A Letter From Rev. Bruce Davidson

Dear Assemblyman Green,

For a long time I have been planning to retire at age 62. I celebrated that birthday this past March, and so earlier this Fall, I submitted a letter to our church's governing authorities asking for retirement "status" (yes, my church body considers retirement a "status"). In November my retirement request was officially approved, and, as I had asked, it is effective December 31, 2010.

I have served as a Pastor in the Lutheran Church for almost 37 years, with congregations in Wildwood, Teaneck and Summit, New Jersey. For the last 11 years, as Director of the Lutheran Office of Governmental Ministry in New Jersey, I have appreciated the chance to work with you around a variety of issues. You have been a wonderful champion of issues that have improved life for people in need across the state. It is hard for me to identify anyone else in State Government that I respect and admire more than you. You spoke so eloquently and directly about justice when issues of civil unions and marriage equality came up. You have never wavered in your commitment to work for fair housing practices for low income people. I have appreciated your hard work in fashioning the best possible piece of legislation that moves toward housing reform. Thank you for including me in this important work. Your record of achievement is truly admirable! I am deeply grateful for the outstanding leadership and commitment you have given in making New Jersey better and more just for everyone.

Although I will leave my position as Director of the Lutheran Office of Governmental Ministry at the end of the year, I will continue to serve with De Miller and Marlene Lao Collins as one of the co-convenors of the Anti-Poverty Network of New Jersey. I have also been invited to serve on a few volunteer Boards, although I am trying to keep that to a minimum.

A search process is currently underway for a person who will become the new Director for the Lutheran Office of Governmental Ministry. We hope that individual will begin early in March. In the meantime, we have arranged for very part-time coverage of the office by Ms.Cathy Malmstrom, a skilled advocate and member of our church's justice ministries. She can be reached at logm@njsynod.org

In case you want to be in touch after December 31, please contact me at my new e-mail: brucehdavidson@yahoo.com.

I am grateful for many things, including having the chance to retire and rest. Mostly though my gratitude is for the good people I have come to know over the past decade. Whenever I have a chance to speak to a group, I always mention that elected officials in New Jersey are people of integrity and good will, working hard to do what is right. You are one of the people whose public service I have come to appreciate very much. In my various new "volunteer" roles, I expect that I will still have many chances to work with you. I know we share many commitments to the people in society who struggle for just treatment and a decent life.

Sincerely,
Bruce The Rev. Bruce H. Davidson, DirectorLutheran Office of Governmental Ministry in New JerseyNew Jersey Synod - ELCA
1930 State Highway 33
Trenton, NJ 08690
609-937-9845
bdavidson@njsynod.org

Courier News Editorial 12/23/10

Taylor Reinstated in Plainfield, But Mayor Still a Big Concern

Don't be too hard on Plainfield Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs wanting to fire City Administrator Bibi Taylor on Christmas Day, nine days before Taylor had been due with her third child.

After all, the mayor loves children. She said so. "I actually gave Mrs. Taylor a baby shower last month."

Small comfort for Taylor, who gave birth on Wednesday and would have been shown the door if the City Council hadn't stepped in late Monday night to reinstate her to her post after word of the firing last week triggered a firestorm of outrage from residents and officials.

This is the just the latest in a troubling and sometimes baffling series of missteps by Robinson-Briggs that are accelerating concerns about her competence to run the city.

Even Assemblyman Jerry Green, her mentor and presumed puppetmaster earlier in her mayoral reign, publicly called her out, imploring Robinson-Briggs to withdraw the termination.
Robinson-Briggs, in her usual fashion, has said little about Taylor's firing and has ducked many phone calls seeking further comment. The mayor has only suggested vaguely the presence of "internal issues" regarding Taylor of which the city is unaware.

It is difficult to imagine what Taylor could have possibly done to warrant this kind of heartless treatment after a tenure in city management that has been widely praised. Taylor was appointed the city's director of administration and finance in July 2009 and was promoted to city administrator in February for a term running through 2013. Taylor, in fact, is the employee on whom Robinson-Briggs relied heavily — too heavily — for financial administrative duties for many months while the mayor failed to move on filling a pair of vacant top finance posts.

The outpouring of support for Taylor, and the council's quick action to preserve her job, suggests that whatever "internal issues" may have justified the mayor's actions seem only to be known to Robinson-Briggs. And that quite rightly breeds plenty of skepticism. Anything egregious enough to warrant a firing in this fashion would certainly require more explanation to the public, even understanding legal restrictions on personnel comments.

