Congressman Frank Pallone fired the first salvo of the 2014 Democratic U.S. Senate primary with a “scathing letter” sent to Newark Mayor Cory Booker complaining that the city of Newark is not fulfilling its obligations to the Hyacinth AIDS Foundation, a New Brunswick based non-profit that services patients with HIV/AIDS, according to a report in The Star Ledger.
The Star Ledger received a copy of the letter dated on Friday, May 10, before Booker received the original.
Booker’s staff dismissed the letter they haven’t seen yet, telling the Ledger that Hyacinth’s funding is working its way through the Newark bureaucracy and will be paid out this year earlier than it was last year.
By Monmouth County Freeholder Director Thomas A. Arnone
While informing the residents of Monmouth County about the happenings and goings on within the county has always been the focus for my writings, I thought it best to change my focus for this submission. Why you might ask? The reason being is that although raising awareness as to the many gains and strides that continue to occur in and around Monmouth County is of significant importance and benefit to our residents, I feel sometimes we need to take a step back and look outside of ourselves. It is extremely important for each of us to take time and perhaps reflect if even for a moment on the vast array of wonderful causes out there originated for the sole purpose to help raise awareness as it pertains to the many important issues we are faced with today. Because the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders fully understands the significance of helping to get the word out, we have taken steps by doing our part in also trying to help raise awareness.
A few of the observances made recently by The Board of Chosen Freeholders during the months of March, April and May were Autism Awareness, Alcohol Awareness, Military Awareness and Breast Cancer Awareness. The Board also recognized the tenacious energy set forth by The Red Cross and Monmouth County Fair Housing. Each of these tremendous causes was recognized by The Board of Chosen Freeholders during one of their regularly scheduled meetings. Representatives from each of the various organizations were invited to attend a meeting to accept a Certificate of Recognition for all they do to help raise awareness for each of their causes. Additionally, they were recognized for the multitude of great things they have independently been able to accomplish thus far, as well as being congratulated for their efforts in continuing to educate the public on how much work is still needed in order to maintain progress and continue to accomplish great things.
That circle around the sun this afternoon was a 22 degree halo, “a pretty common occurrence in the winter,” a meteorologist at the National Weather Service told MMM.
The phenomenon is caused by cold air above cirrus clouds, which the meteorologist said is happening today. The cold air creates hexagonal ice crystals. The sun’s light reflects off the crystals, causing the effect many of us witnessed, uncommonly, today.
Last week we learned that the Obama Administrations IRS has been targeting Conservative groups with the words ‘Tea Party’ and ‘Patriot’ in their names.
The records obtained by the Justice Department listed incoming and outgoing calls, and the duration of each call, for the work and personal phone numbers of individual reporters, general AP office numbers in New York, Washington and Hartford, Conn., and the main number for AP reporters in the House of Representatives press gallery, according to attorneys for the AP.
In all, the government seized those records for more than 20 separate telephone lines assigned to AP and its journalists in April and May of 2012. The exact number of journalists who used the phone lines during that period is unknown but more than 100 journalists work in the offices whose phone records were targeted on a wide array of stories about government and other matters.
Governor Christie’s office released parts of his interview with NBC’s Rock Center that did not make it to the Friday night broadcast.
Christie will be accompanying Prince Harry to the Jersey Shore this week. If there is a Prince Albert in Christie’s future, it will probably be a better kept secret than his lap band surgery.
Legislation that would eliminate the scheduled 10% surcharge on employers’ unemployment insurance tax was cleared by the Assembly Labor Committee today.
The bill, A-4112/A-3675, sponsored by Assemblywomen Amy Handlin (R-13, Monmouth) and Alison Little McHose (R-24, Hunterdon, Morris, Warren and Sussex), postpones the implementation of the surcharge, which is currently scheduled to go into effect on July 1, for one year. An identical bill, S-2404, passed the State Senate unanimously in February.
The Office of Legislative Services estimates that eliminating the surcharge will save employers $300 million in the coming fiscal year.
“The timing of this legislation is critical as we approach the summer season and with the effort to restore the Jersey Shore well underway,” stated Handlin. “Rebuilding communities involves both residential and commercial redevelopment. Companies who invest in our economy would face significant unemployment insurance increases which could impact their hiring decisions. This legislation ensures that the strides made in putting people back to work will not be affected by the cost increases that would have been felt under this surcharge.”
State Senator Barbara Buono, the presumptive Democratic nominee for governor, continues to lag terribly in name recognition in various independent polls that show her losing the November general election to Governor Chris Christie by over thirty points.
Worse for ‘Dawn Quixote’ Buono, as she was dubbed by MSNBC’s Chris Matthews, she can’t raise the money needed to increase her name ID and message. Numerous media reports indicate that Buono will likely be the first major party nominee not to qualify for the maximum in New Jersey’s state matching fund program for gubernatorial candidates.
Christie, who has opted out of the state matching fund program for the primary, is spending $850,000 of the $6+million he has raised to boost Buono’s name ID and define her by her record of voting to raise taxes 154 times and as former Governor Jon Corzine’s budget chair.
It’s a deal a week with the Bayshore Tea Party backed slate of candidates running in the LD13 and Monmouth County GOP primary.
If you missed the opportunity for a free 2013 tax return in exchange for canvassing for the candidates, freeholder candidate Ed Pekarsky has a new deal for you!
Join the phone bank team at the BTPG bunker on Thursday and Pekarsky will review your retirement plan and investment portfolio. Bring your statements with you.
Do you know what investments are in your 401K, IRA, Roth IRA or investment accounts? Bring your monthly statement and let Freeholder candidate and BTPG member Ed Pekarsky evaluate your investment portfolio.
He will provide an informal portfolio analysis and go over the investment holdings, along with discussing your allocation strategy. We should all know where our hard earned money is invested, let him assist with some of your financial planning needs.
