Data to be Used for State Planning Purposes Kept Secret

Senator Christopher “Kip” Bateman (R-Somerset), continued to call on Governor Jon Corzine today to release the results of a Rutgers study provided to the State Planning Commission that projects future population, employment and housing numbers in New Jersey. The numbers from the Rutgers Study apparently indicate that job growth for the period encompassing the years 2008 to 2028 will only amount to 6, 550 annually, compared with the administration’s previous projection of 54, 000 over the same period.

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Our Communities, Our Schools, Our Taxes –

Not Trenton's and Not the Court's

Senator Christopher “Kip” Bateman (R-Somerset) issued the following statement today after the U.S. Labor Department issued a report that showed New Jersey continues to have the highest unemployment rate in the region.

“The numbers speak for themselves. Governor Corzine’s policies have left New Jersey in a worse economic situation than all of its neighbors – we have the highest unemployment, the highest taxes, and some of the highest debt in the country. New Jersey’s businesses and middle-class families continue to flee the state for more hospitable climates.

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GORDON-BATEMAN BILL TO PROVIDE PARENTAL NOTIFICATION OF CONTAMINATION AT SCHOOLS ADVANCES IN COMMITTEE

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senators Bob Gordon and Christopher “Kip” Bateman, both members of the Senate Environment Committee, which would require prompt parental notification when hazardous materials are found on school property was unanimously approved by the Environment panel today.

“School officials have a moral responsibility to guarantee a safe, productive learning environment for their students,” said Senator Gordon, D-Bergen. “When hazardous, dangerous substances are found on school grounds, those officials must do everything in their power to ensure prompt, thorough notification to the parents of children who may be affected. This should be common sense, but unfortunately, there are some school bureaucrats out there that are so afraid of bad publicity that they’re willing to take an ostrich-with-its-head-stuck-in-the-contaminated-sand approach when it comes to pollution and contamination on school grounds.”

Morningstar Review: “Despite this plan’s ‘best’ moniker, it lands firmly in our Worst category”

Senator Kip Bateman (R-16) responded this morning to a new report by Morningstar that ranks New Jersey’s 529 college savings plan among the five worst in the nation. Morningstar, a highly respected investment research firm, based their ranking on New Jersey’s abnormally high fees, risky investment strategies and a lack of investment options in the New Jersey Best 529 College Savings Plan.

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State Sen. Diane Allen (R-Burlington) said today that she is probably not interested in a seat on the soon-to-be-expanded Senate Judiciary Committee.

“When you change committees you have to give up one, and while I think Judiciary would be an excellent committee, I would be hard pressed to give up one of the two I have,” said Allen, who is the ranking Republican on the Education Committee and the second ranking minority party member of the Health Committee.  

Under a rules change proposed by Senate President Richard Codey (D-Roseland) and agreed to by Republicans, the Judiciary Committee will add two new senators, one Republican and one Democrat, to expand its membership from 11 to 13.

From left to right: Steve Lonegan, Chris Christie, Brian D. Levine, Richard Merkt.

BRANCHBURG – The Lonegan forces tried to bill this event as “the Thrilla in Branchburg.”

But it proved no Ali-Frazier III this morning, and probably rated little better than the Republican gubernatorial primary of 1985 in terms of give and take, as four 2009 Republican candidates for governor assembled for the first time at a breakfast meeting sponsored by the Somerset County Federation of Republican Women at the Fox Hollow Golf Club.

Amid rumors that former Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan planned to set a confrontational tone, former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie, the presumptive frontrunner, gave Lonegan and/or anyone else little room to generate drama.

After arriving moments before the event began, speedily working the room and delivering a five-minute set of remarks, Christie told the crowd of 150 people that he had to attend his son’s basketball game and hoped they understood.

State Sen. Kip Bateman (R-Somerset) poses with Assemblyman Michael Doherty (R-Washington Twp.).

RARITAN TWP. – As he stood in a crowd of Hunterdon County politicians, state Sen. Christopher “Kip” Bateman (R-Somerset) quickly became the object of attention for one of them, who happens at the moment to be in the middle of a political war.  

Assemblyman Michael Doherty (R-Washington Twp.) wanted help from Bateman in the form of an endorsement. 

He and Assemblywoman Marcia Karrow (R-Flemington), his   rival for the 23rd District state senate seat vacated by U.S. Rep.-elect Leonard Lance (R-Hunterdon), have both been aggressively seeking endorsements, and no one has yet seen Bateman pick a side. Now Doherty towered over him. 

Here was Bateman’s chance.

LESNIAK-BATEMAN INTRODUCE RESOLUTION CALLING ON CONGRESS TO MAKE CHANGES TO FEDERAL LAW TO ENSURE ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING

Increased Federal Investment in Affordable Housing Will Mean New Homes, Jobs in the Garden State

TRENTON – Noting a national obligation to ensure affordable housing opportunities for all people, Senators Raymond J. Lesniak and Kip Bateman today introduced a New Jersey State Senate concurrent resolution calling on Congress to make changes to federal affordable housing laws to guarantee access to affordable housing for more of New Jersey’s residents, encourage building new homes and create jobs in New Jersey.

“Right now, federal affordable housing programs are not sufficient to meet the need for new homes in the State of New Jersey and around the nation,” said Senator Lesniak, D-Union. “We’re in the midst of a national economic crisis, in which the value of our hard-earned dollars is down, and the cost of living is through the roof. We need federal programs that identify the needs of the people of this country, and provide adequate support to states seeking to act in good faith to ensure housing opportunities for all their residents.”

“It’s a critical time for our nation,” said Senator Bateman, R-Somerset and Morris. “The federal government simply must find a way to ensure that homelessness doesn’t soar during this period of economic turmoil. The changes in federal law requested by Senator Lesniak and I will help keep hardworking people in New Jersey in decent housing and stimulate the economy.”

Estimated Cost: $28 Billion Over 10 Years With No Funding Plan

Senator Christopher "Kip" Bateman (R-District 16) is calling on Governor Jon Corzine and Joseph Doria, Commissioner of the Department of Community Affairs, to clarify how towns will finance over 100, 000 newly required affordable housing units. The non-partisan Office of Legislative Services has estimated the cost to be $28 billion.