As the days go by, the situation continues to change in Burlington County. Yesterday, I got a notice reminding me of a Special Meeting to elect a new Chairman of the Democratic Committee on February 4. It said in part:
As there is some confusion as to the status of the forthcoming special meeting
The letter covered what they said were allegations made in reference to the special meeting that required them to "respond in an honest effort to clear the record." To be honest, I'm not fully clear on the acting designations, but the letter covered who is authorized to send notice of meetings and alleged procedural irregularities with the resolution. Herb Conaway had introduced a resolution at the last committee meeting calling for an election on that date, rather than in June as had been anticipated.
Today I opened my mailbox and had another letter, this from Acting Chairwoman Alice Furia:
By now you have heard about a special meeting scheduled for February 4, 2010 at Kove II, which purportedly has as its purpose the election of an "interim chairman" for the Burlington County Democratic Committee. Such an election will not take place or be recognized on that date. Pursuant to the advice and opinion of legal counsel, the special meeting February 4, 2010, to the extent it seeks to elect an interim chairman for the BCDC, is absolutely contrary to and violates the BCDC's by-laws. Therefore, any action taken at that meeting purporting to elect an interim chairman shall not be recognized, and will be declared null and void. The election iwll take place in June - as scheduled - pursuant to and as required by the BCDC's by-laws, and will take place on the first Tuesday immediately folllowing the primary election.
Along with the letter came a legal opinion from the firm of Zucker Steinberg with respect to whether an election can be held February 4:
Since the BCDC by-laws do not permit the selection of a Chair on an interim basis, any attempt to do so through a special meeting is ultra vires and therefore, void.
In fact, if a Chairperson were to be elected on an interim basis, that election would breach the by-laws and unjustly infringe upon the duties specifically assigned to the Vice Chair.
What a mess, I can only imagine what I'm going to find in my mailbox tomorrow.
Once again, South Jersey finds itself in a constitutional dispute anbout its border.Yesterday, the Army Corps of Engineers announced it is going ahead with the Delaware River dredging program, and both New Jersey and Delaware are considering suing. The Corps will not wait for environmental reviews to be completed, as the federal government now claims it does not need state permission "if the project is needed to maintain navigation." The project is unpopular in New Jersey and Delaware because it benefits Pennsylvania's Port of Philadelphia but puts the environmental damage on Delaware and New Jersey, potentially releasing toxic material now trapped in the river bottom.
"I'm extremely disappointed that the Army Corps is trying to circumvent New Jersey's strong environmental protection processes and plow blindly ahead with its dredging plan. I have directed the Attorney General to prepare legalaction to stop this irresponsible move unless the Army Corps suspends it plan infavor of allowing the environmental review process to be completed.
"Governor Rendell has given me personal assurance, and public assurance, that any spoils from the dredging will be taken by Pennsylvania. Until the Army Corpy has participated in New Jersey's environmental review process, however, I must take action to ensure that the people of our state are fully protected and these spoils are not dumped on South Jersey."
In other words, the Corps is breaking our deal with Pennsylvania.
I got this email yesterday about an effort to pass a comprehensive health care reform bill including the choice of a public insurance plan within the year:
Last week, we began circulating an open letter from state legislators to the Obama Administration and Congress articulating important principles for reform, including a public plan. The letter will be delivered by a delegation of legislators to meetings with the White House and Congressional leaders in June.
In just over a week, the letter has gathered over 200 signatures from 36 different states, including one from your home state of New Jersey.
That one Legislator signed on to the effort from New Jersey is the Chairman of the Assembly Health and Senior Services Committee Herb Conaway. Here's what the group says about their efforts:
States are on the front lines of health care. As state budgets constrict, states and the federal government must collaborate to ensure that existing health care programs are robust and that new measures to improve health care in America achieve the fundamental goal of quality and affordable health care for all.
