Assemblywoman Pamela Lampitt of Cherry Hill has recently been chosen to chair a new committee to address women's and children's issues. I visited her in her Voorhees office today to learn about the goals of that committee as well as her opinions on other important issues. We discussed marriage equality, state education policy, the problems in nearby Camden, the setback for anti-bullying initiatives, and property tax reform. Also discussed was the slow pace of implementation of the medical marijuana law, where she proposed in interesting solution to the problem of finding dispensary sites.
Camden is a city in trouble and many politicians from Governor Christie to Mayor Redd to Senator Norcross and Assemblymen Wilson and Fuentes are getting a lot of press coverage. No doubt, there are a lot of bad people who are taking advantage of the city's inbred poverty and the Governor's cutbacks in public safety and education to the detriment of the law-abiding and struggling residents of that city. But the silver lining is that there are also residents who are quietly working below the radar to incrementally improve the situation there.
One such citizen is José Delgado, a retired investigator for the public defender and former long-time member of the Camden Board of Education. I spoke with Delgado this afternoon about crime, education, and the hopes for Camden's future.
The problem is that Moran's piece is full of illogic, botched facts, and self-contradiction.
Let's start with this:
Inside the Statehouse, within earshot of the rally, senators on the budget committee cast a vote that amounted to a punch in the gut. Public workers would pay more for less, bringing their health and pension benefits back to earth.
Wow - those benefits must be outrageous! We should cheer that we're getting these fat-cat public employees back under control!
Or, you know, not (from the same article):
"What do we do now?" asked Edward Pierce, a CWA member, one of hundreds at the rally wearing the union's trademark red t-shirt. "I think we need to take a more creative approach. They're coming after us."
That people like Pierce will lose health and pension benefits is no cause for celebration. He takes care of the disabled at a developmental center. He is no millionaire. He is not the greedy thug of the governor's imagination.
Well, Tom, which is it? Are middle-class public workers saddling the taxpayers with out-of-this-world benefits, or are he and his fellow workers not "greedy thugs"?
Mayor Dana Redd of Camden delivering the keynote address to the Camden Call to Service Summit sponsored by Citizens' Campaign. Part 1 is below, part 2 after the fold:
I arrived at the Adventure Aquarium in Camden in plenty of time to cover the annual meeting of the Greater Camden Partnership. The event staff showed me to the large ballroom with auditorium seating for the over 400 movers and shakers who would be attending. I set up my video camera on the left side of the room, against what I thought was a wall, near the podium.
Shortly after that, one of the aquarium staff walked by and pressed a button. The "wall" behind me turned out to be a heavy curtain, and it started to rise. Behind the curtain, I was face-to-face with a 500 pound shark along with dozens of other sea creatures in a 550,000 gallon aquarium. All that was separating me from the sharks and a watery deluge was a pane of glass.
First Lady Michelle Obama has taken on the challenge of reducing childhood obesity and improving nutrition among our young people. Like any initiative, this takes not only dedicated people, but also money.
Where will that money come from? At the federal level, Congress is intent on perpetuating wars of choice, tax cuts for the wealthy, and kickbacks to the robber barons of the financial "services" industry. Social programs are a prime target for John Boehner's cuts. At the state level here in New Jersey, the governor is more interested in tax breaks for his wealthy friends and subsidies for the gambling industry.
Fortunately, Camden, one of the poorest cities in the nation, has several benefactors that are stepping in to help combat childhood obesity. The most prominent and generous of these benefactors is the Camden-based Campbell's Soup Company.
Driving across the Ben Franklin Bridge into New Jersey, a visitor quickly sees the old Sears building on Admiral Wilson Boulevard. Built in the 1920s, the store was emblematic of the former prosperity of Camden. It was one of the first department stores to have a parking lot to accommodate those newfangled horseless carriages. Sears left the building in 1970, and it has been home to a diverse series of enterprises from a car dealership to a night club to a series of retail stores.
Completely vacant for the last six years, the neoclassical building has been on the list of sites for preservationists to defend from oblivion. It survived a demolition threat during the rehabilitation of the Admiral Wilson in preparation for the 2000 Republican National Convention in Philadelphia. The building's owner has made several promises with regard to its transformation, but has taken little action in the last several years.
