Unicameral

By Michael Laffey

The recent redistricting fight made me think about why we have an Assembly and a Senate.

I believe historically it was because Senators represented a particular County rather then a legislative district.  The system mirrored the Federal System where States with small populations still get two Senators.  The idea was to give rural counties representation on par with more populous counties.

 A United States Supreme Court decision in 1964 (Reynolds v. Sims) and a New Jersey Supreme Court decision in 1972 (Jackman v. Bodine) that arrangement was found unconstitutional under the one person one vote rule.

As a result the current legislative arrangement was instituted. 

Since the rational for two legislative houses no longer exists why don’t we move to a unicameral or one house legislature?  Nebraska only has one legislative house.

This would save a lot of money and make our government more efficient.

I hope my friends in the legislature don’t take this suggestion personally but I think it is something that deserves consideration.

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Did Senator Kean Miss An Opportunity?

 By Tommy DeSeno

Have you ever seen a news wave?  It’s a real phenomenon in journalism.  One outlet says something, then outlet after outlet says the same thing, never verifying if the first outlet was right.  And you can’t stop a wave, even if it’s wrong.
 
As soon as the new 30th district was announced, immediately the word got out that Senator Singer would have the advantage over Senator Kean.  I guess Senator Kean concurred, having agreed to move down to the Assembly.
 
I like Singer.  But his comments in the Press yesterday that Sean Kean would be primaried even if Singer retired has me angry.  It’s as if Bob is throwing down the gauntlet and declaring that the rest of us will be governed by Lakewood for the next 10 years.
 
Well, as a Howell boy, I’m pretty upset that I had to be governed by Lakewood the last 10 years.  So I’m calling bullshit on Singer, which I can do even though we are friends, because I’m a journalist first.
 
Howell and Wall combined are larger than Lakewood, so if Howell and Wall got behind Kean, that could be a fair fight against Lakewood.
 
As for the rest of the district, those little Monmouth shore towns are larger than the 2 Pt. Pleasants, and Sean has name recognition there while Singer does not.
 
I know what the road block would have been – Howell Republicans.  They rarely get along.  But John Costigan is a strong Municipal Chair.  He could have pulled the Howell Republicans together (which would be a nice thing all by itself) to back Kean.  The rallying cry would have been provincial but effective –  Monmouth needs to keep a Senator.
 
I really wish Sean decided to stay Senator.  I’m not reading next week’s triCityNews, because I don’t want to know what Dan Jacobson will call Sean now.

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Middletown Introduces Budget With Nearly $4 Million In Spending Cuts

Conforms With 2% Cap Levy Law Absent Needed Tool Kit Reforms

MIDDLETOWN – The Middletown Township Committee anticipates introducing its 2011 municipal budget that is $3.87 million (5.9%) less than the Township’s 2010 budget.

“Middletown’s proposed municipal budget is very austere and in full conformance with the new 2% cap levy law despite the Legislature’s continued failure to enact the Governor’s tool kit reforms that would empower the Township to make further cuts,” said Middletown Mayor Tony Fiore.  “We are hopeful to continue to rein in spending through ongoing negotiations with the Township’s collective bargaining units with a focus on decreasing the Township’s health care costs.”

“Cuts in the proposed budget include the layoffs of 26 employees, including 10 police officers, and the third consecutive year of salary freezes for the Township’s managerial employees,” continued Fiore.  “Middletown will continue to focus on core governmental functions while seeking other ways to continue to reduce costs though interlocal agreements and the Township’s solar initiative that is currently under way.”

Proposed Budget Data and Facts

·         The proposed 2011 municipal budget is $61,114,285 compared to the adopted 2010 budget that was $64,979,576.

·         The proposed budget represents an actual decrease in spending of $3,865,291 (5.9%) from the 2010 budget.

·         The largest cost drivers offsetting the Township’s $3.87 million in budget cuts are tax appeal refunds, State-mandated pension contribution increases of 22%, and costs associated with deferred charges due to numerous retirements last year.

·         The proposed 2011 budget anticipates an increase in the total tax levy of $1,357,855 which complies with the new 2% cap levy law and will cost the average Middletown homeowner approximately $5 per month.

