Powerful, sobering remarks from Congressman Chris Smith

Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ-4), Dean of the New Jersey Congressional Delegation will address the NJ Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Walk to Washington Dinner this evening.  His remarks as prepared for delivery are as follows:

On a myriad of fronts, the number of seemingly insurmountable challenges facing America today demands sober, serious and sustained problem solving by Congress, the President and stakeholders of every stripe.

Thankfully we have highly motivated and informed experts from the private sector including and especially the Chamber of Commerce showing the way forward.

Like you, I’m a big fan of principled bipartisanship.  Working across the aisle for important causes and goals often yields positive results.

However, in both Washington and Trenton, healthy partisanship has a place as well.  A benign adversarial system—with an emphasis on benign—ought to produce well-vetted policies that serve the public.  At least that’s the theory.

But we live in an age of the perpetual political campaign where truth and the common interest often take a hit. Enabled in part by distortion, surface appeal argument,  the 24/7 cable news cycle  and an increase in negative political advertising, the public is increasingly ill served and tackling tough issues with good faith compromise has become more elusive than ever.

On the national debt, the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) a few weeks ago cautioned with understated alarm that our massive current-day debt of $17.5 trillion will skyrocket to $27 trillion in just ten years.  The interest payment alone will be $876 billion in 2024—an amount greater than the combined budgets  this year for Homeland Security, HUD, Justice, Transportation, Agriculture,  all discretionary spending for HHS including the National Institutes of Health, Science agencies and the Department of Defense.

Ballooning annual interest payments as far as the eye can see are unconscionable.

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9th Annual 5k Lighthouse Run For the Blind Being Held May 3 On Sandy Hook

The Eatontown Lions Club and the Jersey Shore Running Club announce the 9th Annual Sandy Hook Lighthouse 5k Run/Walk for the Blind which will be held on Saturday May 3 on Sandy Hook at 9:30 AM.   Proceeds from the race benefit the New Jersey Blind Citizens Association and Camp Happiness.   The 2014 race marks a return of the event to Sandy Hook after damage from Hurricane Sandy caused last years race to be relocated to Eatontown.

There will be awards for the top three male and female finishers plus age group awards.   Scoring will be posted on the JSRC website.   Special guests will include seeing eye dog puppies and their handlers from various clubs in New Jersey.   A special post-race gathering will also be held.

Race Director Joe Freeman of Eatontown said, “The Eatontown Lions Club started the event to promote the Association and the good work they do. The event is unique in that Seeing Eye Dog groups that include dogs, puppies and handlers come from all across the state to participate.”

Participants can register online at here  or download printable registration forms here.

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The Arnone Report

ZERO PERCENT TAX INCREASE

Freeholder Director Tom Arone

By Monmouth County Freeholder Tom Arnone

For the fourth straight year in a row The Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders has had a 0% tax increase. I am pleased that I have been able to be a part of this budget especially in the hard economic times we are faced with. It has been and always will be a priority of mine as well as the entire Board of Chosen Freeholders to continue this trend of savings to our Monmouth County residents.

Additionally, The Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to report we have collected over $1 Million (Actual is $1,022,976.56) in revenues at this early stage in the year from our 911 communications shared service. This amount is based on revenue received from 21 towns. This is a vast increase from prior years where the invoice and revenue collection process typically began in April. This year, the Freeholders in conjunction with the Sheriff through the Office of Shared Services began the process at a much earlier date. The result has been beneficial to all parties as the county has earlier use of funds to help offset our expenses which allows for efficient budgeting for the county as well as for our municipalities. The Board of Chosen Freeholders is extremely pleased with these figures and anticipates the numbers to continue to increase as we receive revenue from the remaining municipalities. The revenue the County receives that is generated through shared services offers relief to the municipalities that translates to lower costs for the services being performed.

