LD1 Team Says Murphy Should Reopen Wildlife Areas for Fishing, Hunting
Says Administration Has Restricted Access and Furloughed Workers Paid from Fees on Sportsmen Licenses
Senator Michael Testa and Assemblymen Erik Simonsen and Antwan McClellan urged the Governor to reopen Wildlife Management Areas across New Jersey and find more productive opportunities to save money for the cash-strapped state.
Senator Testa and Assemblymen Simonsen and McClellan are calling on the Governor to reopen Wildlife Management Areas across New Jersey and find more productive opportunities to save money for the cash-strapped state. (SenateNJ.com)
“The Governor made a big deal out of furloughing some workers and shutting down wildlife areas, but there’s no savings there. The workers are paid from funds collected for fees on hunting and fishing licenses and the federal excise tax on hunting weapons and ammo,” said Testa (R-1). “We have all seen enough of Murphy’s spending habits to know he doesn’t have to look very hard to find significant savings for New Jersey, but this plan hurts residents, especially in coastal communities, and fails to save money.”
2 Months After Testa/Doherty Call to Reopen In-Person Unemployment Centers, Crickets from Murphy Administration
Some Unemployed Workers Waiting Since March for Benefits
Senator Michael Testa and Senator Michael Doherty reiterated their call for Governor Murphy to reopen the New Jersey Department of Labor’s (DOL) in-person unemployment offices to better serve residents who lost their jobs due to the economic impact of COVID-19 and lockdown orders issued by the administration.
Sen. Michael Testa and Sen. Michael Doherty reiterated their call for Gov. Murphy to reopen the DOL’s in-person unemployment offices to better serve residents who lost their jobs. (SenateNJ.com)
“It’s been two months since we requested that the Murphy Administration open unemployment offices for walk-in service, yet there’s still no movement to better serve out-of-work New Jerseyans,” said Testa (R-1). “Our neighbors and friends who have not seen a paycheck since the shutdown began four months ago are racking up credit card debt and draining their bank accounts to survive. It’s clear that trying to obtain unemployment benefits remotely is not working for many people, and struggling New Jersey families cannot afford to wait any longer.”
Editorial: Murphy’s Unconstitutional $10 Billion Borrowing Plan Is ‘Wacko on Steroids’
The following editorial by Senator Steven Oroho (R-24) on an unconstitutional plan proposed by Governor Phil Murphy to borrow $10 billion to fund State operating expenses over the next 12 months was published by NJ.com on July 15, 2020:
The Murphy Administration and the Democratic legislators are prepared to move forward with the largest borrowing scheme in state history. They are seeking to raise $10 billion through bonding to fund state spending over the next 12 months.
In this NJ.com editorial, Sen. Steven Oroho says the Murphy Administration’s unconstitutional plan to raise taxes and borrow $10 billion without voter approval will hurt New Jersey taxpayers for decades to come. (©iStock)
This fiscally irresponsible plan could cost New Jersey taxpayers tens of billions of dollars in debt and interest payments over the next 35 years, depending on the interest rate. They will say “it’s a good time to borrow because interest rates are low.”
Oroho, Space, and Wirths Call for Wildlife Management Areas to Fully Open
LD-24 Legislators Say furloughing Fish & Wildlife Employees Will Not Save NJ Money
Senator Steve Oroho and Assemblymen Parker Space and Hal Wirths announced today they wrote to Governor Murphy asking him to stop the furlough of Division of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) employees and fully reopen Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs). (Click here for PDF)
Emphasizing that fishing and hunting license fees pay the salaries of Bureau of Lands Management maintenance employees furloughed by Governor Murphy, Senator Oroho and Assemblymen Space and Wirths are calling for the reopening of Wildlife Management Areas. (SenateNJ.com)
“This move by the administration is not saving any money,” stated Oroho, the Senate Republican Budget Officer and Co-Chairman of the NJ Angling, Hunting and Conservation Caucus. “The employees being furloughed are being paid from the New Jersey Hunters and Anglers Fund, not from regular state coffers.”
Corrado Calls for In-Person Help for Out-of-Work Residents Still Waiting for Unemployment Benefits
The backlog of frustrated New Jersey residents waiting for unemployment benefits continues with no end in sight, and Senator Kristin Corrado today said the Murphy Administration is not doing enough to help.
Senator Corrado said many New Jerseyans have been waiting too long for help from unemployment and called on the labor department to provide face-to-face assistance to reduce the backlog. (SenateNJ.com)
“There are good people who have been out of work for almost four months and they still can’t get help from unemployment,” said Corrado (R-40). “It’s almost impossible to get a real person on the phone and most of the time you can’t even leave a message. The financial worry is taking a toll on residents as they slip deeper in debt.”
ICYMI – Thompson’s Budget Committee Remarks on Democrats’ $10 Billion Borrowing Scheme
Senator Sam Thompson (R-12) delivered the following remarks during the Senate Budget & Appropriations Committee today panning a $10 billion borrowing plan (S-2697/A-4175) proposed by Governor Phil Murphy and Democratic legislative leaders that could cost New Jersey taxpayers tens of billions in debt and interest payments over the next 35 years:
Sen. Sam Thompson’s remarks during the Senate Budget Committee’s consideration of a $10 billion borrowing scheme being advanced by Gov. Murphy and Democrat legislators. (Pixabay)
First off Mr. Chairman, I’d like to say I’m sorry this bill is being rushed. It is indeed unfortunate that this meeting, despite a bill not even being available to the public and not having been introduced yet, was scheduled Friday night with no meaningful notice. The pace at which this bill is moving is unnecessary.
