Greenwald: Revenue Report Latest Example of Failed Christie Policies

Revenue Problems Reveal Christie’s Shaky Fiscal Foundation

(TRENTON) – Assembly Majority Leader Lou Greenwald (D-Camden/Burlington) released the following statement Tuesday on the latest revenue figures that show collections $230.3 million behind what Gov. Chris Christie forecast for this fiscal year:

"Today's revenue report is the latest evidence of why Gov. Christie's proposed income tax scheme is wrong for middle-class families.

"Not only does the Governor's plan to shower $7,000 in tax break handouts to millionaires while giving crumbs to the middle-class, but it's now becoming clear the governor has built his plan on a shaky foundation. New Jersey's middle-class families need more than fuzzy math, a hope and a prayer. They need real property tax relief they can count on.

"By asking millionaires and billionaires to give up the tax breaks they have enjoyed during the past two years, the Assembly Democratic plan has a more fiscally responsible funding mechanism. As a result, our plan delivers real property tax relief to 95 percent of homeowners, not just a town hall slogan built on a house of cards."

Milam, Mosquera, Eustace & Benson Bill to Help Returning Veterans Find Work Released by Assembly Panel

(BORDENTOWN) – Legislation sponsored by Assembly Democrats Matthew Milam, Gabriela Mosquera, Timothy Eustace and Daniel R. Benson to help veterans find work was released Monday by an Assembly panel.

The bill (A-2882) requires professional or occupational boards that issue professional or occupational licenses or certificates to provide waivers or exemptions for any applicant who received training, education, or experience while serving as a member of the Armed Forces that is substantially equivalent to the training, education, or experience required for licensure or certification.

“The unemployment rate for veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan is a stunning 29 percent,” said Milam (D-Atlantic/Cape May/Cumberland). “That means that nearly one in every three Americans who fought to defend freedom across the globe cannot find work when they return home. That is just unacceptable, and we must find ways like this to change it.”

“The unemployment rate among our returning heroes is shameful,” said Mosquera (D-Gloucester/Camden). “These are men and women who fought for our liberty, yet when they come home they are shuffled off to the unemployment line. We need to focus on changing that with common sense bills like this one.”

“If we trust these men and women with our freedom, then we should be able to trust the training they received from our Armed Forces,” said Eustace (D-Bergen/Passaic). “Having nearly one-third of our returning veterans out-of-work is just flat-out wrong. A bill like this is quite simply the right thing to do.”

“Our veterans are among the best trained people you’ll find, so let’s trust that training and put these men and women to work,” said Benson (D-Mercer/Middlesex). “These veterans deserve our best, not red tape that makes it even more difficult for them to find a job. They’ve helped us by defending our freedom, so let’s help them provide for themselves and their families with a good-paying job.”

The bill requires each board to provide for methods of evaluating the equivalence of training, education or experience obtained in the Armed Forces of the United States to the training, education, or experience required by the board for licensure or certification. Each board would also promulgate regulations on the partial or total waiver or exemption from requirements toward licensure or certification to be provided for substantially equivalent training, education, or experience obtained in the Armed Forces of the United States.

Furthermore, this bill requires each professional or occupational board that issues licenses or certificates for which professional training, education, or experience to report to the General Assembly Military and Veterans’ Affairs Committee and the Senate Military and Veterans’ Affairs Committee concerning that board’s compliance with the requirements of the bill by 180 days following the date of enactment.

The bill was released unanimously by the Assembly Military and Veterans’ Affairs Committee, which met Monday at the Bordentown Joint Military Family Assistance and Reintegration Center to get a tour of the recently renovated facility and get an update on its services.

The center is to be a key part of the state’s efforts to assist service members and their families in dealing with problems that occur during and after deployment

Assembly Panel Advances Coughlin, Prieto & Green Bill to Better Help Residents with Special Needs During Emergencies

            (TRENTON) – An Assembly panel on Thursday advanced legislation sponsored by Assembly Democrats Craig J. Coughlin, Vincent Prieto and Jerry Green that would aid emergency responders and special needs residents by authorizing municipalities to create a list of residents requiring special assistance during an emergency.

            “There is no room for surprises during an emergency. The more responders know, the better they’ll be able to assist those who need help,” said Coughlin (D-Middlesex). “Providing emergency personnel with advanced information about residents who require special assistance will ensure these residents receive the care they need quicker and more thoroughly when an emergency arises.”

            “Time makes all the difference when responding to a crisis. Knowing about a person’s specific needs before responding to an emergency helps our emergency responders better serve these residents,” said Prieto (D-Bergen/Hudson). “Not every emergency will be a matter of life and death, but when it is, you want those charged with helping you to be able to do so, as effectively as possible.”

            “When you’re responding to an emergency, the last thing you need is more hurdles. The work of police and firefighters is already stressful. This list would help make their jobs a little easier, and give these residents the peace of mind that in the case of an emergency, their needs will have been taken into account well before help shows up at the door,” said Green (D-Middlesex/Somerset/Union)

            The bill (A-1250) authorizes a municipal governing body, by ordinance, to require the municipal clerk to create and maintain a list of municipal residents who identify themselves as being in need of special assistance in the event of an emergency, for public safety purposes.

            The list maintained by the clerk would contain the name, address and special circumstance of each municipal resident who is identified as needing special assistance in the event of an emergency. The list would be cross-indexed by name and address of each resident requesting to be on the list. 

            The clerk would provide a copy of the list solely to the municipal police department, to each fire department or fire district serving the municipality, and to each first aid or rescue squad serving the municipality, and update the list monthly, strictly for the purposes of the bill.

            A notice to municipal residents advising them that such a list is being maintained by the clerk would be included annually with the tax bills mailed to local property taxpayers, and would include information as to how a municipal resident may add his or her name and address to the municipal list.

