LITTLE: PALLONE CAST DECIDING VOTE TO ADJOURN BEFORE ACTING TO PREVENT MASSIVE TAX HIKE

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In Memory Of Donald Charles Unsworth

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Assemblyman Dave Rible has issued the following statement on the passing of Duncan Thecker

“I am terribly saddened to announce the passing of Duncan Thecker. Duncan was a business icon who rose from a concrete salesman to become the leader of one of the most successful manufacturing companies in Monmouth County. Duncan helped create the Republican Party.  He was committed to the Party and improving lives of residents of Monmouth County. Monmouth County and the state of New Jersey is a better place because of the efforts of Duncan Thecker. Duncan was a generous philanthropist, a wise businessman, and I was fortunate to call him one of my best friends.”

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LITTLE: CONGRESS SHOULD VOTE TO BLOCK TAX HIKES NOW

(HIGHLANDS, September 29) – Republican congressional challenger Anna Little – responding to continued failure by the Congress to enact legislation blocking planned tax hikes – today reiterated her commitment to maintaining current tax rates for all taxpayers and preventing the massive tax hike scheduled to take place on New Year’s Day.
 
“Another day, another 24 hours of uncertainty on taxes,” said Little. “Meanwhile, the clock counts down to the biggest tax hike in American history – something that will take our sluggish economy further downhill – and Congress is more concerned about the jobs of its own Members than it is with helping create an environment in which jobs can be created for the 15 million Americans now looking for work.
 
“This Congress has passed a $814 billion ‘stimulus package’ that didn’t stimulate much; passed a trillion-dollar healthcare package that reduces patient choice, cuts Medicare by $500 billion, increases insurance premiums, and imposes for the first time ever a mandate that every American purchase a product in the private market place or be fined by 16,000 new IRS agents; and passed a so-called ‘Wall Street Reform’ package that institutionalizes ‘Too Big To Fail.’
 
“Meanwhile, this Congress has – for the first time since the enactment of the Budget Act of 1974 – failed to pass a budget for the Federal Government. And now it’s preparing to adjourn without passing legislation to block a massive tax increase.
 
“In other words, this Congress has succeeded in doing things it SHOULDN’T have done, and has failed to do the things it SHOULD have done.
           
“But that’s par for the course in the Alice in Wonderland world that is Washington today.
 
“The simple fact is, you cannot change Washington without changing the PEOPLE in Washington.
 
“The good news is, there’s an election in 34 days. And then the people will have a chance to make their voice heard!”

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Who Said This?

“Now more than ever before, the people are responsible for the character of the Congress. If that body be ignorant, reckless, and corrupt, it is because the people tolerate ignorance, recklessness, and corruption. If it be intelligent, brave, and pure, it is because the people demand these high qualities to represent them in the national legislature….If the next centennial does not find us a great nation…it will be because those who represent the enterprise, the culture, and the morality of the nation do not aid in controlling the political forces.”

James Hogan has the answer

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Dogs Don’t Like Frank Pallone

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Harold Cooper of Long Branch Speaks About Frank Pallone, Term Limits and A Whole Lot of Other Stuff

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Governor Chris Christie Announces Educational Reforms

By Art Gallagher

Governor Chris Christie unveiled his educational reform package before a full house at a Town Hall meeting in Old Bridge this afternoon.

MoreMonmouthMusings videoed the entire hour and 40 minute meeting which can be viewed via Youtbe in eight segments in the page in the upper right hand corner entitled Governor Christie’s Education Town Hall Meeting, Old Bridge, September 29, 2010.

Here’s a preview:

Here is the Governor’s press release:

The Christie Reform Agenda: Putting New Jersey’s Children First By Challenging the System

Governor’s education reforms challenge the status quo by putting student achievement first, empowering parents and rewarding teachers

Trenton, NJ – Only days after joining Newark Mayor Cory Booker and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to announce a bipartisan education reform plan for Newark schools, Governor Chris Christie continued to provide the strong leadership needed to advance a reform agenda for public education throughout the State of New Jersey. Speaking with families and community leaders at a town hall in Old Bridge, Governor Chris Christie unveiled the first pieces of a far-reaching reform agenda to improve New Jersey public schools by challenging the status quo and transforming a system that has fallen short of the needs of parents and children. 

Despite some of the highest levels of education spending in the entire nation, New Jersey’s public schools continue to confront a critical achievement gap that shortchanges our children.  For example, the achievement gap between wealthy and low-income 8th graders in math is nearly the same as it was 19 years ago; the gap between at–risk 4^th graders and those not at–risk has remained nearly unchanged over the past 13 years.  Likewise, New Jersey’s education system has failed to prepare vast numbers of students with the critical skills required to be competitive in college or the workforce.  In 2009, nearly 30 percent of all 8^th graders statewide lacked basic math skills.

