Lesniak Statement On Second COAH Hearing

TRENTON – State Senator Raymond J. Lesniak, D-Union, one of the prime sponsors of S-1, legislation which would allow same-sex couples to be married in the Garden State, issued the following floor remarks today in support of the bill:

“Throughout history New Jersey has sometimes been a leader in the evolution of civil rights in the United States of America and sometimes we’ve been a follower.

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 – 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 – 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 – A number of Senate Committees will convene on Monday, February 1, to consider a wide-range of matters, including reforming the state’s approach to affordable housing and identifying statewide educational priorities.

The Senate Economic Growth Committee will meet at 10:30 am in Committee Room 1 of the State House Annex where they will consider, for discussion only, bill S-1, sponsored by Senator Raymond J. Lesniak, which would reform the state’s approach to affordable housing and abolish the Council on Affordable Housing. The committee will also consider bill S-920, sponsored by Senate President Stephen M. Sweeney and Senator Lesniak, which would revise certain provisions of the “New Jersey Economic Stimulus Act of 2009” in order to help facilitate the development of public-private higher education projects.

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 Raymond Lesniak and Jeff Van Drew which would replace the failed Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) with common sense, achievable affordable housing regulations was approved by the Senate today by a vote of 28-3.

“New Jersey is not living up to its affordable housing responsibility,” said Senator Lesniak, D-Union, and chairman of the Senate Economic Growth Committee. “COAH has been an abject failure, and as a result, municipal officials have been saddled with unattainable, unrealistic mandates for housing, and little affordable housing has been built. This bill creates a fairer standard, and will result in more housing with less bureaucracy.”

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.”

TRENTON – Senator Raymond J. Lesniak, D-Union, the prime sponsor of S-1, legislation to replace the failed Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) with common sense, achievable affordable housing regulations, issued the following remarks on the floor in support of the bill, which was approved in the Senate today by a vote of 21-16:

“The amendments concurring in S-1 as released by the Assembly will establish for the first time in 30 years, when passed by Assembly later today and signed into law by Governor Christie, a system of compliance with Mount Laurel that will result in more affordable housing for low- and moderate-income families, without the enormous costs imposed by COAH and without its disincentives which resulted in a loss of jobs and a loss of affordable housing opportunities.

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 – 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 Raymond J. Lesniak, D-Union, the prime sponsor of S-1, legislation to abolish the Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) in favor of a fairer, market-driven model to comply with New Jersey’s Supreme Court’s Mount Laurel decisions, issued the following statement regarding a Senate Committee Substitute for his original legislation, S-1. The full text will be available to the public tomorrow:

“The New Jersey Supreme Court, in 1975, established the Mount Laurel doctrine, that municipalities had an obligation to provide by land use regulations realistic opportunity for low and moderate income housing. In 1983, Mount Laurel II was decided and the Court’s opinion reflected its frustration with the lack of effectiveness of its original decision, as if the Court could create homes of brick and mortar through judicial fiat. At that point, the Supreme Court became a legislative body.

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 announced that on Monday, February 1st the Senate Economic Growth Committee, which he chairs, will begin hearing testimony on his bill S-1, co-sponsored by Senator Bateman. S-1 would abolish the Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) and establish a streamlined and simple process to comply with NJ Supreme Court mandates that require every municipality maintain a fair share of low- and moderate-income housing.

“The purpose of this bill is to repeal COAH’s top down, micro-managed, and complex bureaucracy. For decades, COAH has burdened property taxpayers with millions of dollars in unnecessary cost of compliance by municipalities with its maze of ever-changing rules and regulations. And, COAH has discouraged job creation by adding housing requirements and fees based on the number of jobs created and private dollars invested,” said Senator Lesniak. “COAH will be replaced by the State Planning Commission and by a system that establishes a standard of fair share low- and moderate-income housing for which a municipality can decide among three different compliance mechanisms.”

TRENTON – Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg, D-Bergen, issued the following remarks today in support of S-1, her bill to allow same-sex couples in New Jersey to be married under the same protections and classification offered to opposite-sex couples:

“Thank you, Mr. President, for posting this bill, and for having the courage to stand up for the rights of same-sex couples in New Jersey.