October 29, 2007

DeCROCE TO ROBERTS ON BUDGET HEARINGS: IF YOU’RE GOING TO TALK THE TALK, THEN WALK THE WALK

Assembly Republican Leader Alex DeCroce today said that all Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts has to do is say the word and hearings on next year’s budget, which is already facing a $3.5 billion deficit, can commence immediately.

“This can happen right now,” said DeCroce, R-Morris and Passaic, in response to comments by Roberts that he thinks holding immediate budget hearings is “a real good idea. “Assembly Republicans have made it very clear to Democrat leadership that we are more than willing to sit down at the budget table for however long it takes to reach a bipartisan agreement on a plan to deal with the state’s fiscal crisis.”

He added that Assembly Republican budget analysts and research staff were instructed more than a week ago to begin preparations for budget hearings.

Less than two weeks ago, DeCroce called on Senate President Richard Codey, D-Essex, and Roberts, D-Camden, to convene the budget committees of each house of the Legislature when Governor Jon Corzine admitted the state is facing a $3.5 billion budget deficit for next year. Corzine ordered his department heads to devise a plan to make $3 billion in cuts.

When asked by Millennium Radio New Jersey today if he was willing to resume budget hearings immediately, Roberts said, “We could begin scrutinizing some of the departments, trying to get a handle on some of the larger issues to lay the groundwork for when we start the budget (process) typically in the February, March timeframe next year….I think if we want the budget process to be aggressive and to be a partnership, we should get engaged, all of us, immediately.”

DeCroce challenged the Democrat leader to call for budget hearings before the November legislative elections.

“Let’s get the ball rolling now,” said DeCroce. “Taxpayers have every right to know what actions their legislators are willing to take to fix this budget before taxpayers go to the polls, but for six years the Democrats have offered nothing to repair the state’s economy. When their backs are pushed to the wall, they say action is needed, but when push comes to shove, Democrats retreat only to eventually come back with another tax, borrow and spend plan.”

DeCroce noted that Assembly Republicans have proposed a sound fiscal plan, including responsible spending cuts, to bring New Jersey back from the brink of fiscal ruin. The Democrats, however, have refused even to consider GOP proposals for fiscal reform.

“Democrats have raised taxes by $6 billion during the past six years while increasing spending by $11 billion. Survey after survey show the tax and debt burden has become too much for the New Jersey taxpayer to bear as they are packing their bags and leaving in record numbers,” said an exasperated DeCroce.

“Well, the day of reckoning is here. The Democrats have a choice – continue on this path to sure bankruptcy or work with us to find a swift, decisive, responsible and bipartisan solution. For the sake of our state and our taxpayers, I hope they choose the latter.”      

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October 23, 2007

VANDERVALK WARNS HALLOWEEN CAN BE FATAL FOR CHILDREN WITH FOOD ALLERGIES UNLESS CARE IS TAKEN

SPONSOR OF NJ EPINEPHRINE LAW URGES PARENTS TO BE CAUTIOUS WHEN DISPENSING ‘TREATS’ TO CHILDREN

Assemblywoman Charlotte Vandervalk, sponsor of a new law that regulates the emergency administration of epinephrine to students who suffer attacks of anaphylaxis, says parents preparing to host school Halloween parties or greet Halloween “trick-or-treaters” should remember that millions of children have severe food allergies that could be fatal unless special care is taken.

“For children who suffer from severe food allergies, Halloween is a time when extra precaution must be taken,” said Vandervalk, R-Bergen. “School parties and a night of trick-or-treating could be truly scary for children who must rely on epinephrine in case of an attack.”

Vandervalk noted that peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, milk and soy are the most common causes of food allergies in children. Eating even a small amount of these foods could trigger anaphylaxis, which is a severe and sudden whole-body allergic reaction that could have deadly consequences. For children prone to this life-threatening condition, an injection of epinephrine is their lifeline.

In March, a new state law (A-961/S-79)sponsored by Vandervalk took effect that will make schools a safer environment for these allergy sufferers. The law provides civil immunity for any school employee, including school nurses, for any good faith action taken with regard to the administration of epinephrine to students. It also directs certified school nurses to recruit and train volunteer designees to administer epinephrine for anaphylaxis. The Department of Education and the Department of Health will develop training protocols, in consultation with the NJ School Nurses Association.

For Halloween, Vandervalk encouraged parents to follow some helpful tips offered by the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology:

1. When classroom parties are planned, parents can help by packing treats from home that their food-allergic child can eat.
2. Create a "candy swap" with siblings or friends so that allergen-containing candies can be traded for other treats such as stickers or toys.
3. Take the focus off of trick-or-treating by hosting a costume party that emphasizes fun instead of candy. Halloween stickers, pencils, spider rings and stamps are great alternatives for goody bags.
4. Provide neighbors with allergy-safe candies for your child or ask neighbors to hand out only candy with individualized labels -- so kids with allergies can determine whether the treat is safe to eat or not.
5. Teach children to politely refuse offers of cookies and other homemade treats.
6. Remember that candy ingredients can vary for different sizes of the same product such as full-size candy bars and their miniature versions, which are not always individually labeled.

According to the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network, food allergies have skyrocketed, doubling in the last 10 years. More than 12 million Americans have the condition. That's one in 25, or about 4 percent of the population. About 2.2 million school-age children have food allergies, and one in 17 children under the age of three are affected.

In the United States, anaphylaxis results in 150 to 200 deaths a year, as well as more than 30,000 emergency room visits. There is no cure for food allergies. Strict avoidance of the allergen is the only reliable way to prevent a reaction.

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October 23, 2007

BECK SUPPORTS GARDEN STATE COALITION OF SCHOOL’S CALL FOR NEW SCHOOL FUNDING FORMULA

Assemblywoman Jennifer Beck today said she supports the Garden State Coalition of School’s (GSCS) efforts in calling for a new school funding formula which she says is essential to providing an efficient and thorough education for all students as well as reforming New Jersey’s property tax system.

“Every student in New Jersey should be afforded a quality education,” said Beck, R-Monmouth and Mercer. “I hope Governor Corzine and the Democrat leadership will give the GSCS’ recommendations serious consideration.”

The Associated Press on Sunday reported that Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts, D-Camden, expects legislators to focus on a new school funding formula once they return to action following the Nov. 6 legislative elections, and that Governor Corzine is optimistic a new funding plan will be ready.

Some of the proposals by the GSCS include requiring the new formula used to determine state aid be reworked to reflect the fiscal realities within various districts. Any formula legislation should be sensitive to not only the community’s ‘local fair share,’ but also to individual residents’ income capacity, and should be updated annually.  Also, special needs and disabilities must receive state support aid no matter where they live.

Beck noted that property taxes cannot be reformed and significantly reduced without an equitable school funding formula. “We cannot have one without the other,” the 12th Legislative district lawmaker said. “I just hope the Democrats don’t continue to make this a partisan issue and play politics with our children’s educations and future.

“This state needs a comprehensive new formula that is fair, flexible, sustainable and responsive to both student and community needs and we need it now,” Time is running out so immediate action is necessary.

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October 18, 2007

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT...

Leaving Jersey for a better life
Editorial, The Jersey Journal, October 18, 2007

Does New Jersey's middle class feel they are being ignored? Are they angry enough to do something about it? Yes, they are. They are leaving the Garden State.

About half of the state's adult population want to leave New Jersey, and most of them are less than 50 years of age and earning between $50,000 and $100,000 per year. These are the results of a recent study by Monmouth University/Gannett New Jersey Poll.

