Bonnie Watson Coleman

Trenton Mayor Doug Palmer

Mentioned early by Gov. Jon Corzine as a potential candidate for lieutenant governor, Trenton Mayor Doug Palmer today said he never received a questionnaire or any invitation from the governor's reps to participate in a vetting process for the job.

The veteran mayor said he would have been interested if LG came with a specific description, such as overseeing the agenda of New Jersey's metro economies.  

But "it was never a job that was explained to me in a way that would be something i was interested in," said Palmer. "It was too ambiguous as presented, and it's even more abiguous now, and I let the powers that be know that.  It was never spelled out, and so it's not something I'm interested in. I would have been intrigued by a job of substance, but it doesn't make sense for me to leave my job as CEO of a city for ambiguity."

Two Mercer County women who had been viewed as potential Democratic Lt. Governor candidates say they are not under consideration: State Sen. Shirley Turner (D-Lawrence) and New Jersey Chamber of Commerce President Joan Verplanck both told PolitickerNJ.com that they have not been asked to fill out a questionnaire Gov. Jon Corzine is using in his running mate selection process.  Turner is one of three African American women who have been mentioned for LG, along with Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman and Secretary of State Nina Mitchell Wells.  Verplanck, a Republican, had been considered by Corzine earlier this month, but a trial balloon on her candidacy did not go over well with Democrats.

With the Primary Election now past us and the General Election still seemingly far in the future for most folks, the hot topic in New Jersey politics centers around who will be chosen to represent the major parties in the newly-created Lieutenant Governor post. 

The gubernatorial candidates have 30 days from the Primary Election to name their choice for running mate.  This letter is an open argument as to why a leader from Mercer County ought to be at the top of the list for consideration, at least on the Democratic side of the aisle.

As with most state-wide offices, the selection of a lieutenant governor nominee will play out not only based on the accomplishments of the persons being considered, but also on the geo-political balance of the state.

New Jersey has been traditionally divided politically between the north and the south.  Recently, Mercer has become the key stone between the two, bridging the arc of oft-competing interests to play an important role, especially in Democratic politics.  In the hotly contested US Senate Primary last year, it was Mercer that delivered the third highest percentage of support in the stat e for Senator Frank Lautenberg, the ultimate winner of that contest.

CHIVUKULA / WATSON COLEMAN BILL TO SPUR PRIMARY CARE SERVICES IN UNDERSERVED AREAS HEADS TO GOVERNOR

TRENTON) – Legislation Assemblyman Upendra Chivukula and Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman sponsored to expand a state program that helps repay the loans of new doctors who open primary-care medical practices in underserved areas was approved by the Assembly recently and sent to Governor Jon S. Corzine’s desk for his signature to enact it into law.

“Expanding the availability of crucial primary care in chronically underserved areas would be a significant improvement for both doctors and patients across New Jersey,” said Chivukula (D-Somerset). “Expanding the loan reimbursement we already provide doctors to dentists and nurses can create the incentives needed to grow the medical community and focus efforts on communities that will most benefit.”

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ROBERTS/WATSON COLEMAN/GREENWALD ON BETTER-THAN-EXPECTED TAX AMNESTY REVENUE FIGURES

(TRENTON) - Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts, Jr., Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman and Assembly Budget Committee Chairman Louis D. Greenwald today issued a multimedia package discussing Governor Jon S. Corzine's announcement that the state's tax amnesty program has exceeded revenue projections and what it means for the FY 2010 Budget.

WATSON COLEMAN/CRUZ-PEREZ/JASEY/EVANS/GUSCIORA BILL TARGETING HOMELESSNESS ADVANCES

(TRENTON) – Legislation to give counties the ability to establish grant programs to provide affordable housing and support services for the formerly homeless and those at risk of losing their home today passed the full Senate.

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) and Reed Gusciora (D-Mercer).

“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,” said Watson Coleman (D-Mercer). “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.”

WATSON COLEMAN ON BETTER-THAN-EXPECTED TAX AMNESTY REVENUE REPORT

(TRENTON) - After Governor Jon S. Corzine's announcement today that the state's tax amnesty program generated better than anticipated revenue numbers for the FY2010 budget, Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Mercer) issued the following statement:

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ASSEMBLY DEMOCRATS WELCOME HOME THE 50TH INFANTRY BRIGADE COMBAT TEAM

(TRENTON) - Assembly members Jack Conners, Annette Quijano, Upendra J. Chivukula, Linda Stender, Wayne P. DeAngelo and Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman today issued a multimedia package expressing their warm welcome home to the New Jersey National Guard members of the 50th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (50th IBCT).

The nearly 3,000 soldiers who volunteered to serve in Iraq were honored today during ceremonies in Trenton.

The return of the 50th IBCT marks the end of a one-year deployment to Iraq - the largest New Jersey National Guard deployment since World War II.  While deployed, the unit played a pivotal role in transferring authority of Baghdad's "Green Zone" back to Iraqi forces and were responsible for the humane treatment of more than 20,000 detainees throughout Iraq.

WATSON COLEMAN & GUSCIORA STATEMENT ON KILLING OF TRENTON GIRL

(TRENTON) – Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman and Assemblyman Reed Gusciora (both D-Mercer) released the following joint statement today after a 13-year-old Trenton girl was killed Sunday night in a drive-by shooting at a block party...

“This is a horrific crime that shocks the conscience, and we send our prayers and condolences to this beautiful young girl’s family and friends at this time of their tragic loss.

“We trust that law enforcement will move quickly to solve this crime and remove the perpetrators from our streets. We cannot allow our neighborhoods to be overtaken by individuals who think they can terrorize and control our daily lives....

Democratic State Chairman Joe Cryan with state Sen. Loretta Weinberg (D-Teaneck) left, and Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Ewing).

TRENTON - Democrats gave Chris Christie no room to savor his day-old GOP gubernatorial primary triumph, smothering him today with a flurry of examples of why they believe he's too conservative for New Jersey, the country's most diverse state.

Christie strode out in front of a raucous Republican crowd at the Marriott last night, accompanied by the big, grinding chords of Bruce Springsteen and a speech overladen with underdog symbolism in the face of the big money re-election bid of Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine.

But this triumverate of Democratic Party leadership consisting of State Chairman Joe Cryan, state Sen. Loretta Weinberg (D-Teaneck) and Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Ewing) said Christie hardly embodies the populist values of most New Jerseyans as he now saddles up at the front of a GOP whose national leader appears to be Rush Limbaugh, while dragging the baggage of his own Bush allegiance.

"The voters of New Jersey sent George Bush and his platform into retirement," Weinberg said of the president Christie supported early, prior to Bush's 2000 presidental run, and who awarded Christie the U.S. Attorney's post after Christie, his brother and other allies fundraised for him.