N.J. Democrats pick up 4th new Assembly seat as Republican concedes in close race

TRENTON — State Assemblywoman Donna Simon conceded Central New Jersey’s 16th District race Monday, nearly two weeks after the legislative contest was deemed too close to call. Simon’s loss is a gain for state Democrats, whose Nov. 3 election wins expand their 48-31 majority by four seats, taking down four Republican incumbents. Simon (R-Mercer), an assemblywoman… Read the rest of this entry »

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Sen Michael Doherty: Gas Tax Sunk NJ Assembly Republicans

In an email to his Republican colleagues in the NJ Senate on Monday, Senator Michael Doherty said that the Assembly Republican leadership’s support of increasing the gas tax is what led to the loss of four seats in the lower chamber in last week’s election.

Rutgers-Eagleton conducted a poll in October on the gas tax.  See attachment and an extract of the results below.

Why did Republican Assembly leadership come out in support of a gas tax increase?

R Assembly candidates should have all come out 100% against a gas tax increase.

66% of voters oppose a gas tax increase.

We had 69% of Independent voters and 73% of Republican voters on our side.

Even 57% of Democrat voters oppose the gas tax increase.

We wouldn’t have lost any seats if R’s campaigned on being 100% against a gas tax increase.

“We didn’t have to lose any seats and could have picked up a few,” Doherty said told  MoreMonmouthMusings, “We had no message.”

Doherty said that he has not heard back from any of his Senate colleagues.

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Asbury Park Press Endorses Angelini and Casagrande in LD 11

Monmouth County Democratic Chairman Vin Gopal is having a bad day year.

The Dems have put their eggs in the LD 11 basket this year, hoping to pick off one or two of New Jersey’s only all female legislative delegation in Assemblywomen Mary Pat Angelini and Caroline Casagrande.

Vin made sure that his county candidates for Clerk and Freeholder are residents of the 11th, in hopes that a hometown turnout boost for the county candidates, who are hardly campaigning elsewhere in the county, might help Eric Houghtaling of Neptune and Joann Downey of Freehold over the finish line.

Only in the 11th will you find a typical election year showing of road and lawn signs. Houghtaling and Downey are advertising on ESPN and even FoxNews.

Gopal has historically been able to count on an assist from the Asbury Park Press. Not this year and not where he needs it most.

In endorsing Angelini and Casagrande, APP called them “among the strongest legislators in New Jersey.”

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Long Branch Mayor Adam Schneider Endorses Angelini and Casagrande in LD 11

NJTV’s Michael Aron interviews Long Branch Mayor Adam Schneider. file photo

Long Branch, NJ- Mayor Adam Schneider, a Democrat, today endorsed Republican Assemblywomen Mary Pat Angelini and Caroline Casagrande for reelection in New Jersey’s 11th Legislative District.

Schneider said that Angelini and Casagrande are partners that Monmouth County and Long Branch need in the Assembly.

“It means a lot to have two representatives that partnered with me to help Long Branch recover, rebuild and safeguard against future storms,” said Mayor Schneider. “Mary Pat and Caroline are dedicated, hardworking leaders that continually demonstrate their commitment to putting partisanship aside to protect our families, make our state more affordable and provide more opportunities for our children. I will be working hard to help them secure the support they need to continue to bring both parties together to solve problems.”

The 11th Legislative District, which includes Allenhurst, Asbury Park, Colts Neck, Deal, Eatontown, Freehold Borough, Freehold Township, Interlaken, Loch Arbour, Long Branch, Neptune City, Neptune Township, Ocean Township, Red Bank, Shrewsbury Borough, Shrewsbury Township, Tinton Falls, and West Long Branch, is the only district in New Jersey that is represented by an all female delegation in the legislature.   In addition to Angelini and Beck in Assembly, the 11th is represented by Sen. Jennifer Beck in the State Senate.  Beck is not up for reelection this year.  All 80 seats in the Assembly are on the ballot on November 3rd.

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Kean unveils N.J. gun control and mental health compromise bill

2TRENTON — Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean Jr. unveiled a new bill Friday that aims to ends a tug-of-war between Gov. Chris Christie and Senate President Stephen Sweeney over gun control and mental health legislation. Kean (R-Union) described the draft legislation as a more comprehensive bill that combines the original requirement that police be alerted when… Read the rest of this entry »

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Bill to make Christie repay 2016 security costs advances

TRENTON — A bill to force Gov. Chris Christie and all governors who follow him to reimburse New Jersey taxpayers for travel and security expenses associated with their out-of-state political trips easily cleared the Senate’s State Government committee Thursday. “All we are asking for is fairness here,” said Sen. Loretta Weinberg (D-Bergen), the bill’s sponsor. “If… Read the rest of this entry »

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O’Scanlon: We MUST move forward on pension and budget reform

By Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon

Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon

Now that the 2016 budget debate is over, we must get back to the most pressing state issue of our time.  The suggestion of some in the public worker sector that those of us who voted against the budget are in favor of our abandoning our commitment to ensuring their pensions is completely false.  For any responsible elected official, and decent human being, it is imperative that we meet our commitments in a way that protects our pubic workers – and the NJ economy at the same time.

The reason we couldn’t make a payment larger than the $1.3 billion one included in the Governor’s budget has nothing to do with a lack of will or integrity.  It’s about devoting as much $ as possible without inflicting massive, economy-killing, tax increases on an economy just now showing signs of real growth.  Without economic growth there will be no chance we will be able to meet our commitments to the system in the many years to come – so ensuring growth is as important to public workers as anyone else.  We don’t simply have a $1.8 billion deficit this year. We have a $6 to $7 billion hole over the next few years. Taxing the life out of our economy this year, with no plan going forward – and leaving us in a $2 billion hole next year as the Democrat’s proposed budget would – is bad policy, for all New Jerseyans.

But it is true as well that we can’t foster growth to the exclusion of our obligation to our dedicated public workers.  And I can’t state that point vehemently enough.  Our teachers and other public workers are decent, devoted, professional people.  Generalizations to the contrary are without merit.

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Christie signs bill giving EMS contract to hospital chaired by power broker Norcross

TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie on Monday signed a bill that wrests control of emergency ambulance services in Camden from one south Jersey hospital chain and gives it its competitor, Cooper Health, overseen by south Jersey power broker George Norcross. Virtua Health, with hospitals in Voorhees, Marlton and Berlin in suburban Camden County, has provided advanced… Read the rest of this entry »

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Christie promises veto of Dems’ tax increases, mum on pension cuts

TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie took a scolding tone with the state’s Democratic lawmakers Thursday night, saying he planned to veto $1.1 billion in tax hikes outright but declining to say how much smaller the state’s contribution to the pension system would be. On his monthly radio show on New Jersey 101.5, Christie answered “yes” to… Read the rest of this entry »

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FDU Poll: New Jersey Lacks Leadership

50% of New Jersey voters think our State’s problems are solvable, but that our politicians are not willing to stick their necks out to get our State moving in the right direction.  That’s the take away from the FDU Public Mind Poll released this morning which indicates that Governor Chris Christie approval rating is upside down, 30%-55% and that the State Legislature’s approval rating is negative 24%-44%.

28% of the 792 self identified registered voters survey by FDU from June 15-21 said that New Jersey is moving in the right direction. 57% said we are on the wrong track.

Poll results that this should indicate that change is coming in November.   Don’t count on that happening, unless Christie shocks the world and announces that he is not running for president.

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