"We'll do what we can to make things work," Robinson-Briggs said after the reinstatement, and any long-term effects from this debacle on working relationships within City Hall won't be immediately apparent while Taylor remains on maternity leave. But this story is far from over. For Plainfield's sake, we recommend Robinson-Briggs put aside her substantial ego and indeed make an honest attempt to "make things work." That's the least she can do at this point.

A Letter From The Plainfield Historic Preservation Commission

NJ Senate Unanimously Supports A-444

I was very pleased with the Senate’s voting session yesterday pertaining to my bill, A-444. In short, this bill will require school board members, and those running for this elected position, to be subject to a criminal background check.

This bill evens the playing field within the education system. It extends the standards of accountability that teachers and administrators who work in schools are held to. Of the 36 Senators present for a vote, my bill received UNANIMOUS support from every Senator present.

I was very pleased to see the amendments added to my bill by Senator Diane Allen, who, along with Senate Majority Leader Barbara Buono, are the prime sponsors. A brief summary of the amendments read as follows:

These floor amendments would require a member of a charter school board of trustees to undergo a criminal history background check and would disqualify that individual for the same offenses that would disqualify a member of a board of education under the provisions of the bill. These floor amendments would also permit a board of education or a charter school to reimburse a school board member or a member of the board of trustees, as appropriate, for the costs of the criminal history record check.

Committee Meeting Postponement

Good afternoon all.

Earlier today I received legal counsel regarding the Plainfield Democratic City Committee meeting planned for this evening. Unfortunately, tonight’s meeting must be postponed until further notice.

The counsel I was given alerted me to the fact that since Councilwoman Carter has not stepped down from the Council yet, we are unable to convene as a committee to select a replacement, even though Councilwoman Carter will be elevated to the Freeholder Board.

Upon Councilwoman Carter’s seat being officially vacated, the committee will then be allotted a certain amount of time to convene and select a replacement.

I will be sure to keep every committee member up to date regarding our next meeting date.

Again, I apologize for the inconvenience.

A Letter from AFL-CIO President Charles Wowkenach

Apology NOT Accepted: DeCroce's Unemployment Comments Shows He's Clueless

This spring, Alex DeCroce, Assembly minority leader, received his payback for being a Gov. Chris Christie loyalist and Republican water carrier:

His wife, Betty Lou, the municipal clerk in Roxbury, was handed a job as a deputy commissioner for the Department of Community Affairs. She received a raise from $90,806 to $130,168 with the new position in Trenton.

That’s a politically connected 43 percent raise on an already hefty public paycheck, not to mention a booster rocket to her pension during an economic downturn and government downsizing.

Why is that important now?

Because that salary and pension, like the paychecks the DeCroces have been cashing for decades, will be funded by New Jerseyans, many of whom are out of work and struggling to pay their bills, with the state’s unemployment rate at 9.2 percent.

Amazingly, Alex DeCroce believes some of the people helping to pay his and his wife’s mortgage are lazy, shiftless couch potatoes who should have their unemployment checks cut off if they haven’t been able to find a job.

"I'm one of the few people here ... who feel that benefits are too good for these people," DeCroce said Tuesday. "Why go to work? If you can go for 26 weeks, collecting $550 a week, and you get an extension for another 26, that's close to $27,000 a year or $30,000 a year, and a lot of people figure, 'Why go to work?'"

“These people” can’t find jobs because there aren’t any to be found. And most don’t have the connections to land a state job, available only to insiders, like Betty Lou DeCroce did.
Alex DeCroce backpedaled yesterday with a limp apology, saying his comments were made to “a gathering of business leaders” (in other words, he didn’t want regular folk to hear them). What he meant was there are people “gaming the system.”

Oh, really? How many? Based on what information? If it's happening and DeCroce has proof, he should release that data.

By the way, most of the state’s unemployed workers are receiving less than $550 a week. That’s near the top of the benefit scale. And in New Jersey, that doesn’t go very far. The top weekly benefit is $600. The average this year is $393.Oh, and over 52 weeks, that $550 benefit amounts to $28,600 — much less than his wife’s raise.

The jobless would rather work, because they know the longer you’re unemployed, the harder it is to find any job. There is no future in handouts, but right now they desperately need one.

Because they’re not Betty Lou DeCroce.

