Freehold Boro Councilman Jaye Sims, a Democrat, endorses Senator Jennifer Beck

Freehold Boro Councilman Jaye Sims announced his support for Senator Jennifer Beck’s reelection in the 11th legislative district.

An eleven year veteran of the Boro’s all Democrat governing body, Sims pointed to Beck’s record of success in delivering results for Freehold Borough and its overcrowded, underfunded schools as the main reason for his across-the-aisle endorsement.

“Senator Jennifer Beck has always been an independent voice who has consistently been an advocate for our residents, our children and our schools. Senator Beck has been instrumental in obtaining additional funding for Freehold Borough’s public schools, culminated in her success in securing $25 million in capital funding to renovate and enlarge Freehold Borough’s schools” said Councilman Sims. Read the rest of this entry »

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Beck: School Funding Should Be Fair and Transparent

Senator Jennifer Beck

By Senator Jennifer Beck

The biggest issue facing our state is property taxes.  And the biggest impact on that issue is school taxes.

Over the next several weeks, a new plan for school funding will be debated in Trenton.

There aren’t a lot of details being provided on this plan or its methodology, but estimates suggest that it could end up costing Monmouth County schools over $100 million in state school aid.

This plan, if estimates are true, isn’t a fair or equitable solution to our school funding crisis.

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Gopal: “I was not a good student”

Goofy Gopal

Vin Gopal went on the Tommy G Show yesterday, his 32nd birthday, and confessed the obvious—he’s not too bright.

“I’ll be the first to confess that I was not a good student,” Gopal told Tommy.”I liked history and entertainment and art, but wasn’t good at math.”

Gopal spent the majority of his hour with Tommy doing the same thing he’s been doing since he declared his candidacy for State Senate in the 11th District—trying to convince people that Governor Chris Christie and Senator Jennifer Beck share a brain.

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Gopal Blames Beck For Air Pollution, Says He Will Fix It

Former Monmouth Democrat Chairman Vin Gopal blamed Senator Jennifer Beck for air pollution on his facebook page earlier this week.  He said that if he is elected Senator from the 11th District instead of Beck come November 7, that he will “..make sure the air we breath and water we drink is safe for every Monmouth County resident.”  Gopal said he would do that by sponsoring legislation and fighting.

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Sen Jennifer Beck: Sick leave reform is due, our property taxes depend on it | Opinion

By Jennifer Beck Ending egregious sick and vacation leave payouts is an effort that has been years in the making, but the overtaxed residents of New Jersey have waited long enough. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have introduced legislation that takes aim at these abuses, and we were even able to pass $15,000 sick… Read the rest of this entry »

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Gopal Quits Dem Chairmanship To Challenge Beck For Senate

Vin Gopal resigned as Monmouth County Chairman in an email to Monmouth Democrats on Sunday night and announced that he is running for NJ State Senate against Senator Jennifer Beck in the 11th Legislative District.

In his email, Gopal, who was reelected Chairman last June, took credit for making Monmouth County politically competitive in the 4 1/2 years he’s been chairman.  He cited the victories of Assembly Members Joann Downey and Eric Houghtailing in the 11th district last year.  He claimed credit for increasing the number of Democrat mayors in the county from 14 to 23, over the last three years.

In this statement to the press which was published on Observer-PolitickerNJ, Gopal said, “Monmouth County needs a Senator who will battle with the insiders in Trenton, not just show up and act like a puppet.” Read the rest of this entry »

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Beck agrees to co-sponsor bill that would require special prosecutor to investigate Christie

Senator Jennifer Beck has signed on to a bill that would require the appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate any criminal complaint against New Jersey’s governor.

Mike Hughes, Beck’s Chief of Staff, verified the story first reported by Politico.  “The Senator’s thinking is that the legislation makes sense for the public’s trust,” Hughes said. “The Attorney General and the County Prosecutors are appointed by the Governor.  Criminal complaints should be investigated independently.”

Hughes noted that if passed, the legislation to would apply to all future governors, not just Governor Chris Christie. Read the rest of this entry »

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Sen Beck: Public Massively Opposes New Gas Tax

Senator Jennifer Beck renewed her opposition to a $.23 per gallon hike on the New Jersey gas tax and said that the deal struck between Governor Chris Christie, Senate President Steve Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto is a recycled version of previous legislation that thousands of New Jersey drivers rallied against.

“Residents, drivers and commuters rallied against this $2 billion gas tax plan the first time it was proposed in June,” said Beck. “Offering a recycled plan that tinkers around the edges doesn’t change the fact that the public massively opposes a 23 cent per gallon gas tax hike. I will continue to stand up and fight for the vast majority of the people of New Jersey who oppose this tax increase.”

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Beck and Kyrillos Oppose Giant Power Lines

Senators Joe Kyrillos and Jennifer Beck announced this morning that they have introduced three resolutions in State Senate in opposition to the JCP&L project known as the Monmouth Reliability Project.

The project would drive a 230-kV transmission line on 140-foot-tall monopole towers on a nearly 10-mile path from Aberdeen to Red Bank, cutting through Hazlet, Holmdel, Middletown and across the Navesink River with sight exposure to Fair Haven and Rumson.

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With transportation funding negotiations deadlocked, County has plan to restart Shark River dredging

Freeholder Director Tom Arnone said he will announce a plan to restart the Shark River dredging project Wednesday morning at the Shark River Marina in Neptune Township.

The project, which had restarted on schedule on July 1 was halted at midnight on July 8 when Governor Christie’s executive order halting projects funded by the Transportation Trust Fund took effect.

The legislature failed to pass TTF funding with a $.23 per gallon gas tax on June 30th. The Senate’s plan was to increase the gas tax while phasing out the estate tax and reducing income taxes on retirees.  Christie and the Assembly agreed on a bill that would have raised the gas tax and reduced the sales tax from 7% to 6%.  Senate President Steve Sweeny and Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto agreed to pass a revised version of the Senate’s original bill last week.  Yesterday, Christie said the Democrats plan is “dead on arrival.”

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