O’Scanlon forces Assembly vote on property tax cap effectiveness

Democrats punt on property tax reform

Trenton, NJ- Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon, Jr. invoked a parliamentary rule on the floor of the Assembly on Thursday to force a vote on his bill that would remove the sunset provision on the arbitration cap of police and fireman salaries.

The arbitration cap was institution as part of the 2010 landmark property tax reform legislation that capped New Jersey property tax growth at 2% per year. The initial cap expired in 2014 and was renewed in 2014 with a sunset provision for the end of this year.  O’Scanlon’s bill, A-2123,would make the 2% arbitration cap permanent.

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Golden’s Touch: The magic power of “the line” is a myth

Photo by Marielanina LaRosa

Many pundits are explaining away Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno’s victory in the NJ GOP gubernatorial primary to the power of “the line” — the party organization’s column on the ballot, particularly in Monmouth and Ocean Counties where Guadagno earned 20,106 of her 37,712 vote margin of victory.

InsiderNJ pointed out this morning that Guadagno had the line in counties accounting for 46.4% of the average GOP vote share.  She won 46.8% of the vote.  Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli had the line in counties with 31.2% of the vote.  He earned 31.1% of the vote.

The implication is that a candidate is endorsed by a county political party is a shoe-in. Primary voters will magically show up on election day and vote down the line.

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Guadagno Pledges To Not Seek A Second Term Unless She Reduces Property Taxes

West Long Branch, NJ-  Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno pledged to the people of New Jersey that she would not seek re-election in four years if she does not keep her promise to reduce the state’s highest in the nation property taxes.

Before several hundred supporters, Guadagno said that over the last eight years as Lt. Governor she has worked to improve New Jersey’s economy.  She said that more people work in New Jersey than ever before and that 1000’s of small business started in New Jersey in the last few years.

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Guadagno and Murphy Win Gubernatorial Primaries

The next governor of New Jersey will be a Monmouth County resident.

The Associated Press has called the New Jersey gubernatorial primaries for  Republican Lt, Governor Kim Guadagno, of Monmouth Beach and Democrat Phil Murphy, of Middletown, a former Goldman Sachs banker and former Ambassador to Germany.

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Get up to the minute primary results at MoreMonmouthMusings

MMM will be providing up to the minute primary results tonight courtesy of NJSpotLight.

The polls close at 8PM tonight.

The Republican and Democrat gubernatorial results as well as contested legislative races will be updated throughout the night as the results are reported by New Jersey’s County Clerks.

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Christie votes for Guadagno

(Governor’s Office/ Mykwain Gainey)

Governor Chris Christie told reporters this morning that he voted for Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno in the Republican gubernatorial primary this morning, according to a report in PolticoNewJersey.

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Vote for Burry and Impreveduto Today

Most of the attention has been on the gubernatorial race in today’s Primary election.  But there is a race for the GOP nominations for Monmouth County Freeholder that could impact the quality of life for local residents more than the governor’s race.

Freeholder Director Lillian Burry and Holmdel Deputy Mayor Pat Impreveduto are being challenged by a couple of Ciattarelli sycophants that we haven’t heard from since MMM reported their petition fraud to get on the ballot.

No one expects Lillian and Pat to have a problem securing the nomination.  That’s the danger.  In an expected low turnout election, shocking surprises have been know to happen.   In Highlands, our popular Mayor Rick O’Neil once lost primary to a complete unknown because too many of Rick’s supporters figured he had it in the bag and didn’t bother voting.

Vote today.  If you’re a Republican or Unaffiliated voter in Monmouth County, vote for Lillian G. Burry and Patrick Impreveduto for Freeholder.

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Michael A. Katz seeks Dem nomination for Middletown Township Committee

Michael A. Katz

Michael A. Katz, a 45 year old live long resident of Middletown, has thrown his hat into the ring for the Democratic nomination for Middletown Township Committee.

The Middletown Democrats only submitted one candidate for the two seats up this year.  The candidate who gets the most write-in votes in the primary tomorrow will likely join William E. Hutton on the Democratic slate against Republicans Deputy Mayor Stephanie Murray and Committeeman Tony Fiore.

Katz launched his campaign last week after MMM reported the vacancy and suggested that Democrats write-in Michael Morris.  Katz said he thinks he has as many as 50 write-in votes so far.  26 is the minimum required to get on the general election ballot.  If no candidate gets 26 write-in votes, only Hutton will appear on the ballot for the Democrats in November.

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Kim Guadagno is New Jersey’s Best Hope To Defeat Phil Murphy

By Art Gallagher

I’m voting for Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno in the Republican Primary tomorrow because I’m convinced she’s the only candidate in the field who can defeat former Goldman Sachs banker Phil Murphy, the likely Democrat nominee, in November and prevent the return of unbridled government spending and taxation that will occur if Democrats regain control of the State Executive branch.

Guadagno’s primary campaign has been brilliant in its simplicity. She has deftly managed to put distance between herself and Governor Chris Christie while keeping her eye on the prize….winning the gubernatorial nomination.  Kim has demonstrated that she knows that she is out to win an election, not to sell investors on a business plan. She’s presented herself as likeable, relatable and wanting to make New Jersey “Better.” Her appeal is emotional, not cerebral.

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Democrats in the 13th District: Vote for Joshua Leinsdorf for Senate in the Primary

By Art Gallagher

Over the Memorial Day weekend I noticed that Sean Byrnes, the establishment candidate for State Senate in the 13th District Democratic Primary, has put up lawn signs to get people to vote for him on Tuesday, June 6.   Byrnes is being challenged for the nomination to compete with Republican Declan O’Scanlon in November by Joshua Leinsdorf of Atlantic Highlands.   The winner of the LD 13 Senate election will replace Senator Joe Kyrillos in the Senate.

Given that Byrnes is taking the primary challenge from Leinsdorf seriously, I thought I should too.  I invited Mr. Leinsdorf to sit with me for an interview.  He surprised me. I thought Leinsdorf was an attention seeking gadfly perennial candidate.  I found him to be a sincere, smart and thoughtful man who has common sense ideas on how to solve New Jersey’s many fiscal problems.  Win or lose, he wants to influence public policy. He claims that even his losing campaigns have made a difference.

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