Oceanport Councilman Joe Irace’s remarks to the Assembly Regulartory Oversight and Gaming Committee, July 19, 2012

Chairman Ramos, and members of the Assembly Regulatory Oversight and Gaming Committee, thank you for inviting me to speak before you today on this

important topic. I am Oceanport Councilman Joseph Irace.

When the State of New Jersey voted to allow casino gambling in Atlantic City in 1976, it marked the dawn of an era wherein, for close to a decade and a half, New Jersey had a de facto monopoly on casino gambling on the East Coast.  That era ended in 1992 with the advent of  Foxwoods Resort Casino.  In the years since then, we have seen a steady encroachment upon Atlantic City’s position as the premier East Coast destination for casino type gambling.  New York, Connecticut, Delaware, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Maryland now offer substantial gaming options to the general public. Indeed, as of April of 2012, Pennsylvania’s gaming industry was second only to that of Las Vegas. Quite clearly, the landscape has changed immeasurably since 1976 and New Jersey’s stranglehold on the East Coast gaming industry is no more.  This isn’t an Atlantic City gaming industry problem, it is a New Jersey business development and retention problem.

Similarly, three decades ago, the State of New Jersey was a pre-eminent player in the horseracing industry.  The Meadowlands, Freehold Raceway, Monmouth Park, Atlantic City Race Course and Garden State Park — the latter three called the “Golden Triangle” of New Jersey racing — all offered top notch, stakes level horse racing at quality venues.  As we are all aware, the New Jersey horseracing industry has suffered setbacks over the past few decades and the root of these setbacks can be traced to the same source as that which has negatively impacted on Atlantic City.  New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware and West Virginia have all committed to the Racino business model and this has placed the State of New Jersey’s horseracing industry at a decided disadvantage.  Again, this isn’t a horseracing industry problem, it is a New Jersey business development and retention problem.

For far too long now, New Jersey’s gaming industry and New Jersey’s horse racing industry circled each other warily as opponents.  It is high time that they stop viewing each other as competitors and start viewing themselves as comrades at arms with a singular purpose: melding both industries in such a fashion that New Jersey once again becomes the East Coast’s premier gaming AND horse racing destination.  Based on the revenues generated by Racinos in the surrounding states and across the nation, the question of whether or not these two industries can co-exist, and indeed THRIVE, is no longer arguable.  Quite simply, if New Jersey’s gaming and horse-racing industries fail to embrace this new business model, both will perish and the State of New Jersey will be lesser for it.

Our elected officials and both industries need to stop thinking parochially and start thinking globally.  The infrastructure, manpower and talent are already in place.  We just need the desire and commitment to get this done, and get it done sooner rather than later.  The State of New Jersey has waited long enough to get its act together.  The states that have already embraced the Racino business model have demonstrated that what is good for the horseracing industry is good for the gaming industry and vice versa.  More importantly, what’s good for those industries is also good for all of New Jersey. 

I implore our legislators to make every effort to convince these two parties that it is imperative that they stop competing with each other and start complementing each other in order to re-capture the hearts, minds and loyalty of their consumers. If the gaming and horse racing industries fail to adapt to the new paradigm, neither will survive.  And that won’t be a gaming or horse racing problem — that will be a tragedy for the State of New Jersey.

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Menendez Song Parody Contest Gets Its Own Page

So far there are seven eight entries into the Bob Menendez is a cry baby song parody contest!

Don’t Cry for me Bob Menendez to the tune of Don’t Cry for me Argentina,  Bob Menendez “Crying” to the tune of Don McLean’s Crying, Let’s Give Bob Something to Cry About to Bonnie Raitt’s Let’s Give Them Something to Talk About, Somewhere off in New Jersey to the tune of Somewhere over the rainbow, Tears of a Clown, Bobby’s Turn to Cry, and Spinning Wheel.

The contest now warrants its own page on MMM.  The link to the page in just under and to the right of the MMM logo.  

Submit your entries in the comments of any post and Art will put them on that page.

MMM’s song parody contest, with the theme of Bob Menendez crying because Joe Kyrillos is the women’s candidate in the New Jersey U.S. Senate race, continues until July 31.  The winning entry (entries?) will be made into a professional quality video which will be launched in September.

