The NJDSC Week In Review For June 17, 2011

	Welcome to the latest installment of the NJDSC's week in review.  Here's a look back at some of the news from this past week and toward the end, some of the upcoming events around the state next week: Stand Up For Women Please join the Stand Up for Women! rally on June 20th at 1:30pm at the Statehouse - where supporters will gather to demand funding for women's health care! WABC: Christie responds to woman's question with "It's none of your business" Video: Assemblywoman Pou co-sponsored an event (with Paterson's Pink Breast Center) to get uninsured women tested and treated for breast cancer. Pension and Benefit Reform The Senate Budget committee advanced pension and benefit reform legislation on Thursday. NJ Today: Asm. John Wisniewski (D-Middlesex), the New Jersey Democratic State Committee Chairman, and state Sen. Loretta Weinberg (D-Bergen), urged lawmakers to split the proposed legislation into two bills. “Pension reform and health benefit reform are two different discussions and should be contained within two different pieces of legislation. You can view the full statement from the Chairman and Senator Weinberg here. PolitickerNJ: Hudson, Passaic and Union Dems want Health benefits separated from pensions. Mercer Democrats also voiced their opposition and called for separating the bills. Bergen County Chairman Stellato said "these are two distinctly different issues that should be treated as such." Chairman Wisniewski condemned remarks using Nazi comparisons made at the rally held outside the statehouse: “As Senator Lesniak said immediately following the remarks at the rally, you can support workers but denounce any comparisons to Nazi’s. This rhetoric does nothing to advance the cause workers are fighting for.” PolitickerNJ: Dems introduce pension bill without healthcare component. Elizabeth Mayor Bollwage raised questions about the out of state provision in the healthcare legislation. Congressional Redistricting Members Named New Jersey Newsroom: Republicans and Democrats name 12 to N.J. Congressional Redistricting Committee. The Democrats named former Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts (D-Camden), former Assemblywoman Nilsa Cruz-Perez (D-Camden), Essex County Democratic Chairman Phil Thigpen, Ed Farmer, former Assemblyman Michael Baker (D-Middlesex), and Jeannine Frisby LaRue. Roberts will serve as chairman of the Democrats. PolitickerNJ: Former Speaker Roberts to lead Democratic Team for Congressional Redistricting. Chairman Wisniewski: “Unfortunately due to population shifts, we know that the number of Congressional districts in New Jersey will be reduced from 13 to 12 seats. Much like the legislative redistricting process, our fight will be for a fair and constitutional map that truly represents the people of New Jersey.” Former Assembly Speaker Roberts: “It is an honor to be asked to lead our party’s team in crafting a congressional map that will ensure our delegation matches our state’s broad diversity and ensures an equal voice for all its voters. New Jersey may be losing a seat in the House of Representatives, but this team will ensure that the Democratic ideals that have guided our delegation for the past decade-and-a half are not lost. Jobs Still On The Back Burner For Christie The Record: NJ employment falls by 400 in May, unemployment rises. CBS 3: NJ Jobs Growth Slumps In May. Gannett: New Jersey's jobless rate increases. Star Ledger: The state unemployment rate inched up by 0.1 percentage point to 9.4 percent in May, compared to the nationwide rate of 9.1 percent, according to the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development. The Garden State lost 400 jobs last month and nonfarm employment now stands at 3.9 million. The losses were primarily in manufacturing, trade, transportation and utilities, and construction. There were gains in the education and health services industries. What is Christie Hiding? Governor won't release contacts with Fox News Chairman Gawker: Gov. Chris Christie Claims Fox News Chief as Confidential Adviser. More Gawker: Christie—then a candidate—responded: 'In the interest of transparency, if I were governor I would release the e-mails.'" Star Ledger: Chris Christie claims executive privilege on alleged emails with Fox News chairman. PolitickerNJ: Report -Christie contact with Fox News chairman not subject to OPRA. New Jersey Newsroom: Gov. Christie won't discuss meeting with Roger Ailes and Rush Limbaugh. Report: NJ Department of Corrections too Lenient on Privately Run Halfway Homes Star Ledger: N.J. Department of Corrections too lenient on privately run halfway homes. More Star Ledger: "The comptroller also questioned the legality of the state’s contract with its largest provider of halfway houses, the politically connected nonprofit Education and Health Centers of America, or EHCA. The state can only contract with nonprofits for halfway homes. But the report describes EHCA as a shell corporation, passing almost all its state dollars to the for-profit company Community Education Centers, which runs the houses. The same person, John