Senator

By DMUAdmin News & Releases Nia H. Gill

12 Oct: Senator Gill Notes Progress Of Life-Saving Needle Exchange Plan

TRENTON – Senator Nia H. Gill today applauded the legislative progress of her bill, S-494, to authorize needle exchange programs which will bring New Jersey closer to containing the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Senator Gill’s measure, which would authorize trial needle exchange programs in six municipalities, was approved today the Senate Budget & Appropriations Committee and now goes to the full Senate. It advanced with a $10 million appropriation that is to be used solely to expand drug treatment programs.

By DMUAdmin Loretta Weinberg News & Releases Paul A. Sarlo

12 Oct: Sarlo And Weinberg Seek To Restrain Political Opportunists

TRENTON – Senators Paul A. Sarlo an Loretta Weinberg today introduced legislation designed to prevent political opportunists from accepting State matching funds for one election and then using the money to promote themselves for another elective office.

“It’s despicable that some candidates are all too willing to rip off a good system for their own selfish motives,” said Senator Sarlo, D-Bergen, Essex and Passaic.

By DMUAdmin News & Releases Nicholas P. Scutari

12 Oct: Scutari And Pou: Benefits Reform Panel Roundtable Yields Interesting Ideas

TRENTON – During roundtable discussions held today, the Joint Legislative Committee on Public Employee Benefits Reform heard from numerous public employee unions and local government advocacy organizations during broad-ranging discussions that covered topics from two-tiered benefits systems to pension system funding to flexibility in choosing health care coverage.

The roundtable discussions took place as part of the panel’s continuing examination of pensions and health benefits provided to state, county, municipal, and school employees. The committee’s co-chairs – Senator Nicholas Scutari (D-Union) and Assemblywoman Nellie Pou (D-Passaic) – invited representatives from 14 groups to provide varying perspectives on the pensions and benefits and their impact on property taxpayers.

By DMUAdmin Bob Smith News & Releases

11 Oct: Smith – ‘Core’ Plan Fits In With Committee Proposals

TRENTON – Senator Bob Smith, D-Middlesex and Somerset, the co-Chair of the Joint Legislative Committee on Government Consolidation and Shared Services, issued the following statement regarding today’s hearing on Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts’ “CORE” reform package to encourage government consolidation:

“The Speaker’s ‘CORE’ plan for property tax savings is an invaluable part of real, sustained reform, and fits in nicely with the proposals already talked about in this Committee, including Senator Kyrillos’ municipal merger commission, and my effort to consolidate school administrative functions.

By DMUAdmin News & Releases Nicholas J. Sacco

10 Oct: Sacco Will Support Meaningful Reforms

TRENTON – Senator Nicholas Sacco, D-Hudson and Bergen, today said he will support meaningful government reforms which produce significant savings for taxpayers.

“I am proud of my career in public education which began in 1968. The voters of North Bergen and the 32nd Legislative District have honored me with their support as Mayor and as their State Senator respectively. I strongly disagree with Senator Gormley if he is suggesting that my professional career and my elective offices represent an abuse of the pension system. I have paid the required maximum pension contributions every year. If voters choose someone else, that person will qualify for a salary and a pension as long as the required contributions are made. If 400 people do the work of the top 200 State pensioners, will there be savings to taxpayers? There are areas where pension abuses can be eliminated and I will support those reforms. As a Mayor and as a State Senator, I am committed to finding significant reforms to provide property tax relief for residents of North Bergen and the 32nd District. I just won’t offer up my professional career and my service to my constituents as fodder for political grandstanding.”

By DMUAdmin Fred H. Madden Jr News & Releases

05 Oct: Madden: When Discussing The Implementation Of Spending Caps We Must Walk Cautiously

TRENTON – Senator Fred H. Madden, D-Camden and Gloucester, released the following statement today regarding this afternoon’s meeting of the Joint Legislative Committee on Constitutional Reform and Citizens’ Property Tax Constitutional Convention:

“Today’s meeting was very informative and it provided insight from experts on ways for the State to save taxpayer dollars.

By DMUAdmin Bob Smith News & Releases

04 Oct: Smith – Consolidation Can’t Come At The Will Of The Consolidated

TRENTON – Senator Bob Smith, Co-Chair of the Joint Legislative Committee on Government Consolidation and Shared Services, issued the following statement regarding today’s committee meeting, in which the panel took testimony from local officials on specific proposals to consolidate governments in New Jersey:

“Today’s testimony regarding consolidation proposals of municipalities illustrated one basic truth – local officials are for consolidation, as long as you don’t ask them to consolidate.

By DMUAdmin News & Releases Shirley K. Turner

04 Oct: Turner Renews Call To Pass New Truck Ban For Local Roads

TRENTON – Senator Shirley K. Turner today announced that she would redouble her efforts to pass her legislation putting a new truck ban in place now that the U.S. Supreme Cout has made a final ruling that that State’s truck ban is illegal.

“It’s just plain wrong to let huge trucks risk the lives of children walking to school or parents dropping their kids off at daycare,” said Senator Turner, D-Mercer and a long-standing supporter of truck restrictions on local roads and highways. “There is nothing more important than the safety of our citizens and we cannot let this decision cow us into allowing trucks to run roughshod over every New Jersey road.”

By DMUAdmin News & Releases Nicholas J. Sacco

03 Oct: Sacco: Republicans In Washington Need To Step Up To Fix Amtrak

TRENTON – Senator Nicholas Sacco, the Senate’s leading transportation expert, called on Republican leaders in Washington to adequately fund Amtrak after power problems on the Northeast Corridor once again caused morning rush hour delays on NJ Transit trains.

“Once again today, we’re seeing the result of six years of near criminal underfunding by the Bush Administration of New Jersey’s transportation infrastructure,” said Senator Sacco, D-Bergen and Hudson and Chair of the Senate Transportation Committee. “The crumbling state of our railroads is jeopardizing the health and well-being of passengers who rely on our trains to get them safely around the State every day.”

By DMUAdmin Bob Smith News & Releases

27 Sep: Smith – Next Week’s Hearings To Focus On Shared Service Proposals

TRENTON – Senator Bob Smith, D-Middlesex and Somerset, the co-chair of the Joint Legislative Committee on Government Consolidation and Shared Services, issued the following statement today regarding next week’s committee hearing, in which the panel will ask for input on specific shared service proposals:

“Next week’s committee meeting will signal a change of focus, as we shift gears from looking at shared services and government consolidation with an academic eye to a pragmatic one. We will begin discussing specific shared services proposals, and we will look for input from the local officials who will have to live with what we do to promote efficient government.

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