What A way For Bergen County Dems To End The Year! Big headlines in The Record about McNerney and two of his top aides getting big salary increases! Seems that "our" County Executive gave up $10,000 of his salary (originally $134,617) as a "gesture", since budget problems required furloughs for rank and file county workers during 20010. So the Democrats lost anyway. I campaigned for Dennis and the Democratic Freeholders, and now I'm embarrassed by him and, therefore, by my party and my own participation in his campaign.
According to The Record, Dennis' $10,000 "gift" to the taxpayers of Bergen County was somehow restored to his salary on December 14th along with raises for his two "top" aides, Brian Hague from Middlesex County and Lynne Hurwiitz, the Municipal Chair of Hackensack. Brian received a "promotion" his last two weeks in office along with a raise of $17,000 and Lynne was also "promoted with a raise of more thant $22,000". And to add to my own feeling of dismay, Mr. McNerney "didn't even know about" these raises (including his own) until a reporter called him. How pathetic an answer!
We, Democrats - and they are mostly responsible hardworking officials - owe an apology to the taxpayers of Bergen for this unseemly behavior on the part of our top county official. This column will serve as my personal apology for the time and effort I put in to Dennis McNerney's campaign and to the residents of Bergen County for this travesty.
"I'm going to return it - probably" saiid Mr. McNerney. And if he does, along with the unseemly raises to the "top aides", I will apologize for my apology! I would also ask the incoming County Executive Kathe Donovan, to investigate exactly how raises are granted in Bergen County without the County Executive even "knowing about them". Interesting!
Speaking of the new County Executive, she is coming in to office with enormous good willl. I hope her actions will always justify that confidence. However, her first two appointments for County Administrator and Chief of Staff went to two Fair Lawn councilmembers. Without passing judgment on their qualifications, I do believe their service on the Council should end pretty quickly. It is difficult to avoid problems when trying to serve two constituencies like this. Their terms of office do not end until 2013, so I hope they will be asked to resign well before then.
Sorry for spending so much time on politics in my own County of Bergen, but these actions required some extra spotlight.
Chris Christie's spin machine has been at it again since Election Day, doing everything it can to try and claim some kind of mandate for or validation of the Governor's politics and governing philosophy. In trying to do so, he's tied himself in rhetorical knots. Amazingly, the press has given him a free pass on this one.
Here's what New Jersey's Chief Executive Spinner had to say after Election Day (video courtesy of NJN):
I really felt like we needed to bring some balance back to the congressional delegation, and I saw [the 3rd Congressional District race] as the best opportunity for us to do it...That's why the Runyan/Adler race was to me the most important.
So the 3rd Congressional District was the most important race to him, where the candidate he endorsed and campaigned for won. Quite an interesting statement, especially considering he sang a very different tune only the day before Election Day:
"Brought in by the Jersey anthem "Born to Run" but his accent now distinctly twanged from his tumbleweed campaign tour of the country, Christie repeatedly staked his name on hometown Hamiltonian Goodwin.
"I said from the beginning that the most important race was Tom Goodwin in the 14th District," said the governor. "He's been the hardest working candidate in New Jersey this year, and that's why he's going to win."
Christie's "guy," of course, lost in LD14, so he clearly needed to change his "most important race" to suit his political agenda. The question I have is, where's the media on this? They've been almost eager to find validation of the Governor's politics, but you'd have to think even this brazen attempt to change facts would be subject to some basic reporting.
While we celebrate having avoided the Republican deluge in other states, let's not forget that the NJ landscape is now more slippery than before. The unexpected can happen: "No Way" can become "Yes Way." We better get our ass in gear for 2011 and 2012.
I can't say I am surprised this morning by what happened in Bergen County. The urge for voters to usher out the era of Joe Ferriero was palpable here. Charlie Stile got it right.
This was a referendum on Joe Ferriero, the disgraced Bergen County Democratic Chairman. His favorite candidates in previous elections and those who could be counted on to be loyal to him lost badly last night. Particularly County Executive Dennis McNerney - who I dubbed the "3 million dollar man" because that is what Ferriero's BCDO spent on him in his previous election.