This comes on the heels of a Rutgers University study, released last week, that shows more than 231,000 people have left New Jersey between 2002 and 2006, including 72,547 people last year. Last year's exodus was the fourth highest loss of residents in the nation, behind only California, Louisiana and New York. Apparently more would be willing to follow. The newest poll found 49 percent of New Jersey adults would like to move out of the state, compared to 44 percent who would prefer to stay and 7 percent who are unsure.

Is this a surprise? This is a state where property tax reform has failed and the answer to revenue shortfalls and budget deficits is to raise fees and the cost of doing just about everything in the Garden State. Those feeling the brunt are the poor and middle class. The latter are those average Joes and Janes who sometimes live from paycheck to paycheck while failing to reach the lifestyles their parents enjoyed.

The latest poll found 28 percent of people wanting to leave citing the state's highest-in-the-nation property taxes as the leading reason; 19 percent mentioned the state's generally high cost of living, with 6 percent referring to housing costs and 5 percent specifying state taxes.

Where are they moving? They are going to the Southeast, with Florida and North Carolina as the most popular choices. These are states with more affordable housing and lower taxes.

Gov. Jon Corzine and the Legislature should be very worried. The state's residents are tired of decades of empty promises and phony fixes, and the exodus is bound to have a major socio-economic impact on New Jersey. There will be a smaller tax base to milk to pay for public services. As an example, the newest poll reports that the lost income and sales taxes from those who have left New Jersey is estimated to have cost the state $680 million in tax revenue last year.

This newspaper agrees with one pollster who said Garden Staters are starting to vote with their feet. They have been given little choice by our elected leaders. Unfortunately, it will create a bigger burden for those left behind.

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October 18, 2007

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT...

A whiny Corzine balks at leading
Editorial, The Trentonian, October 18, 2007

Gov. Corzine took office a ball of fire. He vowed to put to work in behalf of the state the managerial skills that made him a Wall Street multi-millionaire. He would set the state’s sorry finances straight, he declared. And in the bargain, he added, he would do what needed to be done to rid the state of its corrupt political traditions. Those rousing words now seem like they were uttered in a long-past era.

The state’s finances are more than ever a mess, with massive unfunded future liabilities looming due to burgeoning public payrolls and excessive public employee benefits. The governor himself is warning of a $3 billion shortfall in the current budget.

He seems to have no real plans to economize. Instead, he’s mulling a scheme to “monetize” (i.e., hike and skim) toll road revenues and use the loot to continue business as usual, business as usual being borrow and spend, spend and borrow.

As for fighting corruption, he has signed off on a few halting, hesitant reforms. That’s better than nothing, we’ll concede. But not even the most hype-prone shill for the administration would call these reforms far-reaching.

In an interview with Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Monica Yant Kinney, Corzine sounded nothing like the girded-for-battle governor who took office not all that long ago, nothing remotely like the hotshot master of the universe who took Wall Street by storm.

Democracy “is a messy exercise,” he whimpered, alluding to his once-heralded, now deflated anti-corruption agenda. Besides, he added, the political reality is a governor has to be careful about irking politicians whose votes are needed in the legislature. “I have a big agenda with these guys,” he told the Inquirer writer. “I gotta get a lot of stuff done. I’m not apologizing, but...”

But ... he’s apologizing.

The governor is sounding, in a word, whiny.

He may have put his finger on his own problem when he spoke of getting “a lot of stuff done.” He should take a gander at the state’s own annual comprehensive financial statements and notice how spending increases year after year have greatly exceeded rises in the Cost of Living Index. When a man’s house is ablaze, he doesn’t waste time fretting about his things-to-do list. He focuses on putting out the fire.

Corzine doesn’t need to get “a lot of stuff” done. He needs to get one thing done — put the state’s out-of-control finances in order.

By putting off this one thing, the governor only further undermines his own liberal agenda as New Jersey’s state government continues to price itself out of reach.

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October 17, 2007

MERKT: GOVERNOR CORZINE, WHEN WILL YOU LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE OF NEW JERSEY?

Latest survey says half of NJ residents would leave if they could

Assemblyman Richard Merkt declared today that it is obvious that Governor Corzine and the Democrats, who have controlled the state’s purse strings for the past six years, are not listening to the people of New Jersey.  The lawmaker’s remarks came in the wake of a stunning public poll revealing that half of New Jersey’s taxpayers would leave state if they could.

“Every survey conducted since Governor Corzine took office shows that residents are fleeing the Garden State’s crushing tax burden and unbelievable cost of living,” noted Merkt, R-Morris. “Each time a fresh report is released, the news is worse than before. Yet the governor and this Democrat-run Legislature have done nothing to ease the taxpayer’s pain or solve the state’s fiscal crisis. New Jersey residents aren’t stupid; they’re heading for the doors in record numbers.”

The latest Monmouth University/Gannett New Jersey Poll released today revealed that, given a choice, 49 percent of all New Jersey residents would bail out of the Garden State. In addition, most of those who wish to leave are “very likely” to do so while another third say they are “somewhat likely” to do so.

“The bottom line is that New Jersey is already in a fiscal crisis,” warned Merkt. “People have figured it out for themselves and want to get out before the fiscal time bomb goes off.  Yet the governor and the Democrats remain deaf to what the public is telling them.  If they don’t start listening soon, New Jersey will face bankruptcy in the foreseeable future.”

The 25th district lawmaker noted that Assembly Republicans have proposed a sound plan, including responsible spending cuts, to bring New Jersey back from the brink of fiscal ruin. The Democrats, however, have refused even to consider GOP proposals for fiscal reform.

The latest poll results come on the heels of another report issued just last week by two of the state’s most respected economists showing a growing number of residents leaving New Jersey.  The net emigration of 72,000 people in 2006 cost the state economy $680 million.  Governor Corzine attributed the exodus to retirees leaving for warmer climates, but today’s Monmouth/Gannett poll contradicts the governor by showing that most who want to leave are younger workers in higher tax brackets.

“New Jersey residents are fed up with high taxes, and they aren’t taking it anymore,” explained Merkt. “I am pleading with the governor to listen to the warning taxpayers are sending through these poll results.  We have a financial expert at the state’s helm right now. I expect him to provide leadership rather than ignore what literally millions of taxpayers are telling him.”

Merkt observed that residents are neither impressed nor fooled by the governor’s “monetization” jargon, stating that they “know the state is in deep financial trouble, and they are deeply worried.” He called on Corzine and the Democrat leadership to lay out in detail just how dire the state’s financial crisis really is and how much taxpayers will be forced to pay to put New Jersey government back on a sound financial footing.

“Including unfunded public employee benefits, interest payments and new state debt for schools and bridges, New Jersey’s taxpayers are staring down the barrel of $200 BILLION in long-term obligations,” cautioned Merkt. “Governor Corzine is long overdue on leveling with the people about the gravity of New Jersey’s fiscal crisis, rather than just worrying about next year’s state budget.”

“The last great freedom the taxpayers of New Jersey have is the freedom to leave the state; to vote, if you will, with their feet,” concluded Merkt, adding, “And that’s exactly what they are doing.”

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October 16, 2007

MERKT RECEIVES NJ TAXPAYERS’ ASSOCIATION’S FIRST TAXPAYER ADVOCATE AWARD; RECEIVES TOP REPORT CARD SCORE

Lawmaker has long advocated for tax reform, responsible spending

The New Jersey Taxpayers’ Association today named Assemblyman Richard Merkt the recipient of its first Taxpayer Advocate Award for the legislator’s tireless efforts in seeking real and sustainable tax reform on behalf of the state’s taxpayers.

The award was announced at the same time the group released the results of its first Legislator Report Card initiative which is designed to introduce greater accountability and transparency into New Jersey’s state election process. In addition to the award, Merkt  received the highest score of the state’s 120 lawmakers in recognition of his strong support of responsible, long-term tax and spending policies.