Courtesy of NJ.com / Editorials 12/16/10

Mission Accomplished: Will GOP Legislators Rebuke Christie and DeCroce?Governor’s Deceptive Remarks on Jobs Follow DeCroce’s Outrageous Comments About the Unemployed

(Trenton) - Governor Christie yesterday took ownership of the New Jersey economy and declared mission accomplished on job creation. Ironically, a former Reagan Administration official dismissed Christie’s overzealous remarks, where he took credit for a slight reduction in unemployment as statistically insignificant in the same Wall Street Journal article. Christie’s comments followed those of Assembly Republican Leader DeCroce that unemployment benefits were “too good” and “those people” would work harder to find a job if they received less benefits.

Today, New Jersey Democratic State Committee Chairman John Wisniewski challenged every Republican Legislator to answer two questions:

• Do they agree with the Governor’s deceptive remarks about New Jersey’s “rosey” economic picture?


• Do they agree with the callous remarks made by the leader of the Assembly Republicans about the unemployed in New Jersey, many of whom are trying to get back on their feet to find a job?
  

“We have unemployment over 9.2% and economic experts say that NJ has yet to achieve any traction that would show an expansion of jobs. And yet, this Governor has the nerve to stand up and declare Mission Accomplished,” said Wisniewski. “Chris Christie wants to have his cake and to eat it too, while Alex DeCroce just wants to let them eat cake. They can’t have it both ways. They need to make clear whether they stand with those who aspire to get back on the job and those who are woefully under-employed, or whether they stand with the state’s 16,000 multimillionaires who have benefited from their special tax schemes.”

A Star Ledger Editorial today questioned DeCroce’s non-apology saying it was not accepted and that his unemployment comments show he's clueless. Here’s more from the Editorial:

• His wife, Betty Lou, the municipal clerk in Roxbury, was handed a job as a deputy commissioner for the Department of Community Affairs. She received a raise from $90,806 to $130,168 with the new position in Trenton. That’s a politically connected 43 percent raise on an already hefty public paycheck, not to mention a booster rocket to her pension during an economic downturn and government downsizing.
  


• Why is that important now? Because that salary and pension, like the paychecks the DeCroces have been cashing for decades, will be funded by New Jerseyans, many of whom are out of work and struggling to pay their bills, with the state’s unemployment rate at 9.2 percent.
  


• Amazingly, Alex DeCroce believes some of the people helping to pay his and his wife’s mortgage are lazy, shiftless couch potatoes who should have their unemployment checks cut off if they haven’t been able to find a job.
  


• Alex DeCroce backpedaled yesterday with a limp apology, saying his comments were made to “a gathering of business leaders” (in other words, he didn’t want regular folk to hear them).
  


• By the way, most of the state’s unemployed workers are receiving less than $550 a week. That’s near the top of the benefit scale. And in New Jersey, that doesn’t go very far. The top weekly benefit is $600. The average this year is $393.
  


• Oh, and over 52 weeks, that $550 benefit amounts to $28,600 — much less than his wife’s raise.
  


• The jobless would rather work; because they know the longer you’re unemployed, the harder it is to find any job. There is no future in handouts, but right now they desperately need one.
  

The Home News Tribune called out DeCroce’s comments in their Editorial as well:

• It's a stunningly arrogant view that reveals a complete misunderstanding of the ravages of the lousy economy that our expert lawmakers have helped create. Does DeCroce believe all the state and the nation need is a little more personal ambition to solve the unemployment problem? And that he's sharp enough and bold enough to help instill that ambition?

• DeCroce says the benefits reduction is an option to help replenish the state's depleted unemployment fund — technically true, but an absurd notion nonetheless. The state is supposed to destroy the effectiveness of a program for the purposes of providing money for that program?
  

• So all DeCroce's plan will do is punish those in genuine need trying the best they can to find a new job. That is bad policy, and shouldn't be given even a moment's consideration in the Statehouse.
  

Statistics show that workers are struggling under Chris Christie and unemployment benefits are far from what DeCroce would claim:

• Unemployment is at 9.2% in New Jersey.


• There are over 412,000 people in New Jersey looking for work.


• Nearly 1 in 11 New Jersey residents have no job at all.
  Despite what DeCroce would have you believe, the average collection for unemployment is only $393.
  

