New Jersey Political Briefing — March 9, 2026
Governor Sherrill to Unveil First State Budget
Gov. Mikie Sherrill will present her first New Jersey state budget on Tuesday at 2 p.m. at the State House in Trenton. The address will stream live on NJSpotlightNews.org.
In a Feb. 26 briefing, Sherrill and Treasurer Aaron Binder warned that New Jersey faces a $3 billion structural deficit, driven by rising Medicaid costs, pension liabilities, increased school funding obligations, public‑worker benefits, and the expiration of federal COVID relief and federal funding cuts.
Source: NJBiz
Supreme Court Social Media Case Tested in N.J.
A lawsuit in New Jersey will examine how a 2024 unanimous U.S. Supreme Court ruling applies to local officials’ use of social media. The case centers on whether the mayor’s Facebook page was a personal page or a government page.
The Court ruled officials may block users from personal pages, but not if those pages are used for official business, stating: “An official cannot insulate government business from scrutiny by conducting it on a personal page.”
Source:
https://www.nj.com
Crash Data on Bloomfield Avenue in Caldwell
Data from the Caldwell Police Department, obtained by Montclair Local, shows 172 vehicle crashesoccurred on Bloomfield Avenue between Jan. 1, 2023 and Feb. 18, 2026, resulting in 22 injuries. The roadway has been a long‑standing point of concern, including a fatal hit‑and‑run earlier this year.
Source:
https://montclairlocal.news
Bloomfield Receives MIG 1 Rating for $16.2M in Notes
Bloomfield earned a MIG 1 rating from Moody’s for its $16.2 million in 2026 bond anticipation notes, including $14.2 million in general improvement notes and $2 million in water utility notes.
Bond anticipation notes (BANs) are short‑term, interest‑bearing securities that help municipalities fund projects before securing long‑term financing.
Sources:
https://patch.com
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https://www.investopedia.com
Jersey City Appoints Acting Deputy Public Safety Director
Jersey City Mayor James Solomon has appointed Deputy Fire Chief Loren Hart as the city’s acting deputy public safety director, serving as second‑in‑command to Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose.
Source: Hudson County
Middy Baraka to Manage NJ‑12 Congressional Campaign
Middy Baraka, brother of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, has been named campaign manager for the NJ‑12 congressional campaign of candidate Mapp, reinforcing Newark’s continued political influence in regional races.
Source:
https://newjerseyglobe.com
Federal Legislation — Introduced March 5, 2026
S.J.Res.118 — Iran Hostilities
A joint resolution directing the removal of U.S. Armed Forces from unauthorized hostilities in Iran.
Sponsor: Sen. Cory Booker (D‑NJ)
Referred to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations (Booker is a member).
S.4018 — Arts & Music Funding in Schools
A bill to expand access to school‑wide arts and music programs under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
Sponsor: Sen. Cory Booker (D‑NJ)
Referred to the Senate HELP Committee (Sen. Andy Kim is a member).
S.Res.628 — “Music in Our Schools Month”
A resolution supporting the designation of March 2026 as Music in Our Schools Month.
Sponsor: Sen. Cory Booker (D‑NJ)
Referred to Senate HELP Committee (Sen. Andy Kim is a member).
House Votes — March 5, 2026
H.Res.1099 — Iran as Largest State Sponsor of Terrorism
Passed 372–53
Rep. McIver (NJ‑10): Nay
H.Con.Res.38 — Removal of U.S. Forces from Iran Hostilities
Failed 212–219
Rep. McIver (NJ‑10): Yea
Motion to Recommit H.R. 7744 (DHS Appropriations)
Failed 212–217
Rep. McIver (NJ‑10): Yea
H.R. 7744 — DHS Appropriations Act, 2026
Passed 221–209
Rep. McIver (NJ‑10): Nay
Governor Sherrill Public Schedule
Sunday, March 8, 2026 — 11:00 a.m.
Gov. Sherrill will appear on the first episode of Univision’s new Sunday program Esta Seman.
Congressional Overview: Iran War Votes
Both chambers voted on disapproving the President’s unauthorized military action in Iran:
House: Failed 212–219
Senate: Failed 53–47
A separate House resolution, H.Res.1099, reaffirming Iran as “the largest state sponsor of terrorism,” passed 372–53, though it carries no legal effect.
Ethics Developments
Rep. Gonzales (TX‑23) ended his reelection campaign following news of an ethics investigation.
Rep. Nancy Mace introduced H.Res. 1100, seeking preservation and public release of Ethics Committee misconduct records. The Committee opposed the resolution, stating mandatory disclosures could discourage victim and witness cooperation. The House voted 357–65 to refer it back to committee, effectively stopping the measure.
Legislative Floor Activity
Most suspension‑calendar bills passed by voice vote. Exceptions include:
H.R. 4467 — received no vote
Bills expected under a rule did not reach the floor
Measures that passed:
S.723 — Tribal Trust Land Homeownership Act (384–40)
H.R. 6472 — Territorial Student Access to Higher Education Act (351–72)
H.R. 7744 — DHS Appropriations Act, 2026(221–209)
DHS remains partially shut down, with ICE and CBP operating on prior‑year reconciliation funding.