“Of course I am very grateful for these two honors, but more importantly I am extremely pleased to see that the forgotten and often abused New Jersey taxpayer is finally receiving the attention that is long overdue,” said Merkt, R-Morris. “I would also like to thank the New Jersey Taxpayers’ Association for embarking on this vital initiative. The public deserves to know how their lawmakers are voting on the issues, especially those that directly affect each taxpayer.

“As we well know, the state’s unrelenting tax burden, addictive spending and crushing debt are driving the Garden State into bankruptcy and its residents and businesses to greener pastures,” the five-term lawmaker continued. “This irresponsible behavior by self-serving politicians at the statehouse is indicative of a total lack of respect for our taxpayers who provide the very funds Trenton’s elite love to squander.”

The New Jersey Taxpayers’ Association is a statewide grass roots organization dedicated to achieving real and sustainable tax reform in New Jersey. The organization’s efforts are aimed at improving the quality of life in New Jersey, for all its citizens, by holding elected officials and administrators personally accountable for sound fiscal management of governmental institutions, organizations and precious tax dollars.

“At this time, I would like to assure New Jersey taxpayers that I will continue the fight on their behalf for responsible and accountable government in Trenton,” noted Merkt.

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October 16, 2007

BECK: SCHIP VETO DEMANDS STATE LEGISLATIVE ACTION

Calls for reprioritization of budget items, spending cuts to save children’s healthcare program

Saying that actions speak louder than words, Assemblywoman Jennifer Beck today called for the Legislature to reconvene in Trenton to identify State resources, through spending reductions and reprioritization of budget items, to provide interim funding for the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) should President Bush and Congress fail to enact the necessary legislation before federal funding expires.

Senate President Richard Codey and Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts recently sent members of the Assembly Republican caucus a letter asking members to lobby the President and Congress to provide additional federal funding for SCHIP.  Beck noted that while she appreciates their efforts, she said letter writing isn’t enough.
“It is disheartening that President Bush vetoed this vital piece of legislation. SCHIP provides essential funding for New Jersey FamilyCare which provides healthcare coverage for many of our state’s most vulnerable citizens, our children,” explained Beck, R-Monmouth and Mercer.

“We may have lost a battle, but that doesn’t mean we lost the war. If we work together in the spirit of bipartisanship, the Legislature could identify available State funding sources necessary to keep this vital program running.  By working together, we can prevent a lapse in health coverage for New Jersey’s children,” Beck said.

Beck added that state lawmakers can fulfill their responsibility to fund children’s healthcare by redirecting funds from lower priority spending, including some of the nearly $350 million allocated for pork projects in the current State budget.

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October 16, 2007

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT...

Higher taxes, fewer New Jerseyans
Editorial, The Times of Trenton, October 16, 2007

A recent study out of Rutgers has found a worrisome trend: New Jersey residents are fleeing the state in droves.

The study by Rutgers economists James Hughes and Joseph Seneca shows that the exodus of residents is so severe that it could lead to an overall drop in the Garden State's population by next year.

Those who moved out of the state between 2000 and 2006, the period of greatest drain, took with them about $10 billion that won't be spent in the local economy. And last year alone, the state missed out on about $680 million in budget revenues, according to the Rutgers study.

New Jersey's anemic population figures could result in the loss of a congressional seat, which would further erode the state's stature in Washington. New Jersey is now a "donor state," which means that we pay more in federal taxes than we get back in aid that is based on population figures.

So what is driving New Jersey residents to pack up and leave in such unprecedented numbers? Without doubt, a major reason has to be that it is simply too expensive to live here. This state has the highest property taxes in the nation and the cost of housing here is through the roof. It's no small wonder that people are moving to other states with lower taxes and more reasonable housing costs.

The downward population trend is likely to continue as long as we continue to tax people right out of New Jersey.

To reverse the population flight, our elected representatives -- at the federal, state and local levels -- need to make some tough choices. The obvious way to do that is to lower taxes. And the only sound way to lower taxes is to cut spending. We tried raiding the state workers' pension funds and that has come back to bite us hard. We have tried any number of one-shot "revenue enhancement" deals, such as selling state property, but that has never solved the inherent problem of spending more than we take in. Now the governor is looking at some kind of "asset monetization" plan to ease the tax burden on the state's residents.

While we should make every tax dollar we spend count, the real solution is to not spend so many dollars. It's more efficient to lower the tax rate by a penny or more than to go through the present circuitous process of raising taxes, funneling it through some expensive bureaucracy and then giving a bit of it back as a rebate.

A story over the weekend in The Times reported that Gov. Jon Corzine has ordered his Cabinet to cut the budget by $3 billion. It's a start, as painful as it might be.

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October 16, 2007

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT...

The Daily Journal

Cutting state government is best choice
Editorial, The Daily Journal, October 16, 2007

After years of borrowing, raising taxes (corporate, income and sales taxes) and using one-time gimmicks (tobacco settlement money) to balance state budgets, it seems elected officials may have finally seen the light of fiscal responsibility.

The Corzine administration says cuts are needed to close a projected $3-billion budget deficit and it's asking state departments to find ways to close the gap without increasing taxes.

That's welcome news to New Jersey taxpayers, who already are paying the highest property taxes in the country and are struggling under the weight of the nation's third-highest tax burden. Taxpayers need permanent and lasting relief, and reducing the cost of government is the surest and best way to accomplish it.

During last year's statewide government shutdown, 45,000 of the state's 81,000 employees were deemed nonessential. Given this, state cuts can go further than eliminating unnecessary departments (the state Department of Personnel has been the most-often discussed for elimination) and programs.

The ideas to cut spending aren't new; they have just lacked the support of enough lawmakers with the political will and courage to back them.

Governments can start saving taxpayers money by cutting the state work force by 14,000 over a four-year period through attrition and retirement, as some South Jersey legislators have proposed. Millions of dollars could be saved by eliminating unnecessary patronage jobs in government.

These approaches are fiscally responsible, not a one-time gimmick such as Corzine's idea to monetize state toll roads.

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October 15, 2007

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT...

Power authority plan deserves skepticism
Editorial, The Star-Ledger, October 15, 2007

State government got into the school construction business a few years ago on the theory that the state could do the job more efficiently and cheaply than local districts. The first six schools the state built cost 45 percent more than schools built by local boards of education at the same time, and the state program collapsed after audits showed widespread waste, mismanagement and lax oversight.

There are many other examples of the state's ineptitude when it comes to honchoing big projects. So citizens should be very wary about suggestions coming from Gov. Jon Corzine's administration that the state go into the business of developing additional power plants as a way to hold down New Jersey's exorbitant power rates.

As reported last week, some in the administration believe creation of a state-run power authority could help inject much-needed competition into the electric power market here.

The idea is that an authority could partner with private firms to build badly needed generating stations. Then the more juice on the market the more downward pressure on electric rates, according to this plan. A public power authority also could push electricity generation from wind, solar and other renewable energy sources as well as develop programs to encourage more power conservation.

This sounds wonderful. But so did the idea of the state taking charge of urban school construction so local districts couldn't mess it up. So did the idea of E-ZPass paying for itself, a scheme that evaporated with the end of Christie Whitman's administration.

So, for that matter, did the assurances from Trenton nearly 10 years ago that electric deregulation would save consumers big money. It hasn't happened, here or in other states that deregulated.

None of this is to understate the very real challenges facing the state's electrical grid. Rising demand, a lack of home- grown generating plants and too few high-voltage transmission lines to import enough cheap electricity from elsewhere mean that in just a few years demand could be on the verge of exceeding supply at peak times. And it is sensible to conduct a thorough examination of every possible solution to the coming electric supply crunch.

