Barry Funt

Barry Funt is one of the Republican candidates for State Assembly in District 27, which has voted Democratic in four straight elections

Three long-shot Assembly candidates today accused Gov. Jon Corzine of using his personal wealth to silence influential members of the black community on an issue they say they are their allies on: school vouchers.

"We strongly believe that school choice is the way out.  Many of these ministers have advocated the same thing, and ultimately you've seen the damaging impacts of Corzine's money," said Barry Funt, a Republican running for assembly in District 27 who has organized a group of mostly Republican Assembly challengers called "Citizens for Assembly."

Funt was joined by two black Assembly candidates - Herbert Glenn, a Republican running in District 28; and Rev. Clenard Childress, a Democrat-turned-Republican-turned-independent who is running in District 34.  Districts 28 and 34 are heavily Democratic.

At issue were the recent revelations that Corzine's philanthropic foundation last year gave $87,000 to the church of influential Reverend Reginald Jackson - who heads the Black Ministers Council and endorsed Corzine this month -- and $1 million three years ago to the Camden County nonprofit organization and church run by Rev. Bishop David G. Evans, who is a member of the New Jersey Turnpike Authority's board. 

"When you have a job that basically appears to be appointed by Democrats in New Jersey already and you're receiving cash grants or whatever loan funds from the governor, how much can you stand up and point to the gross negligence of African-American leadership, and leadership in this government," said District 28 Republican Assembly candidate Herb Glenn, referring to Evans. 

Still, the candidates were careful not to go out after the black religious leaders too forcefully. 

Glenn, who sat next to a photo of himself holding an umbrella over Jackson while he spoke at a July school choice rally in front of the State House, tempered his language on the Jackson. 

Jackson sits on the board of E3 (Excellent Education for Everyone) - a group that supports school vouchers, and has been an outspoken proponent of the idea.  Republican gubernatorial candidate Chris Christie even engaged in a public flirtation with Jackson for his support.

TRENTON – The New Jersey Restaurateurs’ Good Government Fund, the Political Action Committee of the New Jersey Restaurant Association voted to extend their support for Barry Funt in his bid for election to represent the 27th legislative district

In response to the their support Barry explained, “I am proud to accept the support of an organization like The New Jersey Restaurant Association. The organization represents 23,000 small and family businesses that employ 300,000 people. In light of a current 9.7% unemployment rate in the state, it is an industry that should be lauded.”

"I believe that the men and women of this state who create jobs do more good than any politician can ever do.  Therefore, we need to reduce the burdens on them so that they can continue to create jobs.  Mr. McKeon looks at productive businesses like restaurants and sees a pool of money that he can attach to in the way of taxes and fees to reward his special interests friends and political cronies.  He has little regard for the negative impact of his tax and spend policies.  The differences between us couldn't be more clear."

There are over 500 foodservice establishments in the 27th district employing over 5000 people in the district.

For more information on Barry Funt and his campaign for Assembly visit: http://www.funtforassembly.org.

For the official release of New Jersey Restaurant Association visit: http://www.njra.org/singlenews.asp?item_ID=2783.

For Immediate Release:

Contact: Daniel Beckelman

(201)-446-9889

October 1, 2009

BLOSCHAK FIRED UP AFTER CITIZENS FOR ASSEMBLY RALLY

The Revolution of 2009 Starts Today and Urban Republican Will Ride To Victory

Belleville-Urban Republican Assembly candidate Andrew Bloschak was excited to be part of the effort to retake New Jersey through a populist effort to elect ordinary citizens in long-overlooked areas to the State Legislature. The group, Citizens for Assembly, is lead by Bloschak’s fellow Essex County challenger, Barry Funt, who the Urban Republican looks forward to serving with come January.

A group of forty candidates for the State Assembly gathered on the statehouse steps to announce "Citizens for Assembly," a statewide group of legislative candidates formed by District 27 Republican Barry Funt to "return the Legislature to regular citizens."

The group have signed a ten-point platform, the "Common Sense Pledge.

