State of the State

Governor Chris Christie’s State of the State address will be available live here at 2 PM.

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Peddler’s Tax

By Mayor Mike Halfacre, Fair Haven

Today, Governor Christie will deliver his State of the State Address, wherein he will lay out his accomplishments over the past year, and set forth his agenda for the coming year. He faces many challenges, as do the taxpayers of the State of New Jersey. Unfortunately, many elected officials still don’t get it.

Case in point: On January 6, 2011 New Jersey once again took steps to safeguard its reputation as a laughingstock. No, I don’t mean the introduction of Snooki’s friend Deena, an actual New Jersey native on MTV’s Jersey Shore. Instead, I mean the introduction of A-3657 by Assemblywoman Tucker (28-Newark) in the New Jersey Legislature. Yes, once again NJ reality TV pales next to reality of NJ politics. New Jersey would be the first state in the nation to require bicycle registration.

In the midst the toughest public budget time in memory, when all of Trenton is buzzing with talk of education reform, civil service reform and arbitration reform, and when, for the first time in decades, there is real hope for New Jersey’s taxpayers, Assemblywoman Tucker’s bill takes on the difficult and pressing issue of…unregistered bicycles. Yes, Assemblywoman Tucker wants us to register our bicycles with the MVC. Just like our cars.

I am not making this up. Under the proposed legislation the Director of the MVC will start to issue license plates to bicycles, for a registration fee not to exceed $10.00 per year. Whenever a bike is sold, the buyer must go to MVC and transfer registration and pay sales tax, just like on a car. If you ride an unregistered bike, you could be fined $100.00. (Word is that Assemblywoman Tucker is coming after running shoes next)

I admit, I am a little biased against this ludicrous law. I own bicycles. I have two road bikes, a triathlon bike, a mountain bike, a cyclocross bike, a fixie and a cruiser. My wife has a mountain bike and a cruiser. I have three kids, each with at least one bike. That makes about 12 bikes in my home. Add in the frames without wheels, and the wheels without frames, and I could probably piece together a couple more. Under this law, I’ll have to register each one of them.

A fellow Fair Haven elected official picks up old bikes put out in the trash, fixes them up and donates them to kids who don’t have bikes. At any one time he has dozens of bikes in his garage. Under this law, he’ll have to register each one of them.

Another friend of mine is an avid cyclist, who easily has 25 bikes in his garage. Under this law, he’ll have to register each one of them.

When is enough? When will the nanny-state Democrats “get it”? We are sick and tired of these petty and frankly, stupid laws.

What possible purpose could this law have other than to add another fee or tax onto the backs of New Jersey’s already over-burdened taxpayers? Is there some massive sales tax loss being suffered by the State on the sale of second hand bikes? Or is this a devious attempt to track and identify illegal immigrants?

None of the above. It’s worse.

Here’s the angle: Imagine all the new MVC employees that will be required to handle the volume of paperwork this requirement will generate. All union members.

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The Price Of A Free Society

James Hogan’s most recent blog post is a must read.

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Christie’s Approval Ratings Repudiate Media’s Snow Job

By Art Gallagher

Governor Chris Christie’s vacation during the Blizzard of 2010 did not suppress voters’ approval of the job he is doing. 

In the first independent poll since the storm, the Fairleigh Dickinson Public Mind Poll says that 53% of voters approve of Christie’s performance while 36% disapprove.  FDU polled 802 registered voters by phone, land line and cell, between January 3 and January 9.

Christie’s favorable/unfavorable rating of 47%-39% is better than every elected governor’s in the last two decades.

Contrasting the FDU poll released this morning to the Quinnipiac Poll of December 21, 2010, one might conclude that the administration’s performance during the Blizzard of 2010 boosted Christie’s ratings.  The December Quinnipiac poll gave Christie a 46%-44% approval rating.  Quinnipiac polled 1276 voters between December 14 and 19.

Today’s poll should serve as a wake up call to much of New Jersey’s media elite who attempted to turn Christie’s family vacation during the Christmas holiday into a controversy.  The controversy existed only in their minds and editorial board conference rooms.  The voters and the media elites’ diminishing readership didn’t care.

In perhaps related news,Gannett announced they are laying off half of their remaining reporters at three of its Central Jersey newspapers.  Maybe business would be better if the newspapers/news sites listened and reported rather than tried to advance their agenda upon a readership that views them as irrelevant.

Today is 1/11/11.  Christie will delivery his first State of the State address this afternoon.  New Jersey will be hit with another snow storm this afternoon.