By around 8pm tonight I'm going to need a new signature line here at Blue Jersey - it's been a link to a post I wrote - An Open Letter to the Next Democratic State Chair - with a few suggestions for Party reform to bump up Outreach, Transparency and Platform. I'm not the only one thinking reform.
The marriage equality fight was a moment of growing up, and new muscle, for the progressive forces in NJ. Losing says more about you folks in the Legislature - especially some of you Democrats - than it says about us. The new muscle - don't mistake it - grows around the way the leadership & membership of so many formerly-separate progressive groups stood together.
On Party leadership, I've said it's more about what's done than who's elected. Yeah. I've changed my mind. It's also about process. I wasn't thrilled with a press release from Asm John Wisniewski, saying he nabbed endorsement from all 21 County Chairs. The Chairs don't vote - the 113 State Committee members do (bylaws), and the release - while obviously a show of strength for a Chairmanship long ago worked out in a room somewhere - seemed an unfortunate admission that political orthodoxy, deals, and the Way Things Have Always Been Done are what rules.
I would be delighted with a floor fight tonight as the State Committee chooses Party leadership. But given how undemocratic this vote seems like it will be - with candidates stepping back in favor of their seniors, and politico dealmaking long before the vote - I don't think I'll see one (I'll probably get a lot of nasty looks tonight though, c'est la vie).
Dana Redd brought shame on her Party during marriage equality consideration, not only - as Asm Reed Gusciora points out - because she snubbed Julian Bond when he came to testify, but also because she made a point of avoiding the New Jersey citizens and Democratic Party rank-and-file who wanted to talk to her about it. I hope she gets last-minute competition tonight.
The vote tonight - 7pm at Forsgate Country Club - belongs to NJSDC State Committee, not the Chairs, not the dealmakers, not outgoing party structure. I think Asm Gusciora is right in calling on them to consider Redd's recent choices, and I hope tonight's vote is anything but boring.
For the last seven years, the state has gotten the last word on local actions taken by governing bodies from the planning board to the school board to city council. Newly elected Camden Mayor Dana Redd wants to put an end to that state control:
Seven years ago, the state implemented a $175 million bailout designed to invigorate commerce in Camden, a city weighed down by poverty, crime and corruption. In exchange, the governor got final say over the actions of governing bodies from the planning board to the school board to city council.
Now that most of that aid has been spent, Redd says it's time to put the mayor back in charge.
"I fully expect to be in control of leading the city," Redd said in an interview days after her easy victory.
New Jersey Gov.-elect Christopher J. Christie yesterday described the state takeover of Camden as mostly a "failure" and said he would work with Camden's next mayor to shift power back to the city.
"I'd like to return control of Camden to the City of Camden as quickly as I possibly could," he said after meeting with high school students in Hamilton Township, Mercer County. "My fundamental position is, I don't believe that the state should be controlling municipalities in New Jersey."
The Inquirer article says that State Legislators have considered loosening controls even before Christie takes office. While many leaders in Camden supported the initial takeover, there is a feeling that the state monies were not well allocated and control should be returned to local authorities. What do you think should be done with state control of cities like Camden?
From an email sent out by Chairman Angelini of Gloucester County and Beach of Camden County:
Donald W. Norcross was unanimously nominated today to be the Democratic candidate for the 5th District State Assembly seat being vacated by Speaker Joseph Roberts. Norcross, a longtime labor leader whose work on behalf of working families, charities and civic ventures has earned him the respect of ordinary citizens as well as government and community leaders, was chosen at a special meeting of the Camden and Gloucester Democratic county committees. A resident of Camden, Norcross will be seeking the position left open by Roberts' decision not to run for another term in the November election.
And a comment from the new Assembly candidate:
"I believe we must change the way business is done in Trenton," Norcross told hundreds of Democrats attending the meeting at Brooklawn American Legion Post # 72. "We must put our partisan differences and the special interests aside to do what is best for the ordinary, hard-working taxpayers of this state. The status quo is not working. The state government is wasting too much of our money."
