Bonnie Watson Coleman

WATSON COLEMAN SAYS 'ENOUGH IS ENOUGH' - WILL ASK STATE TO USE LEVERAGE ON HORIZON-CAPITAL HEALTH DISPUTE

(TRENTON) – Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Mercer) today said she will begin lobbying state officials to use whatever leverage they can to force Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey and Capital Health System to resolve their contract dispute.

WATSON COLEMAN STATEMENT ON HORIZON-CAPITAL HEALTH DISPUTE

(TRENTON) – Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Mercer) today reiterated her call for Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey and Capital Health System to resolve their contract dispute and asked the state to get involved in brokering an agreement.

Watson Coleman (D-Mercer) issued the following statement as Gov. Jon S. Corzine asked Public Advocate Ronald Chen to offer his office’s help in mediating the dispute:

“It is long past time for both sides to reach a compromise that protects the health and peace of mind of thousands of Mercer County residents. Since that hasn’t happened, I have asked for and now welcome the state getting involved to try to broker a solution...

WATSON COLEMAN/GREENSTEIN/LAMPITT

BLAST CHRISTIE PROPOSAL

ELIMINATING MAMMOGRAM COVERAGE

FROM NEW JERSEY HEALTH PLANS

   
(TRENTON) – Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Mercer) and Assemblywomen Linda Greenstein (D-Middlesex/Mercer) and Pamela Lampitt (D-Camden) joined breast cancer survivor Loretta Mikulski today to slam Conservative Right Wing Republican Chris Christie for his plans that would allow “mandate-free” policies that would eliminate mammogram coverage in health care plans across New Jersey.

***MULTIMEDIA PACKAGE***

ASSEMBLY DEMS COMMENTARY ON ENACTMENT OF BILL LIMITING HANDGUN PURCHASES TO ONE-A-MONTH

(TRENTON) – Assemblywoman Joan M. Quigley and Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman today issued a multimedia package on their legislation – signed into law by Governor Jon S. Corzine – making it illegal to purchase more than one handgun a month in New Jersey.

New Jersey is the fourth state to place such restrictions on handgun purchases, behind Virginia, Maryland, and California.

WATSON COLEMAN TO CAPITAL HEALTH & HORIZON: PUT PATIENTS FIRST

(TRENTON) - Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman today called for a swift resolution to a contract dispute between Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey and Capital Health System that threatens to leave tens of thousands of Mercer County residents without critical medical care coverage.

Watson Coleman (D-Mercer) issued the following statement:

WATSON COLEMAN COMMENDS SELECTION OF WEINBERG AS LG CANDIDATE

    ENGLEWOOD - Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Mercer) commended Governor Jon S. Corzine’s selection of Loretta Weinberg as the first Democratic Lieutenant Governor candidate.  Watson Coleman issued the following statement:

When the Legislature passed the bill that initially proposed the creation of the Lt. Governor post, some Democrats jokingly referred to it as "Bonnie's Law" - a reference to the early front runner status of Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Ewing) as Gov. Jon Corzine's 2009 running mate.  For the last 3 ½ years, news stories on the new LG post mentioned Coleman, an African American woman and a former Democratic State Chairman, as a top contender.  Coleman is well-liked by the governor, and is a solid Corzine ally in the Legislature and in Democratic politics.

But even as Corzine launched a search for an African American running mate, the highest ranking Black and highest ranking woman in the Legislature received no real consideration for the post.  Since claims that she was not interested in running for Lt. Governor are not especially credible, some insiders are left to wonder if Watson Coleman did not survive the vetting process and why.

A Corzine campaign spokesman said that Watson Coleman took herself out of contention.

"The Majority Leader took herself out of consideration immediately because she is most interested in maintaining her position within legislative leadership," said Sean Darcy. "She has been working directly with the Governor, along with Dick Leone and Assemblyman (Joseph) Cryan, during the review and selection process."

Possible Democratic candidates for Lt. Governor: Passaic County Freeholder Tahesha Way and Reality TV star Randal Pinkett

As some establishment Democrats voice resistance to Reality TV star Randal Pinkett as their candidate for Lt. Governor, there is some speculation that Gov. Jon Corzine's search for an African American running mate includes Passaic County Freeholder Tahesha Way, the wife of former Giants fullback Charles Way.

Corzine appears to be having a hard time finding an LG candidate who will satisfy the multitude of factions within the New Jersey Democratic Party.  Two State Senators under consideration, Barbara Buono (D-Metuchen) and Loretta Weinberg (D-Teaneck), have substantial intra-party opposition.  Corzine, sources say, has been actively shopping for a Black LG candidate.  He was reportedly turned down - several times - by his first choice, Newark Mayor Cory Booker.  Other potential candidates, including Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Ewing) and Trenton Mayor Douglas Palmer, were apparently non-starters.   Trial balloons for Montclair State University President Susan Cole and New Jersey Chamber of Commerce President Joan Verplanck did not go well.  Corzine emissaries even approached former State Sen. Joseph Charles (D-Jersey City), who said he was not interested and hoped to remain as a Superior Court Judge.

While it appeared yesterday that the Pinkett nomination is nearly done, it now looks as though Corzine is having second thoughts.  Since the Governor will not announce his pick before President Barack Obama campaigns for him in Holmdel tomorrow, it is looking more likely that Corzine will take at least another week to choose a running mate.

WATSON COLEMAN / CRUZ-PEREZ / JASEY / EVANS / GUSCIORA / POU BILL ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS CLOSER TO BECOMING LAW

(TRENTON) – Legislation to give counties the ability to establish grant programs to address homelessness is closer to becoming law. The bill (A-3101) is sponsored by Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Mercer) and Assembly members Nilsa Cruz-Perez (D-Camden), Mila Jasey (D-Essex), Elease Evans (D-Passaic), Reed Gusciora (D-Mercer) and Nellie Pou (D-Passaic).

“The number of homeless, in New Jersey – especially women and children – is unacceptably high and may go even higher as more families face the very real and scary prospect of losing their homes to foreclosure,” Watson Coleman said. “State and local governments must work together to provide more funding and better services to provide access to affordable housing and ensure families have another option to living in a shelter or on the street.”

State Sen. Dana Redd (D-Camden)

Sources close to Gov. Jon Corzine have said for months now that he won't pick a white male for lieutenant governor.

Not enough balance.

A week ago three names seemed fairly solid in a firmament that nevertheless shifts daily: state Sen. Loretta Weinberg (D-Teaneck), state Sen. Barbara Buono (D-Metuchen) and Secretary of State Nina Mitchell Wells.

If the first two were white, they were women, at least. But the fact that they weren't males wasn't the only obvious jump-off-the-page quality they shared.

Both women had reputations as elected officials who wouldn't easily get pushed around. 

Weinberg earned a rep - and endeared herself in the process to Corzine - as an enemy of the Bergen County Democratic Organization, while Buono aggressively sought the budget chairmanship despite efforts by leadership to install somebody more pliant.