safety – catastrophic risk management programs, which have been privatized and deregulated by DEP over the years.
11. We’ll need dramatic new forms of revenue generation – wealth tax; high income tax; corporate taxes on Big Pharma and Big Tech; financial transaction fees, et al – to fund these projects. Again, time is ripe to go big & progressive.
12. No more corporate subsidies, even for off shore wind.
13. Claw back the $1 billion in PSE&G nuclear subsidies. Reallocate to a new urban riverfront park that includes PSE&G retired coal power plant property on Duck Island in Trenton.
14. Adopt a Major anti-corruption – transparency – citizen participation – and good government accountability platform.
Include strengthening the OPRA law, repealing the corrupt Murphy rollback. Put teeth in the State Ethics Commission and appoint people with integrity and courage. Open up State government planning and policy development. Enhanced sunshine and whistleblower protections. Take on corporate capture and the revolving door.