STATE COMMITTEEWOMAN MARY FOSTER SELECTED AS MONMOUTH DEMOCTRATIC VICE-CHAIR CANDIDATE

Mary Foster

Vin Gopal, Candidate for Monmouth County Democratic Chairman in the upcoming June election, has selected State Committeewoman Mary F. Foster as his running mate. Foster, a lifelong Democrat, is a retired retail and textile executive. In addition to being an appointed State Committeewoman, she is also an active county committeewoman as the District 29 female representative in Middletown, representing the district alongside longtime county Democratic Party Chairman Victor Scudiery, who is the male representative for the district. For the past 12 years, Foster has been an elected member of the Middletown Democratic Party Executive Committee, serving as Corresponding Secretary. In recognition of her lifelong dedication to the Democratic Party, Foster was recently selected as a District Delegate to this year’s Democratic National Convention. She will go to Charlotte this summer to cast her vote in support of the Obama/Biden ticket.

 “I am excited to join Vin as his running mate and build on the successes that Vic Scudiery built throughout this county. Nobody can fill Vic’s shoes but together we can build on what he has started,” stated Foster.

“Mary Foster will make an outstanding Vice-Chairwoman. She has worked hard for Democrats here in Middletown and is well-respected throughout the Bayshore. Vin’s commitment in challenging Republicans throughout this county is complimented in his choice of Mary Foster,” stated Middletown Democratic Party Chairman Joe Caliendo and Middletown Democratic Club President Don Watson in a joint statement. 

“I am honored that Mary has accepted my offer to run on the ticket with me. Together, with so many Democrats around this county, we will continue to fight to elect Democrats at the municipal, county, state and federal levels,” stated Gopal.

Along with her husband Mike, Mary volunteers at her church. She is also involved in other community organizations. 

Posted: April 17th, 2012 | Author: admin | Filed under: Monmouth Democrats, Press Release | Tags: Bayshore, Don Watson, Joe Caliendo, Mary Foster, Middletown Democrats, Monmouth County Democrats, Press Release, Victor Scudiery | 6 Comments »

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Monmouth Freeholder Lillian Burry Endorses Ernesto Cullari For Congress

Asbury Park , NJ – 04/17/12 – Ernesto Cullari, candidate for Congress in the 6th District, has received the endorsement of Monmouth County Freeholder Lillian Burry. Lillian believes that Ernesto is the best choice to defeat Frank Pallone this November.   

“Ernesto Cullari, albeit new to the political arena, has a sensitivity for what people want from their government.  He has a congenial demeanor.  Ernesto’s medical background makes him eminently  qualified to tackle Obama-Care.” Said Monmouth County Freeholder Lillian Burry

Freeholder Burry, a prolific figure of Monmouth County, has been fighting for the taxpayer on the Freeholder Board since 2005. She was the first woman Director of the Board. Prior to her election as a Freeholder, Ms. Burry was a Mayor, Deputy Mayor, and Committeewoman in Colts Neck. She is also a business owner and broker in her realty firm, Colts Neck Realty.

Cullari and Burry both believe in limited government and personal responsibility. Freeholder Burry spearheaded the 0% tax increase effort in the County Budget in 2008, and has held the line on taxes and spending throughout her tenure. Ernesto Cullari applauds Freeholder Burry for her service to the people of Monmouth County and appreciates her endorsement.

“I am honored to receive the endorsement of Freeholder Burry. She has been a fighter for the people’s interests in Monmouth County while keeping Monmouth County an affordable place to live. Her strong support of  our County Park system has made Monmouth County a beautiful place to reside. Freeholder Burry’s endorsement further adds to the list of economic conservatives who have endorsed my candidacy. The coalition we are building to defeat Frank Pallone in November is growing larger by the day.” -Ernesto Cullari

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Kyrillos Raises $1.75 million

Middletown – April 12…  Today, New Jersey State Senator Joe Kyrillos’ campaign for U.S. Senate against Bob Menendez made public the results of its first filing with the Federal Election Commission.  

Putting Senator Kyrillos’ fundraising among the ranks of top tier incumbents and challengers alike for U.S. Senate seats around the country, the campaign revealed that it had raised over $1.75 million as of its first deadline on March 31st, 2012, from almost 2,000 individual donors – 90% of whom are New Jersey-based contributors.  The campaign reported $1.4 million cash on hand.

