Louis Manzo

The state Division of Elections office says Nicholas Chiaravallotti and Shelia Newton-Moses, candidates for the General Assembly in the 31st district, filed their petitions wrong in time for Monday’s primary deadline.

"They filed for the general election," said spokesman David Wald. "It’s unclear what the division is going to do. We have confirmed the petitions were accepted for the general election."

Chiaravalloti acknowledged that his petitions incorrectly, but noted that he submitted signatures for both the general and the primary -- and that when the Division of Elections throws out the ones he filed for the general, he still has plenty to qualify for the -- and Newton-Moses says she does too, he said.

To an outsider it may seem extraordinary that a well-oiled political machine like the Hudson County Democratic Organization could mess up the petitions of a State Senate candidate in a hotly contested primaries, but there is some historical precedence to shabby petitions from Jersey City Democrats Bobby Jackson and Joe Cardwell that may explain it.

31st district State Senate candidate Sandra Bolden Cunningham filed the wrong petitions and may not be on the June ballot, the Jersey Journal is reporting. Her running mates, Assembly candidates Anthony Chiappone and L. Harvey Smith, filed correctly.

If Cunningham's name is removed from the ballot -- her lawyers are prepared to argue that it should not be -- it would leave the battle for the Democratic nomination to Louis Manzo, a two-term Assemblyman, and Sean Cotter.

GREEN BILL TO REVIEW STATE'S AFFORDABLE HOUSING HEADS TO GOVERNOR'S DESK
Measure Would Create a Joint Committee to Ensure Access to Affordable Housing

(TRENTON) -- The Assembly today gave final passage to legislation Assemblyman Jerry Green sponsored to establish a special legislative panel that would reexamine the state's system of providing fair and adequate access to affordable homes for working families and ensure New Jersey meets its housing responsibilities.

ASSEMBLY PASSES LANDMARK
STEM CELL RESEARCH BILL
Bill Would Invest $270 Million in Cutting-Edge Research,
Enhance State's Image as International Reputation in Scientific Field

(TRENTON) -- The Assembly today passed landmark legislation that would direct $270 million to build stem cell and biomedical research centers in New Jersey's northern, central and southern regions and reinforce the state's national status as a leader in the promising field of stem-cell research.

MANZO: SCI HEARING UNDERSCORES NEED FOR ACTION ON AMMUNITION REGULATION LEGISLATION
Bill Would Help Regulate Sale of Ammunition in NJ

(TRENTON) - Assemblyman Louis M. Manzo, the prime sponsor of a measure to regulate the sale of ammunition in New Jersey, said testimony provided today during a State Commission of Investigation (SCI) public hearing underscores the need to enact his legislation.

MANZO WELCOMES INCLUSION OF SMART BILL PRINCIPLES IN PROPERTY TAX REFORM RECOMMENDATIONS
Assemblyman Says Limiting New Direct Credits to Primary Households & Income Means Testing Will 'Maximize Resources'

(TRENTON) - Assemblyman Louis Manzo today expressed satisfaction that a proposed system for delivering taxpayer relief through direct credits on property tax bills incorporates reform ideas that he advanced in his "SMART bill" tax relief legislation.

BECK: EFFORT TO REFORM BUDGET PROCESS
GAINS BIPARTISAN SUPPORT

MERKT: LET'S GET READY TO TACKLE STATE DEBT

Assemblyman Richard Merkt said he is encouraged by the fact that the majority of the Constitutional Reform Committee has expressed a willingness to discuss the critical issue of state debt.

"It is encouraging that Senator Madden and Assemblyman Manzo, at last night's public hearing, acknowledged the impact of state debt on property taxes," said Merkt, R-Morris. "Now that the majority of the committee has said they want to explore the issue, a meeting has been scheduled for next Thursday to discuss amendments to New Jersey's debt limitation clause. I look forward to a thoughtful debate on the topic."

At last night's meeting of the Joint Committee on Constitutional Reform and Citizens' Property Tax Constitutional Convention, Democrat legislators, including Senator Fred Madden and Assemblyman Louis Manzo, joined with Republicans in calling for a hearing to talk about state debt.

"I am thankful Democrat leadership has allowed the members of the committee to discuss this vital topic," Merkt stated. "The only way the special session will be successful is if a truly bipartisan approach is taken."

At the hearing, several citizens also expressed concern about the outrageous bonding schemes utilized by lawmakers in the last decade.

"I share the public's concern," added Merkt. "For years, Trenton has feverishly increased state debt as a means of ducking difficult budget decisions. Our children will be paying the tab for these fiscal missteps until at least 2044."

Merkt noted that over a month ago he sent a letter to his colleagues on the committee asking them to consider expanding their examination of constitutional reforms. Specifically, he called for a hearing on the debt limitation clause and its potential impact to curtail the amount of money the state annually pays out in debt service costs.

"New Jersey has incurred an immense amount of debt over the last several years," Merkt stated. "I think it is wise to consider enacting an amendment to restore the people's constitutional right to approve or reject all new bonded debt authorized by the Legislature, so that debt service payments do not exhaust funding that would otherwise be available for property tax relief. Currently, eight percent of our state budget goes towards debt service payments. Definitely, this money would be better spent elsewhere."

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MCKEON, MANZO, DEP COMMISSIONER, ADVOCATES
URGE VOTER SUPPORT FOR PARKS & NATURAL AREAS
Referendum Would Create Stable Funding Source for Maintaining New Jersey Parklands

(ISLAND BEACH STATE PARK) -- Standing with state Environmental Protection Commissioner Lisa P. Jackson, fellow lawmakers and environmental advocates, Assemblymen John F. McKeon and Louis Manzo today urged voters to approve a proposed constitutional amendment that would ensure stable funding for maintaining state and local parks and natural areas.