Sheriff Leo Mcquire - "Mr. Personality" whose name was often thrown around as someone who would straighten us Real Bergen Dems out when we got unruly at internal BCDO elections, was also a major FOJ (friend of Joe). He reminds me of the top cop in Boardwalk Empire who is always hanging with Nucky. Definitely one of Joe's all time favorite candidates.
Then we go to James Carroll, a Thomas Nast caricature if ever there was one. Larger than life with the uncanny ability to turn a flaming crimson when reformer and former Hasbrouck Heights councilwoman Carol Skiba would walk into the Freeholder meetings to collect ammunition in her fight against Pay to Play. Carroll, a dual office holder for years with an additional gig as Mayor of Demarest, finally was convinced to ditch the Mayor position to seek re-election, also appears to have lost the Demarest Mayor seat for the BCDO just by association.
Unfairly or not, Elizabeth Calabrese was also seen as a Joe Ferriero candidate. She also shares a last name with some of the most colorful politicians in Eastern Bergen County. In fact, because of the way Joe Ferriero handed out cash for elections, he ALWAYS wanted something in return, which is why ANY candidate who took Joe's money for an election and stayed in his favor appeared suspect to Bergen County voters.
Kathe Donovan is an interesting figure. She is popular with Independents and Democrats here. Because they TRUST her. The BCRO hates her because they feel she was too independent. If you ask me, I believe the Republican freeholder candidates were carried in on Donovan's coattails. She always would win elections even when the BCRO couldn't get a shred of respect due to their constant Keystone Cops approach to Bergen County elections. The BCRO was joke, which was why the reformer dems stepped up - the BCRO was ineffectual at being the opposition party to Joe Ferriero's antics.
NJEA's Political Action Committee, NJEA PAC, has three ads running on local cable stations, promoting John Adler for Congress, Linda Greenstein for the LD-14 state senate seat, and Bergen County Executive Dennis McNerney. who is running for re-election.
Adler's ad went up just yesterday the Greenstein and McNerney spots have been running since last Friday. Adler ad is below; Greenstein and McNerney ads, after the jump.
Each week, Blue Jersey Radio streams LIVE with Trenton's latest buzz, interviews with newsmakers, and your stimulating calls.
This week: We're joined by Bergen County Freeholder Candidate Camille Abate who's running as an independent in November in a race that will determine control in New Jersey's most populous County.
Have an opinion about that? Drop 'em in the comments.
And, of course, we're LIVE from 8:00 to 8:30 p.m. tonight, so you can have your say. We'll ready for your calls at: (646) 652-2773
With two weeks to go, the Teaneck Democratic Municipal Committee held a candidates' forum and GOTV event on Sunday. After subtracting aides and speakers there were about 37 attendees, equivalent to 0.1% of Teaneck's population - perhaps a sign of Democratic apathy during this election moment. The focus of attention was on Representative Rothman and the five county candidates. Teaneck's legendary Senator Weinberg introduced each speaker.
From the states' Division of Elections, my source for data, Bergen County voter registration is 48% unaffiliated, 31% Democrats, and 21% Republicans, but county Republicans have been making gains in the last two years. In 2006 and 2007 Democrats won the seats. In 2008 Republican Kathleen Donovan won the County Clerk job by 10,500 votes, and three Democrats won the freeholder positions. In 2009 two Republicans won the freeholder jobs. Now following Christie's election, with property tax concerns, in a distressed economy, and with an anti-incumbency mood, the Democrats are more challenged.
Representative Steve Rothman, in his seventh 2-year term in office, spoke volubly about his achievements following his habit of periodically raising his voice and heightening his enthusiasm over key points. He overwhelmingly won his last election with 105,853 votes against his opponent's 40,879 votes, and has a slimmer but sufficient edge (NY Times says 99.8% chance) to win the race.