·         The municipal budget makes up only approximately 22% of the average property tax bill, the remaining portion relates to the school and county tax levies.

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N.J. “millionaires tax”: Soak the rich, drown the state

By Scott Sipprelle.  First published at nj.com

State Sen. Shirley Turner’s recent proposal to hit the state’s top taxpayers with a new “millionaires tax” is dangerous nonsense straight out of the soak-the-rich economic playbook. “It’s really about fairness,” said Turner (D-Mercer). “This governor has coddled the wealthy, but they need to pay their fair share.”

Leaving aside the fundamental question of why her proposed 10.75 percent top tax rate is the “fair” level, there is a more glaring problem with Turner’s proposal: It will make fiscal problems in New Jersey far worse.

New Jersey is in a deep financial hole because our politicians have spent money without ever evaluating whether the funding source is competitive and sustainable. The resulting debate about how to resolve these structural imbalances has become a spirited fight, as it deserves to be.

But regardless of one’s philosophical leanings or party affiliation, we should all be able to agree on one thing: We must do everything possible to encourage work and investment in New Jersey in order to fuel the economic furnace that generates government’s desperately needed tax revenues.

Politicians love the notion that they can merely increase your tax rate and generate a proportionally equivalent increase in tax revenues. But this is not the way the world really works.

Taxes change behavior. Drivers will cross state lines to save on gasoline tax. Taxpayers move to Florida to save on their income tax. When a special tax on millionaires a few years ago in Maryland failed to deliver its expected revenue boost, Democratic Gov. Martin O’Malley decided against bringing it back, focusing instead on spending cuts to balance his state’s budget.

Closer to home, New York state enacted a surtax on its top earners in 2009 as an emergency measure to help manage through the recession. Today, despite a recovering economy, New York’s underlying fiscal problems are worse than ever.

Recognizing that tax surcharges don’t solve problems, only prolong them, Gov. Andrew Cuomo has decided against extending the surtax.

New Jersey, which has an identical tax rate to New York’s on its top incomes, will have a top rate that is 57 percent higher than our neighbor in 2012 if Turner has her way.
The lesson across states wrestling with revenue shortfalls is clear: Raising taxes is no panacea because wealth is mobile.

New Jersey’s residents are the most highly taxed in the nation, and employers are steering clear of the state as a result. New Jersey lost more than 10,000 jobs per month in 2009, and job erosion continued into 2010 despite an economic recovery that added 1 million jobs nationally.

New Jersey currently generates a startling 41 percent of its income tax receipts from the top 1 percent of its taxpayers, a precarious reliance that the rating agency Standard & Poor’s said could contribute to “revenue volatility,” as it downgraded the state’s credit rating.

Turner needs to confront the hard truth: There is a limit to how much businesses and high-income residents can be taxed before they simply move away, taking our best hope for new investment, jobs and economic growth with them.

Turner says let the voters decide on the millionaires tax, punting tax policy to a ballot referendum. She might be surprised by the result.

Last November, one state did put a referendum on its ballot to implement a special tax of 9 percent on incomes greater than $500,000. It happened in Washington state, one of eight states with no income tax at all. That state has also been a relative stalwart economically. Washington voters rejected the special tax by a nearly 2-to-1 margin.

As a result of the recent U.S. Census, Washington will gain a seat in the House of Representatives, owing to its large population growth over the past decade, while New Jersey will lose a seat after a population gain below the national average.

Citizens vote with their pocketbooks and also with their feet.

When will New Jersey politicians learn that lesson?

Scott Sipprelle is president of the Lincoln Club of New Jersey and was the 2010 Republican candidate for Congress in the state’s 12th Congressional District

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REPUBLICANS CANGEMI, MIZZI TO RUN FOR RED BANK COUNCIL

Former Councilwoman Grace Cangemi and Joseph Mizzi announced today that they would be seeking the Republican nomination for Red Bank Borough Council in the upcoming municipal election.

Cangemi, who served on council in 2007 and 2008 said she looked forward to getting back into the fray.

