Paul A. Sarlo

TRENTON – Senator Paul A. Sarlo, D-Bergen, Essex, and Passaic and Vice Chair of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee, released the following statement today at a news conference held by the New Jersey League of Municipalities Concerning the impact the proposed FY09 State Budget will have on local property taxes:

“I’ve been clear from the day Governor Corzine announced his budget proposal that we must restore the $189 million in municipal aid cuts to New Jersey’s small municipalities. Our small towns are among the most efficient in the State and these cuts would dramatically raise property taxes for countless families throughout the State and send the wrong message to taxpayers.

**NOTE CHANGE OF DATE AND LOCATION**

TRENTON – Senator Paul A. Sarlo, Chair of the Senate Legislative Oversight Committee announced today that the Committee will hold a hearing on Tuesday, April 22 at 10 AM in Committee Room 10 of the State House Annex to investigate underage drinking and tailgating before concerts held at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Homdel.

Senator Sarlo noted that representatives of the State Police, the Turnpike Authority and Live Nation, Inc. have been invited to come and share their concerns.

WOOD-RIDGE – Senator Paul Sarlo announced today that he will introduce legislation next month amending the current statute governing the New Jersey Hall of Fame to allow for the Hall to exist in multiple locations.

“The New Jersey Hall of Fame should be more than just a single building housing a museum – it should be an institution that reaches out to the citizens of New Jersey to expose them to our state’s rich heritage,” said Senator Sarlo, D-Wood-Ridge and an original sponsor of the legislation creating the Hall of Fame. “By allowing the Hall of Fame to expand to more locations, we can help people connect prominent figures of New Jersey’s past and present with their contributions to our state.”

SARLO: OFF-BUDGET ITEMS NEED TO BE REEXAMINED

TRENTON – Senator Paul A. Sarlo, D-Bergen, Essex and Passaic and a member of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee, made the following statement today following testimony by Acting State Treasurer David Rousseau to the Committee on the Governor’s FY2009 State Budget:

“We need to take a closer look at the $334 million the Governor has left off the budget and designated for a Long-Term Obligations and Capital Expenditure Fund. Given the recent news that expected tax revenues will be down almost $300 million next year, we need to seriously consider putting those funds back in the budget and using a portion to help make up for that shortfall.

TRENTON – Senator Paul A. Sarlo, Vice Chair of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement regarding Governor Corzine’s FY 2009 Budget Address, in which he outlined severe cuts in government to help wean the State off non-recurring revenues:

“I applaud the Governor for making the difficult cuts that the people of New Jersey are demanding from their elected leaders. We’re in a particularly tough budget year, and we need to stand on hard choices that realistically deal with the fiscal problems facing the Garden State.

TRENTON – Senators Paul A. Sarlo and Jennifer Beck today sought a framework for establishing a stable source of funding for the financially-threatened horse racing industry in New Jersey which faces slashed purses and stiff competition from neighboring states.

The two Senators today sought a meeting with the Casino Association of New Jersey which just finished a four-year subsidy program for the horse racing industry in which $86 million was provided by casinos in return for the State not establishing video lottery terminals or slot machines at racetracks.