County Executive Dennis McNerney, serving a second term, has a particularly steep challenge. In a low-key presentation he spoke about sharing and consolidating services, green space and parks, and expense cutting. In 2006 he was re-elected with a 53,000 vote margin. However, in more recent years controversies among county Democrats and scandals within his party have not helped him. In a testy debate last week his opponent Kathleen Donovan said she would freeze the tax rate for a year and then hold increases at or below the level of inflation. She also trumpeted her reductions in the county clerk's budget. In late September an internal Republican Party poll showed Donovan holding a 13-point lead over McNerney, whereas, in August a Democratic Party poll reported a tighter contest with a 4% lead for Donovan. GOTV and anticipated increased ad spending will be necessary to turn around McNerney's fate, as well as that of the three freeholder candidates where issues include pay-to-play, taxes and infrastructure. After some good years, times have become harder for Bergen County Democratic office holders.
This is becoming a pattern. First the Governor changed the message of the Bergen County races when he tried to scrap the Blue Laws. That effort died a painful death, but not before it created a skirmish between Dennis Mcnerney and his opponent in the County Executive race, Kathleen Donovan who wouldn't challenge Christie on his plans and tried to split the difference saying the voters should make the call.
Calling it a "major benefit for Bergen County taxpayers," Kathe Donovan, Republican candidate for Bergen County executive, applauded a governor's commission proposal to dismantle the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority.
Well there are a few problems that the McNerney campaign pointed out, including the fact that she came out in support of a plan she didn't even see basing her response on a newspaper article:
Last night, Kathleen Donovan jumped in line behind Governor Christie and sold out Bergen County again. In fact, she signed on to support the Governor's latest crippling plan for Bergen without even seeing it. This plan is nothing more than a government bailout at the expense of Bergen County taxpayers. The fact that Miss Donovan would support a plan she has never seen that is potentially devastating to the county because of a newspaper report is disturbing. Unfortunately, this disinterest in details at the expense of Bergen residents has been commonplace for Miss Donovan.
To be fair, she did say the Xanadu proposal might require further review although she nearly came out in support of that too:
"Before any state support is committed to this project we should be fully aware of the public's risk," she said. "However, the potential for construction and full time employment should make this project's ultimate success a top priority."
Maybe that means she'll actually read the commission report before deciding to jump on the Christie bus.
Let's start with the recent Supreme's ruling on "honest services". I'm not a lawyer and can't pass any legal judgment on what this ruling actually means for many of the NJ pols caught in the web created by this federal law. But apparently, this past Friday was Joe Ferriero's birthday and some Bergen County "worker bees" thought the court ruling was a great gift for their Chairman. Hence Mr. Ferriero's "Wall" on his facebook page which is available for anyone to see - even if you're not a "friend" to the former Democratic Chair. A few Ferriero minions, and current employees took time to wish "their Chairman" a happy birthday and to celebrate their joy and implicit hope that he will soon be back! They were almost giddy in their excitement. Folks like a former Freeholder, a relative of a County Prosecutor, a young employee slated for future promotion, etc. How disappointing. The legality of Mr. Ferriero's situation will soon be sorted by the judicial system. But why do so many think that the kind of behavior evidenced by Mr. Ferriero should be celebrated? He and Dennis Oury hid their ownership of a grant consulting company hired by several Bergen communities over which they had an undue influence. Actions which caused embarrassment (and legal expenses) to some of the elected officials in those towns and certainly to our party. A cause for celebration? Certainly for him on a personal basis, but for government and for our party....certainly not!