Perhaps a case can be made for the state helping corporations obtain the financing or the long-term power sales contracts that would make construction of a $1 billion-plus electric generating plant an attractive business proposition.

But given Trenton's pitiful record when it comes to large, expensive construction initiatives, Corzine and the Board of Public Utilities are going to have to meet a high burden of proof to show that a new state power authority holds the solution to high electricity prices.

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October 15, 2007

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT...

Rebates in the red
Editorial, Asbury Park Press, October 15, 2007

Think the property tax rebate you likely have already spent is real relief? Think again. For the average homeowner who itemizes on federal tax returns, it actually works out to a net loss — all things considered — of $81. The killjoys at the Internal Revenue Service reminded New Jerseyans last week that they have to report their tax "relief" checks as income on their 2007 tax returns.

Here's the math on how much property tax "relief" the state's much-ballyhooed rebate program provides:

The average rebate was $1,051. Subtract last year's homestead rebate — $285 for the average homeowner that they aren't getting this year — and the added "relief" is down to $766. A 4.4 percent increase in property taxes this year — the average increase in school taxes cited by Gov. Corzine — would add $278 to the average bill, reducing the "relief" to $488. The state estimated the 1-cent increase in the sales tax would cost the average family an additional $275 per year — a figure likely understated for most families. Now we're down to $213.

The kicker? For families in the 28 percent tax bracket who itemize, the average rebate will increase the tax obligation by $294 when filing the 2007 federal return. That will bring the average tax "relief" to minus $81.

Applying the "relief" as a credit to a homeowner's next property tax bill instead of the rebate check wouldn't change the net value of the rebate. But at least taxpayers wouldn't have to remember to list it as "other income" on their next return, or have to recall the exact amount of the rebate come filing time. And it would save the state the $10 million it cost to print and mail out rebate checks to those who didn't opt for direct deposit.

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October 15, 2007

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT...

Voters have a chance to upgrade leadership
Editorial, Asbury Park Press, October 14, 2007

Two F's, three D's and a C.

That's how the Legislature grades out on six ethics reforms we proposed four years ago following Gannett New Jersey newspapers' "Profiting from Public Service" series. If lawmakers performed that badly in the private sector, they all would have been canned long ago. If they pulled those grades in college, they would have flunked out.

Almost as sickening as the Democratic leadership's failure to address corruption, campaign cash-driven decision-making and public officials' sense of entitlement is the insistence by Gov. Corzine and the Legislature's two most powerful Democrats, Senate President Richard J. Codey and Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts Jr., that they've actually tackled the problem. They haven't. Codey says the job is largely done. Corzine says more work is needed, but "we probably won't get the perfect 10." Roberts has sabotaged some of the most important reforms.

They apparently believe we are stupid. They apparently believe they can get away it. They apparently believe there will be no political consequences for their inaction, for their stonewalling, for their failure to deliver on their promises. Prove them wrong. Get involved, as so many good citizens already have, at the local, county and state level. Keep fighting for reforms that will help end corruption, weaken political bosses, redistribute power away from special-interest groups and toward average citizens, and promote government decision-making that reflects the will of the people.

It won't come easily. But it can be done. Help make it happen — with your votes, with your letters and e-mails to lawmakers, with your involvement in local civic groups and good-government groups such as the Citizens' Campaign, and by staying informed.

In about three weeks, all 120 seats will be up for grabs in the Legislature. Find out where the candidates stand on comprehensive pay-to-play reform, wheeling, dual office-holding, public financing of campaigns, financial disclosure, nepotism, no-bid contracts for professional services and penalties for corrupt public officials. Voting records of the incumbents are available on the Legislature's Web site. Make it clear to the candidates that ethics reform will be a decisive factor in your vote.

Think long and hard before supporting a Democrat, particularly in the Senate, where the Democrats enjoy a 22-18 advantage. There is little chance of substantial reform as long as the Democrats control the Senate and Codey continues to lord over it. Don't support any candidate who doesn't favor comprehensive pay-to-play reform. And don't support any candidate who won't work for initiative and referendum. The actions of the governor and Legislature since the Democrats took control in Trenton have been diametrically opposed to what most New Jersey residents want on so many issues — ethics, tax reform, government spending, school funding and public employee pension and benefits reform, to name a few. It's time to give voters a chance to exercise more control over their own fate. Don't vote for anyone unwilling to do that.

Indifference isn't an option. As bad as things are today, things could get worse, particularly if the economy goes south. Don't think you can't make a difference. That will only play into the incumbents' hands.

The Democrats' failure to address ethics is not only symptomatic of their failure to solve the state's most pressing problems. It's at the root of those failures. In much the same way, Corzine's failure to help gain passage of what may be the single most important ethics reform — a comprehensive ban on pay-to-play — is reflective of his other failures. The 18 Republicans in the Senate all committed to it. So did Sen. Ellen Karcher, D-Monmouth. Corzine needed to sway only two other senators from his party to do the right thing. He could not, or chose not, to do it.

It would be foolhardy to believe Corzine, Codey or Roberts will suddenly get religion on ethics reform if the Democrats regain majorities in the Legislature. If there is to be a conversion in Trenton, it will require your help — on Election Day and beyond.

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October 15, 2007

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT...

Help "convert" state lawmakers
Editorial, Asbury Park Press, October 14, 2007

Two F's, three D's and a C.

That's how the Legislature grades out on six ethics reforms we proposed four years ago following Gannett New Jersey newspapers' "Profiting from Public Service" series. If lawmakers performed that badly in the private sector, they all would have been canned long ago. If they pulled those grades in college, they would have flunked out.

Almost as sickening as the Democratic leadership's failure to address corruption, campaign cash-driven decision-making and public officials' sense of entitlement is the insistence by Gov. Corzine and the Legislature's two most powerful Democrats, Senate President Richard J. Codey and Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts Jr., that they've actually tackled the problem. They haven't. Codey says the job is largely done. Corzine says more work is needed, but "we probably won't get the perfect 10." Roberts has sabotaged some of the most important reforms.

They apparently believe we are stupid. They apparently believe they can get away it. They apparently believe there will be no political consequences for their inaction, for their stonewalling, for their failure to deliver on their promises. Prove them wrong. Get involved, as so many good citizens already have, at the local, county and state level. Keep fighting for reforms that will help end corruption, weaken political bosses, redistribute power away from special-interest groups and toward average citizens, and promote government decision-making that reflects the will of the people.

It won't come easily. But it can be done. Help make it happen — with your votes, with your letters and e-mails to lawmakers, with your involvement in local civic groups and good-government groups such as the Citizens' Campaign, and by staying informed.

In about three weeks, all 120 seats will be up for grabs in the Legislature. Find out where the candidates stand on comprehensive pay-to-play reform, wheeling, dual office-holding, public financing of campaigns, financial disclosure, nepotism, no-bid contracts for professional services and penalties for corrupt public officials. Voting records of the incumbents are available on the Legislature's Web site. Make it clear to the candidates that ethics reform will be a decisive factor in your vote.

Think long and hard before supporting a Democrat, particularly in the Senate, where the Democrats enjoy a 22-18 advantage. There is little chance of substantial reform as long as the Democrats control the Senate and Codey continues to lord over it. Don't support any candidate who doesn't favor comprehensive pay-to-play reform. And don't support any candidate who won't work for initiative and referendum. The actions of the governor and Legislature since the Democrats took control in Trenton have been diametrically opposed to what most New Jersey residents want on so many issues — ethics, tax reform, government spending, school funding and public employee pension and benefits reform, to name a few. It's time to give voters a chance to exercise more control over their own fate. Don't vote for anyone unwilling to do that.