 “Unfortunately, many of the same issues which I’ve been talking about since 2008 are still issues which need to be addressed,” said Cangemi. “Tough decisions need to be made and they need to be made in an environment that is open and transparent. This council doesn’t seem to recognize that affordability is the most important issue that residents and businesses face, maybe because their one party control has insulated them from the people who need them to take serious action.  We need a borough government that is both transparent and responsive.  The current council fails on both counts.”

Mizzi, a finance professional and part time economics professor, agreed and said the council needed some different voices.

“Unfortunately, when you have one party rule for so long, a kind of groupthink sets in and no dissenting views are considered,” said Mizzi. “I thought when Grace was on council she brought a different perspective that was refreshing and that’s what we’d both like to do again; challenge old assumptions and see if there isn’t a better way of doing things.”

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Bayshore Tea Party Group Releases Revised Legislative District Map

Middletown, NJ – The Bayshore Tea Party Group issued a revised version of “The People’s Map” to the Apportionment Commission. The changes are as follows:

· Moves Egg Harbor Township, Weymouth and Estell Manor from District 2 to District 1;
· Moves Atlantic City, Brigantine and Absecon from District 1 to District 2;
· Makes cosmetic corrections to several inadvertently miscolored municipalities that do not affect the population outcomes of any other District.
In response to inquiries received following the release of “The People’s Map”, the Bayshore Tea Party Group Redistricting Committee would like to clarify some questions the public may have with the creation of our map:

 
“The People’s Map” was created entirely by hand and without the assistance of any computer program, such as the program in use by the Apportionment Commission and political parties;
“The People’s Map” was drawn using public census data obtained via the internet, pencils and a calculator;
No funding or other outside support from any person or organization was provided for the creation of “The People’s Map”. The aforementioned pencils, paper and calculators were provided by the Bayshore Tea Party Group, which is funded entirely through the generous donations of our members and the public.

The Bayshore Tea Party Group would like to acknowledge and thank Monmouth University’s Patrick Murray for the notes he provided upon his review of our map.

BTPG would also like to publicly acknowledge Jim Meyer of Gateway Press in Atlantic Highlands, NJ for his hard work in preparing “The People’s Map.”
Please visit our website at www.bayshoreteaparty.org for information on how you can become involved with the effort to restore American Exceptionalism and fix our broken government.

The Bayshore Tea Party Group Headquarters is located at 275 Rt. 35N in Fairview, NJ. Please contact [email protected] or call 732-804-3733 for more information.

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Lessons From The Freeholder Selection Process

Dispatches From San Juan

First the candidate pushed by the party bosses didn’t win.  Of course I am not sure which candidate was being pushed by the party bosses because different candidates where pushed by different bosses.  Actually the lesson is, there are no more “Bosses”. The process was fair and relatively democratic without some of the histrionics that took place when the process of candidate selection was first opened up.  Yes the chairman had a candidate he preferred as did certain elected officials.  Guess what.  They are allowed to voice an opinion. Just because they do does not mean their candidate is being pushed down our throat.  So there you have it.  All you conspiracy theorists can now go home. Please.

Second we learned some people are better at building coalitions then other people.

In case anyone hasn’t notice there is one guy who seems to be really good at it. Jim “the Shadow” Gianell (visit http://monmouth-bull-moose.blogspot.com/2008/04/who-knows-what-evil-lurks-in-hearts-of.html/ to learn how he earned that moniker) also known by his friends simply as the Greek.

In the last ten years Jim has only failed to back the winner once.  That was John Curley in his second run.  Here is a guy who isn’t even a municipal chairman, holds no elected office, has no cushy government appointments yet he gets people nominated.  Rich tried to get the nomination twice and failed.  It was not until he got Gianell’s support that he got the nomination. 

How does he do it?  He appears to have the confidence of a lot of people and he is good at convincing people to back his candidate. He did this first as the architect of the once influential Two Rivers Chairman Group and more recently by working with like minded chairmen scattered about the County.  He also is a tireless worker for “his Guy or Gal”.

It seems that if you want to get the Monmouth GOP’s backing Jim Gianell is the guy to go see.

TR

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Mulling a run against Sean Kean…in the GOP primary!

