Pennacchio: Disappointed to See Paterson BOE Fly to Vegas on Taxpayers’ Dime
Senator Joe Pennacchio (R-26) questioned the Paterson Board of Education’s decision to use taxpayer dollars to fly to a conference in Las Vegas, calling the trip a “colossal waste” of public funds.
Sen. Joe Pennacchio questioned the Paterson Board of Education’s decision to use taxpayer dollars to fly to a conference in Las Vegas, calling the trip a colossal waste of public funds. (WikiCommons)
“We constantly hear reports of overcrowded classrooms, crumbling infrastructure, scare resources, and layoffs at Paterson Schools. How could any public servant justify spending thousands on a trip to Vegas, when the children they are supposed to be fighting for don’t even have their own textbooks? Surely, there are better ways to spend that money. This is an outrageous misuse of taxpayer dollars and every parent who hears about this should be furious,” Pennacchio said.
“I have one thing to say to these Board of Education members: grow a conscience, respect the people you represent, and cancel this trip immediately. $5,000 is a lot of money and your district can’t afford to spend it on a lavish vacation, no matter the alleged ‘educational value’ of this so-called conference. If it is that important, pay for it yourself.”
Kean Warns of Harm from New Tax Bills
Repeats Call for Constitutional Amendment to Cap State Spending Increases
Senate Republican Leader Tom Kean said a pair of tax bills advanced by the Senate Budget & Appropriations Committee today will hurt New Jersey families, employers, and tourism efforts.
Sen. Tom Kean said a pair of tax bills advanced by the Senate Budget Committee will hurt New Jersey families, employers, and tourism efforts. (Pixabay)
The first bill, S-2892, would increase taxes on jet fuel by eliminating certain aviation fuel tax exemptions.
“If New Jersey makes it more expensive for airlines to refuel here, every plane ticket from our state will become more expensive,” said Kean. “This will raise the cost of family vacations, hurt Atlantic City’s efforts to draw tourists from farther away, and raise the price of business travel for employers who already struggle to justify staying in New Jersey.”
Singer Bill Would Allow Nursing Aides with Out-of-State Licenses to Practice in NJ
The Senate Health and Human Services Committee has passed legislation sponsored by Senator Robert Singer (R-30) that would allow nursing aides who were certified in a different state to use their license in New Jersey.
Sen. Robert Singer’s legislation would allow nursing aides who were certified in a difference state to use their licenses in New Jersey. (Flickr)
“Unless we take action to increase the number of medical professionals actively working in our state, we will have the nation’s third largest shortage of nurses by 2030,” Senator Singer said. “This is creating life or death situations in homes and hospitals in every corner of New Jersey. Nursing aides have one goal: to keep us healthy. We should not let State regulations keep them from achieving it.”
Advanced: Oroho Bill to Extend Funding for Manufacturing Workforce Development Programs
Bipartisan legislation sponsored by Senator Steven Oroho (R-24) that would extend funding for manufacturing workforce development programs has passed the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee.
More than 1 million in-state jobs are supported by New Jersey’s manufacturing industry.
Sen. Steven Oroho’s bipartisan bill would extend funding for manufacturing workforce development programs. (SenateNJ.com)
“The New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program has added or saved more than 32,000 jobs. Creating this program was an important step towards building a more innovative workforce,” Senator Oroho said. “Manufacturing is a rapidly-growing field where opportunities for high-paying jobs and long-term success abound. By increasing funding for the NJMEP, we can encourage more New Jerseyans to enter our booming manufacturing industry.”
Thompson to Intro Anti-Voter Fraud Bill in Wake of Hudson County Mail-In Ballot Scandal
New Bill Would Up Penalties for Extreme Voter Fraud to Second-Degree Felony, Punishable by Up to 10 Years in Prison
Senator Sam Thompson (R-12) today announced plans to introduce legislation to increase penalties for extreme cases of voter fraud, in light of reports that the U.S. Attorney’s Office has charged a Hoboken woman with paying voters to submit vote by mail applications.
Sen. Sam Thompson will introduce legislation to up penalties for extreme voter fraud, in light of reports that the U.S. Attorney’s Office has charged a Hoboken woman with paying voters to submit vote by mail applications. (©iStock)
“Voter fraud is real, it is happening in New Jersey, and we have a duty to do everything in our power to protect the integrity of our electoral process. We will not stand by and allow slick political operatives to disenfranchise voters. Clearly, a stronger deterrent is necessary,” Senator Thompson said. “We cannot continue to turn a blind eye to this threat to our democracy. We must ensure people who commit voter fraud receive a punishment that fits the crime.”
