Hearing in Response to Senator Van Drew’s Request for Review of Plan to Close Vineland Developmental Center
TRENTON – Senator Loretta Weinberg, D-Bergen, the Chairwoman of the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee, issued the following statement announcing that she would seek to hold a hearing to review the human impact of proposed FY 2012 Budget cuts, in response to a request from Senator Jeff Van Drew, D-Cape May, Cumberland and Atlantic, to look into the planned closure of the Vineland Developmental Center in his district:
“Certainly, Senator Van Drew’s concerns for people in his district are valid. The preliminary information we’ve received about the Governor’s proposed FY 2012 Budget solutions raises a lot of red flags for policy makers who are concerned that we may be balancing this budget on the backs of the most vulnerable New Jerseyans.
“Following the departments’ meetings with the legislative budget committees to put forward details about their spending plans for FY 2012, I will convene a hearing of the Senate Health Committee to look at the human impact of the Governor’s budget cuts. I recognize that the Governor has a responsibility to put forward a balanced budget each year. However, we have an equally important responsibility to make sure that vulnerable populations are protected from draconian and unwarranted spending cuts.
“I and the members of the Health Committee are committed to making sure we follow through on our responsibility to vulnerable New Jerseyans.”