Kyrillos’ strong fundraising report comes on the same day the results of the most recent Quinnipiac University Poll were made public, showing Kyrillos closing in on Menendez – who is still only at 44% on the ballot.  Maurice Carroll, Director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute said, “Menendez’s numbers are lackluster, to say the least … This race could get interesting.’”   Incumbents polling under 45% are in significant danger and Menendez has been consistently under 45% in recent public polling.  This is Jon Corzine territory.

PolitickerNJ reports, “State Sen. Joe Kyrillos’ campaign for U.S. Senate has picked up steam over the past month with a new poll showing the Republican within 9 points of incumbent Democrat Bob Menendez.”

Senator Kyrillos said, “I am gratified and humbled not only by the amount we have raised for our effort thus far, but by the depth and breadth of support from my fellow New Jerseyans.  As I have traveled this great state and met with individual New Jersey taxpayers and families, the message couldn’t be clearer: we simply cannot afford more politics as usual.  Bob Menendez offers us only more of the same: more taxes, more spending and more job-killing regulation.  I have worked alongside Governor Christie and like-minded reformers to change New Jersey for the better and I am confident that this, our first, fundraising effort demonstrates that we will have the resources necessary to take this fight to our opponent and bring the same kind of change to Washington in November.” 

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Autism Prevalence Worsens: 1-in-88 in U.S., 1-in-49 in NJ

WASHINGTON, DC – New alarming data provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows 1 in every 88 American children and 1 in every 49 New Jersey children has a form of autism.

            “The national numbers, including and especially in my home state of New Jersey, are shocking,” said U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), author of Combating Autism Reauthorization Act, Public Law 112-32.  “Each one of these statistics represents real children and real families who struggle and need our help and assistance.”

            The study also found a continuing higher prevalence of ASDs in boys than girls (1-in-252 girls and 1-in-54 boys). However, in New Jersey, of the 1 in 49 children with a form of autism, Smith noted a staggering 1 in 29 boys with the disability.

“We as a nation must do much more, especially to determine causation and ensure early diagnosis, so interventional care can begin as early as possible. The stakes are so high: the quality of life of so many children is at risk. We need research, new treatments and a path to a cure.” said Smith, who also authored the provision in Title I of the Children’s Health Act (PL 106-310) which created the Centers of Excellence in Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disabilities Epidemiology that carried out this study.

“Prevention, treatment and ultimately a cure for this developmental disability must be our highest priority.  We need to bring a ‘Manhattan Project’ type focus to this essential life saving work.  Delay is not an option,” Smith said. 

Smith’s landmark legislation enacted in 2000—the Autism Statistics, Surveillance, Research and Epidemiology Act (Title I, P.L. 106-310) created the first comprehensive federal program to combat autism. In 2011, another piece of legislation he authored The Combating Autism Reauthorization Act(CARA)”— (now Public Law 112-32) was enacted and will provide $693 million over the next three years to continue the program.

            “The new CDC data shows a sharp increase from the appalling 2006 data that documented 1-in-110 children with an autism spectrum disorders (ASDs)—a 23 percent increase,” Smith said.

            This morning, Smith , the Co-Chairman of the Congressional Coalition on Autism Research and Education (C.A.R.E.), spoke to Dr. Thomas Frieden, Director of the CDC, about the new data. The information was set to be released at a CDC briefing for Congress Thursday afternoon.

The CDC study, entitled Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorders – Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, provides autism prevalence estimates from 14 states, including New Jersey. It was published today in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Smith’s law, CARA, signed September 30, 2011 authorized for each of the next three fiscal years: $22 million for the Developmental Disabilities Surveillance and Research Program; $48 million for Autism Education, Early Detection, and Intervention, and; $161 million for hundreds of Research Grants at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and for the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee.

In May 2011, Smith chaired a hearing on U.S. and global autism. He also has written two other bills in the current 112th Congress: 1) H.R. 2006, “The National Autism Spectrum Disorders Initiative Act”; and (2) H.R. 2007, “The Autism Spectrum Disorders Services Act.”  Smith’s H.R. 2006 designates the Secretary of U.S. Health and Human Services Department to head the national autism effort, and authorizes the Secretary to approve a strategic plan developed by the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC), in consultation with the National Institute for Health.  H.R. 2007 establishes a planning and demonstration grant program for services to children, transitioning youth, adults, and individuals of any age who may be at risk of injury, authorizes grants for protection and advocacy systems, and creates a national training initiative to better equip teachers and autism services providers. 