Democrats Adopt Reforms For Tax Relief Test will be if “Christie Agenda” Really Works and Whether He is Ready to Take Responsibility

(Trenton) – Following passage of civil service and arbitration reform in the Legislature, New Jersey State Democratic Committee Chairman John Wisniewski offered the following comments:

“Civil service and arbitration reform were adopted as part of a historic compromise in which Democrats supported initiatives that the Governor argued would lower property taxes, which are too high in New Jersey,” said Wisniewski. “While the measures adopted will work in concert with the recently enacted property tax cap to help address high property taxes, they will not solve the problem by themselves.”

Published reports said that even with the reforms Christie demanded, a statewide review of new tax rates showed the average property tax hike in New Jersey will be 3.3 percent this year and will hit 23.5 percent after the loss of the homestead rebate is factored in.

"The question is, will the Governor continue to blame others for property taxes going up, or will he recognize that his cutting of homestead rebates, cutting of school aid and cutting of municipal aid has done more to raise property taxes than the measure passed by the Legislature will do to lower them. It’s time for the Governor to take responsibility for the consequences of his policies and decisions.”

Bullying and Cyber Bullying

Recently the Legislature of the State of NJ voted to pass the Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights. Our State has been very aggressive in tackling the issue of bullying and cyber bullying. As a youngster school bullying is something that we all witnessed or experienced at one point, however the bullying antics experienced today by elementary, middle and high school students are nothing like those falling under "sticks and stones may break my bones...." Today bullying is far more severe and impacting largely due to young people having access to social networks via the internet and communicating via text amongst one another. Today bullying takes a psychological toll on many of our youth between the ages of 10-19 years of age. Frankly bullying of any type is an aggressive act, one that tends to aggravate instability and hopelessness in the minds of adolescents already struggling with stressful life circumstances. It is critical that we support our young people by implementing measures to insure their safety. I received the following from the Clark Public School district and I am sharing the steps that Clark is taking to address this issue with hopes that other school districts will follow Clark’s lead by implementing ways to communicate the severity of this issue to parents and to let the children know that they are not alone.

LANDMARK GREEN, JASEY & COUTINHO BILL TO ABOLISH COAH & REVAMP NEW JERSEY HOUSING LAW APPROVED BY ASSEMBLY

Sweeping Reform Eliminates Commercial Developer Fee & Provides Major Housing Obligation Breaks to Municipalities Throughout New Jersey

(TRENTON) – Legislation Assembly Speaker Pro Tempore Jerry Green, Assemblywoman Mila M. Jasey and Assemblyman Albert Coutinho sponsored to abolish the state Council on Affordable Housing, eliminate a commercial development fee and streamline New Jersey’s housing laws was approved 43-32 Monday by the Assembly.

The bill (A-3447) would abolish COAH and its bureacracy, eliminate the 2.5 percent fee on commercial development to help pay for affordable housing development and provide major housing obligation reductions for municipalities throughout New Jersey.

“New Jersey will finally have a viable housing plan for its hard-working families that is also good for business and workable for mayors,” said Green (D-Middlesex/Somerset/Union). “This bill gives towns relief from COAH’s unreasonable demands, offers businesses a much-needed break and clears the way for housing for lower-income New Jerseyans to finally actually be built in our state. It is a sound and reasonable approach that bodes well for New Jersey’s future.”

“This new alternative takes into account the needs of everyone in this state while also clearing the way for economic growth and development,” said Jasey (D-Essex). “Our hard-working families deserve to know that housing they can afford will be built, our mayors need certainty and the flexibility to control their development and our businesses need relief from the development fee. This bill accomplishes all those goals to everyone’s benefit. It represents a new day in our effort to make New Jersey more affordable.”

“This new approach will bring an end to the constant wasting of taxpayer money on numerous lawsuits and court challenges, saving taxpayer money and allowing us to better focus resources on issues like public safety, health care, education economic growth and job creation,” said Coutinho (D-Essex). “Clearly, we’re all be better off by implementing this clear and intelligible system that actually will encourage both low- and moderate-income housing and economic growth. That’s good news for New Jersey families and businesses.”

The bill formed from input from housing advocates, mayors and businesses would:

· Abolish the state Council on Affordable Housing, or COAH.

· Provide a major decrease in municipal housing obligations compared to the ones required by COAH.

· Exempt 71 municipalities from housing obligations. These municipalities have more than 50 percent of their children participating in free or reduced school lunch programs.

· Require municipalities with 20 to 50 percent of their children on free and reduce lunch to ensure 8 percent of their housing is for low- and moderate-income families.