By Dan Jacobson, Publisher, triCityNews  (Cross published in the triCityNews, Thursday, March 24, 2011)

I’m a Democrat. And I’m starting to seriously consider running against Senator Sean Kean in the Republican primary.

Why not? I’d love to see what that forbidden land looks like. Like when this newspaper sent me to Havana, Cuba on assignment. Running as a Republican would be one hell of a journalistic expedition. I think it would be a blast.

 Here’s my favorite angle to the Kean vs. Jacobson story:  If the contest were based solely on economic issues, he’d beat me in a Democratic primary. And I’d beat him in a Republican primary. I’m not kidding! It’s pretty wild.

For years, I’ve criticized the Democratic Party for being clueless on economic policy. Becoming a subsidiary of the unions destroyed us. We lost our independence, and the ability to shrink the government and reduce taxes when needed. That’s why angry Democrats write in calling me a Republican.

Conflicts with big labor predate my journalism career. I served one term as a Democratic Assemblyman in Trenton 20 years ago. In my final race, I told the NJEA that school vouchers should be tested in poor urban school districts. That didn’t go over well. They endorsed my Republican opponents. And when I lost my seat in 1991, a local AFL-CIO activist ran against me as an independent to siphon off votes. Many in that union were angry because I refused to support a state payroll tax to bail out their self-insured health insurance funds.

Now contrast that with Republican Sean Kean. Last week, I wrote about his history of taking endorsements from the government employees unions – specifically the NJEA and the state workers union (CWA). With those endorsements, Sean sold out the limited government principles of the Republican Party. He gave up his independence. Check out his campaign reports at the website of the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission. You’ll see union contribution after union contribution. I stopped counting at $20,000 between the NJEA and the CWA. And I only got through about one-third of his reports starting with his most recent. That was enough.

(And Sean got tons of police union money – he’ll never get a ticket from a State Trooper! Biggest surprise? Even I was stunned to see a large $5,000 contribution from the SEIU union out of New York – that’s the powerful union instrumental in pulling the Democrats way out of the mainstream. Google the SEIU and the Democratic Party. You’ll see.)

Call me crazy. But if a government employees union has the right to collective bargaining, it’s absurd that they can elect those who sit across the bargaining table. And it’s absurd that they can elect those who enact the rules for that bargaining.

But that’s Sean Kean. He’s the recipient of all that union largesse. And how hilarious that it takes a Democrat like me to say it! You won’t hear a local Republican speak up. Party loyalty, you know. Man, I hate that shit.  So remember this: Sean Kean would bury me in a Democratic primary with all his union support. And that just cracks me up!

Tell you what: Government employee unions should not be allowed to collect mandatory dues – and then use those dues to elect those running the government that employs them. That gives them way too much power. That’s the root problem right now. It’s why collective bargaining can’t be fair. It’s why everything is out of whack. If these unions want to form their own  political action committees and convince members to voluntarily contribute, so be it. That’s democracy. But today’s situation is ridiculous. Exhibit A is Sean Kean’s campaign finance reports.

So why have I stayed registered as a Democrat? Because I don’t want to live in a theocracy. That’s what the cultural right-wing of the Republican Party represents – and they’re as powerful in the GOP as the unions in the Democratic Party. I just don’t like hypocrisy. While Republicans politicians claim they want limited government, many will happily order the government to tell a woman what to do with her body. Or tell a huge chunk of our population who they can marry.

Sean Kean’s vote against same-sex marriage last year is what really pissed me off. That’s what got me. It was a moral issue that he called a “tough” vote, meaning a politically tough vote because he represents a sizeable gay community. What bullshit. There’s nothing “tough” about a moral issue – you vote what you believe. Period.

But back to my kamikaze Republican candidacy. Let’s get it all out. Over the years, I’ve also derided the Republican Party as being dominated by anti-gay bigots and gun nuts. With pro-lifers I’ve been more gentle (at least as far as I can remember). Because they’re motivated by legitimate religious beliefs. I just don’t think the issue has any place in our secular government. It’s between a woman and her doctor.

