Holders of $287 million of municipal bonds sold to help finance the construction of the American Dream mega-mall in New Jersey’s Meadowlands are poised to receive overdue interest next week after two years of missed payments.

The unrated bonds, which are backed by New Jersey economic development grants, skipped payments after documentation necessary to appropriate the funds ran into hurdles. New Jersey officials needed to certify a project cost statement and the state Treasury had to calculate the grant amount. The grant funds are tied to tax revenue derived from sales at the mall, which saw double-digit year-over-year increases the past two quarters.

NEWARK, N.J. — The New Jersey Transit fare holiday starts Monday, with free rides on trains and buses all week long. 

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy says the fare holiday is meant to be a “thank you” to commuters who have dealt with months of service problems. The free rides will run through Monday, Sept. 2.

Monthly pass holders who purchased an August pass will automatically receive a 25% discount on their September monthly pass.

NJ Transit fare holiday follows months of issues

The fare holiday comes as lawmakers proposed a passenger bill of rights, called the All Aboard Act. Lawmakers say it would refund commuters if trains are canceled or delayed by at least three hours. 

NJ Transit also implemented a 15% fare hike — its first in nearly a decade — back in July. 

Riders have faced several delays and cancellations, mainly due to overhead wire issues on the Northeast Corridor, which is owned by Amtrak. 

Murphy says Amtrak and NJ Transit have been working to improve service by stepping up inspections, repairing the overhead wire power supply system, as well as signals and substations. 

An Amtrak spokesperson told CBS News New York in a statement, “the rail company has launched its largest-ever capital investment program, which has more investment planned in New Jersey than any other state,” adding the federal government has funded $6 billion for the effort. 

NJ Transit riders welcome free rides, but want more

Some riders questioned the fare holiday’s timing — coming on one of the slowest public transportation periods of the year. But they said they appreciate the little bit it does for their wallets. 

“I think they should give us, instead of seven days, why not seven months? Why not more?” said Felisha Thomson, of South Orange. “We appreciate the seven days though. But only two days out of that one week I’m going to work.”

“I’m really glad that at least we have a week. I wish we had a month or something, but it’s great” Lauren Ortega said. 

“It’s awesome, I think the city should appreciate that,” Assem Mahmoud said. “Anything free, if it’s really free, that’d be cool.”

“I think it’s so beautiful for people to be able to get free rides. How amazing,” another rider added. “So amazing, thanks Phil [Murphy].”

State Sen. Nellie Pou (D-North Haledon) has emerged as the leading candidate for the late Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-Paterson)’s seat, the New Jersey Globe has confirmed, with Pou picking up the backing of local Democratic party leaders in parts of Bergen, Hudson and Passaic counties. 

That makes her the candidate to beat at the convention to replace Pascrell on the ballot, which will be held on August 29 in Paterson. And it immediately raises the question of whether Pou’s three declared opponents will forge ahead with underdog campaigns.  

Pascrell’s death last week at the age of 87 prompted a week-long scramble to fill his seat, which covers large parts of Bergen and Passaic Counties (including the city of Paterson) and a smaller portion of Hudson County. Democrats in the district have until a state deadline of August 29 to fill Pascrell’s vacant spot on the general election ballot, with no special election or opportunity for voters themselves to weigh in before November.

Within 48 hours of Pascrell’s death, four candidates from Passaic County – Pou, Assemblywoman Shavonda Sumter (D-North Haledon), Assemblyman Benjie Wimberly (D-Paterson), and Paterson Mayor André Sayegh – entered the race. The district is typically seen as a Paterson-based district, and all four represent Paterson in either local office or the state legislature.

But Bergen County makes up a nearly equal portion of the district as Passaic, and in fact has more Democratic county committeemembers in place thanks to vacancies in Passaic. That made Bergen Democrats potential kingmakers in the race – and raised the possibility that they could attempt to swipe the seat away from Passaic County with one of their own candidates, like Bergen County Commissioner Tracy Silna Zur (D-Franklin Lakes) or Assemblyman Clinton Calabrese (D-Cliffside Park).

Juliano’s support for Pou, however, nullifies that possibility and means that Zur and Calabrese won’t be mounting campaigns at Thursday’s convention.

The declarations of support for Pou are more generally part of a broad compromise. Bergen County doesn’t get to send one of its own to Congress, nor does Passaic County Democratic Chairman John Currie get his own first choice (Sumter) elected; instead, they’ll all come together on a candidate who’s broadly liked by all sides.

There’s a demographic angle to their choice, too: the 9th district is plurality Hispanic (around 42% Hispanic to 38% white), and Pou was the only Hispanic candidate running. If she’s elected to Congress, Pou will become the state’s first-ever Latina member of Congress (after three previous Latino members), as well as the first Hispanic member from outside Hudson County.

Assuming the 68-year-old Pou wins the convention, as now looks likely, she’ll go on to face Republican Billy Prempeh in the general election. Pou will be heavily favored in that race, although Prempeh did hold Pascrell to a modest 55%-44% win in 2022 thanks in large part to turnout discrepancies across the district.

Her victory in November would mean that the State Senate seat she’s held since 2012 would also become vacant. The field to succeed her would probably look similar to the one that’s already developed for the congressional seat, with Sumter, Wimberly, and Sayegh all likely to at least consider campaigns.

That’s jumping several steps ahead, since Pou hasn’t even won the convention to be on the ballot yet. But even if one or more of Sumter, Wimberly, or Sayegh does stay in the race, it will very much be an uphill battle with the unified strength of party leadership behind Pou.

The New Jersey Globe, along with On New Jersey and the Rebovich Institute of New Jersey Politics at Rider University, is sponsoring a candidate forum on Monday evening at 8 PM.  Pou, Sayegh, Sumter and Wimberly are participating.