            The municipal clerk would notify each landlord who has filed a certificate of registration with the municipality pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1974, c.50 (C.46:8-28) of the existence of the list, and would also provide the landlord with a copy of the notice to be forwarded to tenants, including information as to how a tenant may be added to the municipal list. Within 30 days following notification by the municipal clerk and upon the creation of a tenancy thereafter, a landlord would be required to advise each tenant of the existence of the list, and provide a copy of the notice from the clerk.  The Commissioner of Community Affairs would be required to promulgate a model notice.

            The bill was released by the Assembly Housing and Local Government Committee.

Prieto: Mythical ‘NJ Comeback’ Still Missing

Urges Governor to Support Middle-Class & Senior Property Tax Relief

(TRENTON) – Assembly Budget Chairman Vincent Prieto (D-Hudson/Bergen) released the following statement Wednesday after hearing testimony from the state treasurer on possible lower-than-expected revenue collections:

“We still need to see the total and complete revenue picture, but at this point Gov. Christie’s so-called ‘New Jersey Comeback’ is a myth rather than reality.

“With unemployment at 9 percent and property taxes higher than ever, Gov. Christie needs to put this ‘comeback’ silliness aside and confront the harsh reality of his fiscal policies and the burden they’ve placed on New Jersey’s middle-class and seniors.

“Helping our middle-class and seniors must be our priority, which is why everyone should support our plan for a 20 percent property tax relief credit for the middle-class and a 25 percent property tax relief credit for senior and disabled citizens.

“We know the governor’s failed policy of tax cuts for millionaires hasn’t improved our economy, so our plan is the right thing to do.”

Letter from NJDOT's Commissioner Simpson

The letter above reads:

May 1, 2012

Dear Assemblyman Green:

Thank you for your letter on behalf of Council Member Adrian Mapp recommending that action be taken to relieve the City of Plainfield from the maintenance responsibiltiy for Route 28. I appreciate the opportunity to address your concerns.

Based on information taken from records dating back to 1927, the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) did not take over jurisdiction of Route 28 in Plainfield. A meeting was held several years ago with representatives of Plainfield and the NJDOT, and it was determined that the NJDOT does not have jurisdiction over this section of roadway. Operationally, the NJDOT does not have a desire to assume responsibiltiy for this section of roadway.

I hope this information is helpful. Should you have any additional questions or concerns please feel free to contact Anthony J. Attanasio, Assistant Commissioner for Government and Community Relations,

at (609)530-3686.

Sincerely,

James S. Simpson

Commisioner



Wisniewski Calls on Port Authority to Suspend Further Toll Hikes

Calls on Agency to Rebuild Public Trust

(SAYREVILLE) – Assembly Deputy Speaker John S. Wisniewski (D-19), Chair of the General Assembly Transportation, Public Works and Independent Authorities Committee on Wednesday called upon the Port Authority to suspend any further toll hikes until it has rebuilt the public’s trust.

The assemblyman’s request was contained in a letter to David Samson, Chairman of the Port Authority Board of Commissioners.

The text of the letter reads as follows:

Dear Mr. Samson:

As an Assemblyman representing New Jersey’s 19th Legislative District and as Chairman of the General Assembly’s Transportation, Public Works and Independent Authorities Committee, I have heard from residents and businesses throughout the northern part of our state about the financial burden they face with the Port Authority’s recent toll hikes.  In addition to this burden, there is a growing skepticism about the Port Authority’s justification for the toll hikes fed by the agency’s own conflicting explanations and the negative performance assessment contained in the management audit conducted by Navigant.

Many of the region’s residents use the Port Authority’s crossings on a daily basis and as a result pay more to the Port Authority in tolls than they pay to the State of New Jersey in income taxes. Yet, despite the agency’s demand on their household budgets, they see the agency as unresponsive to their concerns and immune from public accountability.

Given the foregoing concerns, I am writing to request that the Port Authority suspend the implementation of all future toll increases until such time as the public trust can be restored in the agency.

For nearly one hundred years, the Port Authority has played a vital role in the building the economy of the New York metropolitan area. It can continue to play that role for another hundred years, but only if it regains the public trust.

Sincerely,

John S. Wisniewski, Assemblyman

Chairman, Transportation, Public Works and Independent Authorities Committee

Greenwald: Christie’s Empty Debate Boasting as Unreliable as His Broken Property Tax Relief Promise

Christie’s Sock Drawer Priority Shows Disregard for Middle-Class

(TRENTON) – Assembly Majority Leader Lou Greenwald (D-Camden/Burlington) released the following statement Monday on Gov. Chris Christie’s refusal to once again live up to his own words – this time when it comes to fulfilling his own vow to debate his own plan to benefit the rich against the Assembly Democratic plan for a 20 percent property tax relief credit for the middle-class and a 25 percent property tax relief credit senior citizens:

“If the governor thinks re-arranging his sock drawer is more pressing than working to boost property tax relief to working families, then that says a lot about his disregard for the middle-class. Still, I’d be more than happy to come over to help him as long as we can have this conversation.

“Gov. Christie’s empty boasting about debating ‘anytime they want’ was as dishonest as his broken promise to fully restore property tax rebates.

“It really isn’t surprising though that governor is afraid to put his income tax scheme to mostly benefit the rich up against our plan for middle-class and senior property tax relief. After all, Gov. Christie’s philosophy of benefiting the rich at the expense of the middle-class is indefensible.

“As has been said, in the Wild West, when you challenged somebody to a duel, you'd be called a coward if you didn't show up.

“I couldn’t have said it better myself.

“We will continue our fight to cut the property tax burden for the middle-class and seniors.”