Norcross called for a state-government spending freeze and a moratorium on tax increases. He said that if elected he will push initiatives to create jobs for the growing number of unemployed New Jerseyans, institute tax breaks and other economic incentives for small businesses and stimulate New Jersey's struggling economy."
Norcross will now run with Camden City Council President Angel Fuentes for the seats in November. The changes may not be done in the 5th however, as State Senator Dana Redd is expected to win Mayor of Camden. That would mean that a new Senator would be coming as well and Wally speculated about the implications of that change on a potential contest for Senate President. I'm sure there are varied opinions on this as always. Have at it, but let's try to keep it civil.
South Jersey sources report that Camden Mayor Gwendolyn Faison tonight announced she would not run for reelection in June, and endorsed the mayoral candidacy of state Sen. Dana Redd.
An overflow crowd of around two hundred people packed into and around a tent set up at Elijah Perry park in Camden this morning, as State Senator Dana Redd announced her candidacy for Mayor of Camden.
Redd was joined by elected officials from around the state including Senator Bob Menendez, Congressman Rob Andrews, Speaker Joe Roberts, Newark Mayor Cory Booker, State Senators Teresa Ruiz and Jim Beach, Assemblywoman Nilsa Cruz-Perez and more.
One by one, they praised Senator Redd for the woman she is, the work she has done and the work she will do as the hopeful future Mayor of Camden. Mayor Gwen Faison didn't endorse Redd, but was there on stage at the start saying:
"I'm the mayor that made Camden work. I'm here today because the city is bigger than me. My heart is with Camden. ...I am here to support anyone who will help the City of Camden. That is my statement."
Senator Menendez returned from the stimulus debate this morning in Washington to endorse Senator Redd. He compared her to President Obama, saying he believes she will be a fantastic Mayor. He pointed to her great relationships, as evidenced by the people in attendance, who can bring people together to get the job done.
Congressman Andrews pointed to the differences in neighborhoods on each side of the park. First he talked about the redone Roosevelt Manor section where Dana helped push through an Affordable Housing project. Then he talked about the Branch Village section, which still needs a great deal of work to give people the safe streets they deserve. Andrews said Dana will not just take credit for the work she's done, but recognize changes that still lie ahead.
Senator Ruiz said the her support for Redd was bitter sweet because their loss in the Legislature would be a great win for Camden. Speaker Roberts said flatly, "I Love Dana Redd".
Newark Mayor Cory Booker was on fire, talking about how this slate of leaders for Camden represented the Joshua generation standing on the shoulders of those who came before them. He talked about his ten year friendship with Redd and how she didn't talk about her personal struggles, but the problems facing Camden. Booker mentioned her profound vision and said she is a woman of faith, hope and a light so bright that she casts away shadows. He then endorsed and introduced Redd to a rousing ovation from the crowd.
Senator Redd talked about how she wants to make Camden the shining urban anchor of New Jersey. She said that no longer can the fight ward against ward, leader against leader, or black against Hispanic. Talking about her personal story as a forty year resident of Camden, she recognized the current situation facing the city:
"We are a city of many cultures, with a rich and unique history that we all should be very proud of," Redd said in announcing her candidacy at Elijah Perry Park. "At the same time, our eyes must be wide open to the many serious problems we face. We have been ranked as one of the nation's poorest cities - with too much crime, too few jobs, insufficient housing and sub-standard education denying us the quality of life we all deserve. But we are NOT poor in spirit, in talent, or in the desire to restore, rebuild and stabilize our neighborhoods."
It's still more than nine months before the general election on Nov. 3, but seven candidates -- four partisan and three independent -- have already picked up petitions to run. The names of all those who received petitions could not be confirmed.
The city's incumbent mayor, Gwendolyn Faison, said she still hasn't decided whether to run for a third term. Faison, 83, was appointed in 2000 to take over for Milton Milan, who stepped down on corruption charges.
If Dana Redd wins her race for Mayor of Camden, her departure from the Legislature in January would mean a special election convention for her State Senate seat ? and possibly a second one for the State Assembly if Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts were to move up to the Senate. One possible candidate to fill a legislative vacancy is labor leader Curtis Jenkins, a first-term Camden City Councilman.
