An Unsettling Update!

by: Senator Loretta Weinberg

Mon Jun 21, 2010 at 10:24:17 PM EDT

Caps and craziness:  I was really taken by surprise (and disappointed) at Mayor Cory Booker's embrace of the Governor's "hard" 2.5% cap.  I know Mayor Booker must understand the impossibility of functioning under the Christie cap. Why would anyone want to govern any complex community with such restraints? Growing up in California, I know about those property tax caps and what it has done to schools, libraries and the magnificent California University system. Senator Sweeney's proposal allows for certain important cost exemptions to the cap.  We will be discussing these alternatives during the next weeks.

Judiciary Committee members approved several judicial reappointments. Among others, we also approved the reappointment of Dr. Kevin Barry to the UMDNJ board. He at least recognized the importance of training physicians in appropriate abortion procedures. The fastest way for women to lose their right to chose is not having access to trained health care providers. By the way, Dr Barry is also from Mendham!

The legislature also moved along a "government transparency" bill sponsored by Assemblyman Joe Cryan and me to regulate costs to the public of copying public documents. We removed any charges for the electronic transfer of documents, and set fixed costs of 7 cents and 5 cents for other public document requests. This will comply with a recent court decision.  I am looking at a complete updating of the Open Public Records Act and the Open Public Meetings Act which we hope to have finished by the end of the summer for a Fall introduction.

Schedule as of this moment calls for Budget Committee meetings on Wednesday and Thursday and a vote on the budget on Monday, June 28th.  It's certainly not a great time in Trenton, and things are still "fluid". Will try to keep you all updated.