States are known as the laboratories for reform, and state lawmakers possess keen lessons-learned that can inform the development of a federal health care policy. These lessons go beyond the policies of health care reform, such as how to expand access to coverage, reduce health disparities, improve health insurance markets, develop quality improvement initiatives, and reduce prescription drug costs. State legislators have developed the political strategies needed to move progressive health care strategies in states - building coalitions among colleagues, collaborating with key stakeholders like small businesses and consumer advocates, and developing media strategies to inform the public and media about bold legislation and expand public support for reform.
State legislators are a key power constituency in the broader health care reform effort by helping to frame the public agenda in their state. Through legislative proposals, media campaigns, public hearings, and other strategies for influencing public discourse, state legislators can help maintain the public drumbeat for bold and progressive federal health care reform.
I know there are many would who would prefer to see a single payer option, but if that goal isn't reached we will have to consider other possibilities to solve the problem. If you think this is a good idea and would like to contact your State Legislators to have them sign on to this effort, you can click here or on the badge above. They plan to bring a delegation of legislative health care leaders to Washington to share the insights and lessons learned, and map a strategy for coordinating state and federal health care reform efforts. I'll put the full text of the letter below the fold.
It's time to talk about the flu. The Assembly will convene a special hearing that will be a joint meeting of the Assembly Health and Senior Services Committee and the Homeland Security and State Preparedness Committee on Monday at 11 a.m. with a long lists of guests are expected to attend:
Heather Howard, New Jersey Health and Senior Services Commissioner;
Richard L. Cañas, Director, New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness;
Lucille Davy, New Jersey Education Commissioner;
Ernesto Butcher, Chief Operating Office, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey;
Dr. Susan Walsh, New Jersey Deputy Health and Senior Services Commissioner, Public Health Services;
David Gruber, New Jersey Senior Assistant Health and Senior Services Commissioner, Health Infrastructure Preparedness and Emergency Response;
New Jersey State Police Lt. Col. Jerome Hatfield, Deputy Superintendent of Homeland Security;
Gerald Zernotica, New Jersey Assistant Education Commissioner, Division of Finance;
Pam Castellanos, New Jersey Department of Education, Executive Assistant. Division of Field Services;
Anthony Bland, New Jersey Department of Education, state coordinator for school safety.
Here's what the co-chairs had to say about why they convened the joint meeting:
"This hearing will hopefully alleviate some of the public's concerns about the H1N1 flu and what it means to New Jerseyans," said Assemblyman Herb Conaway. "The public must feel confident that New Jersey is ready to address this outbreak."
"The public should know how their government is preparing to handle it," said Assemblyman Fred Scalera. "We have no cause for panic, and seek to reassure the public that the state is implementing a smart and coordinated approach and that the best monitoring, precautions, information sharing and health care is being employed to keep the public safe."
The hearings come as NJ's apparent first local case of person to person transmission was announced:
The 22-year-old woman from Burlington County "had a connection" to a local family whose three confirmed cases were announced the day before, county health officials said. While the family had traveled to Mexico, she had not - suggesting that she got the disease from one of them. All the illnesses were mild.
As a precaution, health officials closed some schools in New Jersey and Delaware. Hainesport Township School in Burlington County, N.J. will be closed until at least Wednesday while officials await initial test results from two students who have flu-like symptoms.
The announced a toll free hotline last week that is displayed on the Governor's website to provide people with information and answer their questions. What do you make of the reaction to the Flu threat? Many have said this is a media sensation, it's overblown and that there are more casualties from the regular flu each year. But there has been a great deal of concern from people who are supposed to know how concerned we should be. I'm no medical expert, but I do know I didn't expect the county to be passing out medical masks at the doctor's offices.
There are tens of thousands of Americans -- not drug abusers, but people suffering real pain from life-threatening diseases -- who swear by marijuana as the best, sometimes the only, medicine that takes away their pain and nausea or restores their vision.
We don't think the government has the right to tell these people what substances they can or cannot use to take away their pain. Americans who are suffering from terminal diseases should have the freedom to use whatever works best for their symptoms and specific pains. If marijuana is what works, so be it.
