Fixing what ain’t broke remains the hallmark for the New Jersey Legislature, with some senators trying to ram through legislation tomorrow that would allow public schools to operate public child care centers for babies as young as six weeks old. Huh? Such a bill would require taxpayers to drop millions into old, under-used school buildings so they can magically comply with the modern-day requirements of high-tech child care centers. Meanwhile, at jeopardy, is 87,000 child care workers, mostly women, who comprise nearly 6 percent of the female workforce in the state. Why? Why? Why? Because Marlton Middle School has an illegal child care center, and somehow got state legislation proposed to keep it open, even though it would hurt the entire state. Listen to today’s episode of the Jaffe Podcast, as we navigate the madness.

PERTH AMBOY – You’d expect any freshman legislator to quietly sit in the back of the room, listen intently and perhaps co-sponsor a bill or two. But Assemblywoman Yvonne Lopez – who joined the Assembly last year to serve the 19th Legislative District, appears to be anywhere and everywhere. She serves on four committees, one in which she is vice chair. And she is already prime sponsor on a bill that is now law, requiring three-point lap and shoulder safety belts on school buses. The assemblywoman, squarely focused on social issues, stopped by for a chat, in the latest episode of the Jaffe Podcast.

Here, have a sandwich. That simple act of kindness is what fuels Bridges Outreach, a non-profit that brings volunteers into the heart of Newark, Irvington and NYC to directly help the homeless where they live. This street outreach hands out 65,000 brown bag meals, 10,000 pairs of socks and underwear, 7,500 toiletry kits and tons of clothing each year. Richard Uniacke, executive director of Bridges Outreach, says the non-profit has made a tremendous impact, but is only scratching the surface. He explains why, in this week’s episode of the Jaffe Podcast.

It was 105 years ago that Uncle Sam adopted its first drug laws, courtesy of President Woodrow Wilson. The law was fueled by frenzied, blatant racism: a crackdown to save White women from drug-peddling Mexicans and deranged Chinamen. (No, we are not making this up.) Fast forward to 2019: Regulating drug use is still on the front burner, as well as how it all relates to minority communities. As New Jersey continues to debate the legalization of marijuana, the Jaffe Podcast welcomed Assemblyman Jamel Holley to discuss how this proposal also relates directly to social justice. The proposed bill would scrub the criminal records of many minorities who have been busted for possessing and selling the drug.

STATEWIDE – Free money! Tax cuts! Now that we have your attention, let’s talk about accounting. No, no, stick with us here. We’re talking about Trump’s promises last year of widespread tax “cuts” and the fact that it is tax time once again. Most people recently polled by Politico have no clue if all this hot air from Washington of Free Money! and Lower Taxes! will mean anything when the taxman arrives no later than April 15. This week’s guest on the Jaffe Podcast is an accountant with 25 years of experience. Craig Johnson of Holman Frenia Allison, P.C. has seen it all, and is ready to impart wisdom for anyone who dares to download a podcast featuring a Certified Public Accountant. Brace yourselves, folks, we have it all here.

The Jaffe Podcast Episode 9: Gary Gellman by The Jaffe Podcast

We all know health insurance isn’t cheap, and now is one of the biggest line items of many household budgets. New Jersey is one of only two states that require people to buy health insurance, or face fines, thanks to a new law that took effect January 1. What is fair? What is right? And, really, will health insurance premiums ever go down in New Jersey? We dare to dream, with David Mordo of Benefitmall - this week’s guest on the Jaffe Podcast.

Not everyone is man enough to be a Girl Scout. That’s quite evident in the latest episode of the Jaffe Podcast, in which we chat with the CEO of the Girl Scouts Heart of New Jersey, serving seven counties. Natasha Hemmings says there’s this myth that Girl Scouts exist just to sell you a box or three of cookies. The fact is Girl Scouts are running programs for homeless families, for women behind bars and for girls of every socio-economic group. Today’s Girl Scouts are jetting off to Paris, saving lives, participating in international events, and are doing the type of community work right here in Jersey that catches the eyes of the top universities in the nation.

Yeah, yeah, we’ve heard all the Jersey jokes. “The Armpit of America” and a lot of other stuff. Har-Har. You would think our streets are filled with trash, as we sit it in our diners, smoke cigarettes and gaze at our tire piles. But the true, hard fact is that New Jersey is one of the cleanest states in the nation, and new findings from the New Jersey Clean Communities Council shows that the amount of litter has dropped by 53 percent since 2004. The fearless leader of the council, Sandy Huber, is the latest guest on the Jaffe Podcast, explaining what has been done – and what is being planned – to keep trash in bins, and out of our waterways, roadsides and other places.