Governor Christie’s Reform Agenda will bring necessary and long overdue reform to the public education system by making teacher effectiveness and student achievement the driving forces behind public policies and practices.  The first step toward innovation in the public school system means focusing on accountability.

“As a proud product of New Jersey’s public schools, I want nothing more than to see our public education system give our children the quality education they deserve,” said Governor Christie.  “Yet, if we are to be successful in our reform efforts, we must be honest about our shortcomings, candid about our failures, and open to the necessary reforms that are crucial to bringing positive change and innovation to our classrooms, no matter their zip code. 

“For too long we have accepted low expectations and failure – particularly in our urban school districts – which has stolen hope from generations of New Jersey families.  Today, we begin to put an end to the cycle of inaction by challenging the status quo, demanding more for our children and restoring the promise of a brighter future for every one of our communities,” Governor Christie concluded.

Governor Christie is proposing reforms to reward innovative and effective teaching, expand opportunities for New Jersey’s best teachers, and put student achievement at the center of educator evaluations.  Governor Christie is challenging the education establishment with reforms to:

·         Promote Innovative and Effective Teaching by Valuing Student Achievement Over Seniority.

·         Demand Accountability and Results for New Jersey’s Children with Data-Supported Evaluations. 

·         Expand Opportunities for Great Teachers to Succeed.  

·         Ensure Our Children Have Well-Prepared Teachers.

Governor Christie also recognizes that through empowerment, parents can becomes better advocates for quality education for their children and increase accountability in our schools.  The Governor’s reforms will work to:

·         Engage Families in Their Children’s Education with Improved Access to Information. 

·         Improve Outreach and Communications Efforts to Parents and Families. 

Governor Christie’s Education Reform Plan can be found here .

Executive Order #42 can be found here.

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Scott Sipprelle’s Brilliant Radio Ad

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BIPARTISAN EQUINE SYMPOSIUM A SUCCESS, BOUGHT MORE THAN 80 ATTENDEES TO LEARN ABOUT IMPACT OF INDUSTRY ON NEW JERSEY

Yesterday’s Equine Symposium, co-hosted by Senator Jennifer Beck, Senator Paul Sarlo, Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande, Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon, Assemblywoman Connie Wagner, Assemblyman Ralph Caputo brought more than 80 attendees including elected officials, equine experts, business owners and breeders to Perretti Farms to discuss the present challenges to New Jersey’s equine industry and possible solutions to facing those challenges.

“The goal of today’s event was to educate interested parties on the far-reaching effects of the horse industry in New Jersey,” said Casagrande, “and I believe it was quite a success. By bringing together experts from all equine and equine-related industries in New Jersey, as well as legislators from both sides of the aisle who believe in a future for horse racing in our State, we were able to create a full picture of exactly how vital this industry is to the economy in New Jersey.”

“We hosted this event in order to educate people on the complexity of this industry,” said Beck, “and possible long-term strategies that are needed to run these businesses. The equine industry is an important economic driver in our State, bringing in jobs and revenue. Today we heard in more definite terms the impact it has on Monmouth County and New Jersey. The numbers don’t lie. Horse racing was a self-sustaining industry until 2007 when gaming competition began appearing on our borders, and with the right type of out-of-the-box thinking, it can be that again, and New Jersey can once again take it’s place as a world leader in this area.”

Speakers at the Symposium included Karyn Malinowsi, Director of the Equine Science Center at Rutgers University; Anthony Perretti, owner of Perretti Farms; Tom Swales, President of the New Jersey Thoroughbred Association; Tom Luchento, President of the SBOANJ; Dennis Drazen, Chairman of the New Jersey Racing Commission; Rick Wills, owner of Rick Saddle Shop; and Dr. Scott Palmer, NJ Equine Clinic.

Also in attendance were Freehold Director Lillian Burry, Assemblyman Joe Malone, Assemblyman Ronald Dancer, Assemblywoman Alison McHose and Assemblywoman DiAnne Gove.

The discussion ranged from the dollars and cents the equine industry brings to New Jersey to its contribution of maintaining nearly 200,000 acres of open space throughout the State.

“As we heard here today,” said O’Scanlon, “the horse industry is not simply racing and racetracks. It’s hay and feed suppliers, it’s drivers and jockeys, tack suppliers, and veterinarians. We will continue to work with all of these industries in our efforts to make the horse racing in New Jersey, not just sustainable, but maintain its place in the world arena.”

“I fear that if the Meadowlands Racetrack closes,” said Wagner, “there will be a ripple effect that negatively impacts not only the gaming industry in NJ but several sectors of our economy and thousands of jobs will be lost as a result.  The racetrack is in Bergen County but the financial impact will be felt statewide.”

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