Hudson County Politics

Prieto: The Governor’s Budget Coddles the Rich, Ignores Middle-Class, Lower-Income Families

(TRENTON) – Assembly Budget Chairman Vincent Prieto (D-Bergen/Hudson) released the following statement Tuesday on Gov. Chris Christie’s budget address:

 “The governor’s continued apathy for the residents in most need of our assistance in this troubled economy is deeply troubling.

  “The governor has once again absconded his responsibility to middle-class and lower income families, in favor of keeping millionaires comfortably rich. His income tax proposal is only a relief for the wealthy, while saddling working families with the highest property taxes in the country.

“As chair of the Assembly Budget Committee, I want our middle-class and lower income families to know that we stand with them, and will review this plan thoroughly to deal with property taxes and ensure property tax relief for ALL residents of New Jersey.”;

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WISNIEWSKI, VAINIERI HUTTLE, STENDER & RAMOS SEEKING SUBPOENA POWER FOR ASSEMBLY PANEL TO GET ANSWERS FROM PORT AUTHORITY

(TRENTON) – Assembly Democrats John Wisniewski, Valerie Vainieri Huttle, Linda Stender and Ruben Ramos, Jr. have introduced legislation that would grant the Assembly Transportation Committee rare subpoena power in order to obtain highly sought after answers into the record toll hikes approved in August by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ), which has refused to appear before the panel thus far.

The bipartisan legislation (AR-61), which is also sponsored by Assemblyman Michael Patrick Carroll, was prompted by a series of scathing reports and questionable decisions by the Port Authority over the last six months. 

“The Port Authority is beginning to look more and more like an out-of-control agency that has forgotten it exists to serve the public,” said Wisniewski (D-Middlesex), Deputy Assembly Speaker and Chair of the Assembly Transportation Committee.  “They hid information about the toll increase, continue to waste money on overtime, stack their payroll with political cronies, failed to respond to public records requests, and now they’re attempting to obfuscate it all by declining our hearing invitation. It’s time to get straight answers once and for all.”;

The legislation would allow the panel to convene as a special committee with the power to issue subpoenas to compel the attendance of individuals and testimony and the production of books, papers, correspondence, and other relevant documents.

“Given the deficiencies detailed in the recent audit, it calls into question the need for the exorbitant toll hikes heaped on commuters last fall,” said Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen), who is sponsoring legislation (A-1011) along with Ramos and Wisniewski to overhaul the way the Authority conducts business.  “Toll payers shouldn’t be forced to suffer for the Port Authority’s lack of oversight, insufficient cost controls and poor capital planning.  More importantly, they shouldn’t be lied to and kept in the dark, especially when it impacts their daily finances.  If they’re not willing to take control of their finances, somebody must.”;

In August, a New York Comptroller audit revealed that the Port Authority had wasted nearly half of a billion dollars on overtime costs over the last five years.  Despite this and other reports of mismanagement and abuse, the agency went ahead and approved near record toll hikes with little public input, citing, among other things, increased costs for the Word Trade Center reconstruction project.  After the agency was sued by AAA of New York and Northern New Jersey, the authority then rescinded the claims that a portion of the tolls would be used for the World Trade Center site, calling into question the need for the exorbitant hike.

Consequently, Wisniewski called a Feb. 2 hearing of the Assembly Transportation, Public Works and Independent Authorities Committee to investigate the authority’s finances and invited the Executive Director of the Port Authority who declined to attend or send a representative in his place.

Several days later, a scathing audit described the agency as “a challenged and dysfunctional organization” that suffered from a lack of oversight, insufficient cost controls and poor capital planning. 

