Below is Insider NJ’s Morning Intelligence Briefing:

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “There is no appetite to move this bill, because they want to bribe the senior voting bloc months before we all appear on the ballot. Given that Governor Murphy doesn’t have a horse in this race, StayNJ may not even materialize.” – GOP Assemblyman Bergen criticizing Speaker Coughlin’s StayNJ proposal

TOP STORY: It Ain’t Dover till it’s Dover

In Rockaway, a state audit found widespread violations of employee paid leave payouts, unused vacation time, and not properly obtaining health insurance.

In Dover, the Democratic primary features a three-way race between incumbent Mayor Blackman, Alderman Correa, and former Mayor Dodd.

In Montclair, Councilor Yacobellis confirmed his intention to run for mayor next year.

In Roselle, Mayor Shaw filed a ELEC complaints against former Assemblyman Holley, James Devine, and Lisa McCormick. Senator Stack headed to Roselle to aid Mayor Shaw for GOTV, according to Hudson County View.

In Bernards, culture wars are still burning in the schools, according to NJ Hills.

In Jersey City, former Governor McGreevey is being encouraged to run for mayor in 2025, according to the Jersey Journal.

In Morristown, the council discussed vacant properties on the Green, according to NJ Hills. Two Democrats are vying for Ward 3 council in the primary, according to Morristown Green.

In Upper, ATVs, dirtbikes, and exploding targets are part of the discussion, according to the Press of Atlantic City.

ICYMI: In Roxbury, the BOE held a packed meeting; in Roselle, Holley endorsed by former mayors; in Hanover, NJEA condemned school parental notification policy; in Paterson, Eastside Don Bosco went head-to-head at historic and reborn Hinchliffe; in Roxbury, book legal battle is lightening rod for candidates; in Fair Lawn, residents banded together to snuff out Nabisco implosion; in WNY, Sires thanked Stack as driving force behind his victory; Sires clinched victory as Cirillo concedes, both hit the streets in the final hours of the race; in North Bergen, Sacco romped to victory

AROUND THE WEB:

Murphy’s temper tantrum, and the makings of a budget deal | Moran

Tom Moran, Star-Ledger

• Drive along Upper Mountain Road in the lovely township of Montclair, and you will see one sprawling mansion after another, their manicured lawns as big as a local park, most with outsized windows to take in the sparkling view of Manhattan.

Much of Camden’s downtown was demolished for ‘urban renewal.’ Now, a push to make it a place for people again.

Kevin Riordan, Philadelphia Inquirer

• The Camden Youth Jazz Collective was playing hot licks under a spring blue sky. People beneath umbrellas at bistro tables tucked into fried fish from a food truck operated by Corinne’s Place, the city’s homegrown, James Beard award-winning soul food restaurant.

Liberty State Park: The good guys finally won | Editorial

Star-Ledger Editorial Board

• The ultimate vision of a pristine urban oasis – protected from garish development, political dithering, and billionaire hubris – took a giant step closer to reality last week, when a massive plan to revitalize Liberty State Park was announced by the Department of Environmental Protection.

Ex-con murdered woman on NJ estate of former US senator

Sergio Bichao, NJ1015

• A career criminal could be back behind bars permanently after a Hunterdon County jury last week convicted him of murdering a woman at a drug-fueled party in 2020. Brandon E. Petersen, 33, of Newton, faces at least 30 years to life when he is sentenced in July.

Coughlin’s tax plan for seniors puts him at odds with governor

David Cruz, NJ Spotlight

• As state lawmakers hammer out the final details of a state budget, a new proposal by Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin has provoked pushback from Gov. Phil Murphy. Under Coughlin’s plan, called Stay NJ, “Every senior, 65 or older, with regard to their primary residence, would be eligible to receive a 50% off their property taxes. It’s a straightforward simple plan,” said Coughlin (D-Middlesex).

Pausing on the way to the Jersey Shore

Tom Gralish, Philadelphia Inquirer

• Frequent travelers appreciate rest stops – not just for the rest rooms, but also as a place to take breaks to eat, walk the dog, get coffee of just their stretch legs. Read More >> We evaluate the essentials at four Jersey stops.

Legal battle over beach replenishment in North Wildwood

Ted Goldberg, NJ Spotlight

• North Wildwood remains locked in a legal battle with the state over how best to replenish its beachfront after storms. North Wildwood has some very narrow beaches, making it prone to erosion, and township officials say typical replenishment strategies won’t work.

Mental health crisis in New Jersey: Workforce pressures

NJ Spotlight

• Powerful societal factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic, rapid integration of technology into daily life and polarized political sentiment have contributed to mental health challenges for a great many people from all walks of life in New Jersey and elsewhere.

Are NJ beaches prepared for hurricane season? Officials say yes, but vulnerabilities remain

Amanda Oglesby, Asbury Park Press

• In the more than 10 years since Sandy devastated the Jersey Shore, state officials are confident their beaches are well-nourished with sand and beachfront communities are well protected. However, New Jersey officials say a number of inland bay communities remain vulnerable.

Murphy wants $100M in pandemic aid spent on Jersey Shore boardwalks. Who gets first dibs?

David P. Willis, Asbury Park Press

• Gov. Phil Murphy stepped out onto a sunny Asbury Park boardwalk on Thursday morning, kicking off the Memorial Day holiday weekend and touting a $100 million fund to revitalize and refurbish the state’s boardwalks. “First of all, boardwalks are the lifeblood, particularly in warm weather, of a town like Asbury Park,” Murphy said during a stop at The Break Restaurant.