I'm the Statehouse bureau chief for New Jersey 101.5, covering the governor, Legislature and state politics, and had previously covered the Statehouse for Gannett newspapers for more than 15 years. I'm a lifelong New Jerseyan -- raised in Bergen, living in Hunterdon, Rutgers graduate. I'm co-author of the 2012 biography 'Chris Christie: The Inside Story of His Rise to Power.' I am not the Iron Chef with a similar name though sometimes get tweets meant for him, especially around Thanksgiving. Believe me, you don't want my cooking tips.
Michael Symons
Salary History Questions Banned in NJ in Interest of Equal Pay
Starting early next year, employers in New Jersey can no longer ask prospective workers about their salary history.
Know Where to Vote? NJ Law Starts Hotline and Website to Help
Lawmakers hope a phone number and website are better than a list of mostly irrelevant addresses in notifying the public where to vote in an election.
Help Button Added to Property Tax Bills, Promoting Relief Programs
A new add will require a web address to be added to yearly property tax bills, encouraging homeowners to see if they're eligible for direct relief programs.
NJ spending $9 million to get people to answer Census 2020
Knowing seats in Congress and billions in federal spending are on the line if people don’t answer the census, New Jersey is developing an outreach plan.
Four New NJ Gun Laws, Including Revamped Push for ‘Smart Guns’
Gov. Phil Murphy signed four new gun laws, adding to what the Giffords Law Center already ranks as the second-strongest set of laws among the 50 states.
NJ Suing Trump Administration (Again) Over Tax Law
New Jersey is going to federal court over a new IRS rule that blocks local government charities that the state OK'd to sidestep limits on tax deductions.
A Guide to Fair Elections? A Plan for Redistricting in NJ
Academics from five universities are recommending ways to improve how New Jersey redraws the boundaries of its 40 legislative districts after the census.
Environmentalists: Murphy’s Sabotaging Climate Change Goals
Environmental groups say the Murphy administration’s energy master plan undermines its own goals by relying on power sources that aren’t renewable.
Partial Repeal of NJ Rental-home Tax Near… Maybe
A bill has been on Gov. Murphy's desk since late June that would repeal the sales and accommodation taxes now charged on some short-term rentals.
Ocean County Prepares to Sue NJ Over Immigration Rules
The Ocean County Board of Freeholders is considering suing the Murphy administration in federal court over immigration law enforcement policies that critics say turned New Jersey into a "sanctuary state."