Bayonne Announces Change in Parking Lot Policy for December
Mayor Jimmy Davis announced a change in Bayonne’s policy towards parking lot fees for the month of December.
Mayor Davis said, “In recent years, the City of Bayonne has offered free parking in municipal parking lots for non-commercial vehicles during the month of December. That policy was intended to encourage Christmas shopping in Bayonne. However, the free parking policy was abused by out-of-town commuters who parked their cars in the lots for several hours while they took the Light Rail to work in New York.”
Mayor Davis continued, “The free parking policy was supposed to encourage shopping in Bayonne. Unfortunately, the free parking policy turned many spaces in the Parking Utility lots into free, daylong commuter parking for people who are not Bayonne residents. As a result, we decided not to offer free parking in the lots this year for the month of December. There will still be free parking on Sundays, and on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day.”
Mayor Davis concluded, “We will observe what happens this year to the parking situation during the month of December in Bayonne. Then we will consider what to do in December 2020.”
13-year-old Bayonne boy charged with assault on police
A 13-year-old Bayonne boy has been charged with aggravated assault on a police officer, disorderly conduct, and obstructing a governmental function after authorities say he pushed a police officer while trying to stop officers from questioning a 15-year-old.
NJ.com has reported police responded to West 30th Street on Saturday Nov. 30 on reports that a large group was jumping on parked vehicles. Police found the group sitting on the vehicles shouting profanities.
Most of the group scattered and disregarded officers’ commands to stop, Lt. Eric Amato said. Police detained one of the boys, a 15-year-old, who repeatedly attempted to flee.
While one officer was detaining the 15-year-old, the 13-year-old placed his body between the officer and the 15-year-old and pushed the officer away, Amato said.
The 15-year-old was eventually released to a parent without being cited but the 13-year-old was arrested as a juvenile.
Legislation to Protect Liberty State Park Clears Committee
Legislation sponsored by Senator Sandra B. Cunningham and Senator Loretta Weinberg, which would preserve Liberty State Park as a public green open space and would protect the site from privatization and inappropriate development, cleared the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee today.
The bill, S-3357, would also create the Liberty State Park Advisory Committee which would assist the Department of Environmental Protections (DEP) in conserving, preserving, protecting, and improving the park. In carrying out its responsibilities, the committee would give consideration to the natural, historic, cultural, recreational, and scenic resources and the local, State, and national significance of Liberty State Park.
The bill would protect Liberty State Park from any future proposals to commercialize or privatize the state and national treasure. In addition, the legislation would prohibit the DEP from considering any proposal to commercialize, develop, or privatize Liberty State Park, except as provided in the bill.
Under the bill, the DEP would be allowed to approve a concession, conveyance, lease, or other agreement with a private entity to provide small-scale commercial activities that directly enhance the experience of a visitor to Liberty State Park. The DEP would be required to develop a management plan for Liberty State Park in consultation with the committee within three years of enactment.
The bill was released from committee by a vote of 8-2-3 and next heads to the full Senate for further consideration.
Legislation to Require Further Financial Transparency in Hospitals Passes Assembly Committee
In light of recent news regarding the potential closure of Bayonne Medical Center due to an upcoming hospital merger, of which elected officials had no prior knowledge, Assembly Democrats Nicholas Chiaravalloti and Angela McKnight have sponsored a three-bill package aimed at increasing hospitals’ transparency to help prevent the abrupt loss of important healthcare services in local communities.
“Accessible healthcare is a human right. For a district as densely populated as the 31st, the closure of a medical center could be the difference between life and death for our residents,” said Assemblyman Chiaravalloti (D-Hudson). “If we had known sooner about a planned merger that could leave residents without access to healthcare, we could’ve had conversations with CarePoint Health to try to determine a better approach. This is why communication between hospitals and elected officials is so critical.”
“This legislation will ensure that a hospital’s business practices are above-board and communities are never at risk of losing important services,” said Assemblywoman McKnight (D-Hudson).
The bill package draws upon recommendations in the State Commission of Investigation (SCI) report regarding hospital-related oversight and accountability in New Jersey, after its investigation into CarePoint Health’s financial management.
One bill (A-5917) would give broader oversight capabilities to the Department of Health (DOH) by expanding its Early Warning System, whose purpose is to detect whether hospitals are nearing or already in financial distress. The new legislation would require the system to monitor the quantity and suitability of any fees, allocations and payments made to third parties.
Another bill (A-5916) would allow the Commissioner of Health to notify elected officials if certain hospitals are found to be in financial distress.
Increased transparency would also be required of hospitals when it comes to providing financial information to the DOH. The third bill (A-5918) would require non-profit hospitals to share IRS Form 990 and for-profit hospitals to submit equivalent information to the DOH in order to reveal aspects of their revenue and taxation.
Further stipulations would require hospitals to submit information about ownership, leases and rentals of offices and properties. It would also require the identification of investors, business partners and other affiliates while sharing information about projects and ventures financially associated with the hospital.
Social Security Expands Public Hours at Offices Nationwide
Starting on January 8, 2020, Social Security offices nationwide will be open to the public on Wednesday afternoons, Andrew Saul, Commissioner of Social Security, announced. This change restores Wednesday public service hours that were last in place in late 2012. “I don’t want someone to come to our office at 2:30 on a Wednesday only to find our doors closed,” Commissioner Saul said.
In another move to improve service to the public, Commissioner Saul announced in his Open Letter to the Public at www.ssa.gov/agency/coss-message.html that the agency is hiring 1,100 front line employees to provide service on the agency’s National 800 Number and in its processing centers. The agency is currently bringing onboard 100 new processing center employees and approximately 500 new teleservice representatives for the 800 Number. An additional 500 hires for the 800 Number will occur later in 2020.
“Improving service is my top priority. Increasing full public service hours at our nationwide network of more than 1,200 field offices is the right thing to do and will provide additional access,” Commissioner Saul said. “The hiring of a thousand new employees to provide service through our National 800 Number and an additional 100 hires to process people’s Social Security benefits at our processing centers around the country are steps in the right direction in our mission to greatly improve the service we provide.”
Currently, a field office is generally open to the public from 9:00 a.m. to Noon on Wednesdays. Beginning on January 8, 2020, offices will remain open until 4:00 p.m. on Wednesdays, with typical field office hours from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
While the agency continues to improve both the access to and the experience with its services, it is important to note that most Social Security services do not require the public to take time to visit an office. People may create a my Social Security account, a personalized online service, at www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount.
Through their personal my Social Security account, people can check personal information and conduct business with Social Security. If they already receive Social Security benefits, they can start or change direct deposit online, and if they need proof of their benefits, they can print or download a current Benefit Verification Letter from their account.
People not yet receiving benefits can use their online account to get a personalized Social Security Statement, which provides earnings history information as well as estimates of future benefits. Currently, residents in 40 states and the District of Columbia may request a replacement Social Security card online if they meet certain requirements. The portal also includes a retirement calculator and links to information about other online services, such as applications for retirement, disability, and Medicare benefits.
Many Social Security services are also conveniently available by dialing toll-free, 1-800-772-1213. People who are deaf or hard of hearing may call Social Security’s TTY number, 1-800-325-0778.