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Senator Beck, Mayor Menna, RiverCenter’s Adams Call on NJNG to Cooperate with Local Officials on Red Bank Regulator Replacement

Red Bank— Saying that New Jersey Natural Gas officials are being uncooperative with local officials, Senator Jennifer Beck (R- Monmouth) held a press conference with Mayor Pasquale Menna and Rivercenter Executive Director Nancy Adams to demand NJNG work cooperatively with local officials toward a solution in vetting alternatives to the utility’s planned regulator replacement program.

NJNG plans on replacing 88 natural gas pressure regulators currently located below highly trafficked sidewalks on Front, Broad, and Monmouth Streets, bringing the devices above ground. The company has refused to release details of its decision making process and any alternative locations for the regulators that were considered, despite requests from the Senator and Red Bank officials.

“NJNG is being unresponsive and heavy handed with the Borough of Red Bank,” Beck said. “They have admitted that there are alternatives to the current plan, but will not discuss what those options are or why they were not chosen. You don’t see these devices placed as prominently, or in as great a number, very often in the downtown district of a busy municipality. Why is this solution the only one that works for Red Bank?”

“Let me be clear, safety should be our first priority,” Beck continued. “However, that does not excuse NJNG’s refusal to explain their decision making process.”

Beck and Mayor Menna have written to state Board of Public Utilities Officials asking for their support in delaying the project until an acceptable remedy can be agreed to by all parties and NJNG releases their internal study on alternatives.

“If it is really necessary to disrupt our downtown business district like this, then we need to understand why,” said Mayor Menna. “And if there were alternatives that could have been pursued but were not, we need to understand the reasoning. We should not have to beg to get NJNG officials to be forthcoming with us.”

Red Bank RiverCenter’s Executive Director, Nancy Adams, also expressed concern over the lack of cooperation by company officials. RiverCenter is a non-profit partnership dedicated to promoting revitalization of Red Bank’s downtown business district.

“We have been successful in promoting Red Bank as a destination for businesses, merchants, restaurants, and night life because elected officials, volunteers, and the business community worked together,” Adams stated. “We need NJNG to work with us too.”

Senator Beck said that she will submit legislation at the Senate’s March 15, 2012 voting session that would direct the BPU to require gas utilities planning regulator replacement projects to study less disruptive locations for the devices. The bill also requires the gas utility make public the findings of the study, and to return any disrupted property and infrastructure to its original condition.

“If NJNG refuses to be a good corporate citizen and come to the table, then we must act through the legislative process to force them to consider the needs of this community and others that may find themselves in similar situations,” Beck said. “If there is a more palatable alternative that will provide the same public safety protections, it ought to be presented as an option to local officials.”

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Governor Christie Takes Action to Root Out Waste and Abuse to Make Every Education Dollar Count

Trenton, NJ – Today, Governor Chris Christie took another important step to move forward with common sense reforms of the state’s system of education funding by convening a task force of experts to root out and eliminate well-documented instances of abuse and manipulation of the school funding formula due to fraud in the Free and Reduced Price School Lunch Program. The Education Funding Task Force, created by Executive Order, will act on the Governor’s commitment to make every education dollar count and ensure funding is not being misdirected, but actually getting to those economically disadvantaged children who need it most.

“Providing a great education that prepares every single child in our state for college or a career has been a top priority of my Administration. For this reason, I’ve proposed a budget that increases state support for education to its highest level ever and an agenda of bold reforms to turn around failing schools,” said Governor Christie. “But how we spend education dollars in our schools is just as important as how we provide them. Funding must follow the child more closely and get to the students who need it most. This Task Force will help to root out and eliminate well-documented fraud and abuse in the Free and Reduced Price School Lunch Program, which has led to the possible misdirection of tens of millions of dollars of education funding.”

The School Funding Reform Act (SFRA) is designed to distribute greater amounts of school aid to districts serving greater numbers of students who are economically at-risk and districts with less property wealth. Currently, participation in the federal Free and Reduced Price Lunch Program serves as the proxy for classifying and counting economically at-risk students. Recent studies and news reports clearly identify high levels of fraudulent enrollment in the program – undercutting the state’s ability to fairly and appropriately determine aid levels for schools. A 2011 report by the State Auditor found that as many as 37 percent of the students in the program are enrolled fraudulently.

