Family Planning $s: We're still waiting (and the women of New Jersey are waiting) for the Governor's signature (or veto) on the revenue neutral bill to restore $7.5 million to family planning centers who provide health care to 135,000 uninsured or underinsured families. Funny how Mr Christie came right out of his office when Senator Sweeney delivered the more than Millionaires Tax to him. Came right out with pen in hand, and cameras rolling to veto a bill which would have removed a tax break for 16,000 of the most wealthy in New Jersey, but would restore much needed dollars to lower and middle class families. So far with Assemblywoman Linda Stender, we have collectively made three trips to his office! We can only guess that in the Governor's world, women are not so welcome, nor is their health care a "priority". I've asked at least twice for him to correct that impression if indeed he was misquoted. Guess he wasn't!
Thanks to Jay Lassiter for bringing the video right to the Blue Jersey audience. His chronicles are great!
Today the Assembly will consider the 2% cap "compromise". I know there are those among you who thought some of us should have made more of an issue of this. But I actually think that the Senate President made a pretty good "deal". Truth is that the Governor could have vetoed the 2.9% cap which we passed, reduced it and sent it back with no exceptions, except for debt service and capital expenditures as he first requested. We did get two big cost drivers out of the cap (health and pension payments) and most important, made him back down on his constitutional amendment demand. Do I wish it had been done more in concert with Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver - yes I do! I've expressed that directly to the Senate President. We need a little more cooperation between the democratic leadership of both houses and a little less ego! Time for a few more joint meetings between the two and more communication! The "term" leadership also includes our two Democratic Majority Leaders. Comon, Guys & Girls, we can't afford so much sniping. We all know who we need to be fighting- and it isn't each other!
Speaking of "who", the Assemblywomen will be taking their turn for a press conference (right outside the Governor's office) this morning on the family planning bill. It will be our fifth one, and each time one of our houses is in session, we will each take our turn until the Governor comes out and either signs or vetoes this important women's health care bill. Thanks to so many of the good democratic guys who came out in support at this past Thursday's press event.
Privatizing government: This is more of the same from the Christie administration. Undermine our public school system, our public employees, our public TV network, and then parcel out government to private industry. Is that like the private industry successes of the Parsons' Adventure or EnCap or Xanadu? But the most appalling point I read about the report was that the government should get out of the pre-school business and maybe increase class size from an average of 15 to 22. I have not seen the whole report and will today, but if that note is correct, I guess Christie is planning to make one of his campaign comments into a self-fulfilling prophecy - "Pre-School is Baby Sitting!" Then of course, if we privatize government, we can really cut taxes and just charge "user fees" to everyone. You can bet these ideas will be fought by some of us (and I think the majority of us) with full battle gear.
Senate Health Committee meets on Monday, July 19. We've invited Health Commissioner Dr. Alaigh to meet with us, and we'll have lots of questions on family planning centers and where these women will receive their health care. We'll also be doing a few bills including establishing a commission to oversee policy on the issues and treatment surrounding aphasia which is the speech difficulty resulting from a stroke or traumatic injury. This disability affects thousands of New Jerseyans and needs more spotlight on treatment and support.
Keep your voices heard! |
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