Chamber of Commerce

U.S. Senate candidate Joe Pennacchio wants Bill Marino to resign as N.J. Chamber of Commerce chair for backing toll hikesState Senator and U.S. Senate candidate Joe Pennacchio is so adamant in his opposition to the Governor’s fiscal restructuring plan that he wants the Chamber of Commerce’s president to resign for supporting it. Or the Chairman of the group’s Board of Directors. Or both.

In a press release sent out yesterday, Pennacchio today called on Horizon Blue Cross & Blue Shield of New Jersey President William J. Marino, who he identified as the chamber’s president, to resign.

"The Chamber of Commerce's endorsement of Governor Corzine's toll-and-borrow scheme is very disappointing. For six and a half years, the Chamber has proven itself ineffective at lobbying the Democrats against their overtaxing, overspending, and over borrowing ways,” said Pennacchio.

Marino is actually the Chairman of the chamber’s Board of Directors. Its president is Joan Verplank. When informed of the apparent mix up, Pennacchio said that they both should resign.

At the Chamber of Commerce's pre-Walk to Washington breakfast today, Republican legislators were universal in their dismay that their host organization had endorsed Gov. Jon Corzine's monetization plan. But that didn't stop them from hobnobbing with top business leaders and boarding the famous train down to DC.

Despite putting out a press release that said the Chamber of Commerce "has sold out the people of New Jersey and the businesses they claim to represent," State Sen. Anthony Bucco went along for the ride.   But Bucco said there was nothing hypocritical about him participating. 

"I was scheduled to go on it and I'm going on it anyway," said Bucco, who owns a manufacturing company but is not a member of the state Chamber of Commerce.  "I have the opportunity to talk to the chamber members who are on here and tell them how wrong this monetization plan is for business."

If you’re walking to Washington tomorrow on the annual Chamber of Commerce train trip on Thursday, you can win an original Rob Tornoe political cartoon – or design your own! PolitickerNJ.com will be handing out “I am Wally Edge” buttons on the train. When you see Wally Edge wearing the button, just take a picture with your cell phone and e-mail it to us at politicsnj@aol.com. We’ll post the photos online and let our readers vote on which one is Wally Edge!

Kyrillos Disgustedby Chamber of Commerce's Support of Toll Hikes

Senator Joseph Kyrillos issued the following statement today regarding the State Chamber of Commerce’s endorsement of Governor Corzine’s massive new toll hike scheme:

“I am incensed by the Chamber of Commerce’s decision to support Governor Corzine’s massive new road tax proposal and 75 year obligation. Its endorsement is an inexplicable and serious disservice to the people of New Jersey.

New Jersey had a political realignment of sorts yesterday when the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce took Republican legislative leaders by surprise and endorsed Democratic Governor Jon Corzine’s Financial Restructuring and Debt Reduction Plan.  As in most places, organized labor has long been allied with the Democrats, while the GOP has enjoyed an alliance with the business community.  

State Senator Anthony Bucco is asking New Jersey businesses to drop their chamber membership and join other business groups, and conservative activist Steve Lonegan has called on Republican officials to boycott the Chamber of Commerce train trip to Washington tomorrow. 

BOGOTA -- Americans for Prosperity New Jersey director Steve Lonegan today called on anti-toll hike legislators to boycott the annual Chamber of Commerce train trip taking place this weekend in light of the Chamber’s endorsement of Governor Corzine’s $38 Billion Borrowing and Toll Hike Scheme.

If you’re walking to Washington on the annual Chamber of Commerce train trip on Thursday, you can win an original Rob Tornoe political cartoon – or design your own! PolitickerNJ.com will be handing out “I am Wally Edge” buttons on the train. When you see Wally Edge wearing the button, just take a picture with your cell phone and e-mail it to us. We’ll post the photos online and let our readers vote on which one is Wally Edge!