While New Jersey narrowly avoided a second straight government shutdown, the budget agreement that was achieved at the last minute will have a serious impact on area taxpayers that will be felt for years to come.
As a member of the Assembly Budget Committee, I participated in a number of meetings and listened to hours of testimony on Gov. Phil Murphy’s proposed budget that sought to increase spending by more than 7 percent and raise taxes by $1.7 billion. Gov. Murphy and the Democrat majority in the Legislature then spent much of the spring and early part of summer arguing over which of our taxes to raise.
Never, it seems, did they consider reducing government spending nor did the conversation appear to focus on reducing the burden on some of the most overtaxed citizens in the country. In fact, during the debate, serious consideration was given to additional tax hikes, including proposals to increase the realty transfer fee and add taxes to short-term home rentals — two ideas that would have dramatically impacted Monmouth and Ocean County residents. Read the rest of this entry »
Assemblyman Eric Houghtaling said the Democrat Neptune Township Committee candidates have always used police vehicles to promote themselves in parades and that he does not understand what the big deal is when MMM asked him to comment about why he was using taxpayers’equipment for political purposes as depicted the attached photo.
“You don’t need me to send me the photo, we’ve always done that in Neptune. We march with the police,” Houghtaling said. Read the rest of this entry »
The Hazlet Police Department announced this morning that Route 35 southbound between Bethany Road and Miller Ave will be down to one lane from 9 am till 4 pm due to road construction.
Bethany Road and Route 35 is the intersection where the K-Mart/Pathmark shopping center is located. Miller Ave is just north of Loews.
Traffic could be backed up to the Garden State Parkway if there are a lot of drivers on the road today.
Assembly members Eric Houghtaling and Joann Downey
The phones were ringing off the hook at Assembly members Eric Houghtaling and Joann Downey’s Ocean Township office after Assemblywoman Serena DiMaso’s July 5th robocall informing 11th legislative district voters of Houghtaling and Downey’s support for Governor Murphy’s massive tax increases and his cuts to school funding for local school districts.
In an interview with FoxNews’s Shannon Bream on Friday night, New Jersey Congressman Chris Smith called for the Russian officials who have been indicted for meddling in American elections to be red noticed by Interpol. A red notice is a request by the Justice Department to the international law enforcement agency to locate and arrest an individual for the purpose of extradition.
Former Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno appeared on the Tommy G Show yesterday during which she said that the $2 billion in spending increases and $1.5 billion in new state taxes are insane but that no one should be surprised.
Guadagno said that moderate Democrats who are now calling for spending cuts “sound like Republicans, that’s what we’ve been saying all along!”
Andy Kim, the Democrat candidate running against Congressman Tom MacArthur in the third congressional district is recruiting volunteers for his campaign among the Spring Lake Heights Democrats. Spring Lake Heights in in the 4th congressional district where Josh Welle, address none of your business, won the nomination to lose to Congressman Chris Smith in November. Read the rest of this entry »
Dale Williams, 46, of Leonard Avenue in Middletown, was sentenced to three years in New Jersey State Prison today after pleading guilty to second degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child (Distribution of Child Pornography) last April, according to a statement by Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.
Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Vincent N. Falcetano, Jr. imposed the sentence and additionally ordered that Williams register as a sex offender and comply with all of the conditions of Megan’s Law upon his release from prison.
A construction worker, Williams was arrested on July 21, 2017, as part of Operation School’s Out.
Congressman Chris Smith (R,NJ-4) is leading a congressional delegation in a bilateral meeting with Russian lawmakers, including Pyotr Tolstoi, the Deputy Chairman of the Russian State Duma (parliament) during a four day conference which starts on Saturday, July 7, in Berlin.
The bilateral meeting with Russian lawmakers comes nine days before President Donald J. Trump is set to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, Finland.
The State Legislature is still toiling in Trenton making sure Governor Phil Murphy’s conditional vetoes match what he agreed to with Senate President Steve Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin yesterday, but Murphy has left the Capitol and returned home to Monmouth County where is issued the Oath of Office to Long Branch Mayor John Pallone moments ago.
The Hazlet Police Department announced this morning that Route 35 southbound between Bethany Road and Miller Ave will be down to one lane from 9 am till 4 pm due to road construction.
Congressman Chris Smith (R,NJ-4) is leading a congressional delegation in a bilateral meeting with Russian lawmakers, including Pyotr Tolstoi, the Deputy Chairman of the Russian State Duma (parliament) during a four day conference which starts on Saturday, July 7, in Berlin.