Balancing the Ticket

New Jersey’s candidates for governor have been seeking to balance their tickets by searching for lieutenant governor running mates whose ethnicity, gender, ideology and/or geography bring balance to the ticket. But are the candidates overlooking an important factor? To learn the answer, read Looking for Balance in All the Right Places by the Hall Institute’s Richard Lee.

Virtual Debate Proposed
For Governor's Race

The Hall Institute has invited New Jersey's gubernatorial candidates to participate in a virtual debate similar to the online exchanges it sponsored during the last two U.S. Senate campaigns.

The institute plans to develop six questions for the candidates this summer, based on input from public policy experts and the general citizenry. The questions and the responses from the participating candidates will be posted on the Hall Institute website on a weekly basis in September and October. The virtual debate format also will allow for opening and closing statements from the candidates, as well as rebuttals.

Letters inviting the two major party candidates -- as well as all third-party candidates -- to participate in this year’s virtual debate were sent last week.

On the Airwaves— As the gubernatorial election enters its post-primary phase, Joseph Marbach, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Seton Hall University, offers commentary and analysis on the race in this week's edition of the Hall Institute's internet radio program. Listen

Revamping Federal Student Loans— With the government directly or indirectly financing virtually all federal student loans because of the current financial crisis, Rutgers professor Linda Stamato ponders whether there is reason to continue a program that was intended to inject private capital into the education lending system. Read

Regulating Higher Ed — What are your thoughts on the regulation of higher education? Voice your opinion and cast a vote in our survey. Vote

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Governor 2009 — Our weekly podcasts on the campaign for New Jersey Governor
richleeonline — Commentary and analysis from Richard A. Lee
School Funding — Jarrett E. Chapin's blog on educational issues
Hall Institute Podcasts — Audio discussion of timely and topical issues

The Hall Institute is a non-partisan, not-for-profit foundation established to explore social, economic, educational and cultural issues. Our weekly email newsletter is sent to organizations and individuals with an interest in the material posted on our website at www.hallnj.org.

Since its inception in 2005, the institute has emerged as a leading voice for public policy in New Jersey. More than 400 papers, on topics ranging from health care to education to property taxes, have been posted on our website.

In 2006 and 2008, the institute presented online Virtual Debates among the candidates in New Jersey's U.S. Senate race. We also sponsored NJ2008, a special section on New Jersey's role in the 2008 presidential campaign.

In addition to our other activities, the institute also has published two books -- The State of the Garden State and Reaction and Reform in New Jersey. Both are compilations of the major papers posted on its website. A third volume, Creating A Common Future: New Jersey and Public Policy, is posted on the Hall Institute website.

Located in Trenton directly across from the New Jersey State House, the institute was established by George E. Hall, a successful business executive and a leading philanthropist who lives in Middletown, N.J.

WE WELCOME YOUR INPUT AND IDEAS, AND WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO SUBMIT PAPERS FOR OUR WEBSITE. CONTACT US AT INFO@HALLNJ.ORG.