And they point out some of the costly opposition that has hindered allowing medical marijuana to help those in need along with the many states that have overcome it:
Heavy lobbying from several multibillion-dollar industries, including beer and liquor producers and pharmaceutical firms, has long kept marijuana classified as a Schedule I drug by the federal government. That puts it off limits for government research into its medical qualities and makes it illegal to possess in all forms and quantities.
But state governments have shown they can see things more clearly and that there can be ways to balance patients' needs with society's needs. Thirteen states have some version of a medical marijuana exception to the federal law.
They close by saying now is the time:
We're confident such an exception can happen in New Jersey, and it should. The Assembly ought to approve this bill. Let those New Jerseyans already using marijuana to get through each day without unbearable pain stop having to hide what they do for fear of pointless prosecution.
The ball is in the Assembly's court. I think this editorial is slightly more significant because it appears in one of the newspapers that serves the Legislative district of Herb Conaway, the chairman of the Assembly Health committee. Approval in the committee is the next step before it can go before the full Assembly.
Attorney General Eric Holder signaled a change on medical marijuana policy Wednesday, saying federal agents will target marijuana distributors only when they violate both federal and state law.
That would be a departure from the policy of the Bush administration, which targeted medical marijuana dispensaries in California even if they complied with that state's law.
On NBC Nightly news this past weekend, they ran a segment discussing the shift in policy:Jay Lassiter already posted a video giving us a look at the medicine he needs to take. This is what a former US Marine with Multiple Sclerosis had to say about his dilemma:
I've never had a criminal record, I'm a veteran of war, I graduated high honors from Rutgers. And now all of a sudden I'm public enemy number one because I don't want to be sick all day. You know, it makes no sense.
The next step is for the bill to be scheduled in the Health and Senior Services Committee which is chaired by Assemblyman Herb Conaway. Will this apparent shift in Federal Policy influence the debate as it goes forward on the state level here in New Jersey?
Some of the largest gains in the 2008 election for Democrats were seen in Burlington County. We saw a great many firsts for the party. Congressman Adler became the first democrat elected for the NJ3 in over 100 years. Two democratic freeholder and County Clerk were also elected on the county level for the first time in over 20 years. Now we look to this election year, where control of the freeholder board will be up for grabs. Rumors abound that at least one Republican incumbent is not planning to seek re-election. That served as the backdrop to a visit this morning before a packed house for the County Committee breakfast by Governor Corzine and State Chairman Joe Cryan. Also in attendance were the new Democratic County Freeholders and the Assemblymen from the 7th District, Herb Conaway and Jack Conners.
The Governor talked about everything from SCHIP and the stimulus, to transportation funding and veterans issues. He touched on the upcoming election and the opportunities Burlington County Democrats will have.
He also took questions from the audience on foreclosure issues and received an invitation to participate in a debate during the general election from the Veterans for Education, who sponsored Adler/Myers and Andrews/Glading debates last cycle.
The first black legislator to be elected to serve in Trenton was former Assemblyman Dr. Walter Gilbert Alexander, of Orange, NJ. The son of former slaves, Alexander was elected in 1920 and served for two term. Governor Corzine honored Asm. Alexander and former Senator Dr. Hutchins F. Inge, of Newark yesterday in an event meant to remember our state's first black legislators. Five points to anyone who can name a current member of the legislature who -- like Alexander and Inge -- is a physician.
Kids in Hunterdon County are less likely to grow up near or below the poverty line than their counterparts in Cumberland County. The Association for Children of New Jersey takes a look at all twenty-one NJ counties and ranks them according to the well-being of the children who live there. Take a look.
Hearings may be in order to address the latest pension shortfall in New Jersey. This time it's the teachers who are in the cross hairs. If ever there were a moment for Assembly Budget Chair Lou Greenwald (D-Norcrossburg) to step up and prove to his constituents he has some cajones, this is the one.