Clancy, runs both organizations. William Palatucci, Gov. Chris Christie’s close political adviser, is a senior vice president at the for-profit company." NJ 101.5: Christie confidant and his corrections connections. "The Governor has raised taxes on the elderly" Star Ledger Editorial: Gov. Chris Christie is practicing sleight of hand with a property tax relief program for senior citizens and people with disabilities. A trick he hopes no one will notice... In effect, the governor has raised taxes on the elderly... Bottom line, elderly and disabled participants will pay more in taxes. And if you just got wind of the program and wanted to apply, you’re out of luck. Last year, the program was closed to new applicants, and Christie wants to keep it closed for 2012, too. Democrats Fight Christie's Medicaid and FamilyCare Cuts Star Ledger: Undoing a Christie budget cut from last year, an Assembly panel voted to restore 2010 cuts to NJ FamilyCare health insurance program. Assemblywoman Vainieri Huttle said passing the bill makes economic sense: “NJ FamilyCare is for families who do not have available or affordable employer insurance, and cannot afford to pay the high cost of private health insurance. If they don’t get his coverage, they will go to the emergency room for even more expensive care, so this bill is fiscally sensible and responsible,” Atlantic City Press: New Jersey lawmakers look to change Christie's altered Medicaid program. The Record Editorial: Scalpel, not ax. NY Times: "As a result, costs can be expected to rise in other parts of the health care system. Cuts in Medicaid payments to doctors, for example, make it less likely that they will accept Medicaid patients and more likely that people will turn to hospital emergency rooms for care. Hospitals and other health care providers often try to make up for the loss of Medicaid revenue by increasing charges to other patients, including those with private insurance, experts say." The Bully and the Bully Pulpit Huffington Post: Several recent surveys, including the Quinnipiac University and Eagleton Institute of Politics polls, have concluded that the one word most associated with Gov. Christie is "bully." As a matter of fact the Quinnipiac poll, which surveyed 1,532 registered New Jersey voters, noted that "bully" and "arrogant" were the top two words offered when voters were asked, (with no suggestions given), to describe Christie in one word, with the word "bully" out distancing "arrogant" by more than three times. Christie is known for his name-calling rants and for aggressively going after anyone who dares to question or disagree with his dictates. Setting Guidelines For Personal and Political Use of State Helicopters AP: Democratic lawmaker calls for limits on NJ Gov. Christie's use of state police helicopters. In this video press release, Assembly Homeland Security and State Preparedness Committee Chairwoman Quijano called on Assembly Minority Leader DeCroce to join her in sponsoring legislation he championed in 2004 that would prohibit governors from using state helicopters for personal and political purposes. Quijano announced her intention to reintroduce the DeCroce legislation following a special meeting of her homeland security panel focused on the protocols and procedures governing the usage of State Police helicopters. The hearing was called after it was revealed that Gov. Christie had used State Police helicopters for personal and political purposes. Video: Assembly Hearing on Gov. Christie's Helicopter Trips Assemblyman Burzichelli: "With all the speech-making on how frugal we have to be and with respect to working families, this stood out like a sore thumb." Christie's Dim Outlook For Solar Energy in NJ WSJ: New Jersey is the second-largest consumer of solar energy in the country, but a draft energy plan introduced last week by Gov. Chris Christie suggests the future is cloudy for the state’s nascent solar industry. The energy proposal released by the Republican governor discusses solar power in nearly partisan terms. The sector’s costs are described as “socialized” because they are spread out among the bills of all utility customers — even though that’s the case for all types of utility investments. NJ Herald: Democrats introduce bill to stop state RGGI action. AP: Three bills designed to compel Gov. Chris Christie to keep New Jersey in an anti-pollution pact have been approved by the Assembly Environment Committee. Christie announced last month that he was pulling the state from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative by year's end. On Monday, a group of Democrats introduced legislation to stop him. The measures would make participation mandatory. Assemblyman McKeon: "The resolution clarifies the initial legislative intent and will close any loophole that may exist to allow the governor to pull the state out of RGGI or use the funds to balance the budget..." Congressional Corner Gannett: Lautenberg, Holt urge Christie to oppose rail security funding cuts, say U.S. transit funding could be slashed by 65%. Senator Menendez also condemned the proposed cuts: “Privatizing