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Gray Mulling Freeholder Bid

By Art Gallagher

Sheriff Shaun Golden and Jim Gray celebrate Manalapan's reorganization. Photo credit: Rhoda Chodosh

Jim Gray, the former clerk of the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders is considering a bid for the GOP nomination for Freeholder.

The  long term Manalapan resident served as clerk of the board from 2000 through November 1st of last year when he retired.  Gray served 15 years on the Manalapan Township Committee, including 5 years as mayor.   Prior to his service in Monmouth County government, he was director of administration for the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities during the Whitman/DiFrancesco administrations.

Gray told MMM that he is honored that people of raised the question of a freeholder candidacy to him, but that he has not made any commitments.

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The Arizona Shootings Had Nothing To Do With Politics, Rhetoric

Don’t blame Sarah Palin or the Tea Parties.  Blame Sheriff Clarence Dupnik

By Art Gallagher

If the news reports are accurate, the heinous acts of 22 year old Jared Loughner in Arizona were not political.  They were sick acts of a very mentally ill young man.

The most sane commentary I have read or heard about the tragdey in Tucson was on facebook. 

Dennis Howard, President of the pro-life organization Movement for a Better America Inc., said:

“The tragic failure of responsible people — parents, teachers, police and others who encountered this troubled young man all through his pre-teen and teen years to intervene effectively is the real cause of the tragedy in Tucson. His symptoms were clear and compelling, yet little or nothing that we know of was done.

Having worked with troubled young people, I know there are hundreds, if not thousands more like him. The army could turn him down, but that didn’t stop him from buying a fearsome assault weapon. No wonder our jail population has risen 725% since 1958, while our total population has only risen 79% in that time. Far too many of us just don’t care — until it is too late.

The brightest light in Tucson is 9-year-old Christina Taylor Green, who gave her life while showing the rest of us how to live. Born on 9/11, she had recently recently received her first Holy Communion, and was eager to learn what we all need to learn to restore America’s greatness. There were other heroes here, but she was the brightest light of all. Let us never forget her.”

Scott Sipprelle said:

“It is desperately irresponsible to claim that Gabby Giffords was a victim of violent political speech. This committed and thoughtful public servant was gunned down by a deranged person, one who rambled nonsense about the government taking away “grammar” and of having a colorful bird on his shoulder. Let’s channel our energy to find out where all of this mental illness is coming from.

I am struck by the haunting similarities to the young, white, confused, disillusioned Columbine killers, who used almost exactly the same words about living in a dream-like state. Seems to me that mental illness, especially among the young and relatively privileged, has gotten much worse.

This guy didn’t have the mental stability to be adhering to any political dogma…far left, right, or anything in between.”

True to their “never waste a good crisis” philosophy, the left stream media and their allies in the Democratic leadership are blaming the tragedy on “vitriolic political rhetoric” from the right and from the Tea Party movement.  That is why various Tea Party leaders are wisely issuing statements, just as they did when the leftist were waging their PR campaign that attempted to paint the Tea Parties as racists. 

The Tea Parties aren’t racists and they aren’t violent.  They are previously apathetic average Americans who have woken up, garnerd their political power and started to reverse the progressive/socialist/free spending agenda that has taken over our various governments.

The left would rather that previously apathetic average Americans go back to sleep.  They won’t. 

Congressman  James Clyburn spent 10 minutes on FoxNews Sunday this morning blaming the Arizona tradegy on speech he would rather silence.  Democratic Pima Arizona County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik is trying to become a national figure by blaming the shooting on bigotry, vitriol and Sarah Palin.

Both Clyburn and Dupnik are egomaniacal morons. 

We’ve come to expect this bs from Clyburn, the third highest ranking Democrat in congress.  Strangely, Clyburn also used his FoxNews commentary about the Gabrielle Gifford’s shooting to call for members of congress to be exempt from the TSA’s federal fondling program.

Dupnik should get off TV blaming political rhetoric for the murders and attempted murders that happened on his watch.  The media talking heads should not be letting Dupnik get away with this crap.  If he wants to go on TV, the so called journalists should ask him why a U.S. Congresswoman and a Federal Judge were appearing in public without even one police officer present, especially if there is so much anger and bigotry in his county as he claims.  Let him explain that to the parents and brother of Christina Green.

The truth is blaming Dupnik, Palin or anyone else other than Loughner won’t make any difference. It won’t raise the dead or heal the wounded.