Indifference isn't an option. As bad as things are today, things could get worse, particularly if the economy goes south. Don't think you can't make a difference. That will only play into the incumbents' hands.

The Democrats' failure to address ethics is not only symptomatic of their failure to solve the state's most pressing problems. It's at the root of those failures. In much the same way, Corzine's failure to help gain passage of what may be the single most important ethics reform — a comprehensive ban on pay-to-play — is reflective of his other failures. The 18 Republicans in the Senate all committed to it. So did Sen. Ellen Karcher, D-Monmouth. Corzine needed to sway only two other senators from his party to do the right thing. He could not, or chose not, to do it.

It would be foolhardy to believe Corzine, Codey or Roberts will suddenly get religion on ethics reform if the Democrats regain majorities in the Legislature. If there is to be a conversion in Trenton, it will require your help — on Election Day and beyond.

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October 13, 2007

DeCROCE SAYS DEALING WITH STATE BUDGET WOES CAN NOT WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE ELECTION

REPUBLICAN LEADER SAYS MASSIVE DEFICIT AND NEED FOR DEEP BUDGET CUTS MUST BE ADDRESSED NOW

Assembly Republican Leader Alex DeCroce said today the looming state budget crisis is too severe to ignore until after the November legislative elections.

DeCroce said Senate President Richard J. Codey and Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts should instruct the budget committees of each house of the Legislature to meet this coming week and return as many days as it takes until a bipartisan agreement on a plan to deal with the state’s fiscal ailments is reached.

In rapid succession, it was learned this week that the state will have to deal with a $3.5 billion budget deficit next year and that Governor Jon Corzine has ordered his department heads to come up with a plan to make $3 billion in cuts. Published reports say the administration is not ruling out layoffs and a reduction in state aid, which could trigger even higher property taxes next year.

“The governor has finally acknowledged that a financial disaster is pending,” said DeCroce, R-Morris and Passaic. “But like everything else, he is waiting until after the election to let the people know how Democrats will fix the budget and repair an economy they have systematically destroyed by imposing a string of new and higher taxes.

“It’s encouraging that the governor is finally looking to reduce state spending. We have warned the Democrats time and again that their voracious appetite for spending would eventually burst the bubble – and now it’s popped.”

DeCroce noted that during the six years Democrats have controlled state government they have raised taxes by $6 billion, only to increase state spending by $11 billion – a jump of 50 percent.

“It’s good to hear the Democrats talk about getting a grip on state spending, but we’ve heard such talk before,” DeCroce said. “If Governor Corzine and the Democrats are serious, Assembly Republicans have a good place for them to start. They should dust off the list of nearly $4 billion in cuts to wasteful spending and bloated government programs Assembly Republicans have proposed over the past two years, but that they ignored.”

DeCroce said Assembly Republicans will work hand-in-hand with the Democrats to resolve the budget crisis if Corzine and his party is truly serious about reining in state spending.

“I want to give them the benefit of the doubt,” DeCroce said. “But we have been disappointed by empty rhetoric too many times in the past. It seems when push comes to shove, the Democrats choose to raise taxes rather than control spending. I wouldn’t be surprised if that turns out to be their fix again – higher taxes. If so, they should level with the taxpayers now.”

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October 13, 2007

RANKING REPUBLICAN COMMITTEE MEMBERS CALL FOR IMMEDIATE RESUMPTION OF STATE BUDGET HEARINGS

DEMAND FOLLOWS REVELATION OF $3.5 BILLION DEFICIT AND CORZINE’S DIRECTIVE TO IDENTIFY $3 BILLION IN BUDGET CUTS

Assembly Republican Budget Officer Joseph Malone and Deputy Assembly Republican Leader Kevin J. O’Toole today called on Assembly Budget Committee Chairman Louis Greenwald to reconvene the panel immediately to deal with the state’s impending fiscal emergency.

Malone and O’Toole, the ranking Republican members on the Democrat-controlled budget committee, said disclosures that the state faces a $3.5 billion budget deficit next year and that Governor Jon Corzine has instructed members of his cabinet to identify $3 billion in budget cuts demands swift and resolute action by the committee.

“We need to start re-examining the budget now,” said Malone, R-Burlington, Mercer, Monmouth and Ocean. “We should hear what Treasury officials, cabinet officers and the Legislature’s own fiscal experts have to say and formulate a plan of action to deal with this crisis before it explodes in our face.

“The Republican members of the committee are ready, willing and able to work shoulder-to-shoulder with the governor to resolve our financial ills.”

“When the administration begins talking about cutting entire departments of state government, laying off untold numbers of state workers and slashing aid to municipalities and colleges, it’s no time for business as usual,” said O’Toole, R-Essex, Bergen and Passaic. “Other legislative committees have been returning for hearings on important, but less urgent, matters. For the budget committee to ignore this emergency would be a grave dereliction of its duty to the taxpayers.”

Malone urged the committee to revisit the $1.5 billion in wasteful and unnecessary state spending Assembly Republicans identified during hearings this spring on the current state budget. In 2006, Assembly Republicans identified nearly $2.2 billion in cuts and budget efficiencies. In both instances, the recommendations were ignored by the Democrats.

O’Toole noted Assembly Republican budget analysts and research staff were asked today to begin preparations for the budget hearings.

“What’s so frustrating is that the handwriting was on the wall, clear as day,” said Malone. “What else should you expect when you raise taxes by $6 billion over the past six years but increase state spending by $11 billion at the same time? The budget was bound to collapse like a house of cards.”

“The Democrats have had six years to fix the problem, but they keep making it worse,” said O’Toole. “It’s time for us to come together and deal with this crisis in a decisive and bipartisan manner.”

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October 12, 2007

DeCROCE EXPRESSES SUPPORT FOR STATE CHILDREN’S HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM

SENDS LETTER IN RESPONSE TO CODEY AND ROBERTS

Assembly Republican Leader Alex DeCroce, R-Morris and Passaic, sent the following letter today to Senate President Richard J. Codey and Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts:

Dear Senate President Codey and Speaker Roberts:

Yesterday you wrote to members of the Assembly Republican caucus asking that we lobby President Bush and members of Congress to provide additional federal funding for the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), which offers health care coverage for low and moderate income persons. 

Republican Assembly members are presently doing exactly that, and we welcome your efforts as well.  But we must be willing to do more than write letters.

Should the combined lobbying efforts of our respective caucuses fail, Republican legislators stand ready to come back to Trenton and work together with Democrats to fill any funding void left by federal government inaction on the issue of health care coverage for children or families.  With a shared determination and a bipartisan approach, we can redirect funds from lower priority spending in the current State budget, including pork projects, to ensure that New Jersey children are not affected by any partisan bickering in Washington.

As you know, when Republicans controlled the State Legislature, we worked together on a bipartisan basis to create KidCare, the first publicly-funded program in New Jersey that covered health care expenses for thousands of children whose families were not covered by Medicaid. Prior to that, Democrats and Republicans together passed former Senate President DiFrancesco’s innovative Catastrophic Illness in Children Relief Fund, which covers medical expenses for low and middle income families’ seriously ill children.  These facts sometimes get lost in partisan gamesmanship.

Republican Assembly members have been vocal in urging President Bush and members of Congress to similarly work together to provide additional funding for SCHIP.  We have been disappointed by the failure of President Bush and the Democratic Congressional leadership to find common ground on this important matter so far, which has brought the issue to the present stalemate. 

Given the magnitude of the situation, it is indeed incumbent upon us to put aside political differences in order to ensure that New Jersey’s children obtain the health insurance coverage they need.  Therefore I propose that, if our mutual efforts to secure federal funding for SCHIP expansion are not successful before current funding expires, you call all New Jersey legislators back to Trenton to identify spending reductions and reprioritizations that will allow interim State funding for the program.  As legislators, it is our responsibility to show by our actions, and not just words, that the health of New Jersey’s children is more important than partisan gamesmanship. 

