TRENTON – Senate President Richard J. Codey and Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts Jr. today issued the following joint statement in response to the state Supreme Court’s decision regarding the rights of same-sex couples:
“Given the fact that it took the judicial system nearly four years to come up with a 4-3 split decision, we think the determination by only four justices that the entire Legislature is obligated to respond within 180 days is unreasonable.
TRENTON – New Jersey Legislative Black Caucus Chairman Ronald L. Rice, D-Essex today released the following statement regarding a letter he recently sent to Senate President Richard J. Codey, D-Essex and Senate Speaker Joseph J. Roberts, D-Camden in reference to the task force created to consider the University merger:
“Today I respectfully submitted a request to both Senate President Codey and Assembly Speaker Roberts, that a member of the New Jersey Legislative Black Caucus, from each house of the Legislature, be named to the Legislative task force assigned to consider the University merger.
TRENTON – Senate President Richard J. Codey was presented with the “Mental Health Champion” award by NAMI-NJ (National Alliance on Mental Illness – NJ Chapter) at the Statehouse last week for his tireless advocacy on behalf of mental health issues in New Jersey.
NAMI-NJ is a statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of individuals and families who are affected by mental illness. The award is given to individuals whose contributions lead to better quality care, treatment and understanding of mental illness.
TRENTON – The Legislature’s Task Force on Higher Education and the Economy will begin considering multiple merger options to create a world-class research university when it convenes for its first meeting on Thursday, November 9th, the panel’s two co-chairs announced today.
“We will consider several options for merging the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, the New Jersey Institute of Technology and Rutgers University to create the very best health science, technology and research university in the country,” said Senator Raymond J. Lesniak, D-Union.
TRENTON – A proposal by Senator Shirley K. Turner to create a new joint committee in the Legislature to monitor the State’s efforts in providing affordable housing to its residents was approved today by the Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee.
“New Jersey has a widespread affordable housing shortage that in some communities is approaching crisis proportions,” said Senator Turner, D-Mercer and a leading Senate advocate for more affordable housing. “Ask New Jersey families trying to get by on low-wage jobs or seniors living on fixed incomes about their struggles to pay the rent each month and it becomes obvious that we need to do more about the cost of living in New Jersey.”
TRENTON – Senate President Richard J. Codey (D-Essex) today released the following statement on Governor Corzine’s nomination of Stuart Rabner to serve as New Jersey’s new Attorney General:
“I must commend Governor Corzine on putting forth such an impeccable nomination in a timely manner. There are very few people that can match the experience and character of Stuart Rabner. He’s a man of integrity, someone with years of prosecutorial experience who hails from my own backyard of Essex County. I know the Attorney General’s Office will flourish under his leadership. I congratulate him on this nomination and certainly look forward to working with him.”
TRENTON – Senate President Richard J. Codey (D-Essex) released the following statement today regarding news that Colony Capital and KanAm have taken over as lead investors of the Xanadu project at the Meadowlands from struggling Mills Corp:
“We have said all along that Mills Corp. was not capable of completing this project and clearly we were right. In light of today’s announcement, the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority should investigate this transaction fully to make sure that these new entities can in fact complete this project. If they can, it will be a tremendous plus.
TRENTON – Senate President Richard J. Codey and Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts, Jr. announced today the formation of the Legislative Task Force on Higher Education and the Economy, to examine a possible merger of New Jersey’s research universities into a top-tier school that would encourage public and private investment in New Jersey’s technology and research business sectors.
“Consolidating New Jersey’s already well-regarded research schools into a national leader in technology and research would be a huge win for the State,” said Senate President Codey, D-Essex. “It would help us leverage more federal and private-sector donations to expand our research potential, and would draw the best and the brightest to the Garden State to pursue an education. It’s something we should seriously explore, to position New Jersey to become the East Coast version of Silicon Valley, and a model for research and technology well into the future.”
TRENTON – Senate President Richard J. Codey and Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts, Jr. announced today that the joint legislative committees on property tax reform will be meeting weekly through October to resolve New Jersey’s property tax crisis.
“Months of discussion and planning have brought us to the point where we can now move forward with substantive debates and investigations that will lead to real reform,” said Senate President Codey (D-Essex). “I have every confidence that the team of top-notch legislative members helming these committees will leave no stone unturned. I encourage everyone, the general public in particular, to get involved in these debates and come forth with their suggestions. No idea is too big or too small for consideration.”
TRENTON – Senate President Richard J. Codey (D-Essex) issued the following statement today on the resignation of Attorney General Zulima Farber:
“Today, both the Governor and the Attorney General have done the right thing in terms of what’s best for the people of New Jersey. Ms. Farber has set aside personal interests and stepped down, rather than draw her office into further controversy. It is now time to move forward for the state and its residents, and I look forward to an orderly transition to a new Attorney General.”