Recognizing the importance of maintaining integrity and reliability in this program is crucial to ensuring a fair, accurate and equitable distribution of funding to schools. The Education Funding Task Force is charged with examining the state’s school funding formula and developing recommendations concerning those areas of the formula that may be susceptible to fraud or subject to outside manipulation. This includes participation in the Federal Free and Reduced Price Lunch Program as a proxy for at-risk status and the municipal tax abatement program. 

The Task Force will specifically consider the following issues: 

·         Economically effective measures of student poverty;

·         Educationally sound measures of defining at-risk students;

·         Appropriate adjustments to SFRA to account for municipal property ratable bases that may be artificially deflated as a result of municipal property tax abatements;

·         Identifying all aspects of the SFRA that may be susceptible to fraud, or subject to undue outside manipulation and recommendations to address these abuses; and

·         All other such other matters as may be referred to the Task Force by the Governor.

The Education Funding Task Force will be composed of 7 members from inside and outside of government, each with expertise in education funding, policy, administration, governance and fiscal management. All members of the Task Force will serve without compensation.

The Task Force was first called for in the Department of Education’s Education Funding Report released last month, in a recommendation aimed at exploring the use of a new measure for at-risk students in place of participation in the Free and Reduced Price Lunch Program. The funding report outlined a series of common sense measures to improve the school funding formula and to help close the state’s persistent achievement gap by making education funding more closely follow the child.

A copy of Executive Order 89 can be found as an attachment to this release.

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SENATE AND ASSEMBLY REPUBLICAN LEADERS ENDORSE JOE KYRILLOS FOR U.S. SENATE

“New Jersey needs Joe Kyrillos in the U.S. Senate”

Morris, Somerset and Union Counties  – March 2…  Today, Senate Republican Leader Tom Kean and Assembly Republican Leader Jon Bramnick endorsed Senator Joe Kyrillos for United States Senate. 

Senate Leader Tom Kean said, “Joe Kyrillos has been a reliable conservative warrior on behalf of New Jersey taxpayers throughout his entire career.  Joe has been a leader in the Senate and a valuable ally as we change business as usual in Trenton. I consider Joe and his wife Susan to be among my closest friends and as the people across New Jersey get to know Joe throughout this campaign, they will come to realize just as I have, that Joe is just the reformer we need to send to Washington, DC to change business as usual in our nation’s capital.” 

Assembly Leader Jon Bramnick said, “Joe Kyrillos has been an incredible ally in our effort to fix New Jersey’s fiscal mess and I am proud to endorse him today.  Not only has he been an ally, but he’s also been a leader – he led the charge for us in the Senate as we fought together for Governor Christie’s ‘Tool Kit’ initiative to reform government and cap our property taxes.   He has played a vital role in the reforms we have been able to pass to get the New Jersey comeback started.  When you compare Joe’s record of accomplishment to Bob Menendez’s failed record, it becomes crystal clear – New Jersey needs Joe Kyrillos in the U.S. Senate.”

Senator Joe Kyrillos said, “I am proud and humbled to have the endorsement of two of New Jersey’s leaders and most accomplished legislators.  Today’s endorsement of my campaign by my friends Senator Kean and Assemblyman Bramnick demonstrates that our message of reform is resonating across this great state.  Our representatives in Washington are failing us.  They offer us nothing new or different—just more of the same: More spending, more debt, more job-killing regulation.  I am running on my record of reform and I know that together, we can prove again what a free and enterprising people are capable of.  We can renew America’s promise of opportunity, and make New Jersey proud.  I don’t take this responsibility lightly, and I won’t let you down.”

Senator Joseph M. Kyrillos, Jr., 51, is married to Susan Doctorian Kyrillos and they live in Middletown with their children Max and Georgia. He began serving New Jersey’s 13th Legislative District in 1988 when he was elected to the General Assembly. After spending two terms in the Assembly he was elected to the Senate where he has served since 1993.  In addition to his official duties, the Senator is employed as Senior Managing Director of Colliers International, the commercial real estate services firm with offices in New York and Parsippany. He is also an advisor to the Newport Capital Group in Red Bank, NJ.