Amtrak makes as much sense as privatizing Medicare or Social Security. In other words, no sense at all. This proposal would not only disrupt Amtrak service from Washington to Boston, but it would also deny New Jersey critical infrastructure investments that are important to our commuter rail service throughout the state." Daily Record: With Osama bin Laden out of the picture and the al-Qaida terrorist network he founded on the run, there’s no longer a need for a large U.S. military presence in Afghanistan, according to a letter Democrats Frank R. Lautenberg, Robert Menendez and 25 other senators sent to the White House. Senators Lautenberg and Menendez announced that the Department of Transportation is transferring nearly $25 million to NJ Transit to create jobs and improve the environment. Senator Lautenberg joined colleagues this week introducing legislation that would protect the reproductive rights of women in the military. Congressman Sires Op-Ed in the Hill: Saving lives through innovation. Congressman Rothman announced that the federal government has pledged more than $18 million to renovate and soundproof Henry P. Becton Regional High School in East Rutherford through the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Improvement Program. Video: Rep. Pascrell visited a Medicaid-supported home for adolescent girls run by Children's Aid and Family Services. Congressman Pallone is sponsoring a bi-partisan bill that would reauthorize funding for training pediatricians at children's hospitals for five years. Congressman Payne has introduced a bill that would issue competitive grants to develop neighborhood-specific programs in economically disadvantaged communities toward improving student school performance and college readiness. Congressman Sires joined the newly launched Latino-Jewish Congressional Caucus. Congressman Holt said he had cautioned to guard against racial profiling in the past at Newark airport, "No one should have to fear unlawful detention or inspection based solely on the color of their skin," Congressman Pallone received the health care diversity award from national Hispanic organizations for expanding coverage. Congressman Pascrell Guest Column in the Herald News: Upgrading Water Infrastructure. Philadelphia Inquirer: Congressman Andrews on Republicans, Medicare, and the economy. In an interview with the Gloucester County Times, the Congressman said that responsible federal spending is needed to bring jobs back to Gloucester County, South Jersey Under the Dome NJ Today: Assembly Panel Advances South River Flood Control Bill. Legislation to create a council to oversee Veterans Haven, a state operated facility for homeless veterans serving veterans from all over New Jersey, was released by an Assembly panel. An Assembly panel advanced a measure that would repeal obsolete and derogatory state statutes pertaining to the status of women. Vineland Daily Journal Editorial: UEZs are too critical just to throw out, "There's an old saying, "Don't throw the baby out with the bath water. Unfortunately, that's exactly what the Christie administration would be doing if it immediately eliminated the state's Urban Enterprise Zones." Legislation to allow students with special needs to bring service animals to school was released by an Assembly panel. A measure to crackdown on the dangerous practice of selling illegal drugs disguised as "bath salts" cleared a key Assembly panel. NJ 101.5: Following the tragic death of an eight year-old Irvington girl who was abused and neglected in her home, the Assembly Human Services Committee considered a bill to reform state child abuse reporting investigations. Assemblyman Fuentes discussed the Hispanic Leadership Summit on Comcast Newsmakers. (Video) Just as summer is heating up, legislation has been signed into law, which would allow municipalities to offer free or discounted beach badges to military personnel and their families. Assemblywoman Quijano has introduced the NJ State Employee Wellness Incentive Program designed to provide all state employees with financial incentives to complete regular health screenings and participate in various wellness programs. Assembly Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Conners has been selected to be the parade marshal of the New Jersey Veterans of Foreign Wars (NJ VFW) annual parade in Wildwood. Legislation providing tax credit subsidies to small companies in the life sciences field as an incentive to create paid internship opportunities for college students was released by an Assembly panel. A bill that supporters say would push the state toward providing enhanced visibility and accessibility to food products and commodities grown or raised in New Jersey has been passed by the state Senate. The bill also covers baked goods made with products grown or raised in New Jersey. Juveniles caught sending sexually explicit photographs via their cell phones would not face criminal prosecution but rather intense education on the ramifications under a bill advanced by a Senate Panel. An Assembly panel approved a package of bills to make end-of-life care decisions easier