April is Autism Awareness Month, and at the last meeting of The Board of Chosen Freeholders a Proclamation was presented to Dr. David Abbott, Superintendent of Schools, for The Shore Center for Students with Autism located in Tinton Falls,. The Proclamation was presented to commemorate Autism Awareness Month in hopes of raising awareness of Autism.

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Christie spends $100 million on cancer research, proposes to spend $18 million more in coming year

Photo by Paul Scharff

Throughout the relative austerity of  the last five state budgets, Governor Chris Christie somehow managed to spend $100 million in cancer research through Rutgers Cancer Institute.  In his current proposed budget for fiscal year 2015 (July 1, 2014-June 30, 2015), Christie has proposed funding the program at the same level it was funded in fiscal years 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013, $18 million.

Christie proposed spending $18 million in the FY 2014 budget too. In negotiations with the legislature the amount was raised to $28 million for the current year.

Now Rutgers Cancer Institute and their friends at The Star Ledger are spinning the new $18 million proposed for the coming year as a cut of $10 million.

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Christie and Prieto negotiating over renewal of key NJ property tax law

Christie and Prieto negotiating over renewal of key NJ property tax law (via NJ.com)

TRENTON — State Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto is negotiating with Gov. Chris Christie on renewing of a law that limits raises to some police and firefighters to help curtail property tax increases. “I am in conversations with the governor and…

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Cooking with Marilyn

Jersey Shore restaurateur Marilyn Schlossbach invites foodies
and friends to celebrate sustainable cuisine at a special
Earth Day cooking demonstration tomorrow.

Aptly titled “Sustainable Fish, Fowl, Oysters & Veggies,”
at Langosta Lounge, Ocean Avenue, Asbury Park

Don’t Miss Our Earth Day Edition of
“Cooking with Marilyn” Tomorrow, April 22 at 6:00 p.m.

Featuring:
Forty North Oysters
Honey Tasting Seven Arrows Farm &
Spring Radish, Cream Butter & Sea Salt

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State Testing Sees Growing Movement of Families Planning to Opt Out

State Testing Sees Growing Movement of Families Planning to Opt Out (via NJSpotlight)

It started with a trickle a few years ago, and it may still be only a small stream, but more and more New Jersey families appear intent on opting to have their children not take the state’s standardized tests. Nearly 700 people have signed onto a…

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Pallone has less than $1 million in campaign cash

Plainfield Today photo

Congressman Frank Pallone’s (NJ-6, Monmouth and Middlesex) once formidable campaign war chest of roughly $4 million is down to less than $1 million according his latest report to the Federal Election Commission.

New Jersey’s senior Democratic congressman, Pallone spent $3,778,155 in the Special U.S. Senate Primary last summer in his bid to replace the late Senator Frank Lautenberg. He lost that primary to then Newark Mayor Cory Booker.

Pallone reported $938,472 cash on hand in his congressional campaign account as of March 31, 2014.  He raised $200,449.64 in the first quarter of this year and disbursed #338,450.67.  $60, 645 remains in his senate campaign account.

The $938,472 that Pallone reports on hand may be inflated by illegal contributions. A cursory examination of his most recent quarterly report reveals $14,200 in contributions from individuals during the current election cycle that exceed the legal limit of $2600 per election.

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Earth Day & Arbor Day

It looks like a great week ahead. Earth day is on Tuesday, April 22nd
and Friday, the 25th is Arbor Day.
Monmouth County is celebrating all over.

It all starts on Monday, the 21st  with two EARTH DAY STORY & CRAFT events. Be sure to Register and get there by 4:15 PM to either the
Holmdel Township Library, RSVP: 732-946-4118 or
to the Marlboro Library, RSVP: 732-536-9406

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Chris Christie’s comments spark debate over realty transfer fees in NJ

Chris Christie’s comments spark debate over realty transfer fees in NJ (via NJ.com)

FRANKLIN — Several months ago, Scott Packwood, a retired state trooper, started looking for a smaller, less expensive place for his family to live. The eldest of two daughters was planning to move out after graduating from college, and the family’…

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