"If elected, the citizen candidates on these steps would constitute a majority in the State Assembly; providing the leadership we need to change New Jersey," said Funt, who is challenging Democratic incumbents John McKeon (D-West Orange) and Mila Jasey (D-South Orange).  "Citizens for Assembly is an effort to remind New Jersey how important it is to elect legislators who represent regular citizens."

Funt called on voters to "to "become comfortable with the idea of voting differently than you may have in the past."

"You should know that supporting this group of candidates is not moving from one group of insiders to another. An overwhelming majority of the people up here with me are running for office for the very first time," Funt said.

What:      More than 40 candidates for the New Jersey State Assembly will gather on the State House steps to announce the citizen campaign to take back the legislature.
 
When:     Wednesday, September 30, 2009
               11:30 am
 
Where:    New Jersey State House steps
               125 West State Street
               Trenton, NJ 08625
Who:       40+ State Assembly candidates will be joined by political leaders and regular citizens from across New Jersey. Candidates will offer press availability following formal remarks.

LIVINGSTON, NJ -- Yesterday, Barry Funt and his Assembly running mate Mark Meyerowitz attended the North Essex Chamber of Commerce and the New Jersey Business & Industry Association's monthly Essex County and ELC Legislative breakfast in West Orange.

Funt and Meyerowitz spoke out on important economic issues, such as the degradation of the business environment in New Jersey and steps that can be taken to lower taxes and encourage new job creation.

As promised, incumbent Assemblywoman Mila Jasey was in attendance and addressed the group. Despite repeated confirmation of his attendance, Mayor/Assemblyman John McKeon refused to be in the same room as his Assembly opponents and decided at the last minute not to attend. Apparently John McKeon is too busy stumping for Jon Corzine to defend his record to his District's citizens.

"Since the beginning of our campaign, Barry and I have been calling for debates with our opponents, and Mila Jasey and John McKeon have not responded," Mark Meyerowitz said. "McKeon's last minute cancellation is disrespectful to the Chamber of Commerce and to residents of the 27th District. McKeon's failure to address his policies that have hampered New Jersey businesses is yet another insult to the business community," Mark added.

At the breakfast, Funt said, "A business manager who was responsible for increased expenses, plummeting revenues, loss of customers and employees and was also caught in a web of conflict of interests that called into question the ethics of the company would not have his contract renewed. That is John McKeon's record in the Assembly, and his contract should also not be renewed."

"Our business climate is the worst in the nation, and this is an issue of enormous significance to New Jersey's hardworking families and business owners. McKeon's disrespectful dismissal of this Chamber of Commerce event is evidence that he knows he has failed the business community, and he is relying solely on his special interest friends to secure his re-election. McKeon is not someone who represents us. The people of the 27th District deserve better. "

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“I'm proud of the citizens who stood up to put an end to reckless government borrowing. What we are witnessing throughout the nation are regular citizens standing up to entrenched and self interested politicians like John McKeon to take their government back."



"An auditor general may poll well, but creating a new bureaucracy is not the responsible answer to this problem. While I support many of the party leadership’s initiatives of the party, this is one that I do not support,” Funt continued, "The creation of one more new office just masks the symptoms of the real problem: a legislature that allows our tax dollars to burn a hole in their pockets."

Assembly candidate Barry Funt

An Assembly candidate in a clearly uphill race has made an interesting proposal on campaign finance reform: don't allow incumbents to accumulate war chests by carrying over unused campaign funds, and limit fundraising to the year before Election Day.

Barry Funt, a Republican running against incumbents John McKeon (D-West Orange) and Mila Jasey (D-South Orange) in District 27, says that "continuous fundraising creates an unfair advantage and restricts regular citizens from challenging incumbents."  Funt wants candidates to return excess campaign funds to donors and donate the money to charity.

According to Funt, Assembly incumbents began the cycle with $3 million cash on hand, and added another $8 million during the primary.  Challengers, he says, have raised just $350,000 combined.  "Much of that money came from PACs, unions, and special interest groups whose political activity poses a serious conflict of interest," he said.