 “We’ve now seen not one, but two scathing audits detail the complete lack of accountability and transparency at the Port Authority,” said Stender (D-Middlesex/Somerset/Union).  “At this point, it appears as though the agency is accountable to no one, certainly not the toll payers who are bearing the burden of the authority’s actions and clearly not lawmakers either.  It’s time to put an end to that.”;

“The back-pedaling, double-talk and lack of transparency has to change,” said Ramos (D-Hudson).  “This is a monstrous agency that impacts the lives of countless tri-state area commuters every day and yet they operate in the shadows answering to no one.  We must shine some light on the way they operate.”;

Specifically, the legislation will allow the Assembly Transportation, Public Works and Independent Authorities Committee to be constituted as a special committee of the General Assembly (under chapter 13 of Title 52 of state statutes) with  subpoena power to investigate all aspects of the finances of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, including, but not limited to, the recently proposed 10-year capital plan, the allocation of the revenue generated from the recently imposed toll increase plan and where that revenue is being spent, and the salary, overtime, and other compensation paid to officers and employees of the authority.

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___________________________

Jennifer Sciortino

Deputy Director of Communications

NJ Assembly Democratic Majority Office

(P) 609-847-3500

(E) jsciortino@njleg.org

www.assemblydems.com

LESNIAK-CUNNINGHAM BILL TO EXPAND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EX-OFFENDERS ADVANCES IN SENATE

Measure Part of Legislative Package to Reduce Recidivism, Encourage Rehabilitation

TRENTON –; A bill sponsored by Senators Raymond J. Lesniak and Sandra Bolden Cunningham which would expand employment opportunities for certain ex-offenders in order to aid in their reentry into society was approved by the Senate yesterday by a vote of 36-0.

“The current law which prohibits ex-offenders from working wherever alcohol is served creates an unfair job market for ex-offenders and perpetuates a cycle of crime for people who cannot find work,” said Senator Lesniak, D-Union.  “It’s time to rid ourselves of this relic of the past that puts people at a disadvantage when they’re trying to put past mistakes behind them, get a decent job and become productive members of society.  This bill promotes a smarter approach to criminal justice in New Jersey, and recognizes that our best tool to prevent criminal recidivism is access to employment.”;

“If a person is willing to work hard and do a good job, it shouldn’t matter whether or not they’ve got a criminal record,” said Senator Cunningham, D-Hudson. “However, under the current law, ex-offenders cannot work anywhere where liquor is served – even in a non-server capacity.  Our bill would create more job opportunities for ex-offenders, so that they aren’t put in a position where a life of crime seems like the only viable option.”;

The bill, S-876, would permit certain ex-offenders to be employed by alcoholic beverage licensees, so long as they are not involved in the serving, selling, soliciting, mixing or handling of alcoholic beverages.  The bill would exclude from the provisions of the bill sex offenders and people convicted of a crime while employed on a licensed premises.  Ex-offenders would also be prohibited from providing private security or admission-monitoring services, and would be prohibited from providing or participating in any management or professional services.

Under current law, a person convicted of any serious crime is disqualified from being employed by an alcoholic beverage licensee, unless they have received a Rehabilitation Employment Permit from the Director of the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control.  The fee for such a permit is $125 annually, and permits can sometimes take a long time to be issued.  Senators Lesniak and Cunningham noted that many alcoholic beverage licensees regularly employ people not involved in the serving or sale of alcoholic drinks, including cooks, janitors and dishwashers, in addition to live entertainment, including band members, singers and DJs.  The sponsors noted that the prohibition from employment eliminates a large number of offenders, and the cost of obtaining a necessary permit to work can be burdensome to persons who have recently been released from incarceration.

“So many recently-released ex-offenders cannot afford the high cost of annual permit fees to work where alcohol is being served, and even more just don’t qualify for a permit,” said Senator Cunningham.  “This bill reaches a fair compromise between the concerns of employers and the need to create job opportunities for ex-offenders.  For people who’ve served their time, paid their debt to society, and are only seeking to move on with their lives, this is the right thing to do.”;

“The ABC approval process is not only an unnecessary bureaucratic expense, it delays employment and oftentimes takes away the opportunity of getting a job,” said Senator Lesniak.  “And an ex-offender with the doors to employment shut in his face will not likely be an ex-offender for long – he’ll be a repeat offender.  We want to close the revolving door policy in New Jersey’s prisons and empower people to break the cycle of criminal activity, find work, and turn the page on their criminal past.”;

The bill is part of a larger package of bills, sponsored by Senators Lesniak and Cunningham and introduced earlier this year, to combat recidivism by encouraging alternatives to incarceration for non-violent drug offenders – including treatment and rehab – and by creating employment opportunities for ex-offenders.

