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
New NJ Tax Credit Pays Up to $500 Per Child — But Maybe in 2024
New Jersey has created a new child tax credit of up to $500 per child under 6. It might not be paid until 2024, but sponsors intend to speed that up by a year.
NJ Transit Workers Sue Agency For Not Stopping Passenger Attacks
The incidents cited in the lawsuit are all from the pandemic era, in which tensions ran high over mask rules. But the problem goes back decades.
NJ Announces ‘Strike force’ to Guard Access to Abortion
Made up of parts of the Department of Law and Public Safety, the strike force will seek to keep information shielded and prevent intimidation by protesters.
Booker Asks Biden to Reclassify Cannabis Now and Issue Mass Pardons
Six senators, including U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, are stepping up their push to get President Joe Biden to reclassify cannabis and pardon people with convictions for nonviolent offenses related to the drug.
Students to Start School Year With ‘Waste of time’ State Testing
The State Board of Education plans to discuss criticism from some school superintendents about standardized Start Strong assessments scheduled for September.
New NJ Budget Slips in $60M for Checks to Unauthorized Immigrants
While it’s not directly funded in the spending plan, the new state budget in a roundabout way provides the money Gov. Phil Murphy was seeking to make $500 pandemic recovery payments to unauthorized immigrants.
Union and NJ Transit Battle Over Fines for Juneteenth Sickout
The union for NJ Transit’s locomotive engineers has asked a court to dismiss NJ Transit’s lawsuit seeking to recover costs associated with a job action three weeks ago.
NJ ‘Can’t wait’ to Use New Law Letting it Sue Gun Companies
Another seven gun control-related laws were signed Tuesday by Gov. Phil Murphy, including one that will allow the state to sue gun makers and sellers in state court.
Murphy Signs Laws Making NJ a ‘Safe haven’ for Abortion
Gov. Phil Murphy enacted two laws Friday shielding people who receive and provide reproductive health care services from lawsuits and other interventions from states where abortion is illegal.
State Lays Out Plan for How NJ Can Spend its Marijuana Millions
State regulators gave conditional approval to 81 more recreational marijuana businesses Thursday and approved a report being sent to the Legislature outlining suggestions for spending the state’s tax revenues from legal weed sales.