I appreciate your request for bipartisan cooperation, and your laudable choice to act with sincere regard for children rather than employ some thinly-veiled attempt to make political hay on this issue at this particular time of year.  In the unfortunate event that the President and Congress fail to resolve their differences and federal funding expires, we will enjoy seeing the shocked look on the cynics’ faces as bipartisan action by the New Jersey Legislature provides the interim funding necessary to prevent any lapse in health coverage for children.

Sincerely,                                                       
Alex DeCroce
Assembly Republican Leader

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October 12, 2007

MERKT, HANDLIN AND THOMPSON JOIN BECK’S CALL TO REMOVE INDICTED SENATORS FROM LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEES

Codey continues to allow Bryant, James to hold power over constituencies they are accused of abusing

Assemblyman Richard Merkt, R-Morris, Assemblywoman Amy Handlin, R-Middlesex and Monmouth, and Assemblyman Sam Thompson, R-Middlesex and Monmouth, today joined Assemblywoman Jennifer Beck’s call for Senate President Richard J. Codey to immediately remove indicted State Senators Wayne Bryant and Sharpe James from all Legislative committees on which they currently serve.

Beck, R-Monmouth and Mercer, has spearheaded the call for the resignations of Bryant and James from their Senate seats, however, Codey has refused to take any action. As a result, on Tuesday, Beck, sent a letter to both Houses of the Legislature requesting members on both sides of the aisle to contact Codey, D-Essex, to demand he remove “disgraced” Senators Bryant and James from their Legislative Committees.

Beck said, in the letter, that Codey should remove them “...from the legislative committees which give them power over the constituencies they have been indicted of criminally abusing.”

Bryant, D-Camden, who is accused of pressuring UMDNJ officials to hire him for a “no-show” post where he would lobby himself for state funding for the school, currently serves on the Senate Education Committee. James, D-Essex and Union, who was indicted for corruption involving misuse of local government funds, continues to serve as vice chairman of the Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee as well as vice chairman of the Senate Budget Committee.

In addition to Merkt, Handlin and Thompson, the list of Assembly Republicans who are supporting Beck’s efforts include Assemblyman Sean Kean, R-Monmouth, Charlotte Vandervalk, R-Bergen, John Rooney, R-Bergen.

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October 12, 2007

DeCROCE ASKS AG TO ORDER DEMOCRATS WHO ARE BREAKING THE LAW BY USING STATE RESOURCES FOR CAMPAIGN PURPOSES TO ‘CEASE AND DESIST’

Assembly Republican Leader Alex DeCroce today asked state Attorney General Anne Milgram to take immediate action to stop four legislators from using taxpayer-funded district offices to gather constituent mail and turning it over to political campaigns for an unknown purpose.

In a letter to Milgram, DeCroce said Assemblymen Jefferson Van Drew, Nelson Albano, Fran Bodine and Jim Whelan – all Democrats – are engaging in activities that “are flagrantly violating two state laws making it a crime to use public resources for personal use and another state law that requires state officials to protect personal information contained in constituent mail from being disseminated in violation of privacy rights.”

DeCroce said the politicization of constituent mail by the assemblymen is “not in dispute,” citing published reports in which legislators and campaign officials acknowledge receiving the personal information.

“While the information being gathered with taxpayer resources by district offices is ostensibly being used by state employees to help people with various constituent issues, the information is being turned over to political campaigns possibly for the purpose of enabling political staff to solicit voters in the days approaching this November’s election,” DeCroce wrote.

DeCroce asked the Attorney General to take four steps – issue a strongly worded statement that her office will not condone the use of state resources in furtherance of campaigning; issue a cease and desist order to the legislators involved; issue an order demanding that all constituent mail forwarded to campaign staff be returned to state offices and for copies to be destroyed, and begin a criminal investigation into the activities.

The text of the letter follows:

October 12, 2007

Honorable Anne Milgram

Dear Attorney General Milgram:

I am writing to you seeking immediate action to stop certain legislators from using taxpayer-funded district offices to gather constituent mail and turn it over to political campaigns for an unknown purpose.  Legislators currently engaging in this activity are flagrantly violating two state laws making it a crime to use public resources for personal use and another state law that requires state officials to protect personal information contained in constituent mail from being disseminated in violation of privacy rights.

On behalf of Assemblymen Jefferson Van Drew, Nelson Albano, Fran Bodine and Jim Whelan, the State Democratic Party has been disseminating campaign material asking recipients to fill out sheets providing personal information including names, home addresses, telephone numbers, and email addresses.  In the campaign material disseminated on behalf of Assemblymen Van Drew, Albano, and Whelan, the material additionally references their non-incumbent running mates. Recipients of the material are asked to either mail or phone their personal information into taxpayer-funded legislative district offices to be gathered by state employees. 

While the information being gathered with taxpayer resources by district offices is ostensibly being used by state employees to help people with various constituent issues, the information is being turned over to political campaigns possibly for the purpose of enabling political staff to solicit voters in the days approaching this November’s election.

This politicization of constituent mail by the above-referenced district offices is not in dispute.  News reports (attached) quote legislators and campaign officials who acknowledge receiving the personal information.

N.J.S.A. 2C:30-2 (Official Misconduct) and 2C:27-12 (Corruption of Public Resources) are designed to prevent public officials from knowingly using state resources for other than lawful purposes.  Clearly, the use of publicly funded district offices to further campaigns for office amount to using state resources for unlawful personal benefits. 

Additionally, N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1, the Open Public Records Act, seeks to protect the privacy rights of constituents who contact state officials for help.  The law establishes that constituent information held by a district office is privileged.  Furthermore, the law provides that if the information is turned over to a third party, certain personal information including social security numbers, phone numbers, and the like are to first be redacted.

I am asking you to take four steps.  First, issue a strongly worded statement that your office will not condone the use of state resources in furtherance of campaigning. Second, issue a cease and desist order to the legislators involved.  Third, issue an order demanding that all constituent mail forwarded to campaign staff be returned to state offices and for copies to be destroyed.  Finally, begin a criminal investigation into the activities referenced above.

For your information and review, I have attached copies of relevant campaign material, a complaint I filed with the Joint Legislative Committee on Ethical Standards (which has no jurisdiction over criminal laws or OPRA), and a copy of today’s Asbury Park Press news article in which Legislative District 8 Campaign Manager Peter Clerk confirmed that he received constituent mail sent to Assemblyman Bodine’s 8th District Legislative Office but inexplicably  maintained that mail intended for constituent assistance had not been handled by anyone in the district office.

This issue is not only about state taxpayer funds being abused, it is about the sanctity of fair elections.  Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,
Alex DeCroce
Assembly Republican Leader

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October 12, 2007

BIONDI: CORZINE AND DEMS SETTING STAGE FOR HIGHER TAXES

FY 2009 BUDGET DEFICIT COULD TOP $3.5 BILLION

In response to a report in which Governor Jon Corzine said New Jersey could be facing a $3.5 billion budget deficit next year, Assembly Conference Leader Pete Biondi today warned taxpayers to brace themselves for even higher taxes next year, pointing out that Assembly Republicans rightly predicted a major deficit ($2.5 billion) heading into Fiscal Year 2009.

“The handwriting is on the wall,” said Biondi, R-Somerset and Morris. “It’s only October and already the governor and his people are strongly hinting at tax hikes due to an impending budget deficit which is directly linked to the Democrat’s insatiable appetite for spending. We cautioned the governor and Democrats last year that it was a bad budget, but again they refused to listen.”