More News To Make You Feel Sick. Family planning funds! I assume that by now most of you know that the Governor removed every penny of the $7.5 million dollars used to provide health services to uninsured and underinsured women in our state. Outrageous! Along with several of my democratic women colleagues in both the Assembly and the Senate, we've been fighting to get these dollars restored. Look back to Thursday's Assembly Budget Committee hearing on our supplemental bill. Assemblywoman Linda Stender and I appeared along with several advocates and professionals from the family planning centers. There sat Assemblyman and Republican State Chair, Jay Webber! In response to testimony on how many unintended pregnancies are avoided through services provided by these agencies, (yep, that means birth control) Republican State Chair Jay Webber went on to say how offended he was about reducing the cost of children who could have been been born had these families not avoided pregnancy. Children important to our future. This is the second decade of the 21st Century and I was sitting there in my "mature" years arguing about uninsured women's right to practice birth control! An issue that was fought and won early in the last century. Outrageous indeed!! In watching the clip of my "exchange" with the Republican State Chair, my anger is evident, but not nearly as evident as what I felt. Where are the good Republican women (and some of the great guys who sit alongside them)? They must speak out against moving women back to a time when they had so little control over their reproductive lives. This is not about abortion. It is about access to birth control.
And then there was the clip of the Governor on 101.5 being questioned by Eric Scott about women's health services as he protested several times "this has nothing to do with mammograms" or with women's health. HIV testing, breast exams, birth control, pap smears, pre-natal exams, and pregnancy counseling has nothing to do with women's health? How insulting. He went on to argue that he supposed these funds were "not important" or they would have been reinstated. What crass treatment of the women of New Jersey. We will be fighting this today during our Senate and Assembly sessions. I am confident we will have the necessary votes to move the bill. However, without the help of Republican women, we will not have the votes to override a possible veto by the Governor. The bill makes it clear that the money cannot and will not be used for abortion services, and it provides a clear funding source without addition to the bottom line of the budget. Maybe the Governor will hear from enough women across the state so he will join us in recognizing that these programs are not Democrat or Republican, Conservative or Liberal programs. They are about Women's Health!
And so today is the time when we stand up for our core ideals and vote on a Republican constructed budget which cuts taxes for millionaires and increases taxes for low income workers in New Jersey. A budget which makes New Jersey one of only 5 or 6 states that does not fund family planning centers. A budget which cuts school and municipal aide by hundreds of millions of dollars, increases the cost of commuting on our buses and rails, does away with senior property tax rebates, and increases a myriad of fees. Enough to make all of us sick.
One bright spot of the week was Saturday night's elegant Garden State Equality Dinner. Great to watch Senators Nia Gill, Ray Lesniak and former Senator Bill Baroni being inducted into the Garden State Hall of Fame. Even sweeter joining Senator Frank Lautenberg on stage as he received the "Loretta Weinberg Lifetime Achievement Award" (that was a shameless commercial) and announced to the 600 folks in the audience that the Docs said his cancer was in remission. Hooray, and may he continue his outstanding service for many more years to come!
Following the logic of Kathy Donovan, candidate for Bergen County executive can give you a headache. First, she was challenged by Dennis McNerney to oppose the Governor letting the millionaire's tax expire. Instead of joining in that call, she called it "populist rhetoric":
He still believes that taxing residents is the answer to everything. And he doesn't undderstand that placing undue burdens on any one element of society ultimately forces greater burdens on everyone else."Taxes in New Jersey are confiscaory. Taxpayers who can are voting with their feet, and moving elewhere, leaving the burden to those who remain. Mr. McNerney's populist rhetoric is totally transparent.
That's right, asking millionaires to help while everyone else is feeling more pain by the day is just populist rhetoric. But while she says we should lay off the millionaires, she's scrambling to find any way but scrapping the blue laws to raise money and is looking toward the billionaires:
"New Jersey taxpayers and not billionaire team owners from New York should be the beneficiaries of this windfall," Donovan wrote in a letter to Christie. "You have asked all taxpayers, homeowners, teachers, public employees, boards of education, municipalities and others to sacrifice. Shouldn't the Jets and Giants be included? "
I wonder how Donovan drew the line that millionaires shouldn't be included with her request of the Jets and Giants to share the burden? I guess the billionaires aren't populist rhetoric and it's wrong to tax the rich, unless they're really really rich. You would think McNerney would continue to drive these issues relentlessly throughout the campaign.