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Kyrillos Tours Cop2Cop Call Center

Piscataway— Following a tour of New Jersey’s Cop2Cop crisis intervention program call center in Piscataway, Senator Joe Kyrillos (R- Monmouth) applauded the University of Medicine and Dentistry (UMDNJ) for providing professional, life saving crisis intervention services to New Jersey’s law enforcement officers:

“Cop2Cop, like its sister services Vet2Vet, Vets2Warriors, and Mom2Mom, fill a critical need for police officers dealing with significant psychological and emotional trauma as a result of their service to our state and communities,” said Kyrillos, who was the original prime sponsor of the legislation which established the program. “UMDNJ has done a fantastic job of running and promoting what was at its conception a truly innovative idea. This program is now a model for the nation that has helped to avert 187 suicides since its inception.”

Kyrillos toured the Piscataway facility with Cherie Castellano, Director of the Cop2Cop program and was introduced to many of counselors who respond to calls from those seeking help from the program.

Cop2Cop is an award winning, nationally recognized, first-of-its-kind program that utilizes former police officers to provide counseling and suicide prevention services to officers in crisis who call the hotline. It has three sister services that operate using a similar peer counseling model: Vet2Vet, aimed at veterans returning from active duty, Vets2Warriors, a new service modeled after Vet2Vet serving veterans nationwide, and Mom2Mom, providing crisis intervention services to parents of autistic children.

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ANGELINI: NEW BUDGET HELPS NEW JERSEY’S MOST VULNERABLE AND CREATES EFFICIENCIES

Assembly Republican Deputy Conference Leader Mary Pat Angelini said she is pleased that Governor Christie’s fiscal 2013 budget proposal includes increased funding for those with mental illness and those who are developmentally disabled.

            The governor’s budget will add nearly $25 million for community placements for adults with developmental disabilities which will allow 130 people to move off the Community Services Waiting List.

            “Providing increased funding to help those who deal with mental and physical disabilities or addictions shouldn’t be overlooked in the fiscally responsible plan introduced by the governor,” said Angelini. “Meeting our pension obligations and increasing educational aid are certainly important, and so is the responsibility to help those who are most vulnerable. We are not only increasing funding for critical programs, but the structural realignment of government agencies will provide greater efficiencies.”

            Angelini, who is a member of both the Assembly Health and Senior Services Committee and Assembly Human Services Committee, pointed out that the increased funding and the reorganization of government departments that will centralize services demonstrates the governor’s commitment to allocate resources wisely and challenge the status quo.

            Christie’s new budget proposal creates the Division of Child Integrated System of Care Services and the Division of Aging Services that will specifically handle the needs of people who must deal with several government agencies in order to obtain benefits and services.

            “As New Jersey’s chief executive officer, Governor Christie knows that managing government involves more than spending tax dollars,” commented Angelini. “The governor deserves credit for examining how services are delivered and how effective they are in meeting their responsibilities. The creation of these departments will improve operating efficiencies and also reduce the frustration people sometimes experience as they steer their way through multiple agencies.”

            The Division of Aging will function within the Department of Human Services and administer community-based services and programs for senior citizens such as the Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled program (PAAD), Senior Gold and the Lifeline Utility Assistance Program.

The Division of Child Integrated System of Care Services will operate within the Department of Children and Families and serve the needs of families with children with developmental disabilitiesmodule art panels.

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Kyrillos Urges Obama To Halt Attack On Religious Freedom

“Bob Menendez’s silence is deafening”

Middletown – February 9  Today, New Jersey State Senator Joe Kyrillos urged the Obama Administration to halt its attack on religious freedom and the right for Catholic hospitals to operate without government mandates.  

“This is a shocking assault on the religious freedom upon which this nation was built,” said Senator Kyrillos.

  
“Bob Menendez’s silence is deafening. He loudly supported Obama Care and has remained silent in the face of this attack on religious liberty. The Obama/Menendez mandate is an affront not just to one particular faith, but to all Americans who seek to practice their faiths free from government intrusion.”

Kyrillos said, “President Obama has been systematically trampling upon Americans’ basic personal freedoms since his first day in office.  Now he is after our religious freedom and I strongly urge him to reverse course.  It is sad and unfortunate that, even as many Democrats have spoken out against this provision, Senator Menendez has stood by Obama’s side while the religious freedom of the people of New Jersey is under siege.”

“Freedom of religion is one of our nation’s most basic First Principles and unlike Senator Menendez, I cannot sit idly by while President Obama dismantles our Constitution one freedom at a time.”

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