According to an Associated Press report on Tuesday, Corzine said that although state tax revenues are currently slightly ahead of projections that could easily change. The acting state treasurer agreed with the governor saying that, “...we also know that it’s early and the revenue picture doesn’t come into real focus until later in the fiscal year.”

“Those comments along with the governor’s secret transportation asset sale plan equals higher taxes and higher tolls for New Jersey taxpayers,” said Biondi. “You don’t need a math degree to figure that out. The Democrats have one solution and one solution only for what ails this state – higher taxes. It’s their remedy for EVERYTHING. This explosion in spending growth has resulted in massive tax hikes and irresponsible borrowing. And that’s not political rhetoric, it’s fact.”

Biondi pointed to the Democrat’s record for the past six years where they hiked spending $11 billion and imposed 94 new taxes worth more than $6 billion to support that spending.

He also noted a new Rutgers University study that was released today which said New Jersey’s high taxes and housing costs are stunting state growth. The report showed that between 2000 and 2005, one in eight residents left the state in addition to the 72,547 who moved out in 2006. That migration cost New Jersey about $680 million in potential tax revenue in 2006.

“The Democrats are compressing our tax base and chasing businesses and people from New Jersey, yet they just don’t seem to care that they are bankrupting the state,” said Biondi. “People are moving out, but no one is moving in. Why would they? The Democrats have posted a sign at our borders – ‘Welcome to NJ: Your checkbook is our checkbook.’”

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October 12, 2007

DeCROCE MOURNS PASSING OF DR. REBOVICH; SAYS HE HAD A PROFOUND IMPACT ON POLITICAL DEBATE IN NJ

ASSEMBLY GOP LEADER SAYS RENOWN RIDER PROFESSOR AND COMMENTATOR WAS RESPECTED BY MEMBERS OF BOTH PARTIES

Assembly Republican Leader Alex DeCroce, R-Morris and Passaic, issued the following statement today on the passing of Dr. David P. Rebovich, Ph.D., who was Managing Director of the Rider University Institute for New Jersey Politics and a well-known political commentator:

“Dr. Rebovich had a profound impact on politics and public policy in New Jersey. He spoke passionately about the political environment in our state and how it could be improved. We may not have always seen eye-to-eye, but I always respected his opinions because they were expressed with crystal clarity and only after thoughtful consideration. His is one New Jersey voice that will be sorely missed.”

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October 12, 2007

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT...

Speculating about exodus from our state
Editorial, The Daily Journal, October 12, 2007

The exodus should surprise no one.

Authors of a Rutgers University report don't know exactly why people are moving out of New Jersey, but they know it's occurring at an alarming rate -- more than 72,000 last year alone, more than 231,500 since 2002.

This population drain, which dropped New Jersey to the 11th most populous state in the nation, cost the state $680 million in lost income and sales tax revenue last year. And if the drain continues, it will have dire economic and fiscal consequences, the report says.

While the numbers confirm the anecdotal evidence of the exodus, the reasons for the population drain are unclear. The report, designed to confirm that people were purchasing homes in low-cost, low-tax states, did say that most of those who left moved to Florida, Pennsylvania or North Carolina.

Gov. Jon S. Corzine speculated that people retiring to warmer climates could be driving the population drain. In that spirit, we've come up with our own list of possible reasons why people are leaving New Jersey:

• People are tired of paying the highest property taxes in the nation -- twice the national average. The state ranks near the bottom in its attractiveness to businesses because of taxes and regulations.

• People don't want to live in a state that's considered one of the most corrupt in the country, and state officials and lawmakers have done nothing to clean it up.

• People don't want to live in a state where too many elected officials are ethically challenged -- passing "reform" legislation that allows pay-to-play and dual office-holding to continue or ignoring the problems altogether.

• People need hope for the future, but all residents keep seeing year after year are billion-dollar budget deficits and a growing state debt with no relief in sight.

• People just can't afford the high cost of living here, including exorbitant car insurance payments.

The report says the state must reduce property taxes, invest in science and technology, improve infrastructure and boost business confidence to stop the population drain.

And to these necessary steps we'll add another -- for lawmakers and elected officials to clean up their acts and restore the people's faith in government. Until they do, the exodus is likely to continue unabated and for years to come.

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October 11, 2007

BECK, KEAN & KYRILLOS ANNOUNCE FORMATION OF WORKING GROUP TO IMPROVE FARMLAND ASSESSMENT PROGRAM

Assemblywoman Jennifer Beck, Assemblyman Sean Kean and Senator Joe Kyrillos today announced that they are forming an informal “working group” to advise them how to improve the State’s Farmland Assessment Act in an effort to strengthen the program and make it less prone to abuse.

Noting that serious concerns have been raised about weaknesses in the current law, the legislators emphasized the importance of the program which benefits farmers. Beck, R-Monmouth and Mercer, Kean, R-Monmouth, and Kyrillos, R-Monmouth and Middlesex, all advocates of open space preservation, said further study of the program is necessary to root out abuses.

“The Farmland Assessment Act not only permits the state’s farmers to continue farming without being pushed into bankruptcy by property tax burdens that would otherwise make their livelihood impossible, but it protects open space as well,” said Kean, who added that farmland assessed acres provide positive ratables for municipalities which results in savings to taxpayers.

The lawmakers said the group, which will be comprised of farmers, environmentalists, taxpayer advocates and members of the general public, will look at least two areas that need reform – raising the $500 minimum income threshold and increasing penalties for landowners who are not truly farming their property.

“No doubt this is an invaluable program that has been beneficial for all residents, however, recent issues have been raised which seriously call into question the 40-year-old $500 threshold,” said Beck. “Obviously, this is far too low of an income threshold because it’s no longer an appropriate measure as to whether someone is honestly farming their land.

“We also need to explore whether the law should be strengthened to make sure land receiving special tax breaks is preserved for future generations, rather than just for the current occupants who may ultimately sell the property to a developers,” added Beck.

Kean said that in light of the New Jersey’s fiscal woes it is necessary to give such proposals very serious consideration. 

“We need to closely examine this program to ensure people are utilizing it as it was intended.  We encourage anyone who is interested in this issue to contact us with your ideas,” Kean concluded.

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October 11, 2007

DeCROCE ACCUSES FOUR ASSEMBLY DEMOCRATS OF VIOLATING STATE ETHICS REGULATIONS

Assembly Republican Leader Alex DeCroce today demanded an investigation by the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Ethical Standards that four Assembly Democrats used partisan staff, district office employees or state resources to further their campaign activities and those of their running mates.

DeCroce said the evidence against Assemblymen Jeff Van Drew, Nelson Albano, Fran Bodine and Jim Whalen suggests that these ethics violations may be a coordinated effort and part of a pattern of abuse practiced by Democrats across the state.

The ethics violations were outlined by DeCroce in a letter to Herbert S. Friend, the acting chairman of the joint committee, supported by exhibits and a certified statement signed by a district office employee. A copy of the letter and supporting material were also sent to Albert Porroni, legislative counsel for the joint committee.

DeCroce said the activities of the assemblymen are a “misuse of public resources” and violate the Conflict of Interest Law, the Legislative Code of Ethics and the Joint Rules of the Senate and General Assembly.

“It galls me that the very same people who are pretending to be ‘ethics reformers’ refuse to obey the rules we have now,” asserted DeCroce, R-Morris and Passaic.

Van Drew and Albano are accused of sending voters a campaign mailer that includes the name of Assembly candidate and running mate Matt Milam and directing recipients to call “our office” if they did not receive a property tax rebate check. The telephone number listed on the mail piece was for the legislative office of Van Drew and Albano, not their campaign headquarters.

