Lesniak Announces Hearing Date For Coah Reform Legislation

TRENTON – Senator Raymond J. Lesniak, D-Union, Chairman of the Senate Economic Growth Committee and author of legislation to abolish the Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) in favor of a fairer, market-driven affordable housing policy, issued the following statement today regarding Governor Chris Christie’s announcement of an executive order to create an advisory panel to review COAH and make recommendations:

“As the prime sponsor of S-1, which will put an end to COAH’s over-reaching, unworkable top-down mandates, I’m encouraged by the section in Governor Christie’s executive order that freezes COAH. Through this order, COAH won’t be able to do any more damage to New Jersey’s economic well-being. Affordable housing development and job growth will once again be allowed to take place without the agency’s cumbersome and costly rules and regulations.

NEWARK – A group of a dozen faith-based organizations, community development corporations (CDCs) and local development officials met on April 20th with State Senator Raymond Lesniak, D-Union, in a roundtable discussion at the Renaissance Church in Newark to discuss the positive opportunities that Senate Bill S-1, which proposes to significantly reform the state’s affordable housing law, offers to not-for-profit developers in their efforts to revitalize neighborhoods. The meeting was hosted by Pastor Thomas Riddick, whose CDC is actively engaged in the development of affordable housing as part of a larger mission that includes prisoner re-entry, substance abuse services, after-school programs, job training and family counseling.

The group supports the overall concept of switching the planning responsibilities for affordable housing to the local level where, as local CDCs, they can have their voices heard more effectively.

TRENTON – Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg today said the more the governor talks about providing lawmakers a choice in how to let marriage equality move forward, it becomes more and more clear that he is not allowing Republican members of the Legislature who support marriage equality to have any choice in the matter.

Weinberg singled out the governor’s now twice-repeated line that, “I will veto it, and I will work hard to make sure my veto is sustained in the Legislature,” as a signal that he will quash any attempt by individual Republican legislators to vote by the dictates of their own conscience. The governor made the comment at Tuesday’s Bridgewater “town hall,” and again yesterday at a State House press conference.

TRENTON – Senator Raymond J. Lesniak, D-Union, the Chairman of the Senate Economic Growth Committee and prime sponsor of S-1, legislation to abolish the failed Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) in favor of a fairer, market-driven model to create inclusionary zoning in New Jersey’s municipalities, issued the following statement after the Committee met today for the second time to discuss his legislation:

“Today’s hearing was productive, and will ultimately help us refine our legislation, which will lead to a better system to provide for our State’s affordable housing needs.

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senators Teresa Ruiz and Joseph F. Vitale which would provide financial assistance to individuals and families as part of the “New Jersey Economic Assistance and Recovery Plan” was approved by the Senate today by a vote of 35-0, receiving final legislative approval.

“As the national economic meltdown continues to drive down stock prices and increase the volatility in the banking and loan industries, it can be very easy to lose sight of the human impact of the crisis,” said Senator Ruiz, D-Essex and Union, and a member of the Budget Committee. “However, the bad state of the economy has very real consequences for families struggling to make ends meet. These are people who are at the lowest ends of the economic spectrum and may face foreclosure, extreme poverty and homelessness as the cost of living climbs higher and higher – and they need our help.”

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senate Teresa Ruiz which would provide financial assistance to individuals and families as part of the “New Jersey Economic Assistance and Recovery Plan” was approved by the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee today by a vote of 9-0, with 4 abstentions.

“During these tough economic times, we’ve read a lot about the plight of corporations, businesses and banks that are on the verge of collapse,” said Senator Ruiz, D-Essex and Union, and a member of the Budget Committee. “While we need to do what we can to help keep these financial institutions and corporations afloat, we need to be concerned, first and foremost, with families and individuals struggling to keep their heads above water and meet the high cost of living in the Garden State. It’s important to ensure corporate viability and protect jobs in this economy, but it’s far more important to ensure that hard-hit New Jerseyans receive the safety net support they need to meet their basic human needs.”

TRENTON – Senator Bob Smith, the Chair of the Senate Environment Committee and the architect of legislation designed to preserve the Highlands region in order to protect the clean drinking water supply for half of the state, issued the following statement today regarding a hearing of the Environment Committee on the progress of the Highlands law.

“The Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act, in the one year since its inception, is already showing signs of success. We are on our way towards realizing a pristine source of potable water that will be protected from groundwater pollution for years to come.