The Camden local race could have a significant impact on state politics as a whole. If Speaker Roberts decided to move up to the Senate, who would take over his role as speaker? The first domino will fall this weekend with Redd's announcement, but many more could follow depending on how the race shakes out.
In politics, votes and support should be treated as a privilege to have, not a right, no matter how partisan a district or part of the country might be. As a resident of the 1st district and a Camden County Democrat, I'm concerned that we are treading a fine line that borders on taking the voters we serve for granted and subverting a democratic process for nominating Rob Andrews' replacement. On Blue Jersey, there have been multiple discussions about how this process needs to be completed, including one from last week; but as someone who lives in the district, volunteers for the Camden County Democrats, and is the incoming Haddonfield Democratic Club Vice President, I feel particularly invested in this congressional race and the tarnished image that the decision-making process leaves behind on our party. From my vantage, there is only one way to fix this broken process, though even this course of action would be imperfect.
For the Democratic primary on Tuesday, I wholeheartedly endorse Rob Andrews for U.S. senate. On a local level, Rob has been an active, responsive legislator for South Jersey - I know that he'll do the same for North Jersey and Central Jersey. For example, Andrews actively campaigned and went door-to-door with new state senator Dana Redd in one of the most Democratic legislative districts in the state, and he has quietly been building support for local Democrats by helping get Fran Bodine to switch parties in Burlington and by getting the Gloucester Township mayor to do the same. Many people here in district 1 know Rob by first name because he is so active with senior citizen groups, military, unions, and local companies; while delivering Andrews signs to a flooring business yesterday, I was told by the owner that he considered Rob "a brother," and I know that many of my fellow union members who have interacted with him feel the same way. Andrews has been known to help local residents who didn't have health insurance get the surgery and work they need done, too. In my town, Haddonfield, Andrews has met with the city mayor and commissioners to discuss the community's needs, helped with legislation to preserve Indian King Tavern, an historical landmark, and stood outside of a military recruiting station to bring attention to low wages paid to the military. He'll bring this responsiveness to local issues with him to Washington, and it won't just be for South Jersey.
Wolf Blitzer just interviewed Bob Menendez on CNN about whether Hillary used lines from John Edwards and Bill Clinton in in last night's debate. But Wolf also asked about Dana Redd's switch to support Obama.
Menendez' reply:
With all due respect to Senator Redd, I think that's more about Jersey politics than national politics.
Two more New Jersey superdelegates now say they are supporting Barack Obama, including one who had previously supported Hillary Clinton. This comes just one week after superdelegate Christine "Roz" Samuels announced she was switching her support from Clinton to Obama.
Various other South Jersey Clinton supporters - including three county chairs and several legislators - have also shifted to Obama's camp.
Two New Jersey superdelegates said that they would support Barack Obama for President: Donald Norcross, the Co-Chairman of the Camden County Democratic Party, and State Sen. Dana Redd, who had previously backed Hillary Clinton. And several key Clinton supporters in South Jersey have also flipped to Obama, including Senate Majority Leader Steve Sweeney, Democratic County Chairmen James Beach (Camden), Rick Perr (Burlington) and Michael Angelini (Gloucester), Camden Mayor Gwendolyn Faison, and South Jersey Democratic leader George Norcross, one of the state's most powerful political insiders.
This is a net pickup of two super delegates for Obama and a loss of one for Clinton. Also endorsing Obama: State Sen. Fred Madden, and Assemblyman Paul Moriarty. [...]
"It's clear the people have spoken. It's time to unite behind a single candidate and that's Senator Obama," said Redd. "He will have won, by the end of this contest, more popular votes, more primaries, more caucuses, more delegates elected by the people and deserves to be our nominee. He has met the burden of proof to be the Democratic nominee and our next President. While we have a great deal of respect for Senator Hillary Clinton's long history and commitment to public service, the results of the past few weeks made us realize it's time for a new direction."
These are almost all the key players in the South Jersey Democratic party leadership.
