Kyrillos and Christie Campaign Appearance

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Assembly Passes Gay Marriage Bill

NJ Supreme Court is end game for Same Sex Marriage Advocates

As expected, the New Jersey Assembly passed the Marriage Equality and Religious Exemptions Act today.  The vote was 42-33.  No Republican voted for the bill.  Two Cape May County Democrats, Nelson Albano and Matthew Milam voted NO, according to NJ.com

The bill passed the Senate last week and now heads to Governor Chris Christie for his expected veto.

Christie has called for the issue to be put to referendum this fall.  Senator Christopher “Kip” Bateman has proposed legislation authorizing the referendum.

Senate President Stephen Sweeney has said the referendum legislation will not make it to the Senate floor for a vote.

Christie has said the Democrats handling of the matter is political theater. He told Poltickernj,

“If they don’t put it on the ballot, you’ll know the whole thing was political theater,” Christie said. “I trust the people.”

However, same sex marrige advocates seem to think that legislative passage of the bill will make a difference in their efforts to get the New Jersey Supreme Court to impose same sex marriage in New Jersey regardless of Christie’s veto or whether or not there is a referendum.

In an email to his membership, Steven Goldstein, CEO of Garden State Equality, said,

… Meanwhile, Garden State Equality continues its lawsuit with Lambda Legal –
where courts will now see the legislative intent of marriage equality…

…         “Pursuing all roads to justice, Garden State Equality and seven-same sex couples will continue our lawsuit for marriage equality, where we are represented by Lambda Legal and the nationally renowned Gibbons law firm.  With this victory, the courts will see the legislature’s clear intent to replace the state’s failed civil union law with marriage equality.”

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Christie joins Kyrillos on campaign trail to smackdown “The Squealer”

Following the WrestleMania press conference this morning, Governor Christie and State Senator Joe Kyrillos will head over to the West 22 Diner in Springfield for a rhetorical smackdown of zipline enthusiast,  Bob “The Squealer” Mendendez.

The campaign event is open to the public and is scheduled to start at 1:30PM.

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WrestleMania Coming To New Jersey

WestleMania XXIX will be held at MetLife Stadium in April 2013. Photo/Graphic: WWE.com

New Jersey will be the host of WrestleMania XXIX in April of 2013.

Governor Chris Christie, “The Rock,” NFL owners John Mara and Woody Johnson and WWE CEO Vince McMahon will announce the event at a press conference this morning at MetLife Stadium.

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Starve The Beast: Roll Back The Port Authority Toll Hikes

Given the results of the audit of Port Authority released earlier this week, it is fair to conclude that PA has been overcharging New Jersey commuters and truckers for decades.

Too much money has been the addictive substance that made PA “dysfunctional.” 

Lack of money is what has enabled Governor Christie, and many other governors across the country to implement necessary reforms.  Christie is extraordinarily talented, but would he have been able to get the Democrats to compromise with him if tax revenue was rolling in with abundance?  No way.

Yet, with the September toll hikes, Governors Christie and Cuomo have helped the the dysfunctional, wasteful, corrupt Pork Authority to more of their destructive substance.

New Jersey Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen County) and New York State Senator Andrew Lanza (R-Staten Island) have called for the latest toll hikes to be rolled back, according to The Star Ledger.

At the very least, tolls should be rolled back to their pre-September levels until the ongoing audit of PA is complete and reforms implemented.  A rollback to the 2001 toll levels should be seriously considered.

Phase two of the toll increases announced last August take effect in 2014.  Christie and Cuomo should immediately revoked that authorization and roll back the current tolls to the September 2011 levels, at the very least.

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Christie: NJEA Exec Director Vincent Giordano Should Resign

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Governor Christie Vs NJEA in 60 seconds

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Joint Statement From Governors Christie and Cuomo On Port Authority Consultants’s Report

Trenton, NJ – New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie today released the following statement regarding the Phase 1 Interim Consultant’s Report on the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey:

“The interim report released today on operations of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey describes an agency which failed to exercise proper oversight, control costs and budget transparently. The report’s Executive Summary describes an agency that is ‘challenged and dysfunctional,’ and where poor management ‘obscured full awareness of billions of dollars in exposure’ to the Port Authority.  

“Cause for further concern is the report’s conclusion that the WTC gross project costs, last publicly reforecast at $11 billion in 2008, have since grown a staggering $3.8 billion to $14.8 billion, at a minimum.  Similarly, the report finds capital planning is plagued by management deficiencies that have resulted in a doubling of debt in 10 years as the agency drifted from its core responsibility as a transportation infrastructure organization. Coupled with the consultant’s assessment of the impact of ‘add-on’ compensation for agency personnel – an institutionalized practice that has contributed to an unacceptable 19 percent increase in gross compensation in just five years – the interim report makes clear that wide-ranging reform is long overdue.  

“This record of historic failure must be reversed.  Steps have already been taken in the last two years, but much more must be done to restore the Port Authority to a responsible, highly transparent, well-managed organization focused on its core mission of maintaining and expanding our states’ shared transportation infrastructure for the health and growth of our overlapping economies.  We will demand nothing short of the agency’s implementation of comprehensive recommendations and reform to achieve this critical mission.” 

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Monmouth Poll: Voters Like Christie, They Don’t Like Property Taxes

Patrick Murray has a new poll out this morning.

55% of New Jersey registered voters approve of Governor Chris Christie’s job performance. 37% disapprove.  Among men Christie has a 17% net positive rating.  Among women, net positive 6%

While still upside down, the state legislature’s ratings have improved.  39% disapprove of the legislature, the best rating they have had since 2007.  56% disapproved in April of 2010.  The legislature’s approval rating remained steady at 35%.  Murray didn’t say so, but it would stand to reason that voters feel better about the legislature due to Christie promoting how they have compromised with him.

Property taxes remain the most pressing concern of New Jersey residents.  Murray asked respondents to rank Trenton’s priorties on a 1-10 scale:

New Jersey‘s Pressing Issues

(rated on a 10 point scale)

Tier 1:

8.9 Reducing property taxes

Tier 2:

7.7 Reducing income taxes

7.6 Increasing minimum wage

7.4 Reforming teacher tenure

7.3 Raising millionaires tax

Tier 3:

7.0 Reforming drug sentencing laws

6.7 Restructuring higher education

Tier 4:

5.8 Expanding charter schools

5.1 Same sex marriage

While same sex marriage  is a low priority for New Jersey residents, 52% now favor allowing same sex couples to marry compared to 34% who oppose. For the first time since the question has been polled, residents who strongly favor same sex marriage exceed residents who strongly oppose by a 32% to 25% margin.

The poll, including data tables and Murray’s write up can be found here.

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Super Celebration at MetLife Stadium, Tuesday at 3PM

Following the Canyon of Heroes parade in lower Manhattan, the New Jersey Super Bowl Champion Giants and Governor Chris Christie will rally at MetLife Stadium.  Admission and parking are free.

MetLife gates will open to the public at 2:15 PM.  The rally is scheduled to start at 3PM and last until 3:30. PM

Christie was a guest of Boomer and Carton on WFAN radio this morning.

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