The NJDSC Week In Review for January 6, 2012

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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:

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Perception Vs. Reality... There's Another Version

  • Star Ledger on Christie's stories: But there's another version of the reality of life in New Jersey that is at odds with such a uniformly happy image. Average property tax bills remain at an all-time high even as many towns have laid off public workers and cut services to abide by a new 2 percent cap on overall tax levies. Unemployment is still stuck above 9 percent, while low-income workers have seen the earned income tax credit reduced. And in Trenton, state spending went up this year but steep cuts in property tax relief remain largely in place. New Jersey is also skipping all but a fraction of the pension payment that actuaries recommend this year despite a downgrading of the state's credit in February that was brought on partially by the state's already-huge unfunded pension obligation. Here's a closer look at Christie's first two years in office, and how the perception compares with the reality on some key issues.

Christie Keeps Hiding, This Time Emails

  • Philadelpiha Inquirer: Who's in the Outbox? - Something else intrigued us: Who's on his e-mail list? The Christie administration has a sophisticated electronic communications operation, e-mailing updates complete with policy proposals, stats, charts, slogans, positive news clippings, and speech excerpts. Surely those e-mails couldn't be for the sole benefit of the ink-stained wretches trolling Trenton's Press Row. Could it be that the e-mails also went to a larger, politically influential national audience? Did Rush Limbaugh get the governor's e-mail at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)? What about Roger Ailes' inbox?

Christie Blasted For Hypocrisy At Port Authority

  • The Record: A top Port Authority attorney who will be replaced by outgoing New Jersey Attorney General Paula Dow is walking away with a $156,000 severance payment and six months of health benefits.
  • Chairman Wisniewski called the severance payment the “height of hypocrisy.” Christie is “calling voters in my district and across the state because he doesn’t want to pay retiring employees $7,500 of unused sick time upon retirement,” Wisniewski said. “But to make room for his friend in the Attorney General’s office, he’s willing to pay someone $150,000 and six months of health benefits to simply walk out the door.”
  • Assemblywoman Vainieri Huttle: “Essentially a portion of the massive toll increases will now be paying for a golden parachute for a former Port Authority worker, rather than some much needed infrastructure repairs. This is a waste of commuter funds and insulting to resident now paying $12 a day to get to work. If the Governor is so adamant against state employees collecting $7,500 in sick time when they retire, then he should be outraged that the Authority is paying $156,000 and six months worth of health benefits to one individual. By turning a blind eye to the situation, the Governor is only making the problems at the Port Authority worse, not better.”

Congressional Corner

  • Senators Lautenberg and Menendez announced the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has awarded grants totaling almost $90 million for the repair and reconstruction of federal aid roads and bridges in New Jersey that were damaged by Hurricane Irene, Tropical Storm Lee, and flooding in August 2011.
  • President Obama signed into law the “Pipeline Safety, Regulatory Certainty, and Job Creation Act of 2011,” which strengthens pipeline safety oversight by the federal government and addresses long-standing safety issues. The legislation was based largely upon the “Pipeline Transportation Safety Improvement Act of 2011,” which was introduced by Senator Lautenberg.
  • In recognition of Cervical Health Awareness Month, Senator Menendez is reminding women about the importance of annual cervical cancer screenings. According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 12,000 women will be diagnosed with cervical cancer in the United States this year and more than 4,000 lives will be lost due to this disease, which is highly preventable through early detection and vaccination according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2012, an estimated 420 women in New Jersey will receive a positive cervical cancer diagnosis.
  • Senators Lautenberg and Menendez announced four New Jersey fire departments have received nearly $1 million in federal funding through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program.  Eligible uses of this grant funding include investments in training, equipment, vehicle acquisition, health programs, and facility modifications.
  • Senator Menendez applauded the Obama Administration’s actions to keep families together by allowing immigrant family members of U.S. citizens to apply for family unity waivers in the U.S.
  • Congressman Pascrell applauded the Federal Aviation Administration's announcement of a sweeping final rule that overhauls commercial airline pilot scheduling.
  • Congressman Rothman's bill to change the name of the Little Ferry post office in honor late Marine Sergeant Matthew Fenton was signed into law by President Obama.
  • Congressman Sires introduced legislation to expand research efforts into Tourette syndrome.
  • Congressmen Holt and Pallone announced that local fire departments were awarded more than $600,000 as part of a federal grant program to upgrade and replace life-saving equipment.
  • On New Year’s Day, Congressman Andrews announced that the federal government has awarded a $17 million contract to Runnemede-based company  Swets Information Services to manage disease and health data and reference materials for the Center for Disease Control (CDC). The information services company will use the funds to add 30 jobs to organize all books, publications, and databases in CDC libraries so that they are always easily accessible by the public, especially in times of crisis.

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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

 

LATEST WEEK IN REVIEWS

The NJDSC Week In Review for May 18, 2012
The NJDSC Week In Review for May 11, 2012
The NJDSC Week In Review for May 4, 2012
The NJDSC Week In Review for April 27, 2012
The NJDSC Week In Review for April 20, 2012
The NJDSC Week In Review for April 13, 2012
The NJDSC Week in Review for April 6, 2012
The NJDSC Week in Review for March 30, 2012
The NJDSC Week in Review for March 23, 2012
The NJDSC Week in Review for March 16, 2012

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