Joseph Doria

DORIA BILL TO PROVIDE PROPERTY TAX DEFERMENT FOR DEPLOYED MILITARY

TRENTON - A bill sponsored by Senator Joseph V. Doria which would provide a property tax deferment for enlisted members of the Armed Forces in the event that they are deployed for active duty in a time of war was approved by the Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee by a vote of 4-0.

"Our brave men and women serving on the front lines defending American liberty and freedom abroad deserve a little consideration in terms of everyday life back home," said Senator Doria, D-Hudson, who also serves as Mayor of Bayonne. "In New Jersey, property taxes are one of the biggest burdens of everyday life, and our military families have enough to worry about, given the dangers their loved ones face in times of war. This bill would allow military families to put off paying property taxes until after our soldiers are safe back at home."

Bayonne Councilman Anthony Chiappone has not done well in politics since 2003, when he scored an upset victory for the Democratic Assembly nomination -- ousting twelve-term incumbent Joseph Doria on a ticket that dealt a rare loss for the Hudson County Democratic Organization. Chiappone went to the Assembly on the coattails of Glenn Cunningham, the Mayor of Jersey City who won a seat in the State Senate over the objections of the HCDO. But when Cunningham died unexpectedly in June 2004, Democrats picked Doria, the Mayor of Bayonne and Chiappone's local rival, to take the Senate seat. Chiappone ran as an Independent in a November 2004 special election, losing to Doria by a 67%-21% margin in a four-candidate race; Bayonne voters preferred Doria by a 61%-37% margin. Chiappone's '03 running mate, Assemblyman Louis Manzo, ran for re-election on the HCDO line in 2005 with Charles Epps, the Jersey City Superintendent of Schools. Chiappone ran off the line with Bill Ayala, Cunningham's former Chief of Staff, but lost the Democratic primary by more than a 2-1 margin. Now Chiappone is up for re-election to the Bayonne City Council. Doria, seeking re-election to a third term as Mayor, has recruited a full slate of Council candidates in his effort to unseat Chiappone. Chiappone's expected running mate, Ricky Pasquale, dropped out of the race this week, leaving the incumbent alone on the ballot. Pasquale works as a landscaper for the Bayonne Department of Public Works, and apparently did not realize until recently that serving on the City Council might be a conflict.

DORIA BILL TO REQUIRE CHILD LABOR LAW TO BE POSTED IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH APPROVED BY SENATE

TRENTON - A bill sponsored by Senator Joseph V. Doria which would require any work notices concerning employees under the age of 18 to be posted in both English and Spanish was approved today by the Senate by a vote of 34-0.

"Child labor laws in this country are in place not just to protect those who speak fluent English, but to protect everyone," said Senator Doria, D-Hudson. "But, those laws only remain effective if workers know their rights. We have sizable Spanish-speaking population in New Jersey, and as they enter the workforce, they need to know that they are protected by the same rights and regulations as everyone else."

DORIA ANNOUNCES SCHOOL BUS RECOMMENDATIONS REPORT

State Commission Finds Changes Needed for Safety, Business Viability

TRENTON - At a news conference at the Statehouse today, Senator Joseph V. Doria, Jr., the Chairman of the New Jersey Commission on Business Efficiency of the Public Schools, unveiled a report from the Commission's Transportation Task Force focusing on the effectiveness and safety of school busing in the Garden State.

"We need to push efficiency in our public schools, to stem rising property taxes, and ensure taxpayers get the most for their money," said Senator Doria, D-Hudson. "As the mayor of Bayonne, I know that property taxes are the number one concern of my local residents. We've reached critical mass on the property tax boom, and unless we take cost-saving measures to lower the pressure on overburdened taxpayers, New Jersey will be economically uninhabitable to all but the extremely wealthy."

The filing deadline for the May 9, 2006 Municipal Elections is March 16th.

Bayonne: Mayor Joseph Doria, a State Senator, is being challenged by attorney Vincent Militello, who ran for State Senator against Glenn Cunningham and L. Harvey Smith in the 2003 Democratic primary. Militello, who finished third, was viewed as the spoiler for the Hudson County Democratic Organization in that race -- which cost Doria his Assembly seat. Doria easily defeated former Mayor Richard Rutkowski in 2002, and incumbent Mayor Leonard Kiczek in 1998.

Belleville: Mayor Gerald Digori faces former Township Manager Raymond Kimble. Councilwoman Marie Strumolo Burke, the Democratic Municipal Chairman, is reportedly considering a bid for Mayor. Digori is also a Democrat; he defeated incumbent Angelina Paserchia, who was part of Richard Yanuzzi's then-powerful local GOP machine, in 2002.

Gloucester Township: Mayor Sandra Love is not seeking re-election. Love has served as Mayor since 1994, when she took office following the death of her sister-in-law, Ann Mullen.

Irvington: Mayor Wayne Smith was elected in 2002, defeating Assemblyman Craig Stanley and Councilwoman Sandra Harte after the incumbent, Sara Bost, was convicted on federal corruption charges. Harte is challenging Smith again this May.

Jackson: Jackson Township voted to change their form of government last November to a strong Mayor and a five-member Council elected At-Large elected in non-partisan elections. There are more than two dozen candidates in the mix, many of whom want to be Mayor. Unless a coalition emerges, there is a possibility of a wildly competitive contest this fall. Republicans won 3-2 control the town in 2005, but Councilman Joshua Reilly, saying he wanted to become independent of party bosses, switched from the GOP to Independent in January -- less than two months after winning re-election. The Mayor is Democrat Sean Giblin.