Cardinale Statement on Bergen County Sheriff Saudino
Senator Gerry Cardinale (R-Bergen) issued the following statement in response to recently released audio recordings of Bergen County Sheriff Michael Saudino making racist comments:
Sen. Gerry Cardinale responded to recently released audio recordings of Bergen County Sheriff Michael Saudino making racist comments. (SenateNJ.com)
“It’s disheartening that someone in such an important position within our county can have such a low view of so many of the people he serves. You can dislike policies that you think are bad, but you can’t dislike entire communities.
“Further, Sheriff Saudino’s suggestion that Attorney General Grewal was appointed by the Governor solely for the sake of appearance is beyond the pale.
Cardinale Intros Bill to Stop Electric Companies from Cutting Critically-Ill Customers’ Power
Bill Follows Death of NJ Woman Who Died Waiting for PSE&G to Restore Service
Following the tragic death of a New Jersey woman who died after PSE&G shut off her power, Senator Gerry Cardinale (R-39) has introduced legislation that would prohibit electric public utilities from discontinuing service in cases where doing so would put lives of seriously-ill consumers at risk.
Sen. Gerry Cardinale’s legislation would prohibit electric public utilities from discontinuing service in cases where doing so would put lives of seriously-ill consumers at risk. (SenateNJ.com)
“It is hard to imagine that a public utility company could be so callous, that they would put someone’s life in jeopardy, just to turn a profit,” Cardinale said. “Linda Daniels’s family pleaded with the electric company to restore her power, while she was gasping for air. My prayers are with her family. We can’t erase their pain, but we can take action to ensure this never happens to another terminally-ill customer again.”
Oroho Bill to Promote NJ’s Farm-to-Table Industry Passes Committee
Legislation sponsored by Senator Steven Oroho (R-24) to promote farm-to-table businesses Statewide has passed the Senate Economic Growth Committee.
Sen. Steven Oroho’s bill would promote farm-to-table businesses Statewide, by promoting restaurants on New Jersey’s tourism website. (SenateNJ.com)
“Farm-to-table restaurants provide vital opportunities for small businesses to compete in a new and rapidly-growing part of our vibrant agricultural tourism industry,” Senator Oroho said. “The impact of choosing a farm-to-table restaurant stretches far beyond a diner’s plate. By highlighting local restaurants that serve ‘Jersey Fresh,’ we’re feeding the future of New Jersey’s farms, restaurants, and our local economy.”
Kean Says Murphy Should Consider All Opportunities to Reduce Health Benefit Costs
Urges Administration to Support “Platinum-to-Gold” Reforms
Senate Republican Leader Tom Kean said Governor Phil Murphy can build upon the modest healthcare savings he announced today by supporting “platinum-to-gold” reforms proposed by the Legislature.
Sen. Tom Kean urged Gov. Phil Murphy to support significant cost savings on public employee healthcare through “platinum-to-gold” reforms proposed by the Legislature. (©iStock)
“We are encouraged by the modest savings on health benefits announced by Governor Murphy today and encourage him to look at opportunities for even larger savings, like a shift from platinum-to-gold that has bipartisan support in the Legislature,” said Kean.
Kean: More Must Be Done to Help NJ Transit & Other Agencies Recruit Qualified Employees
Senate Republican Leader Tom Kean said that a decision allowing NJ Transit to hire train and bus operators who live out of state is a good start, but more must be done to ensure that every State agency has the opportunity to hire qualified employees, regardless of where they live.
Sen. Tom Kean said that a decision allowing NJ Transit to hire train and bus operators who live out of state is a good start, but more must be done to ensure that every State agency has the opportunity to hire qualified employees, regardless of where they live. (SenateNJ.com)
Sen. Kean has long-sponsored legislation (S-508) that would eliminate in-state residency requirements for public employees.
Kean noted that he has repeatedly called for the passage of his bill, in light of the catastrophic staffing shortages that continue to put thousands of NJ Transit customers in harm’s way.
“Allowing NJ Transit to hire out-of-state employees is a good first step, but the reality is that without a full repeal of the in-state residency requirement, many agencies will continue to struggle to hire enough qualified employees for critical positions.
“I have no doubt that NJ Transit will be able to better serve commuters by casting a wider net to recruit candidates from neighboring states. Every agency, every department, and every school district in our state should be able to do the same thing.
“Let’s have the courage to make big, bold changes that we all know are in the public’s best interest. A full repeal of state residency requirements is the right thing to do. I urge legislative leaders to post my repeal legislation for a vote as soon as possible.”