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Skyrocketing Lyme Disease Topic of House Health Panel Hearing

Patricia Smith of Wall Township testified before Congressman Chris Smith’s committee

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Capitol Hill was the frontline in the battle against Lyme disease at a congressional hearing held Tuesday by Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), Chairman of the House congressional panel that oversees international global health issues.

“As I have met scores of patients suffering the devastating effects of Chronic Lyme—who only got well after aggressive treatment by a Lyme-literate physician—I have been dismayed and angered by the unwillingness of some to take a fresh, comprehensive look at this insidious disease,” said Smith, who co-chairs the House Lyme Disease Caucus. “It will be necessary for the physicians, scientists, government leaders, and media to be discerning – to evaluate the evidence to see if it is based on the best science and to scrutinize the studies and the critiques of those studies to determine whether they are of high quality.  We need scientists to speak out in an unfettered way.  We need government agencies to show leadership and to forcefully say what we know and what we don’t know based on the best available evidence.” Click here to read Chairman Smith’s opening remarks.

Smith is the sponsor of the federal legislation H.R. 2557 to expand federal efforts on Lyme and other tick-borne diseases through the establishment of a Tick-Borne Diseases Advisory Committee.

Patricia Smith of Wall, President of the Lyme Disease Association, testifying before a congressional committee

One of the witnesses, Patricia Smith of Monmouth County, N.J., the president of the Lyme Disease Association, said many doctors refuse to diagnose outside certain limited federal criteria and subsequently insurance companies can refuse to pay for care.

“Thirty-seven years after Lyme was recognized, sick patients cannot get diagnosed and not be treated because of antiquated, unsubstantiated tests which may pick up 50 percent of cases,” Patricia Smith said. Click here to read Patricia Smith’s testimony.

Other witnesses, including researchers and Lyme disease advocates and patients, were:

• Stephen W. Barthold, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of the Dept. of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology Center of Comparative Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine at the Univ. of California;
• Raphael Stricker, M.D., Vice President of the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society;
• Mark Eshoo, Ph.D. Director, New Technology Development, Abbott Laboratories; 
• Evan White, Lyme disease Patient, and;
• Stella Huyshe-Shires Chair, Lyme Disease Action.

(Click here to read the witnesses’ testimony)

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Let’s give Bob something to cry about!

The results of this morning’s Quinnipiac poll were alarming to “Bonnie Raitt” who sent in this entry to the MMM song parody contest:

People are talking, talking about pollsters

I hear them whisper, Joe won’t beat Bob

They think Joe’s losing, kept undercover

I can’t ignore it, cause they keep saying

Bob’s lead’s just a little too proud

Bob won’t let Joe get too close

Blank stares just a little too long

They ain’t seeing, something they want, Daring!

Let’s give them something to talk about

Let’s give Bob something to cry about

Let’s give them something to talk about

How ‘bout it Joe?

Bob looks so foolish, he goes unnoticed

Joe acts too cautious; could Jersey be voting for Joe?

It took Bob crying to make me wonder

Now I’m convinced Bob could go under

Wishing Bob would go away

Corzine’s guy Bob just ain’t right

Let’s give Bob something to cry about

There’s no mystery to figure out

Let’s give Bob something to cry about

How about it, Joe, Joe Joe?

Joe, give us something to talk about

Let’s give Bob something to cry about

Let’s give them something to talk about

Let it rip, Joe, Joe, Joe, Joe!

MMM’s song parody contest, with the theme of Bob Menendez crying because Joe Kyrillos is the women’s candidate in the New Jersey U.S. Senate race, continues until July 31.  The winning entry (entries?) will be made into a professional quality video.  Please submit your entries in the comments here at MMM or in a message to Art Gallagher on facebook.

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Bob Menendez –“Crying”

By “Debbie”

I was alright

For a while

They liked my ties

They liked my smile

But now this guy named Joe K

The ladies love him, they say

And now what will I do?

He’ll take my Senate seat

I can’t compete…

So now I’m cry-y-y-y-ing over you

Cry­-y-y-y-ing over you

Cause they

Said “so long”

They left me standing, all alone

Alone and crying

Crying…

Crying…

Crying

They say I tax —-

and spend

Obamacare – will be my end!

And now I’m crying!

I thought Barak

Would be the key

If they love him

They’d sure love me

But Joe K’s so debonair

With his salty gray hair

The ladies love him, yes they do.

He cut  – – their state aid

But they dont care, I’m afraid

Cry-y-y-ying over you

Cry-y-y-y-ing over

Yes, now you’re all gone

And from this moment on – I’ll be crying.