"Kathleen Donovan has been a politician for three decades, so she should know the ramifications mass transit fare hikes and massive education funding cuts will have for Bergen County taxpayers and their children," McNerney said. "Ms. Donovan should join me in asking the Governor to reconsider his tax cut for the rich before they decide to make Bergen County's middle class balance the state's checkbook."
Instead of asking the Governor to reconsider, she said placing undo burdens on some people hurts everyone. She wasn't willing to stand up to her Governor, but the latest Christie proposal to get rid of the Blue Laws that keep businesses closed on Sundays in order to get the tax revenues has invaded the County Executive talk:
"Clearly, this is an issue that should and will be left to the voters," said Donovan, who has said she would vote against the repeal. Donovan has also noted that the courts have upheld a local Paramus ordinance prohibiting work of any kind on Sundays.
That response didn't end the issue as McNerney pressed further calling on Donovan to join him in demanding the removal of the proposal from the Governors budget altogether. The Blue Laws don't necessarily break down along party lines and while they don't make sense to many outside of Bergen County, there has always been a fight to get rid of them in the past. How much will Donovan stand up to her Governor in order to fight his plan? No doubt the Democrats will take every opportunity to raise the issue and make her stand up further than saying there should be a referendum. The Bergen County Republicans viewed this seat as an opportunity opportunity for a pickup, but Democrats have speculated the tide is turning as the Governor adds some extra hurdles in the race.
Say what you want about former BCDO Chairman Joe Ferriero, but he knew how to rack up Democratic wins in Bergen County. As for his successor, Michael Kasparian, 2009 didn't look too good but let's not give him all of the blame for the loss of two freeholder seats and a near draw between Christie and Corzine in the backyard of the very popular Democratic Lieutenant Governor candidate. After all, he did have to come in on the heels of a cloud of corruption and it didn't go away (probably still hasn't). That being said, Kasparian did say that he was not going to be the same type of leader as Ferriero and would have more transparency in the BCDO. I assume he also had a goal of restoring the tarnished image of the BCDO.
Which makes the information I have been hearing that much more puzzling as well as maddening.
Now, knowing that Scott Garrett is by far one of the most out of step Congressmen, tucked safely in a district that is hand drawn for a Republican to hold on the Congressional level and the desire for the Bergen Democrats to lay as low as possible, I can understand a level of concern, given the county and statewide election results last November. But I have heard from at least four different people in four different parts of the county who have spoken to three very well known and high profile people high up in the BCDO - all of whom have indicated the chosen strategy of the BCDO (and I am paraphrasing):
We think it would be best to not run a challenger to Scott Garrett in the hopes that Republican voter turnout will be depressed and our local candidates will have a better chance of winning
Where to even begin here? How about the following reasons why this is quite possibly the absolute dumbest and worst political strategy I have seen in a good long time:
Republicans are more motivated this year than in the past 6 years. To think that they won't be coming out stronger and hope they will forget there is an election is fantasyspeak;
Having no Congressional candidate will not "free up motivated volunteers" to help with, for example, Freeholder, County Executive, County Sherriff or other lower tier races - local races where quite frankly, most people don't know or care enough to get involved;
Voter turnout in an off year (i.e., non-Presidential) is low as is - without giving the base a real reason to vote - and voting just for downticket races is hardly reason enough to get the full base out to vote - will only depress Democratic turnout further;
Sending a signal that you don't even want to field a top of the ticket candidate is a message of fear - a losing message. This will likely (1) depress the base vote further, (2) depress the motivated activists who would otherwise vote for an entire ticket, tell their friends and neighbors to do the same, volunteer and talk up the race and (3) create a backlash and resentment among those who know the damage that Scott Garrett does to the people of this district; and
Give the impression that an attempt to save their own personal political lives is more important than helping those constituents who they hope will elect (or re-elect) them to serve.
