John Burzichelli

Former Cumberland County Surrogate Arthur Marchand will not request a recount for the Republican state Assembly primary in the 3rd Legislative District, which he lost by a tiny margin.

"I think they know how to count the votes and it would be a fool's errand," said Marchand, who as of yesterday trailed rival Lee Lucas by 66 votes.

Marchand said that even if he beat Lucas - an unlikely scenario given the small number of provisional ballots cast in the district -- he would not want to run with Dr, Robert Villare, who was far and away the top vote getter.

"I'm supposed to run with a guy who says there are too many attorneys and career politicians in Trenton, and a guy who has a residency issue?" he said, referring to the fact that Villare only registered to vote in New Jersey in March and voted in Delaware as recently as November.

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BURZICHELLI/MORIARTY/DeANGELO COMMENTARY ON THE 'NJ FAIR DEBT COLLECTION PRACTICES ACT'

Measure Would Protect Consumers from Over Aggressive, Illegal Debt Collection Practices

(TRENTON) - Assemblymen John J. Burzichelli, Paul D. Moriarty and Wayne P. DeAngelo today released a multimedia package on their legislation to protect consumers from abusive debt collection practices.

The "New Jersey Fair Debt Collection Practices Act" (A-2493) would eliminate abusive debt collection practices in New Jersey while providing consumers with a vehicle to dispute and validate debt information.  The sponsors noted that the legislation would, in no way, relieve New Jersey consumers of their obligations to pay outstanding debts.

With the upset victory of Robert Villare and possibly his running mate, Lee Lucas, in the 3rd Legislative District's Republican primary for state Assembly, state Republicans have largely given up hope of competing there.

As of election night, the only clear victor was Robert Villare, a surgeon from West Deptford.  For the other Assembly seat, Lee Lucas, a commercial oven repairman who has run for freeholder and Greenwich council before, led Arthur Marchand, a former Cumberland County Prosecutor, Surrogate and Freeholder, by 66 votes.  Greenwich Township Mayor George Shivery trailed slightly behind.  So far, nobody has requested a recount, although candidates have 15 days to do so.  

"At this point, it is not likely we will commit any monetary resources," said Assembly Republican Victory Executive Director Mark Duffy.

The political arm of the Assembly Republicans recruited Marchand into the race.  He agreed, but only after extracting a promise that they would put a significant amount of money into the district.  But those same Republicans think that Villare and Lucas have liabilities that will weigh them down in a race against incumbent Democrats Celeste Riley (R-Bridgeton) and John Burzichelli (R-Paulsboro).

BURZICHELLI / MILAM / DeANGELO / MORIARTY BILL TARGETING ABUSIVE DEBT COLLECTION PRACTICES RELEASED BY ASSEMBLY PANEL

(TRENTON) – Legislation sponsored by Assemblymen John J. Burzichelli, Matthew W. Milam, Wayne P. DeAngelo and Paul Moriarty to combat harassing consumer debt collection practices was released today by an Assembly committee.

The “New Jersey Fair Debt Collection Practices Act” would eliminate abusive debt collection practices and provide consumers a way to dispute and validate debt information to ensure that information's accuracy.

“We’re doing nothing here to relieve a consumer of a rightful debt, but this is a fairness bill that will ensure consumers are not harassed by unscrupulous debt collectors,” said Burzichelli (D-Gloucester).

BURZICHELLI BILL TO PROTECT ‘JERSEY FRESH’ PRODUCE CONTINUES ADVANCING TOWARD LAW

(TRENTON) – Legislation Assemblyman John Burzichelli sponsored to combat the deliberate mislabeling and misbranding of farm produce as ‘Jersey Fresh’ and ‘Jersey Grown’ continues advancing toward law.

The bill recently passed the Assembly 77-0 and has been referred to the Senate Economic Growth Committee.

“This measure would prevent attacks on the state’s farming community and make a vital difference to individual farmers and the people who rely on the ‘Jersey Fresh’ label to support local agriculture,” said Burzichelli (D-Gloucester). “We need to be fair to farmers and consumers by ensuring only ‘Jersey Fresh’ products carry the label that consumers look to for the highest quality produce.”

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WEEKLY BUDGET MESSAGE:  BURZICHELLI ON CONVERTING PROPERTY TAX REBATES TO DIRECT TAX CREDITS

(TRENTON) - Assemblyman John J. Burzichelli today issued a multimedia package focused on his legislation to change New Jersey's property tax rebate program into a system of direct tax credits.

Burzichelli's bill (A-3308) would deliver the state's homestead property tax rebate as a direct credit to homeowners on their tax bills.  It also would protect homeowners' sensitive personal information by removing certain property tax deduction and credit information from public documents, making it harder to find out what a household makes based on their property tax deduction.

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ASSEMBLY COMMITTEES TO WEIGH FAIR DEBT COLLECTION, MEDICAL ERRORS, EXPANDING TRANSIT HUB TAX CREDIT

Panels Will Also Consider Regulating Bank Cards, N.J. College Savings Program

(TRENTON) – Assembly committees Thursday will consider legislation to combat harassing debt collection practices, require the state to publicly report hospital medical errors and expand a tax credit program designed to lure development to urban transit hubs.

Legislation (A-2493) sponsored by Assemblymen John J. Burzichelli, Matthew W. Milam and Wayne P. DeAngelo to combat harassing consumer debt collection practices will be considered by the Assembly Consumer Affairs Committee.

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SCALERA/CONAWAY/BURZICHELLI/DEANGELO ON SPECIAL JOINT HEARING TO DISCUSS STATE SWINE FLU PREPAREDNESS

(TRENTON) - Assemblymen Fred Scalera, Herb Conaway, M.D., John J. Burzichelli and Wayne P. DeAngelo today issued a multimedia package on a special meeting of the Assembly Homeland Security and State Preparedness and Health and Senior Services committees to review the state's readiness to combat H1N1 influenza.

Scalera and Conaway, the committees' respective chairmen, called the special hearing to alleviate public concern over the new strain of flu and to ensure the state has made all possible preparations to control further outbreaks.

GREENWALD, BURZICHELLI, ALBANO & MILAM:
POLL SHOWS NEW JERSEY SHOULD TAKE SPORTS GAMING BET

(TRENTON) - Four Assembly Democratic lawmakers who have long advocated for legalizing sports wagering at Atlantic City casinos today said a new Fairleigh Dickinson University PublicMind poll released this morning strengthens the argument that New Jersey should seek to overturn a federal ban and allow resort gamblers to bet on pro-sporting events.

BURZICHELLI/MILAM BILL EASING CASINO RULES,
CUTTING RED TAPE BECOMES LAW
Measure Streamlines Casino Laws, Enacts Business-Friendly Measures
To Help Resorts Maintain Edge in Competitive Marketplace

(TRENTON) - Legislation Assemblymen John Burzichelli and Matt Milam sponsored to streamline casino laws and relieve Atlantic City's resorts from unnecessary regulatory burdens was signed into law today by Gov. Jon Corzine.