The New Jersey NAACP said today that state Sens. Raymond Leniak (D-Elizabeth) and Christopher “Kip” Bateman (R-Branchburg) were pushing legislation to end the Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) to benefit their law firms’ clients. 

“These Senators are representing the interests of towns that have retained them as lawyers.  They are pushing legislation demanded by shortsighted local governments that are paying the Senators’ private law firms to represent them. This is a clear violation of the trust placed in them by the public,” said NAACP Housing Committee Chairman Mike McNeil in a statement this morning.

The group identified at 40 municipal clients to the two senators’ firms -- Weiner Lesniak; and DiFrancesco, Bateman, Coley, Yospin, Kunzman, Davis & Lehrer --  and asked them to disclose all past and present municipal clients and to recuse themselves from the COAH debate.

Camden County NAACP President Colandus “Kelly” Francis also complained that civil rights advocates were not given a chance to testify at last week’s Senate Economic Growth committee hearing on the legislation, even though they heard from municipal officials and the League of Municipalities. 

Lesniak said that senators are required to disclose all municipal clients with the the Election Law Enforcement Commission.

Senator Sean Kean, R-Monmouth, said he was glad to see that Senators Raymond Lesniak and Kip Bateman are moving forward boldly with hearings on Senate Bill 1, which seeks to abolish the Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) and create a fair plan to meet affordable housing goals. Kean noted the move comes after New Jersey's unemployment rose to 10.1 percent in December – higher than the national average and the highest level in 33 years.

Five Republican senators said that, while they can't support the Freedom of Religion and Equality in Civil Marriage Act (S-1967), they will work to ensure that New Jersey civil union law is enforced and provides all rights and benefits that legislators intended.

Senator Christopher (Kip) Bateman, R-District 16, said he is pleased that the Senate unanimously passed his legislation requiring that state agencies release any report resulting from a school district audit with 30 days of completion. "When taxpayers pay for a study or an audit, they should have the right to see it as soon as it is completed," Senator Bateman said.

TRENTON -- State Sen. Kip Bateman (R-Branchburg) had harsh words for Gov. Jon Corzine today over the withdrawal of a Somerset County nominee to the Highlands Council.

“He can’t leave soon enough, in my opinion,” said Bateman.  

Bedminster Mayor Robert F. Holtaway, a Republican from Bateman’s legislative district, showed up to today’s Judiciary Committee meeting expecting to face the committee.  But upon arriving for the meeting, the members were notified that Corzine had pulled the nomination.

Holtaway was nominated in June, but the nomination was tabled.  

State Sen. Bill Baroni (R-Hamilton) was also angry.

“To have a nomination made, to go through the process, to fill out the questionnaire, to be on the agenda.  To come down here and in lame duck to have the governor of New Jersey withdraw a nomination without so much as notice to the nominee… This is not a good way to go out,” he said.

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.

(more…)

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.

(more…)

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.

(more…)