(And gun nuts hold your fire! I would not tighten New Jersey gun laws. Every cop I know tells me that weapons used in crimes here are coming from other states with lax gun control laws, particularly in the south. That’s the problem. So don’t shoot! I’m not running for federal office, where I’d change that. Nor am I running for state Senate in Georgia. If I were, you bet I’d be wearing a bullet-proof vest right now.)

But forget all this stuff.  My beliefs are united by one thing – a knee-jerk reaction against the concentration of power, wherever it may be found. That includes government employee unions. That includes powerful corporations that get government favors instead of competing in the free market. It also includes big media – my disgust with the Gannett-owned Asbury Park Press is well-documented. And it includes political parties who order elected officials what to do. I recoil against it all.

You know what? I sound a lot like a Tea Party type. I just can’t call myself one! They’re way too kooky. But on the big issues they’re right, and they’ve done a huge service for our nation by turning the Republican Party upside down and forcing it to stand for fiscal responsibility.

OK, so here’s my political situation:

I can never run again as a Democrat. The unions and I have a bad 20 year history. Sorry, I just love repeating this: Sean Kean would beat me in a Democratic primary with all his union support. Hands down!

Sure, I could run as an Independent in the general election but voters are asleep. They don’t pay attention. It would be no fun and a waste of time. People are lazy and apathetic. Yes, I’m insulting the voters.

Yup, a kamikaze run in the Republican primary as the most unconventional of insurgents makes sense. It’s a very small electorate that pays attention. And they understand the debate about economics, limited government and the dangers of concentrated power in our economic and political system.

Could I win? You tell me.

Only 2500 people voted in the last state Senate Republican primary. That’s it. When they learn about Sean’s and my divergent experiences with unions, I bet you I peel off a third of them. Maybe more. Lots of Republicans have long respected my independence. They’re motivated by economics and freedom. They will not like Sean’s alliance with the unions. For many, the social issues aren’t as important. Or they agree with me on them.

Anyway, peeling off a third of the usual vote makes the tally about 1700 to 800 in Sean’s favor. But the question is whether I can convince, say, just 1000 independents to come out and vote for me. That would put me over the top. Remember, independents can vote in the primary. And they’ll definitely like what I have to say.

Here’s where it gets interesting. The triCityNews has about 25,000-30,000 regular readers who read the paper every week or two. They are tuned in politically. And they reflect our region’s overall distribution of Republicans, Democrats and Independents. I bet close to 20,000 Republican and Independent triCity readers would be eligible to vote in the primary. That’s a lot.

And I’m sure they’ll enjoy following such a wild race. What great political theater! Guarantee they’d love what I had to say. Or love to hate it! Hey, that’s why they read the paper now.

Whether they can stomach voting for me is another story. Of that I have no idea. But I may only need an extra 1,000 or so to come out. Out of about 20,000. Not bad odds. (Then again, 5,000 could come out against me!)

Nah, I’ll never win. It’s preposterous. Perhaps in some ways I’d rather lose. After all, I’ve got a fake newspaper to run here, and that takes time.

Of course, Republican leaders have nothing to fear if the unthinkable happens and I win. We’ll get along just fine. I’ll ignore them, and they’ll ignore me. I have no interest in getting involved in campaigns for anyone else – Republican or Democrat. I have no interest in party politics, fundraisers or rallies. And I have no interest in party leaders telling me how to vote.

 It’s quite simple. I’d just want to do the job of Senator and advocate for my principles. Imagine that.

But me running in a Republican primary is way too nutty, right?  I mean, this is crazy? I can’t really…

Help! Someone please stop me! Stop me, please! Stop me before I run again….as a Republican!!

xxx

This the following was not published in the triCityNews. It’s Dan’s addendum just for his growing MMM readership:

This is your fault Art!
 
After your commentary last week — and also the comments by TR — I started to think about this much more seriously. I am now likely to do it, and am moving forward on organizing.
 
Looking forward to MMM reader feedback. No doubt it will be uniformly positive. And I think I know who TR is! (I’ll send him a code: He’s svelte, has great vision and is a dogged defender of the downtrodden in the criminal justice system…of course, if I’m not right he won’t know what the hell I’m talking about).
 
