7/20/2009

As we begin to move toward Election Day, I feel it is important that both Democrats and Republicans discuss issues and solutions to the problems that the State of New Jersey is up against.

I have worked very hard with the Mayor of the City of Plainfield to deal with issues that not only affected the State of New Jersey, but also Plainfield and the 22nd District. It is unfortunate that whatever I do to help the Mayor and Council, some people take it the wrong way. I try to help all of the towns in my district, and I have a very good relationship with all of the elected officials within the 22nd district.

Unfortunately, I have never had a good relationship with Martin Marks, the ex-Mayor of Scotch Plains. In fact, the majority of the Republicans in central New Jersey do not have a good relationship with Martin Marks, although, with this being campaign time, they will most likely not go public with that side of their relationship.

My relationship with the Mayor and Council of Plainfield is one that I am a phone call away if ever needed, just as I am with the other municipalities in my district. For example, the mayor is recommending two key employees to her administration. I hope that they are successful, and I hope they can do the job the Mayor feels they can do. I do not know these individuals; I have never met nor interviewed them, so it should be clear that whether they perform well or not, I do not want to hear I had anything to do with these appointments.

So I am hoping that as the City moves forward, that the public realizes I am not a ‘boss’ or a dictator, but an elected official trying to do what is best for the municipalities in which I represent.

Unfortunately, the Republican Party’s strategy is to keep me busy defending local issues, when they are out of my control, and are not apart of my direct responsibility; but are issues in which the local Mayor and Council’s are responsible. I would rather discuss housing issues, which the Republican Party brings absolutely no solutions to; being that this issue is a state and national problem. Health issues, which is yet another crisis throughout the country, because the federal government for the past eight years, catered to the health insurance industry, rather than look out for the public, the doctors, and nurses, leaving the deficit on the

In education, New Jersey made some tough decisions in terms of how we fund education, as well as taking steps to improve the quality of education within the State. We are beginning to downsize government, while exploring innovative ways to save tax dollars and give them back to taxpayers.

Thus moving forward, I would like to be able to share information with the constituents of my district, but at the same time, I do not want to continuously be blamed for things out of my control.