Video Lottery Terminals at the Meadowlands? We may have no choice on the matter. Read it and cringe.
The Governor is coming to Burlington County next week to talk about the budget. April 11th at 7pm to be precise. The event is opent to the public, but registration is required. Call Corzine's office at (609) 777-0994 for more info or to RSVP.
Last but not least, it's never to early to think about the next big fashion trend. And as we all know, politics is a lot like fashion: one day you're in, and the next you're out. So what's en vogue for spring? Why the Blue Jersey T-Shirt, of course. What other accessory makes you look so chic while reminding others that the truth does indeed have a liberal bias? Get yours now!
What's on your mind today, folks? The floor is yours!
Hoping to send a message to the President, the Assembly will vote on the Iraq troop surge today. "We have the Department of Defense trying to act like the State Department," said Assemblyman Gordon Johnson, D-Bergen, a veteran of Desert Storm. Check back here on Blue Jersey for the vote tallies.
Residents have a common law right to video record public meetings here in the state says the NJ Supreme Court in a ruling yesterday. "Openness is a hallmark of democracy - a sacred maxim of our government - and video is but a modern instrument in that evolving pursuit," wrote Chief Justice James R. Zazzali. "Arbitrary rules that curb the openness of a public meeting are barricades against effective democracy.
During his campaign for Mayor of Newark, Cory Booker promised accessibility and "face time" with city residents. He's keeping that vow.
Here's the latest on the snub of Loretta Wienberg by the Bergen County dems. You might wanna hold your nose before reading. The more this battle rages on the uglier it gets, but one thing is clear and that is Loretta's ongoing support for (and from) the state's liberal netroots.
One gay couple had to shop around to find a township that would help them tie the knot. It took a while, but now the happy couple is just looking to live happily ever after. Finally.
Switching gears a bit, Trish Graber from NJ.com is reporting on the turnabout of the GOP regarding this probe by the Office of Legislative Services. Minority leader Leonard Lance promised a public airing, but now suddenly his party has gotted tight-lipped. Find out why.
The BurlCo GOP is fielding former Philly Flier to run for Assembly against Herb Conaway. Ironic that a left winger on the ice is a right winger in life. Judge for yourself.
Did I miss something? Got a newsy tip? Lay it one me, Blue Jerseyans!
It was a busy Sunday in NJ-3 yesterday as the Rich Sexton juggernaut took its message to the streets in a "Bus for change" whistlestop tour of the district. Nothing beats boots on the ground and the bus tour provided the Sexton campaign with a terrific opportunity to connect with district voters. Our first stop was a pancake breakfast in Willingboro that was a who's who of NJ progressive politics. Senator Menendez was there (see pic of the Senator with Rich and his team) and so were Congressman Andrews and Assemblyman Herb Conaway. They were pressing their message to the party faithful to get out an vote. Judging from the response, the politicians were hitting all the right notes.
From there, the bus tour headed up route 130 and hit every strip mall we could find. I must confess our efforts were aided in large part to the Eagles having a bye week. Folks were not clammoring to get home to watch the game, rather they were out shopping with their families and enjoying a sunny, mild fall afternoon. Anyway, the Eagles' week off was our gain and we made the most of the opprotunity by connecting with hundreds of voters in the area. (Hopefully the Eagles will make the most of thier time off too, as they look to regroup from a mediocre start.)
I know first hand the benefits of such campaigning. I personally passed out about 150 pieces of literature and was delighted how eager folks were to chat politics. Folks are sick of the luusy economy, sick of Iraq, sick of the GOP. In short, we are ready for change and many regard Rich Sexton is just the man for the job.
I couldn't agree more and I am not the only one. Ocean County Observer observed that Rich is "the most impressive congressional hopeful we have seen in years. We enthusiastically support Rich Sexton." Click the link to read the entire ringing endorsement which also give the nod to Senator Menendez and Carol Gay.
(image courtesy of Asbury Park activist Kathy Maher)