Also, anyone is welcome to say whatever they want in the triCityNews in response to this article. Our email is [email protected] Please put something in the email captoin about letter to editor kean/Jacobson. Please note that the shorter and more concise the better. While we normally reserve the right to edit letters, in this situation it is not appropriate for us to do that. But if it’s too long, we can’t guarantee that we’d print it. I’d suggest 400-500 words max. Obviously, if there’s something libelous or defamatory it won’t be printed.
 
Nor will we print any expletives. Just kidding.
 
(Note to my fellow Republican Mike Golub: Your comments last week were excellently written as usual. I would have printed any of them in our paper. But we normally couldn’t have fit ALL of them. Please feel free to send in a response with that in mind. Still, if you don’t want to cut back what you have to say, I don’t want to censor you. Please send whatever you like and I’ll do my best to get it in regardless of the length. After all, the triCityNews is, as they say, Fair and Balanced.)
 
Please submit letter to editor by monday at 9 am for us to get them in this week.

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James O’Keefe III to Headline Bayshore Tea Party Group’s St. Patrick’s Day Celebration

Fresh off the resignation of NPR top executives, O’Keefe to give a behind the scenes peek.

Middletown, NJ—The Bayshore Tea Party Group is proud to announce its first annual St. Patrick’s Day Celebration, this Thursday, March 17^th, 2011 at Ye Cottage Inn in Keyport, NJ. James O’Keefe, the Jersey boy who blew the lid off of the corrupt ACORN racket, will headline the event on the water in Keyport.

O’Keefe most recently exposed National Public Radio (NPR) executinves meeting with prospective donors that may have violated federal law. The tirade O’Keefe caught on film resulted in the resignation of NPR’s President Vivian Schiller.

Prior to the rampage, NPR Foundation President Ron Schiller made it clear to the Country that NPR would be better off without federal funding. Suffice to say, we agree.

Details:

Who:     James O’Keefe, III headlines at the Bayshore Tea Party Group

What:   1^st Annual St. Patrick’s Day Celebration

Where: Ye Cottage Inn, 149 West Front Street, Keyport, NJ 07735

When: Thursday, March 17^th, 2011

                7-9 PM

How:     $50 at the door / $1000 event sponsorship

Noted in Politico as one of the most “prominent” tea party groups in the State of New Jersey and the Country, the Bayshore Tea Party Group is an all-volunteer organization working tirelessly in Monmouth County and New Jersey to implement Constitutional and Conservative policies throughout New Jersey through a variety of channels.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0311/50818.html

For more information on the Bayshore Tea Party Group, please visit the website at www.bayshoreteaparty.org or find us on the web elsewhere:

http://www.facebook.com/BayshoreTeaParty

http://twitter.com/bayshore_tparty

http://www.youtube.com/bayshoreteaparty

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Government Growth Under McGreevey, Codey and Corzine Caused High Property Taxes

By Harold Kane, Monroe Township (Written as a Letter to the Editor of The Star Ledger)

The Star Ledger never misses a chance to take cheap shots at politicians. 

In the February 27^th PERSPECTIVE Mark Magyar insinuated that New Jersey’s property tax issues are the fault of Christie. He fails to mention that Christie has been in office for one year and that New Jersey’s public sector exploded under Governors Jim McGreevy, Dick Codey, and Jon Corzine. During the past ten years, while NJs population grew 4.5%, * property taxes increased by 85%**. This was done to pay the compensation of the army of public employees that were hired by NJs 2,000 municipalities, counties, school boards, fire districts, water and sewer districts and community colleges, with the worst year being 2003 when 17,000 ***new public employees were hired under McGreevy.

The Democrats from 2001 to 2010 bloated up the public workforce for their own purposes-the larger the workforce, the larger the public unions, subsequently the more campaign money given to the Democrats. Christie is trying to do what needs to be done to bring fiscal sanity to NJ, working against a hostile legislature. If the Star Ledger would like to be part of the solution to New Jersey’s fiscal problems then they should endorse Republican candidates in October so that Governor Christie will have the Republican legislature that he needs.

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