Senator Christopher “Kip” Bateman issued the following statement after the New Jersey Legislature passed the fiscal 2010 budget without a single Republican vote in either house:
“New Jersey residents are suffocating under the weight of state and local taxes,” Senator Bateman, deputy Republican conference leader. “Tonight, the Legislature approved a budget that adds $1 billion to the already oppressive tax burden borne by Middle Class New Jersey.
Morningstar Review: “Despite this plan’s ‘best’ moniker, it lands firmly in our Worst category”
Senator Kip Bateman (R-16) responded this morning to a new report by Morningstar that ranks New Jersey’s 529 college savings plan among the five worst in the nation. Morningstar, a highly respected investment research firm, based their ranking on New Jersey’s abnormally high fees, risky investment strategies and a lack of investment options in the New Jersey Best 529 College Savings Plan.
Legislation sponsored by Senator Christopher “Kip” Bateman (R-16) requiring Assisted Living Facilities to have a defibrillator on site and employees trained to use it was recently signed into law by Governor Corzine. The new law requires assisted living facilities to comply with the same requirements concerning defibrillators as those that apply to nursing homes.
Senator Christopher “Kip” Bateman, a member of the Senate Education Committee, criticized the Corzine Administration’s policy that forbids local boards of education from lowering school taxes even if they are able to find savings in the school budget.
Republican Senate Leader Tom Kean announced today that Deputy Republican Conference Leader Christopher “Kip” Bateman will take a new seat that has been created on the Senate Judiciary Committee.
New Study Contradicts Flawed COAH Housing Projections
Senator Christopher “Kip” Bateman, a member of the Senate Environment Committee, insisted today that the Corzine Administration immediately release the study on housing growth presented to the State Planning Commission by a Rutgers University expert. The Commission’s new study contradicts earlier projections by the Council On Affordable Housing (COAH) that are being used to justify huge increases in subsidized housing mandated by state laws and regulations adopted in the summer.
Senator Christopher “Kip” Bateman called on Governor Corzine to immediately suspend the flawed COAH program until known problems with the program are corrected. Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner, Mark Mauriello, testified Monday that the COAH vacant land analysis was based on “gross” data and that “clearly there is some refinement that is needed in those vacant land analyses.” The Commissioner’s testimony can be listened to on the New Jersey Legislature’s web site at the following address: http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/media/archive_audio2.asp?KEY=SEN&SESSION=2008. The testimony starts at 16 minutes nine seconds into the hearing.
The Senate Transportation Committee has approved legislation sponsored by Senator Kip Bateman (R-16) that clarifies the penalties that are to be assessed upon conviction of unsafe driving.
“The existing law that details the penalties for unsafe driving has caused some confusion in the courts,” said Bateman. “This bill should clear any confusion and make it clear what penalties should be assessed on those who are convicted of unsafe driving in New Jersey.”
User Fees to Pay for Program
A bill sponsored by Senator Christopher “Kip” Bateman (R-16) creating a trust fund to pay for a uniform attorney identification card was recently signed into law by Governor Corzine. The law ensures that revenues generated by the identification program, which was established in 2005, will be used exclusively for costs associated with issuing and monitoring the cards.
Senator Christopher “Kip” Bateman (R-Somerset) called on Trenton Democrats to relieve New Jersey’s municipalities of their onerous subsidized housing mandates in light of the State’s unemployment rate, which has soared to its highest rate in 15 years.