· Require municipalities with less than 20 percent of their children on free and reduced lunch to ensure 10 percent of their housing is for low- and moderate-income families.

· Eliminate the 2.5 percent fee on commercial development.

· Subject residential development that does not include low- and moderate-income housing to a 1.5 percent development fee.

“This simple system that maximizes the ability of the free market to produce a wide variety and choice of homes will most effectively provide housing for the low- and moderate-income residents of New Jersey,” Green said. “We’re giving municipalities clear and realistic standards and relief to those that already have a healthy housing mix. This is a smarter approach that will mean a better New Jersey for residents and businesses alike.”

December 9, 2010

Bill Creating Specialized Care Facility for Patients With Huntington’s Disease Advances

Measure Would Help Sufferers of Rare Neurological Disorder Receive Necessary Treatments & 24/7 Care

(TRENTON) – Legislation Assembly members Peter J. Barnes III, Patrick J. Diegnan, Jr., Linda Stender, Ruben J. Ramos, Jr., and Jerry Green sponsored to create a specialized care nursing facility for the treatment and care of patients with Huntington’s Disease was released Monday from the Assembly Health and Senior Services Committee.

“There is a real need to establish specialized care for Huntington’s patients,” said Barnes (D-Middlesex). “The quality of life of patients and their families should not erode completely, simply because of the disease. To prevent that requires specific supervision and care, 24/7, especially in the late stages of the disease.”

Huntington’s Disease is a hereditary neurological disorder that instigates a programmed degeneration of brain cells in sufferers, causing uncontrolled movements, loss of intellectual faculties and emotional disturbances. It is a familial disease, passed from parents to offspring via genetic mutation. The child of a Huntington’s parent has a fifty percent chance of inheriting the disease gene.

Early symptoms of Huntington’s include: mood swings; depression; irritability; trouble driving; difficulty learning new things; difficulty remembering facts; and increased difficulty in decision making. As the disease progresses, concentrating on intellectual tasks becomes more and more difficult and Huntington’s sufferers have difficulty feeding themselves and swallowing.

“Individuals with degenerative brain disorders require a level of care that few places in the state can provide,” said Diegnan (D-Middlesex). “Creating a place where they can receive the specialized care they need is the only humane thing to do for Huntington’s patients and their families.”

The bill (A-387) would require the state Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) to designate JFK Hartwyck Nursing, Convalescent and Rehabilitation Center – also known as Cedar Brook – as a specialized care nursing facility for individuals requiring long-term care for the treatment of Huntington’s Disease.

Cedar Brook is New Jersey’s only Medicaid-approved Special Care Nursing Facility (SCNF) for the treatment of patients with Huntington’s Disease. Under this designation, Cedar Brook receives a $339-per-day Medicaid reimbursement, as opposed to the $193.48-per-day rate for typical long-term patient care. Currently, the facility can care for 24 Huntington’s Disease patients.

“The ramifications of this disease are devastating – in late stages patients must be hand fed meals and require intensive intervention for even the simplest of tasks, like sitting up or going to the bathroom,” said Stender (D-Union). “We have the capability to better serve this segment of our state’s population, so that their last days may be lived with a modicum of comfort and dignity.”

Under the bill, the DHSS would be required to:
- Issue a special care nursing facility license with 30 beds for the current Huntington’s Disease unit at Cedar Brook;
- Continue the existing Medicaid participation agreement for specialized care of Huntington’s patients;
- Authorize Cedar Brook to expand its Huntington’s Disease unit license and Medicaid provider agreement upon demonstration that there is appropriate utilization and future need;
- Adopt admission and discharge criteria for specialized care nursing facilities serving persons with Huntington’s Disease, which will also serve as the prior authorization criteria for Medicaid coverage.

“Given the severity and unique nature of Huntington’s disease it’s imperative that we ensure that patients in New Jersey have access to proper treatment and care,” said Ramos (D-Hudson). “Expanding their capacity so that more families facing this disease can get the help they desperately need is more than just the right thing to do. It’s the compassionate thing to do.”

“The terrible thing about Huntington’s Disease is that patients progressively get worse,” said Green (D-Union). “If it is possible to give patients and their families the option of slowing or combating the ravages of this terrible disease through expanding access to the proper specialized care, we must seize the opportunity to do so.”

The measure now heads to the Assembly Appropriations Committee for further review.