Senator Barbara Buono assumed the chair of the powerful Senate Budget & Appropriations Committee just in time to hear exec branch policy wonks discuss Corzine's debt restructuring plans. (Note to self: next time, bring a book.)
At press time they are still at it so stay tuned for the substantive detail. (Basically the Governor's surrogates are making the pitch, echoing much of what Corzine laid out in this state-of-the-state. Followed by questions from lawmakers which I may or may not stick around for.)
But for now I have some anecdotal observations to share.
First of all, Madam Chair ain't messing around kids. So turn your phone off and take the chit chat elsewhere. Those were the new "groundrules."
Then there's that punctuality thing. Erstwhile Chairman Bernard Kenney tended to run pretty late out of the gates. And Wayne Bryant before him was worse (usually.) But this term we'll be starting on time. Today that meant 3pm and I couldn't be more thrilled to not be waiting around just to wait around.
Senators Ruiz, Redd wait for their first panel hearing to commence.
I should have known something was different when I arrived early and saw newly minted Senators Teresa Ruiz of Newark and Camden's Dana Redd prepping for their first day, presumably shaking off some first day jitters.
"How adorable," I thought to myself, "the newbies are early. I wonder if I should bring them a Snickers (because it's gonna be a while.")
Turns out they were simply early for work, preparing to join Buono on the budget panel.
Senator Buono (D-Middlesex) welcomes Senator Cunningham (D-Jersey City)
In addition to Ruiz and Redd, Senators Stack, Cunningham, O'toole, Oroho and Hanes were all joining this Senate panel. Tom Kean Jr. was a re-joiner. Wearing an arm-cast no less. (Let's hope he didn't hurt his hand punching liberal bloggers in the nose.)
Kean started off last session on this panel but took a hiatus. Ten points for the best haiku or limerick to explain why you think he took the sabbatical. Be clever and sympathetic.)
It's tough to make any conclusions when they are still yackety-yacking, so I will part with a prediction: these pols will get their hits in and say what they have to say and Corzine's plan will pass in relatively short order. I would GUESS mid-March at the latest.
When 2007 began, women held just 23 of the 120 seats in the New Jersey Legislature. That's only 7 women in the Senate out of 40, and only 16 Assemblywomen out of 80. Of those 23 female legislators, 16 were Democrats, including 5 of the 7 Senators.
What a difference a dayweek year can make. Turns out, my predictions last week kinda sorta came true, with the recent unpleasantness producing two brand new Assemblywomen, Elease Evans (LD-35) and Mila Jasey (LD-27), and a very likely winner this fall added to the 38th District ballot, Connie Wagner.
Add them to primary winners earlier this year - likely future Senators Dana Redd (LD-5), Teresa Ruiz (LD-29), and Sandra Cunningham (LD-31); and likely future Assemblywomen Cleopatra Tucker (LD-28), Grace Spencer (LD-29) and Caridad Rodriguez (LD-33), and suddenly, the Legislature is starting to feel a little more estrogenated. Without a single upset in November, we're already looking at a record 10 women in the Senate (8 of them Democrats), and a record 21 women in the Assembly (16 of them Democrats).
That's right - there will be more Democratic women in the legislature next year than there are women total there now. Historic, yes. But, still nowhere near where we ought to be.
Of course, there's still more story to tell, because it wouldn't be election season if there weren't a cool upset or two brewing. With a record number of women challenging Republicans all over the state, how many more women do you think can land in the legislature next year?
*Take the poll* on the flip (and share the reasons for your votes in the comments):
Diversity has come slowly and painstakingly to the New Jersey state legislature, no doubt, a legislative body that often serves as a pipeline to NJ's congressional delegation. Some with little conscience for social justice might say "we" are post-race or post-gender and thus shouldn't even bother with a diary about this kind of thing, but we progressives know better, especially in the wake of the recent Supreme Court decision that, for all practical purposes, overturns the 1954 Brown decision.
In the state senate, the new gender breakdown among the minority membership of the upper chamber will be radically altered, and not just the minimum 4-3 split. It could likely be an even more significant 5-2. It would be yet another sign of the turnover this election cycle, and points to one more way the dynamic in the Statehouse will be different come January '08.