I’m crying!!!

Crying!!!!!!

O-Over you!!!

MMM’s song parody contest, with the theme of Bob Menendez crying because Joe Kyrillos is the women’s candidate in the New Jersey U.S. Senate race, continues until July 31.  The winning entry (entries?) will be made into a professional quality video.  Please submit your entries in the comments here at MMM or in a message to Art Gallagher on facebook.

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Guadagno to visit Red Bank company

Acting Governor Kim Guadagno will be in Red Bank this morning for a visit to DIVERSANT, the largest African-American owned IT staffing and solutions company in the United States.

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Quinnipiac: Menendez and Obama leading in NJ by double digits

72 % of New Jersey voters still do not know enough about Joe Kyrillos, thus Bob Menendez has slightly widened his lead in the U.S. Senate race, according to a Qunnipiac poll released this morning.

Menendez favorablity rating remains weak, especially for an incumbent, at 37%-25% with 36% not knowing enough about him to form an opinion.

Barack Obama is leading Mitt Romney in New Jersey by 49%-38%.  Romney’s favorability rating is upside down, 35%-43%.

New Jersey voters are split over ObamaCare.  47% favor keeping it, 45% favor repealing it.

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NY Post: Christie will be keynoter in Tampa

The NY Post is reporting that back channel word is going out to New Jersey Republican activists that Governor Chris Christie will be deliverying the keynote address at the Republican National Convention on August 28 in Tampa.

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Smith Secures VA Grant For Soldier ON

Will Serve Veterans & Their Families in Monmouth, Ocean, Burlington, Middlesex Counties Who Are at Risk of Homelessness 

Washington, Jul 17 – A $1 million federal grant has been awarded to a non-profit organization to assist low income veterans in Central New Jersey who are at risk of losing their homes, Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04) announced today. 

“This funding will provide much needed housing assistance and stability to veterans in Central New Jersey so that they can remain in their homes even when times are difficult,” said Smith, who worked with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in support of the grant application.

The grant was awarded this morning to Soldier On, a leader for community-based homeless and at-risk veterans’ housing and services. Soldier On has 15 years of experience developing transitional and permanent housing and successfully creating innovative homeownership opportunities in underserved areas—addressing both the urban and rural needs of local communities. The funding will be provided by through the VA’s Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) grant program.

“Unfortunately, right now, the concentration of veterans and their families in Central New Jersey are without access to prevention and rapid re-housing resources,” said Smith.  “With the VA’s green light, Soldier On will now be able to provide very specialized services to address the needs of a very specific population in Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean and Burlington Counties thereby enabling a federal-private partnership that will truly help our veterans.”

Read the rest of this entry »

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Anna Little Reports Negative Cash On Hand

Anna Little’s congressional campaign account is overdrawn $11,321.08, according to the FEC Form 3 Record of Receipts and Disbursements, that her campaign submitted to the Federal Election Commission yesterday.

$22,188.28 seems to have disappeared overnight, between May 16 and May 17, from Little’s meager coffers.  In  the pre-primary report of activity for the April 1 through May 16 period, “Friends of Anna Little” had $13,806.95 cash on hand on May 16.  The next day, her campaign’s beginning balance was negative $8,381, according to the report submitted yesterday.

Monmouth County GOP Chairman John Bennett, Middlesex County GOP Chairman Sam Thomspon and the Bayshore Tea Party Group need to step in and right the Little campaign before it does damage to the rest of the party.  Thompson thought his judgment was better than that of the Monmouth GOP screening committee when he awarded his county’s party line to Little when her home county leaders thought better.  Bennett, while not yet chairman, supported Little in the primary against Ernesto Cullari.  Bennett and Thompson headlined a fundraiser for Little.

When MMM questioned Thompson about Little’s FEC reports in May he said, “I have a hard enough time keeping my own campaign reports straight.”  That flippant attitude is no longer acceptable.

Bennett relied on Little’s support to win the chairmanship by three votes.  Little has been taking credit for Bennett’s victory at her weekly campaign meetings at the Keyport IHOP. 

The Bayshore Tea Party Group’s leadership, despite having well earned reservations about Little, chose to support her over Cullari as an act of defiance towards the Monmouth GOP.

Thompson, Bennett and BTPG gave us this mess.  They need to clean it up.  Fast.

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