What message does it send to me - a motivated activist who has spent the better part of my four years living in New Jersey working to oust Garrett? That I should not only suck it up and let Garrett walk to a win - even if he ends up embroiled in his own horrific scandal - but I should also be a sport and team player and have all of my friends and neighbors come out and vote for downticket candidates because why?
And I know that there are hundreds of people like me - people who can get hundreds more to vote for a whole slate of Democrats. What the Bergen Democrats don't realize, just like the New Jersey Democrats who don't understand Garden State Equality's stance on not donating to the Democratic Party as a whole, is that our votes, our time and our money is earned.
By not running a Congressional candidate, the Bergen Democrats are doing none of the above - and they will only lose by a larger margin than if they had a Congressional candidate.
Wow. What an election. The Statehouse. The Freeholder Boards. The Borough Halls. Across the State and across the board, Democrats lost big at the ballot box as New Jerseyans voted overwhelmingly for change.
This is particularly true here in Bergen County, where we Democrats are still trying to make sense of it all. Why did it happen? What are the implications? What should we do next?
John Agostinelli and Mark Bombace have been all over the 40th District campaigning to bring real world values to the State Assembly. From Ringwood to Verona, Mahwah to Wayne, they have proven that they are the leaders we need to bring reform and accountability to the Legislature.
But they still need your help.
In the next 48 hours, we need to get our voters to the polls so John and Mark can finish this campaign strong. Please call me at our campaign headquarters, (201) 857-2539, to make phone calls and get out the vote on Election Day.
This campaign is too important to sit on the sidelines. John and Mark will bring a new perspective to the State Assembly; common sense solutions to issues like public safety, education, and property taxes. They have the real world experience our legislature so badly needs.
If you need to find your polling location, click here, or if you have any issues voting please call 877-344-VOTE.
From the entire campaign, we thank all of our supporters. We could not have run this campaign without you.
Joe Ferriero has been on the stand defending himself at his trial and when pressed on using his influence to help get business, here was the exchange that took place:
Honig suggested that Ferriero set up a new business where he would recommend municipalities to pursue for business and use his "influence" to help get the grants get passed.
"By me having relationships," Ferriero asserted, backing away from the word "influence."
"Influence - that's your word," Honig said, referring to an e-mail between Ferriero and David Spatz, who eventually was hired by GGC to write grant applications.
"It's not a bad thing," Ferriero responded.
That's right, influence itself is not a bad thing. It's how you use that influence that determines whether there are problems. The defense rested their case today and the jury is scheduled to begin deliberations on Monday.
As we reach the last month of the campaign things are starting to heat up. We have been canvassing towns from Mahwah to Wayne and Verona to Wanaque - spreading our message of real world experience and accountable representation. A few weeks ago the fine Senator from the 37th District and candidate for Lieutenant Governor Loretta Weinberg even came into Little Falls to help us raise money. We hope to be working with her from Day One to bring effective leadership to the 40th District.
Matt's thoughts on redistricting - - promoted from the diaries by Rosi
I don't know what anyone else in the Blue Jersey community thinks, but I know nothing aggravates me more in New Jersey politics than the configuration of our current Congressional and Legislative Districts. If one were to GoogleIncumbent Protection Plan - New Jersey should be at the top of the list. Democrats and Republicans share the blame on this matter. Legislators cut deals all over the State to make their districts safer - and we should not let that happen again in 2010.
Competitive elections are the bedrock of effective and accountable representation. We need more "toss up" Senate and Assembly races up and down the State so that legislators are governing and serving the best interests of their constituents, and not best interests of corporate lobbyists and political insiders. I will address the political implications that will arise (for example 2 incumbent Senators from varying or like parties falling in the same district), but will not make political circumstances the basis for my analysis.
So in the interest of creating a more effective, and more importantly, more democratic, State Legislature, I am going to propose hypothetical legislative districts. My formula will be simple: New Jersey's population is approximately 8,682,661 people; therefore, each district should have roughly 217,067 people in them. Secondly, I will make every effort to keep municipalities together within a County - it makes sense from a logical and logistical standpoint. Finally, I will not breakup any cities or towns into separate districts. Democrats effectively broke up Newark and Jersey City during the last go round, and even though my party benefited from it, I still think it is wrong.
