The Director’s Corner

By Thomas A. Arnone

January is closing in and February is fast upon us. Good news for the survivors of Hurricane Sandy in New Jersey.  You now have until March 1, 2013, to register for disaster assistance through the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Monmouth County residents as well as all residents in New Jersey can register online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or via smart phone or tablet at m.fema.gov. Registration is also available by calling 800-621-3362. The toll free telephone numbers operate from 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. seven days a week. The deadline was extended one month at the request of the State of New Jersey. Through Wednesday, January 23^rd, more than 57,500 storm survivors have been approved for help through FEMA’s Individual Assistance program in New Jersey. FEMA disaster assistance for individuals and families can include money for rental assistance, essential home repairs, personal property and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance. Additionally, the Small Business Association has also set March 1^st as the date for homeowners, renters and business owners to complete and return SBA disaster loan applications. Visit www.sba.gov for more information. SBA’s Disaster Assistance Program provides long term, low interest loans to homeowners, renters and businesses of all sizes.

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Republican Governors Association Statement of New Jersey Governor’s Race

Republican Governors Association communications director Mike Schrimpf issued the following statement on the New Jersey governor’s race following the Democratic Governors Association embrace of state senator Barbara Buono’s candidacy earlier today:

“After failing to recruit their first, second, third or fourth choice candidates into the campaign for governor, Democrats have finally settled on state senator Barbara Buono.

Given the tremendous leadership Governor Christie has displayed in closing an $11 billion budget deficit without raising taxes, capping property taxes, and enacting pension and education reforms, the Democrats’ inability to recruit one of their preferred candidates into the race is not surprising. That said, we look forward to contrasting Governor Christie’s record of reform with Senator Buono’s record of higher taxes, increased spending and deeper debt.

While we commend Senator Buono for running, we are confident voters will want to continue the progress New Jersey has made since he took office.”

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Vermont Governor Endorses Buono

Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin, Chairman of the Democratic Governors Association, issued the following statement about State Senator Barbara Buono, the presumptive Democratic nominee for New Jersey Governor:

“Barbara Buono understands the challenges facing New Jersey’s middle-class families because she’s lived through them. That’s why she’s spent her entire career fighting to create jobs, improve education, expand access to quality health care, and balance budgets. Unfortunately, Governor Christie has failed to deliver on his promise to turn the state around. He’s blown a hole in the budget while New Jersey ranks near the bottom of the nation in unemployment, foreclosures, property taxes, and business climate. New Jersey needs a governor focused on creating jobs and expanding opportunity for New Jersey’s working families and that’s exactly the kind of governor Barbara Buono will be.”

Vermont has a smaller population than Monmouth County.

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Hornik Jumps on Buono Bandwagon

Marlboro Mayor Jon Hornik joined the growing list of New Jersey Democrats in lining up behind State Senator Barbara Buono as the party’s nominee to take on Governor Chris Christie this fall.

In a statement released to MoreMonmouthMusings, Honik said that Buono is ready to lead for New Jersey’s middle class and that she is the best candidate to get our economy moving and creating jobs.

“Senator Buono understands the principle challenge facing New Jersey is a need for good-paying jobs. It’s a failure of the Governor when nearly one of every 10 New Jerseyans is out of work.

“There is no comeback when one in 10 is left behind. I know Senator Buono is prepared to make job creation her first priority.

“Senator Buono and I also share the same concern for protecting all of our residents, but in particular our children from gun violence. I applaud her call for a special session of the Legislature to pass common-sense gun safety laws.”

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Menendez not denying allegations of pay to play with Dominican children

News of the allegations that U.S. Senator Bob Menendez sexually exploited Dominican teen aged girls during his trips to the DR on a campaign contibutor’s private jet slipped into New Jersey main stream media coverage last weekend when Bob Ingle blogged about the sentor’s spokesperson telling FoxNews that the allegations were “unsubstantiated garbage.”

Yesterday, Brietbart caught up with Menendez who said he would not dignify the story.  Click here to listen to Mendendez refusing to dignify.

“Unsubstantiated garbage” and “I’m not going to dignify that” are not denials.   I can not imagine a dignified substantiation.

New Jersey State Senator Sam Thompson, in his capacity as Chairman on the Middlesex GOP, wrote to the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Ethics last November asking that they investigate Menendez’s accepting illegal travel for his DR sexcapades.  Thompson tells MMM that he has not heard from the committee.

It would seem that Mendenez, who officially becomes Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee upon John Kerry’s confirmation as Secretary of State, is getting a pass from the Select Committee on Ethics.  The FBI won’t confirm or deny that they are investigating him.

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BECK, ANGELINI AND CASAGRANDE TO SEEK RE-ELECTION

NJ’s first all female ticket announces 2013 run

Senator Jennifer Beck, Assemblywoman Mary Pat Angelini and Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande announced their bids for re-election to the New Jersey legislature. The three legislators represent the 11^th Legislative District in Monmouth County.

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A Gift To Those Attending the NJ Chamber of Commerce “Walk To Washington”

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Joint Statement From Governors Christie, Cuomo and Malloy Regarding U.S. Senate’s Action on Hurricane Sandy Disaster Aid Bill

Trenton, NJ – New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and Connecticut Governor Dannel P. Malloy released the following statement regarding the Senate’s passage today of the disaster relief package:

“Our genuine thanks and gratitude goes out to the U.S. Senate for its thoughtful consideration and passage of the Hurricane Sandy disaster relief package. Despite the difficult path in getting to this moment, the Senate membership clearly recognized early on the urgency and necessity of approving the full aid package and its importance in rebuilding our battered infrastructure and getting our millions of affected residents back on their feet as quickly as possible. To all Americans, we are grateful for their willingness to come to our aid as we take on the monumental task of rebuilding and we pledge to do the same should our fellow citizens find themselves facing unexpected and harsh devastation.

“We also make special note of the tenacious efforts of our respective Congressional delegations in steering the Sandy aid package through their respective houses and bringing this aid home to their people.”

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Senate Passes House Bill, Approves $50B Aid Package to Help Victims of Superstorm Sandy

President expected to sign quickly

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate today passed the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, one week after the House passed a similar assistance measure, which will keep New Jersey’s recovery on track and allow New Jersey and other Superstorm Sandy-impacted states—New York, Connecticut and Pennsylvania—to rebuild in the wake of the storm. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), who represents the hard-hit disaster areas of Ocean and Monmouth counties, noted that the federal aid is needed to recover from the worst natural disaster in his state’s history.

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Governor Christie Calls For Minimum Wage Increase with Responsible Phase-In, While Helping Struggling Families with EITC Increase

Governor’s Conditional Veto Pairs Responsible 3-Year Phase-In of One-Dollar Wage Increase with 25 Percent Increase in Earned Income Tax Credit

Trenton, NJ – Acting to support a responsible increase in the state’s minimum wage while providing direct relief to New Jersey’s working families and protecting the state’s economic recovery, Governor Chris Christie today put forward a plan to increase the state’s minimum wage by one dollar over a phase-in period of three years and to provide direct relief to struggling families with a 25 percent increase to the state’s Earned Income Tax Credit.

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