DeCroce said it is clear Van Drew and Albano “are utilizing their district office for the purpose of fielding calls in connection with campaign activity not only on their behalf, but on behalf of an individual who is not a member of the Legislature. This is a blatant violation of Conflict of Interest Law, the Legislature’s Code of Ethics and the joint rules.”

Two mail pieces sent to members of  the general public on behalf of Assemblyman Whelan, who is running for the State Senate, and his two running mates, Assembly candidates Blondell Spellman and Joe Wilkins, instructed recipients that “[i]f you need help applying for your property tax rebate, please fill out the form on the other side and mail it to us...” (emphasis added). The third mailing invites the recipient to contact Assemblyman Whelan and Assembly candidates Wilkins and Spellman regarding internet safety. The return mailing address for these mail pieces is 511 Tilton Road, the district office of Assemblyman Whelan.

“Whelan is using his district office as a repository to handle responses to campaign literature sent on his behalf and that of his running mates – a patent violation of the law, our ethics code and our joint rules,” DeCroce said.

Constituent mailings from Assemblyman Bodine have asked recipients to fill out an attached form and mail it to 3000 Midlantic Drive, Suite 103, Mt. Laurel, NJ 08504, the address of his district office.

DeCroce received a certified statement from a district office staff member employed by Assemblyman Bodine that hundreds of these return forms have been received at the legislative office. Pursuant to the express instructions of Assemblyman Bodine, the return forms have, on more than one occasion, been packaged and hand-delivered to an individual identified as Bodine’s campaign manager, according to the statement.

“I have been assured by an employee working for Assemblyman Bodine that at no time have any of the forms been processed for official use,” DeCroce said. “All the forms were processed for delivery to Assemblyman Bodine or his campaign manager. Assemblyman Bodine’s utilization of his district office and partisan staff to further his campaign is improper and violates the rules.”

DeCroce said each of actions by the four legislators “constitutes a willful misuse of partisan staff, state resources and state property in furtherance of campaign activity.”

“Is it any wonder that the same political party that has consistently blocked every effort by Assembly Republicans to enact strong new ethics reforms is so prone to breaking the rules for partisan gain?” said DeCroce.

DeCroce said the four assemblymen, and any others who are or have engaged in this manner, “must know that their actions will not be countenanced and that the joint committee will act.”

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October 11, 2007

KEAN, VANDERVALK, ROONEY JOIN BECK IN DEMANDING CODEY REMOVE INDICTED SENATORS FROM LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEES

Assemblyman Sean Kean, Assemblywoman Charlotte Vandervalk and Assemblyman John Rooney today said they fully support Assemblywoman Jennifer Beck’s call for Senate President Richard J. Codey to immediately remove indicted State Senators Wayne Bryant and Sharpe James from all Legislative committees on which they currently serve.

The three GOP lawmakers agree with Beck that not only should Codey demand Bryant and James’s resignations from the Senate, but at the very least, the Senate President should remove them “...from the legislative committees which gives them power over the constituencies they have been indicted of criminally abusing.”

“It is incomprehensible that Senate President Codey has not asked for Senators Bryant’s and James’ resignations,” said Kean. “It is even more disturbing that he allows them to continue to serve on such powerful Legislative committees as Education, Community and Urban Affairs, and Budget – three positions in which they allegedly abused their power and influence. It’s time for Senator Codey to exert some leadership and do what’s in the best interests of the people of New Jersey, not what’s best for Senators Bryant and James.”

On Tuesday, Beck, R-Monmouth and Mercer, sent a letter to both Houses of the Legislature requesting members on both sides of the aisle to contact Codey, D-Essex, to demand he remove “disgraced” Senators Bryant and James from their Legislative Committees. In the letter, Beck noted that she previously had written to Codey asking him to take such action, but he “shamefully refused.”

Bryant, D-Camden, who is accused of pressuring UMDNJ officials to hire him for a “no-show” post where he would lobby himself for state funding for the school, currently serves on the Senate Education Committee. James, D-Essex and Union, who was indicted for corruption involving misuse of local government funds, continues to serve as vice chairman of the Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee as well as vice chairman of the Senate Budget Committee.

“Of course I believe in due process of law and innocent until proven guilty,” said Vandervalk, R-Bergen, “but elected officials should be held to a higher standard. And a grand jury indictment is a very serious matter, not one to be taken lightly. Senators Bryant and James will have their day in court, but until then it is in everyone’s best interest that they, at the very least, be asked to step down from their committee positions. I support Assemblywoman Beck’s call for Senate President Codey to take appropriate action immediately.”

“Senators Bryant and James have violated the public’s trust. They cannot effectively govern in their capacities as elected officials with an indictment hanging over their heads,” said Rooney, R-Bergen. “It is utterly disgraceful, though unfortunately, not surprising, that Senate President Codey pretends all is well with his caucus. As far as he and the party’s concerned, it’s business as usual in Trenton despite the indictment of two of the Senate’s most powerful lawmakers. Since Codey refuses to do what is right, then it’s time for us, as lawmakers, to force the issue.”

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October 10, 2007

DeCROCE SAYS WHAT THE DEMOCRATS HAVE DONE TO THE TAXPAYERS IS A ‘CRIME’

TO ESCAPE A LIFETIME OF CRUSHING TAXES, ECONOMISTS SOON EXPECT 100,000 RESIDENTS A YEAR TO ‘TAKE IT ON THE LAM’

Assembly Republican Leader Alex DeCroce says a devastating report by two of the state’s most respected economists is undisputable evidence that the massive tax increases imposed by Democrats over the past six years has punished taxpayers to point more than 100,000 a year are making plans to stage a getaway.

“What the Democrats have done to the taxpayers and the business climate in New Jersey is a crime,” asserted DeCroce, R-Morris and Passaic. “New Jersey residents have been sentenced to a lifetime term of brutal and ever-increasing taxes without any realistic hope of parole as long as the Democrats are in a position to keep spending their money and running up the credit cards.

““Why should the victims be punished for the fiscally irresponsible deeds of the Democrats? It’s the perpetrators who should pay the price for their misdeeds.”

A new Rutgers University report by economists James Hughes and Joseph Seneca projects that more than 100,000 residents seek to escape New Jersey each year beginning in 2009. In 2006, the net outflow of persons exceeded 72,000. Hughes and Seneca warn the losses are starting to have significant economic and fiscal consequences. They said the out-migration cost the state economy $680 million last year.

New Jersey’s extraordinarily high housing and living costs – including soaring income and property taxes – are a strong rationale for residents, particularly retirees, to move to more affordable, tax-friendly states, the economists stated. Reversing the years of damage that has been done will be a “daunting task,” according to Hughes and Seneca.

“The Democrats are not up to the task,” said DeCroce. “In fact, they have already signaled their intention to make matters worse by borrowing billions of dollars more and raising taxes even higher after the November election. Democrats are the problem, not the solution.”

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October 9, 2007

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT...

Guv's silence on tolls deafening
Editorial, Home News Tribune, October 9, 2007

Gov. Jon S. Corzine finds himself in a terrible political position: His one big idea for getting the state out of its prickly financial mess — somehow leveraging the toll roads, either through sale, lease or increased prices for motorists to raise more money — is proving to be extremely problematic. Details have yet to be released and many in his own party already have disowned the idea. Republicans meanwhile have threatened to turn the so-far-hazy proposal into a campaign issue, hoping that fear of imposing yet another financial burden on the public is a big enough reason to grant them an election victory.

There may be something to rue in the notion that a potentially good idea might be killed before take-off, but that doesn't grant Corzine the nod to withhold public information to try to save the scheme.

Corzine has refused to release a government-commissioned study of the state'