Advocates push for University Hospital funding

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May 27, 2022 View in browser   By Jonathan Custodio Advocates are pushing for New Jersey's only public hospital to receive some healthcare of its own. As the state continues to recover from the overwhelming Covid-19 pandemic and is flush with cash due to higher than expected tax revenues — and billions in federal Covid dollars — Newark's University Hospital may be primed with its best shot at acquiring desperately needed funding for infrastructure upgrades and construction of a new campus. Health Professionals and Allied Employees, the state's largest union of registered nurses and health care professionals, and Senate Majority Leader Teresa Ruiz (D-Essex) have been leading the charge to sufficiently finance the state's sole public hospital, which also counts Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. as another ardent supporter. Ruiz noted that "it's not about building another hospital," but making University Hospital, a level one trauma center that receives many patients transferred from other hospitals and falls within the senator's district, "a premier institution." "What I envision is a hospital embedded into a labyrinth of an anchor institution that brings on economic development, that brings on research dollars, that helps the Rutgers Medical Group grow and thrive, that attracts people living in the area," Ruiz said. HPAE is pushing for $151.1 million for the coming fiscal year — up from the $44.7 million slated under Gov. Phil Murphy's proposed budget — and $600 million in American Rescue Plan State Fiscal Recovery Funds to be allocated towards a new building. President Debbie White underscored various infrastructure issues with the building, including frequent power outages, flooding, equipment failures, and antiquated technology, in an urgent call for funding. "We are really hoping because we have such a surplus that we're going to get the money to build a new hospital," White told POLITICO. "This hospital's crumbling; it is falling down. It is ridiculous to think that we can expect the same thing we've always expected of University Hospital without funding University Hospital, and without building a new building." HAPPY FRIDAY AFTERNOON — Hi there, I'm Jonathan Custodio, your Playbook PM author. We're adding New Jersey political trivia to this newsletter and will shout out one person who correctly answers the question in the following day's edition. Shout out to Rob Browne for correctly answering that Chris Chrstie beat Jon Corzine in the 2009 gubernatorial election by 3.6 percent. Today's question: Who is the first person in modern history to have been both governor and chief justice of New Jersey? Send answers and tips to jcustodio@politico.com. We're here with the latest from Trenton and elsewhere as New Jersey moves ahead in the budget process and the Legislature conducts hearings on the governor's spending plan. A PROGRAMMING NOTE: We'll be off Monday for Memorial Day, but will be back in your inboxes on Tuesday, May 31. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY ALLEGED BRIBER STILL RUNNING PAC — A former employee of the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission who set up a PAC and allegedly used its money to attempt to bribe agency officials is still running the PAC, more than a year after he was charged. Omid Bayati, a former state legislative aide, filed paperwork with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission last month indicating the political action committee, PVSC PAC, would not spend more than $7,200 this calendar year. Bayati did not return a phone call seeking comment. Bayati was indicted on June 30, 2021, and charged with second-degree bribery in official and political matters, second-degree offer of unlawful benefit to public servant and second-degree official misconduct charges. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges. At the time an employee of the commission, Bayati allegedly tried to make a $1,200 payment through the PAC to an official, in exchange for "promotional opportunities within the PVSC and in politics broadly," according to the Attorney General's Office. — Matt Friedman COVID NUMBERS — New Jersey today reported 4,145 confirmed positive Covid-19 tests and 14 deaths from the virus. The state's seven-day case average is down 7 percent from a week ago and up 88 percent from a month ago. ON THE BEATS PARKS AND REC — The governor announced on Thursday that, beginning this Memorial Day weekend, entry to state parks, forests and recreation areas won't cost visitors a dime through the summer. Refunds will be issued to anyone who already purchased a 2022 annual State Park Pass while individual park fees, like those associated with camping or mobile sport fishing permits, will remain in place. The governor is pushing a one-year fee waiver for state parks in his proposed budget for the coming fiscal year. "Presented in our FY2023 budget, the bold steps we have taken toward a more affordable Garden State will ensure access to our state parks for everyone — residents and visitors alike," Murphy said in a press release. Around New Jersey Republican budget calls for permanent tax cuts amid surging revenue — New Jersey Monitor's Nikita Biryukov: "Senate Republicans released a budget proposal Thursday that calls for $8 billion in tax relief using excess revenue the state is projected to collect in the current and coming fiscal year. "Many of their proposals appear to create recurring increases in spending and structural tax reductions that may necessitate spending cuts or tax hikes in future years, though it's unlikely Democrats who control the Legislature will adopt any of the GOP budget ideas." Ian Smith's running mate arrested, charged with DWI — New Jersey Globe's David Wildstein: "Four weeks after Republican congressional candidate Ian Smith was charged with drunk driving, a candidate for Burlington County Commissioner running on his ticket in the June 7 primary election was also arrested in a separate DWI incident in Atlantic County. "Valerie Gallagher blew a .21 blood alcohol content on a breathalyzer test, more than twice the legal limit, after she was stopped by an Absecon police officer at 11:47 PM on Sunday, April 24. "Her arrest, which had not been made public, creates a potential obstacle for Smith, who is battling his own legal issues while competing with Bob Healey, Jr. for the chance to take on Rep. Andy Kim (D-Moorestown) in the fall." Odds and ends — American Dream's Big Snow indoor ski resort is reopening after a fire shut it down eight months ago. — Get your bibs out: Crawfish Festival is returning to Sussex County Fairgrounds next weekend. —  A great white shark was spotted off the coast of Ocean City — the second to swim past the state in the last two weeks.   Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook  |  Playbook PM  |  California Playbook  |  California Playbook PM  |  Florida Playbook  |  Illinois Playbook  |  Massachusetts Playbook  |  New Jersey Playbook  |  New York Playbook  |  New York Playbook PM View all our political and policy newsletters Follow us

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