We should all heed Howard’s words and not look the other way when we encounter an obviously troubled person of any age.   We should heed Sipprelle’s words and focus on the health and well being of young people instead of trying to score political points and silence those we don’t agree with.  

Avoiding the hassle and hoping for the best is negligence.  Not wanting to get involved is endangerment.

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Runoff Election Will Determine Partisan Control of Manasquan

Sheriff Shaun Golden, Freeholder Tom Arnone and GOP Council candidate Bob Ferrante campaign in Manasquan on Sunday

By Art Gallagher

 

Voters will go to the polls in Manansquan on Tuesday to choose a member of the borough’s council.  The November 2 election resulted in a tie, after a recount, between Republican Robert Ferrante and Democrat Owen McCarthy.

If Ferrante is the winner on Tuesday, Republicans will lead the borough council with a 4-2 majority.  Should McCarthy win,  the council will be divided 3-3, with Democratic Mayor George Dempsey breaking the tie.

Sheriff Shaun Golden and Freeholder Tom Arnone braved the elements today to hit the campaign trail with Ferrante.  Golden said, “We need to swing Manasquan into the Republican column.  The voters deserve a fiscally conservative councilman like Bobby Ferrante.”

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Tea Parties don’t need to defend selves to satisfy the left

By Barbara Gonzalez

While I appreciate everyone is heartbroken over the death and injury of innocent human beings, I feel myself wondering why all the Tea Parties are making public statements “denouncing” and “condemning” the actions of some lunatic.

Are we giving in to the demands of the left that we take responsibility for any deranged white person that commits a crime? What other group other than Conservatives, does the left insist denounce and comdemn for crimes committed?

My heart goes out to ALL that were killed and injured, and their families. Especially, the child who is truly innocent. The dignitaries put themselves in danger as public officials every day.

I will not, however, defend or apologize for the actions of any extremist group or individual as a Tea Party American. I am an American citizen who happens to be part of a movement that condemns the taking of our liberties and freedom. How can you let the left dictate that you make statements in regard to this tragedy and cowardly, horrible act? I cannot speak on behalf of the whole Tea Party Group that I represent, but speaking on behalf of myself, I am not going to defend, condemn, denounce or anything else regarding this action.

Obviously, as a human being I am horrified by the events, but to feel that I have to publicly defend the Tea Party for this….not happening.

Barbara Gonzalez is the founder and co-chair of the Bayshore Tea Party Group

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NJ Tea Party Coaltion Condemns Arizona Shooting

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Coming Attractions

By Art Gallagher

With the county reorganization behind us, the real political season in Monmouth County, and throughout New Jersey is about to heat up. While most voters and the mainstream media will not start paying attention until September, what happens at political clubs, committee meetings and county conventions between now and April will determine who the candidates are in the November elections.  

The state legislature will be on the top of the ballot. Due to the pending redistricting, it is too early to speculate who the challengers might be or if Monmouth will continue to be divided into 5 districts.  Once the new districts are announced, hopefully before the primary filing deadline of April 12, there will be a mad dash.  Until then only anxiety and speculation.

Rosemarie Peters will seek a second term as Monmouth County Surrogate.  No primary challengers in the rumor mill,  no Democratic challengers in the rumor mill yet either.

The race to watch is for the nomination GOP nomination for Monmouth County Freeholder Lillian Burry’s running mate.  

Burry told MMM that she will seek a third term.  She and Democratic Freeholder Amy Mallet’s seats are up this year.  Mallet told Politickernj that she is running.

Early speculation for Mallet’s running mate includes Long Branch Councilman John Pallone, the congressman’s brother, and Marlboro Councilman Jeff Cantor who ran for Freeholder as a Republican in 2007, losing to John D’Amico.

Among Republicans, Manalapan Mayor Andrew Lucas has made his intentions known to several party leaders that he intends to seek the nomination.  Lucas emerged as the nominee from a deeply divided GOP convention in 2006 before losing to Barbara McMorrow in the general election.  McMorrow is now a GOP township committee member in Freehold Township.

Lucas will be challenged for the nomination by Spring Lake Councilman Gary Rich, Sr.  Rich unsuccessfully sought GOP Freeholder nominations in 2005, 2009 and 2010.

Wall Township Committee member George Newbury is signaling that he will challenge Lucas and Rich for the nomination.

Holmdel Mayor Serena DiMaso, who sought to be nominated in 2005 and 2008 is considering a run but has yet to make a decision.  Former Middletown Township Committee member Tom Wilkens is also on the fence, after narrowly losing the nomination to Tom Arnone last year.

Let the games begin.

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