The bill is simple. It’s giving authority to the Governor to issue $10 billion of debt to wash into the 2021 budget that starts October 1. It will be a one-shot revenue, leaving up to a $10 billion budget hole to be fixed in 2022 by either Governor or his successor. Worse than leaving today’s problem to be fixed in 2022, the borrowing will make the problem much worse by adding tens of billions of dollars of interest payments and hundreds of millions of dollars in financial fees and commissions.
The borrowing is incredibly irresponsible. It’s four times larger than the next biggest borrowing in the state’s history. It will throw a $10 billion anchor around the necks of people who are already struggling to make ends meet.
10th District Legislators: ‘This Borrowing Plan Will Devastate New Jersey Economy for Years To Come’
The 10th District Legislators are speaking out against the largest borrowing scheme in New Jersey history, spearheaded by Governor Murphy and his Administration. Senator Jim Holzapfel and Assemblymen Greg McGuckin and John Catalano oppose the record-setting plan which will borrow $10 billion to cover State spending.
Senator Holzapfel and Assemblymen McGuckin and Catalano are speaking out against the Governor’s scheme to borrow $10 billion to cover state spending. (Wikimedia Commons)
The lawmakers have issued the following statement on the borrowing plan which they feel is unconstitutional and fiscally irresponsible.
“It’s sickening. Our taxpayers will now be responsible for the repayment of this astronomical borrowing plan as well as an additional $30 billion of interest payments for the next 35 years. But the worst part may be that our Democrat leaders are now pushing this plan through without voter approval. This is one of the most unconstitutional events our state has ever witnessed and we want no part of it.
ICYMI: Massive Opposition to Democrats’ Rushed Redistricting Scheme
Numerous organizations have voiced their adamant displeasure with the latest scheme (ACR-188) proposed by Democrats to delay the legislative redistricting process through a rushed constitutional amendment. They have warned that the proposed constitutional amendment would disenfranchise voters and delay by years the opportunity for growing minority communities to be fairly represented.
Numerous organizations have voiced their displeasure with the latest scheme proposed by Democrats to delay the legislative redistricting process. (SenateNJ.com)
The following is a roundup of statements and testimony by nonpartisan election experts, academics, journalists, and representatives from a variety of good-government organizations spanning the political spectrum that have opposed the legislation.
Here’s what they’re saying…
“Today’s bill is not in the best interest of the people of New Jersey generally, and its people of color in particular. We oppose the proposed bill today because it will exacerbate the cracks of structural racism in our foundation by using the existing, outdated legislative maps, which do not include the substantial growth of people of color in New Jersey since 2010, thereby diluting the political strength, influence, and power to which people of color are entitled based on their composition of New Jersey’s population as it exists right now. This Legislature has had almost three months to work on a solution, and despite requests from advocates and the significant public interest about this issue, these discussions have been in backrooms. But instead of holding public hearings and discussions during this time, members of the Legislature have waited to the last minute to introduce and fast track a problematic constitutional amendment. This is not how democracy should work. …turning to the substance of the bill, the 2011 legislative map is no longer representative of New Jersey. This bill, unfortunately, ignores the interests of communities of color in a manner that may violate Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. Finally, this bill inappropriately seeks to make a permanent change to our redistricting process. Today’s bill does not serve the interests of communities of color now, and will undermine those communities in the future. For these reasons, we oppose this bill. We urge you not to pass it.” Henal Patel, New Jersey Institute for Social Justice; Rev. Eric Dobson, Deputy Director, Fair Share Housing Center; Richard T. Smith, President, NAACP New Jersey State Conference; Rev. Dr. Charles F. Boyer, Executive Director, Salvation and Social Justice; and Elise Boddie, Founder, The Inclusion Project, Rutgers Law School
O’Scanlon Warns of Impending Fiscal Disaster If Governor Gets His Way
Borrowing Plan Would Cost Taxpayers $40 Billion Over 35 Years
Senator Declan O’Scanlon again sounded the alarm warning of the dire fiscal consequences of the Governor’s plan to borrow $10 billion to fill shortfalls in the State budget.
Senator O’Scanlon said borrowing $10 billion will produce a bill for taxpayers of more than $40 billion over the next 35 years, and if the State’s credit rating is downgraded, which is likely, the cost could be tens of billions more. (Pixabay)
“This devastating scheme is fiscally indefensible and unconstitutional. There’s a legal opinion that says we cannot borrow without voter approval to fill a hole in our budget,” said O’Scanlon. “In the most unaffordable state in the nation, it is unfathomable the Governor and Democrats would propose a ‘solution’ of this magnitude.
Pennacchio: ‘Doesn’t Anybody Care About the Deaths of 6,700 Seniors?’
Reiterates Call for Creation of Senate Select Committee to Investigate
Senator Joe Pennacchio again implored the legislature to act on behalf of more than 6,700 elderly nursing home residents who lost their lives to COVID-19 and vote to create a Senate Select Committee to review the State’s response to the pandemic.
Senator Pennacchio urged the legislature to act on behalf of more than 6,700 elderly nursing home residents who lost their lives to COVID-19 and create a Senate Select Committee to review the State’s response to the pandemic. (CC0 Public Domain)
“The deplorable treatment of vulnerable seniors who were isolated, abandoned and exposed to this deadly virus was a pandemic genocide that stripped the lives of almost 7,000 fragile souls trapped in long term care facilities,” Pennacchio said. “Now, this shocking nightmare is being compounded by apathy. These innocent victims have been be deserted by the legislature and forgotten by the press. Doesn’t anybody care what happened to these victims?”