The bill now heads to the Assembly for consideration.

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SACCO BILL TO PROTECT USED CAR BUYERS WHEN VEHICLE FAILS INSPECTION APPROVED IN SENATE

Bill Would Preserve “Lemon Law” Protections When Emissions Control Equipment Fails

TRENTON –; A bill sponsored by Senate Transportation Committee Chairman Nicholas J. Sacco which would prohibit used car dealers from waiving their obligation under the Lemon Law when a vehicle fails inspection as a result of faulty emissions control equipment was approved by the Senate yesterday by a vote of 37-2.

“Whenever you buy a car from the dealer – new or used – there’s a basic expectation that the vehicle will at least be able to pass inspection,” said Senator Sacco, D-Hudson and Bergen.  “However, problems with the vehicles emissions control equipment might never be detected by even the more conscientious of drivers until the car is brought to an inspection facility.  Instead of forcing drivers into the difficult position of having to pay for costly repairs just to pass inspection, this bill would create a level of protection and maintain the dealer’s responsibility, even when the driver signed a warranty waiver.”;

The bill, S-437, would amend current law to provide that a waiver of a used motor vehicle’s warranty would not apply to a defect in the vehicle’s emissions control apparatus or related item that would prevent the vehicle from passing inspection.  Currently, the purchaser can waive a dealer’s responsibility under the Lemon Law by signing a waiver during the sales transaction.  However, under Senator Sacco’s bill, a purchaser who waives the warranty and later discovers the emissions equipment is defective would still be guaranteed protection under the Lemon Law.

“If a used car dealer sells a vehicle which isn’t street legal as a result of faulty or malfunctioning emissions equipment, that to me seems like a situation tailor-made for our State’s Lemon Law,” said Senator Sacco.  “This bill would make sure that New Jersey drivers aren’t stuck with cars which are neither safe nor legal to operate on our State’s roadways, simply because they failed to read the fine print in their contract.  This is matter of simple fairness for car buyers who may not be able to afford costly repairs to get their cars to pass inspection.”;

The bill now heads to the Assembly for consideration.

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Prieto to again invite Christie administration to explain Medicaid problems to the public

Report Details How More than $100M of Sought Savings has been Denied

Chairman Wonders if Any Other Parts of Medicaid Plan are in Jeopardy

(TRENTON) – Assembly Budget Chairman Vincent Prieto (D-Bergen/Hudson) released the following statement Friday after The Star-Ledger detailed how more than $100 million of the Christie administration’s Medicaid revision plan has been denied:

“It’s now clear why the Christie administration rejected our invitation to update taxpayers and legislators on the status of its Medicaid plan. Obviously the problem with the plan is not something it wanted to discuss, and that’s very disappointing.

“I also don’t want to hear anymore from the administration on how it’s premature to discuss the plan’s status. We’re eight months into the fiscal year. No more excuses.

“We cannot risk blowing a hole in this year’s budget, nor can we risk access to quality health care for low-income New Jerseyans. We all must work together, and that means being forthright about a $300 million plan that impacts a health care program for 1.25 million New Jerseyans.

“The Christie administration’s refusal to be open and transparent makes me wonder whether other parts of its Medicaid plan are also in jeopardy. It’s certainly a valid question at this  point.

 “I will again be inviting the Christie administration to appear before the Assembly Budget Committee to update taxpayers on how it plans to resolve this problem and avoid a major budget hole.”;

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