News & Events
Pfeiffer Op-Ed: What state and local governments should do about generative AI
How can we take advantage of the technology without harming the public? Society is often slow to appreciate that technological innovations have both positive and negative outcomes. Splitting the atom led to weapons that can destroy the planet, but also provided a source of carbon-free energy and health care advances. Social media apps have connected people...
‘Not a perfect process’: How did the two versions of NJ’s budget differ?
As the process to craft New Jersey's state budget came to a chaotic close last month, rumors swirled about what needed to be done to ensure that the spending plan was final and complete by the time it made it to the governor’s desk. In each chamber of the Legislature, late-night committee meetings saw budget bills introduced and read into the record with a...
$3.25M in Grants Awarded to Create Inclusive Healthy Communities in NJ
In partnership with CUPR's Environmental Analysis & Communications Group, led by Executive Director Jeanne Herb, the Inclusive Healthy Communities Initiative of the Division of Disability Services (New Jersey Department of Human Services) funds projects that promote the health and well-being of individuals with disabilities in the communities where...
Bill Dolphin 1945-2023
We mournfully announce the passing of our long-time colleague from CUPR, Mr. William (Bill) Dolphin. He passed away Friday morning June 23, 2023 at 77 years old. David Listokin shared the following reflection: Mr. Dolphin was born in Kearny and graduated from St. Benedict’s Prep High School and St. Peter’s College. He earned a master’s degree in Sociology...
‘Secretive’ N.J. governments would be even less transparent under proposed laws, some say
Tucked in desk drawers and filed away in email inboxes in every local and county office in New Jersey are government secrets. To find them, news reporters, attorneys and even local gadflies, using access laws like the Open Public Records Act, sift through the contracts, permits and memos piled atop desks or stashed on hard drives. But some state lawmakers...
Marc Pfeiffer Participates in Eagleton Podcast on the Pros and Cons of Artificial Intelligence
Marc Pfeiffer, Assistant Director, Bloustein Local (CUPR), Doctor Lauren Goodlad, and Senator Andrew Zwicker discussed the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on democracy, government, and higher education. The podcast was presented by the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University-New Brunswick, “This Moment in Democracy,” which analyzes...
Gov. Murphy vetoed a 20-year service pension bill for police and firefighters. Here’s why
A bill to allow police officers and firefighters with 20 years of service to retire early with a reduced pension, regardless of their age, was conditionally vetoed by Gov. Phil Murphy, who said he wants more clarity on how the legislation would impact the state pension system. Murphy returned the proposal to the state Senate on Monday and recommended...
Your tax dollars at work. The 2023 budget details for Warren County’s biggest towns.
Warren County municipalities had until April 28 to set their spending plans for 2023, including general fund budgets covering the costs of public services. By and large, property taxes pay for most services, and budgets are kept fairly unremarkable, but one consistent trend we noticed, across municipalities, was the approval of relatively flat or low tax...
Herb Op-Ed: It’s time to review laws on hazardous materials
The Ohio train derailment should prompt a review of measures that are supposed to protect people and the environment. Many New Jerseyans followed the Feb. 3 derailment of a train operated by Norfolk Southern, near East Palestine, Ohio, that triggered a fire sending fumes from several toxic chemicals into the local environment. Chemicals released...
Some NJ officials will no longer have to disclose their addresses. This is why
Legislation removing address disclosure requirements for New Jersey local elected officials cleared its second major hurdle Thursday. What the legislation says: The bill would no longer require local elected officials — and some non-elected public workers, including zoning officials, members of independent municipal authorities and certain high-ranking...
Recent Products
Economic Impacts of Historic Preservation in Florida
This technical study examines the many substantial economic effects of historic preservation in Florida. The study examines the total economic effects of historic preservation; these encompass both the direct and multiplier effects. The direct impact component...
New Jersey 2020 and 2021 Retail Lighting Sales Data Analysis
Apex Analytics, along with Demand Side Analytics, developed an analysis of national lighting sales to assess the relative progress of LED market shares in states with retail lighting programs in comparison to non-program states. This memo describes the data sources...
Route 66, Revisited
In 2011, after many years of study, Rutgers University finished a landmark economic impact analysis of Route 66. Conducted in collaboration with the National Park Service (NPS) and the World Monuments Fund (WMF), The Route 66 Economic Impact Report* worked to capture...
New Jersey Energy Code Compliance Study
DNV and its study partner NMR completed the New Jersey Energy Code Compliance study for Rutgers, The State University and the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU). The ECC study was completed between February 2021 and June 2022 to assess energy code...