Long Branch: Mayor Adam Schneider is seeking re-election to a fifth term with the same council office slate that has held office with him since 1990. Schneider, a Democrat, has managed to surmount several failed efforts by Congressman Frank Pallone to unseat him, including a difficult election in 1994 when Pallone ran his brother against Schneider.

Manchester: Mayor Michael Fressola is seeking re-election and does not yet have an opponent.

Newark: All eyes are on Mayor Sharpe James, who has not yet announced whether he will seek re-election to a sixth term. Former City Councilman Cory Booker has not stopped running since he nearly ousted James four years ago. If James doesn't run, possible candidates include State Senator Ronald Rice, Sr. and Assemblyman Wilfredo Caraballo. Also running is David Blount, the President of the University Heights Science Park Residents Association.

Ocean City: Mayor Bud Knight is retiring after fourteen years in office. Councilmen Jody Alessandrine, who nearly defeated Knight in 2002, is running again, along with Councilman Frank McCall and Salvatore Perillo, a former Atlantic County Counsel and Newark Corporation Counsel.

Paterson: Mayor Joey Torres became the city's first Latino Mayor in 2002, when he defeated incumbent Martin Barnes. Barnes had been under indictment for on charges that he accepted expensive gifts, luxurious vacations and female companionship from city vendors; he was released from federal prison last Friday. Former Police Chief James Spagnola and Rev. James Kuykendall are challenging Torres.

Stafford: Mayor Carl Block, who is also the Ocean County Clerk, is a lock for re-election. He has no opposition, although his longtime rival, former Mayor Wesley Bell, could always run. Bell has become a perennial candidate in recent years; he ran as an Independent for Governor in 2005.

Trenton: Mayor Douglas Palmer faces Mercer County Freeholder Tony Mack, John Harmon, the President of the Metropolitan Trenton African American Chamber of Commerce, and candlemaker Frank Weeden.

West Orange: Incumbent John McKeon, a Democratic State Assemblyman, has only one opponent, according to the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission: Councilman John Skarbnik. But Skarbnik, the West Orange Democratic Municipal Chairman, may have only filed a mayoral campaign committee in case McKeon does not seek re-election. One of the stakeholders in this race is Senate President Richard Codey, a strong McKeon ally who served as Deputy Mayor of West Orange under McKeon while he was serving as Governor last year.

DORIA ENCOURAGED BY CORZINE APPEAL FOR BIPARTISANSHIP, COOPERATION

TRENTON - Senator Joseph V. Doria Jr. today said he was "very encouraged" by the appeal for bipartisanship and cooperation expressed today in the remarks delivered by Governor Jon Corzine at his Inauguration.

"It was good that Governor Corzine recognized that the problems we face with the budget, health care funding and fixing children's services are far too serious to be bogged down in partisan politics," said Senator Doria, D-Hudson.

TRENTON -The Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee approved legislation today sponsored by Senators Shirley Turner, Joseph Doria and Wayne Bryant that would increase the amount available annually for grants to households eligible for energy assistance aid.

"As the price of crude oil continues to rise and home heating costs skyrocket, there becomes an increased necessity for the state to assist those in need in heating their homes," said Senator Turner, D-Mercer. "My office has already received numerous calls this winter from residents seeking aid to help stem the cost of keeping their families warm. Fortunately, we've had a mild winter so far, but I am concerned about what will happen when we get into a cold snap."

TRENTON - Senators Joseph Coniglio and Joseph Doria welcomed Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee approval of their bill that would establish prevailing wage rates for workers employed by contractors performing building services for State run facilities.

"New Jersey needs to make sure it does right by every individual who works in our buildings, whether they work directly for the State or through a contractor providing services," said Senator Coniglio, D-Bergen. "By requiring State building services contracts be fulfilled by workers making the prevailing wage, those companies who share this philosophy will no longer be at a disadvantage when competing for state service contracts."
The bill, S-2702, would require each State contract for building services to state the required prevailing wage and stipulate that workers cannot be paid less than the stated wage rate.

BUONO-DORIA BILL REGULATING NON-PRESCRIPTION CONTACTS APPROVED

TRENTON - A bill sponsored by Senators Barbara Buono and Joseph V. Doria which would require that non-prescription, cosmetic contact lenses only be distributed by licensed professionals was approved by the Senate yesterday by a vote of 37-0, receiving final legislative approval.

"While cosmetic contacts might seem like a simple novelty item, the simple fact of the matter is that they're largely unregulated, and can cause serious vision problems, such as corneal abrasions, conjunctivitis, and even blindness," said Senator Buono, D-Middlesex. "Contact lenses should be properly fitted by a licensed professional, not handed out over the counter, and should be subject to strict safety guidelines, whether they are prescription or not. The fact that kids can get their hands on these and do lasting damage to their eyesight makes it that much more of a priority, and we need to take immediate legislative action."

DORIA: ACCOUNTABILITY NEEDED IN SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION PRIORITIES

Senator Joseph V. Doria Jr. today said the key to reforming the bankrupt school construction program in New Jersey is to place ultimate decision-making responsibility with the State Education Commissioner.