for New Jersey families. NJ Today: State legislators joined with Food & Water Watch, NJ Sierra Club and Delaware Riverkeeper Network to call for immediate passage of legislation to ban natural gas hydraulic fracturing in New Jersey. Getting a parking spot in New Jersey Transit train station lots can sometimes be a nightmare. The Assembly’s law and public safety committee has advanced legislation to make it easier. Senator Greenstein: Megan's Law killer only seeks to devalue progress made to protect children. A measure to aid in the treatment of cancer by ensuring that patients have access to less cumbersome oral medications was advanced by an Assembly panel. A state Senate committee approved a bill that would restrict the use of lawn pesticides at child care centers, schools, playgrounds and other recreational playing fields. Legislation to prevent the unnecessary use of public dollars at the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission, which operates 20 bi-state bridges, was approved unanimously by the Senate Transportation Committee. A bill which would create greater oversight and control of municipal and county employee salaries was approved by the Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee by a vote of 3-0, with two abstentions. A bill which would extend whistleblower protections to employees who disclose any waste of public funds or incidents of governmental abuse or mismanagement was approved by the Senate Labor Committee by a vote of 5-0, with one abstention. Upcoming Events June 20: Stand UP for Women! Rally 1:30 PM Steps of the State House, Trenton Stand up to reductions in health care! Stand UP for Women! Please RSVP to response@njdems.org Cocktail Reception for Wayne DeAngelo 6:00-8:00 PM Tir Na Nog, 1324 Hamilton Ave, Trenton $100/pp 609-571-8302 June 22: Morris County Democratic Committee Annual Spring Gala Fundraiser Honoring Senator Richard Codey, Assemblyman John McKeon and Assemblywoman Mila Jasey 7:00-9:00 PM The Villa, 90 US Route 46, Mountain Lakes $100/pp, $175/couple, $75/students and seniors 973-984-8080 Cocktail Reception for Assemblyman Joseph Egan 5:30 PM Due Mari Restaurant, 78 Albany Street, New Brunswick $1,000/pp June 23: Wall Democrats JFK Valor Awards honoring Monmouth County Chairman Vic Scudiery, Majority Leader Joe Cryan, Marlboro Mayor Jon Hornik and NJ State Senate Candidate Raymond Santiago 6:30-9:00 PM The Mill at Spring Lake Heights, Old Mill Road, Spring Lake Heights $80/per person June 24: Sunset Reception for Senator Bob Menendez 5:00 PM Home of Tracy and Nick Brown, 104 Wigwam Road, Locust, NJ Co-Host $5,000/Sponsor $2,500/Friend $1,000 For more information or to RSVP please contact Samantha Maltzman at 973-732-0756 or smaltzman@menendezfornj.com June 26: Women’s Roundtable Coffee with Senator Menendez and special guest Senator Barbara Boxer (CA) 11:00 AM The W Hoboken Hotel, 225 River Street, Hoboken *Please note this is not a fundraiser. Please RSVP to smaltzman@menendezfornj.com or 973-732-0756. Fundraiser for Congressman Pallone Gerzberg Home, Lincoln Ave, Highland Park For More Information: (732) 571-4141 June 27: Please join Small Business owners for a fundraiser supporting 11th District Assembly Candidate Vin Gopal 6:30-8:00 PM Trinity Restaurant, 84 Broad Street, Keyport $50/supporter, $100/friend, $250/co-host Please make checks payable to "Gopal for Assembly" For more information please call 732.540.2293 June 28: Assemblyman Wisniewski’s 10th Annual Birthday Bash 6:00-8:00 PM Breakers, 1507 Ocean Ave, Spring Lake $500/pp 732-525-1400 Atlantic County Democratic Committee's 4th Annual Sustaining Members Reception 5:30-7:00 PM, Gourmet Italian Cuisine 324 S. Pitney Rd, Galloway $5,000. Trustee, $2.500. Chairman's Club, $1,000. Sponsor, $500. Patron for more info call Lauren at 609-641-6200 Reception Supporting 11th District Assembly Candidate Vin Gopal 6:00-9:00 PM Bella Vista County Club, 100 School Road East, Marlboro $125/supporter, $300/friend, $500/event co-host, $1,000/campaign co-chair Please make checks payable to "Gopal for Assembly" For more information please call 732.540.2293 July 5: An Evening of Wine Tasting with Representative Rush Holt 5:30 - 7:30 PM Four JG's Orchards and Vineyards, 127 Hillsdale Road, Colts Neck $250 Individual / $500 Friend / $1,000 Supporter / $2,500 Host For more information or to RSVP please contact Annie O'Toole at (609) 799-0800 or Annie@RushHolt.com Or visit www.RushHolt.com/Vineyard Support the New Jersey Democratic State Committee                   Follow us Are you following us on Social Media yet? If not, you're missing out on the latest news as it happens.     We will continue to have updates about news from our elected officials and the many campaigns across the state. There will certainly be more to come next week.  Have a great weekend. Sincerely,  John Wisniewski, Chairman New Jersey Democratic State Committee Paid for by the New Jersey Democratic State Committee 196 West State Street, Trenton, NJ 08608 This communication is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.
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