TRENTON – Senator Raymond J. Lesniak, D-Union, one of the prime sponsors of legislation to ensure equal rights for same-sex couples in New Jersey, issued the following statement today blasting Governor Christie’s conditional veto of the legislation:

“The Governor’s failed attempt to rewrite his record on basic equal rights for same-sex couples is a smokescreen. As our Senate President has articulated, time and time again, the rights of same-sex couples do not belong on a ballot question. The only way to ensure equal rights for same-sex couples is to show leadership and pass the bill as is.

TRENTON – Senator Raymond J. Lesniak, the Chairman of the Senate Economic Growth Committee and prime sponsor of S-1, legislation to abolish the Council on Affordable Housing for a fairer, market-driven approach to create affordable housing, announced that the public hearing scheduled for the bill on Monday, March 8 would be cancelled, and replaced by an availability with the media and members of the Committee to go over, in detail, the provisions of a Senate Committee Substitute for the bill.

“The purpose of Monday’s availability is to go over – in great detail – what the Senate Committee Substitute for S-1 actually does,” said Senator Lesniak, D-Union. “Whether it’s coming from people who are in favor of the new approach to affordable housing outlined in S-1, or people who are opposed, there is a lot of misinformation being spread about this legislation. On Monday, we hope to put that misinformation to rest once and for all, so we can at least begin to discuss the bill for what it is.”

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senators Teresa Ruiz and Joseph F. Vitale which would provide financial assistance to individuals and families as part of the “New Jersey Economic Assistance and Recovery Plan” was signed into law today by Governor Corzine.

“As New Jersey State Government comes to terms with the reality of a national economic recession, we have a responsibility to protect the most vulnerable State residents from falling through the cracks,” said Senator Ruiz, D-Essex and Union, and a member of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee. “This bill represents the heart and soul of what government must be about – offering a helping hand to those in crisis, and giving people the resources and support they need to weather the current economic storm. Through this legislation, we will expand safety net programs for people at the lowest end of the economic spectrum, for whom access to food pantries and heating assistance means the difference between life and death.”

TRENTON – Senator Raymond J. Lesniak, one of the prime sponsors of S-1, which would same-sex couples in New Jersey the equal right to marry that heterosexual couples enjoy, issued the following statement today regarding Governor Christie’s suggestion that marriage equality should be decided on the ballot, rather than in the Legislature:

“Marriage equality isn’t like sports betting. It’s a civil right which is already guaranteed in our Constitution. It’s up to the Legislature to guarantee these rights and support marriage equality for same sex couples.”

TRENTON – In remarks delivered before the full Senate, Senate President Steve Sweeney today called on his colleagues to pass S1, which would establish marriage equality in New Jersey. Senate President Sweeney asked that those who support marriage equality not cave to political pressure, but do the right thing. “Our votes today may be cast as ‘yes’ or ‘no,’ but in history they will be forever recorded as ‘right’ and ‘wrong’,” said Sweeney. “There is no third option.”

A copy of the Senate President’s full remarks are below.

TRENTON – Senator Raymond J. Lesniak, D-Union, the Chairman of the Senate Economic Growth Committee and prime sponsor of S-1, a bill which would abolish the Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) in order to create a fair, market-driven approach to affordable housing, issued the following statement today after discussing the Senate Committee Substitute of his bill with members of the Economic Growth Committee:

“The SCS for S-1, although designed to comply with the Mount Laurel decisions, will produce twice as much affordable housing in New Jersey than the 35-year record of COAH.

TRENTON – Senator Richard J. Codey (D – Essex, Morris) issued the following statement today regarding Senate passage of S1, which would establish marriage equality in New Jersey:

“The world isn’t going to end because of this vote. All that will happen is that more people will be able to marry those they love. That’s it. Your street, your neighborhood, your place of worship, your schools, your town…nothing will be different come tomorrow.

TRENTON – Senate President Steve Sweeney, Majority Leader-Elect Loretta Weinberg and Sen. Raymond Lesniak today joined with marriage equality advocates in announcing legislation to fully recognize same-sex unions as “marriage” under state law will be introduced in the new session as S-1, making it the Senate’s first order of business.

“This is about doing what’s right and ensuring full equal and civil rights for all New Jerseyans,” said Sweeney (D-Gloucester/Cumberland/Salem). “Two years ago, I made a mistake in abstaining on marriage equality – a mistake that means same-sex couples continue to be denied the very basic civil right to live their lives as they wish. But today isn’t about me correcting my mistake, it’s about correcting a mistake for thousands of loving couples across the state who want nothing more than to be treated equally as their neighbors.”