Some other notable points in how I will come about developing a hypothetical district: I will make every attempt to keep like communities together. For example, my hometown of Wanaque shares a regional high school with neighboring Ringwood; as such, there is no reason why we shouldn't share our State Senator and Assembly members. I will make every attempt to make as many districts as possible competitive and will only be looking at Bergen, Essex, Hudson, and Passaic counties in a vacuum-I don't know enough about local politics and municipalities in the other counties, so I wouldn't be able to render a fair assessment like I can for the aforementioned counties. Therefore, I will only be creating hypothetical districts for LD27 through LD40 (while plucking the Passaic towns from LD26 and excluding LD30, which for whatever reason is listed with North Jersey legislative districts).
Attorney Dennis Oury says his failure to tell his accountant about $25,000 he received from a grant consulting business is like the "innocent oversight" cited by former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie in neglecting to report interest income from a loan to a colleague.
Without mentioning the Republican gubernatorial candidate by name, Oury's defense lawyer, Gerald Krovatin, alluded to him in court papers seeking to strike certain language from a revised indictment as irrelevant to the crimes charged, and prejudicial to Oury.
Here's what they want changed and their justification for the motion:
Oury is seeking to strike language from four new counts, added in July, alleging willful failure to file tax returns for the years 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007.
The passages in question allege that from 2004 through 2007, Oury "concealed" from his personal accountant $25,000 he received from GGC in 2004 and only after he became aware of the grand jury probe in 2008 did he instruct his accountant to include that income.
Krovatin said Oury's memory was jogged by the investigation and, in an apparent reference to Christie, described the lapse as an oversight, "similar to an innocent 'oversight' of interest income from a personal loan to a colleague or friend."
Prosecutors opposed the motion made by Oury's team. I didn't think it was an oversight for Christie and I don't think it's one for Oury either. But it's certainly an interesting legal argument that keeps the Christie loan story in the news.
Earlier this week our campaign called for 6 debates , but I wanted to reiterate how important I think political debates are to the electoral process, and democracy in general. Career politician and Trenton Insider Scott Rumana refused to debate his opponents during the contested Republican primary and this is simply unacceptable. What is he doing to help the many families of the 40th District who are being affected by these difficult economic times? How is his Legislation improving the lives of his 40th District constituents and what he plans on doing if he gets reelected in November? Its time for Rumana to explain to his constituents why he should continue to represent them at a salary of $49,000 per year.
What is his plan for to help 40th District families that are struggling with out of control property taxes? How is he going to help bring money back to the 40th District for education and transportation improvements? Rumana and David Russo do not even have a campaign website-they both have been elected officials for the last 2 decades-a fact that is simply unacceptable.
We have been making a concerted effort in our campaign to use new mediums to reach voters to keep them up-to-date with where John Agostinelli and Mark Bombace stand on the issues, but also what they are doing day-to-day on the campaign trail. The next step in the process is the launching of our campaign website, www.40thDistrict.com. This website will serve as the launching point for our online operation and a resource where 40th District voters can learn about John and Mark and their history of community service and where they stand on the important issues facing their everyday lives.
However, the campaign has been on the Internet for some time now, most notably our Facebook Group which has been growing in numbers everyday. This is a place where you directly interact with the candidates (Mark often posts on the wall) and stay informed about campaign events, such as our Campaign Headquarters' Grand Opening on July 23rd at 7:30 pm. Already a member? That is great, I hope you will invite all of your friends to join the group. This is one small, generally easy task you could all do to help the campaign.
Is Facebook not your cup of tea? Then please follow John and Mark on Twitter, they update daily, usually while they are walking from house to house throughout the 40th District. Have your friends follow @40thDistrict to grow our numbers and spread our message of real world values and practical solutions for 40th District families.
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