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
Murphy doubles down on NJ future offshore wind plans
In a Climate Week event, Gov. Phil Murphy boosted the state's 2040 goal for offshore wind energy by nearly 50% above its existing 2035 target.
How much NJ schools actually spend on teaching students: A rank of all districts
Total spending per pupil in New Jersey's public schools increased 7.1% during the 2020-21 school year to a statewide average of $24,543.
Bad news for NJ homeowners trying to apply for tax relief
New Jerseyans have swamped the state’s property tax relief hotline in the first few days since application instructions went out.
Chipotle exploiting underage workers? Pays huge penalty to NJ
The restaurant chain is paying $7.75 million for having teens work too many hours and not providing required meal breaks.
NJ teachers will be paying more out of pocket after change to benefits
Premiums are going up by more than 15% for educators in 2023. Taxpayers face the same impact.
NJ might let you look up arrest warrants on public database
Legislation creating a searchable database of arrest warrants is moving through the Assembly. Some advocacy groups have privacy concerns.
NJ may cap credit card fees charged by businesses. But is it a ‘crazy-high’ figure?
Businesses that charge credit-card transaction fees would have to alert customers ahead of time about the added cost, which would be capped at perhaps 4%.
Jobs in NJ erase pandemic losses — but here’s how economy changed
With the 15,400 jobs gained in August, the New Jersey economy has finally reversed the 732,600 job loss from the pandemic's first two months.
NJ park police officer indicted, allegedly stole $160K from union
State prosecutors allege Chris Smith stole from two unions he led, using union accounts for upscale restaurants and travel.
NJ public workers protest proposed higher health-care premiums
At times turning Gov. Phil Murphy's 'stronger and fairer' slogan around on him, unions push the state to back off possible 24% hikes in health care costs.
NJ, at last, offers guidance for managing marijuana in workplaces
Marijuana is legal for adults to use in New Jersey, so businesses attempting to keep a drug-free workplace can drug test only if a worker is impaired.
NJ postal worker admits to stealing iPhones from the mail
The federal theft charge carries a potential penalty of up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.