Yee-ee-ee - It's Monday Already!

by: Senator Loretta Weinberg

Mon Sep 13, 2010 at 09:00:00 AM EDT

I've spent the last several months working on an overhaul of the Pay-to-play law with the Citizen's Campaign and hope to be releasing it during the next few weeks. Equally important is giving some "teeth" to all those transparency laws already on the books.  I've been meeting to get input from various groups including the press, ACLU, and Municipal Clerks organization to re-do the Open Public Meetings and Open Public Records laws. The last time these laws were updated, there was no electronic transfer of public information, texting or email. This has been a "labor of love" for me.  These new bills are  constructed with the idea that ALL government information is owned by that same public and should be available to anyone inquiring. From that premise we carve out a few and carefully thought out exemptions.  I am hoping to get these bills moved by the end of the year and will be enlisting the assistance of our Blue Jersey readers to get to that goal.

Today is the deadline for the Treasurer to answer my OPRA request for background documents to substantiate his difference of opinion with the Office of Legislative Services over funding for Family Planning.  Am anxious to closely review the paperwork to be supplied by the Treasurer.  Will be waiting for their arrival in Trenton.

Saturday we paused for the observance of the 9th anniversary of 9/11. I participated in the moving Bergen County ceremony at the 9/11 monument in Overpeck Park with U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg, Congressman Steve Rothman, Sheriff Leo McGuire, and County Executive Dennis McNerney, along with other state and county officials.  The weather on Saturday was beautiful - just like the weather on that day in 2001.  We were joined by families I have come to know over the past 9 years.  The Kane family of Englewood whose son was an accountant for Windows on the World; Mr. Kim of Leonia who lost his brilliant son Andrew on that awful day; and newer friends, the Reismans of Ft. Lee whose son, Frank, worked for Cantor Fitzgerald. We again read the names of the 167 Bergen County folks lost on that awlful day. The 167 names are etched on the monument, and I know in years to come the memory becomes less vivid, but those names will be forever seen as part of the fabric of our community.

And as we again went about the routine of our daily lives, I thought about how this past week was a mixture of so many things.  Had fun at the Jersey shore over the labor day weekend, and then on Wednerday evening and Thursday I was in my synagogue joining in the prayers and the traditions of the Jewish New Year.  I also shared a Rosh Hashanah dinner with friends tasting the sweetness of the holiday, and then the 9/11 observance was upon us on Saturday. So it was a bittersweet week, but for me it ended yesterday with a celebration of life - my granddaughter, Shayna's 7th birthday. So it was a week encompassing so many experiences.  I hope each of you has  found a reason to pause  just to celebrate "life"!

Keep your voices heard!