John Wisniewski

CHIAPPONE/WISNIEWSKI/LAMPITT BILL PACKAGE TO IMPROVE TEEN DRIVER SAFETY PASSES ASSEMBLY

Four-Bill Package Implements Priority Recommendations of the March 2008 Teen Driver Study Commission's Final Report

(TRENTON) - Assembly members Anthony Chiappone, John S. Wisniewski and Pamela R. Lampitt today issued a multimedia package on a legislative package they sponsored to improve teen driver safety in New Jersey, which was approved today by the General Assembly.

The bills would implement the top recommendations of the state's Teen Driver Study Commission.

The multimedia package consists of a video press release on the legislative package, audio of same and quotes from the sponsors.

The race to watch this month is in the nineteenth district, where South Amboy Mayor Jack O'Leary is challenging incumbent Joseph Vas for the Democratic State Assembly nomination.  The Middlesex County Democratic organization will decide which candidate will run on the line at their March 18 convention.  Local pundits suggest that the race could be close. 

The other incumbent, Assemblyman John Wisniewski (D-Sayreville) has no apparent obstacles in his bid for renomination.

WISNIEWSKI BILL TO SAVE MONEY BY CREATING SPECIAL LICENSE PLATE DECALS ADVANCED BY ASSEMBLY PANEL

(TRENTON) – Legislation sponsored by Assemblyman John Wisniewski to save taxpayer dollars by creating a new license plate decal system that would replace specialty license plates was released today by an Assembly panel.

“This new system would be a simple and cost effective way to allow service and community organizations to continue to promote their cause, while also easing the costly burden for the state to produce these plates,” said Wisniewski (D-Middlesex). “Let’s get the state out of the specialty license plate business and save taxpayers money.”

Democratic State Chairman Joseph Cryan, above, could wind up as Assembly Majority Leader, if Gov. Jon Corzine picks Bonnie Watson Coleman as the Democratic nominee for Lt. Governor.

The bigger inside contest if Bonnie Watson Coleman leaves the Legislature to run for Lt. Governor is who would succeed her as Assembly Majority Leader.  Her two main competitors when she won the post after the 2005 election, Neil Cohen and Wilfredo Caraballo, are no longer in the Legislature.  The race is significant because next Majority Leader could become Assembly Speaker someday.

The conventional wisdom is that Assemblyman Joseph Cryan (D-Union), the Democratic State Chairman, would be a leading candidate for Majority Leader.  Cryan has a strong relationship with Speaker Joseph Roberts and with Democratic Party leaders across the state.  Watson Coleman was the Democratic State Chair before she became Majority Leader.

ASSEMBLY DEMOCRATS COMMENTARY ON FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS PANEL ECONOMIC CRISIS HEARING

(TRENTON) - Democratic members of the Assembly Financial Institutions and Insurance Committee today issued a multimedia package on the panel's Monday hearing on the ongoing global economic crisis and the condition of New Jersey's financial institutions.

As expected, South Amboy Mayor Jack O'Leary will seek the Democratic nomination for State Assembly against incumbent Joseph Vas.  Vas' political security has been at risk since last May, when he was defeated for re-election as Mayor of Perth Amboy.  O'Leary says he's not targeting Vas, but he is - it's not about the other Democratic Assemblyman from the nineteenth district, John Wisniewski.

Assemblyman John Wisniewski (D-Sayreville), left, and Assembly Minority Leader Alex DeCroce (R-Parisipanny-Troy Hills), come into each other's wheel house on the chamber train.

NEW BRUNSWICK - Intent on reviving the Reagan legacy during last year’s presidential election, Republicans established their campaign base camp in the Woodbridge area and jumped on the telephones in search of suburban white voters who might identify with the patriotic and moderate elements of U.S. Sen. John McCain’s (R-Ariz.) candidacy.

If President Barack Obama stumbled in his bid, the GOP wanted to be in a position to rev up the diner and bowling pin and VFW Hall crowds, but it never happened.

With Obama in cruise control and the game changed when McCain moved rightward with his selection of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate, Middlesex County finally went heavily for the Illinois senator: 60 to 38.5% - a margin not as wide as Essex (76 to 23%); or Hudson (73 to 26%), and right around the percentages registered by neighboring Union County (64 to 35%).

Gov. Jon Corzine on today's Chamber of Commerce trip.

NORTHEAST CORRIDOR – The Chamber of Commerce “Walk to Washington” train lurches out of the station and it isn’t even past Newark before some of the old-timers are predicting – with a degree of sadness - that no one’s going to get thrown off the train.

There’s a sense among the Democrats that if they let it all hang out with booze and bad behavior in an economic downturn and gubernatorial election year, they will appear crass and out-of-touch.

The establishment Republicans who are here probably have in their minds a preposition-ending statement issued yesterday by the gubernatorial campaign of Republican frontrunner Chris Christie: "Former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie wants to bring real change to Trenton and that comes with ending politics as usual, which this trip has become a symbol of," said spokesman Bill Stepien.

So they too are restrained as the 14-car train clears the South Ward and this rolling world of business and politics collides in happy but measured ceremony with the gubernatorial election and the economy hovering at the edges of every close-quarters conversation as the train heads for Washington, D.C.

WISNIEWSKI PRAISES FEDERAL ENVIRONMENTAL APPROVAL OF NEW RAIL TUNNEL; EXPRESSES HOPE FOR MORE FEDERAL FINANCIAL HELP

(SAYREVILLE) – Assemblyman John Wisniewski (D-Middlesex), the Assembly transportation chairman, released the following statement today on federal environmental approval of the proposed new Hudson River commuter rail tunnel:

ASSEMBLY DEMOCRATS COMMENTARY ON 2009 STATE-OF-THE-STATE ADDRESS

(TRENTON) - Assembly Democrats today issued a multimedia package commenting on Governor Jon S. Corzine's 2009 State-of-the-State address.