Mila Jasey

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. -- Mark Meyerowitz had a brief glimmer of hope last year.

He was the only Republican legislative candidate in District 27, running for Assembly against a ticket headed up by Senate President Dick Codey – the most popular elected official in the state. But then Codey’s running mate, Mims Hackett, was arrested on corruption charges. And for the brief period that Hackett remained on the ticket, it looked possible that Meyerowitz could actually win.

That didn’t last, of course. Hackett resigned, and the party settled on Mila Jasey to replace him. She beat Meyerowitz by more than a 2-1 margin.

Gov. Jon Corzine signs the new schools construction bill at the Oliver Street School: Politicker photo 

NEWARK - Gov. Jon Corzine returned to the Ironbound this afternoon to sign a bill authorizing $3.9 billion in borrowing for new schools construction, which he said would fulfill the state’s constitutional duty to provide a thorough and efficient education, and create construction and other jobs.
    
Of an estimated 27 school projects statewide, six of the targeted schools are in the East Ward Ironbound, where the governor in late May announced his commitment to the legislation.

The six Ironbound schools were built before 1900 and are all overcrowded, according to the governor.

“We are doing what is right under the law and doing what is right for the state,” said Corzine, who praised the work of Assemblyman Albert Coutinho (D-Newark), Assemblywoman L. Grace Spencer (D-Newark), and others who banded together to pass the borrowing measure, which passed by one vote above the threshold in the Senate and three votes in the Assembly.

COMPREHENSIVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING REFORM PLAN
CLEARS ASSEMBLY APPROPRIATIONS PANEL
Bill Would Implement Most Comprehensive Reform
Of State's Affordable Housing Laws in Over Two Decades

(TRENTON) - The Assembly Appropriations Committee today released legislation to reform the state's affordable housing program by implementing more equitable housing practices and increasing affordable housing availability across the state.

Twenty-one Essex County women politicians formally endorsed U.S. Sen. Nia Gill (D-Essex)Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) today, including state Sen. Nia Gill (D-Essex).

"Sen. Lautenberg has a proven record of results and is committed to the vital issues affecting women, children and our communities in New Jersey," Gill said.

The full list of those female elected officials endorsing the incumbent: Gill, Assemblywoman Mila Jasey, Assemblywoman Cleopatra Tucker, Essex County Freeholder President Blonnie Watson, Essex County Freeholder Carol Clark...

ORANGE - Newark Mayor Cory Booker todayNewark Mayor Cory Booker lent his public support to the mayoral candidacy of Eldridge Hawkins, Jr.

"I know what it takes to restore hope and a new direction to a city in crisis," Booker wrote in a message to Orange voters that appeared on Hawkins campaign mailers throughout the Essex County city on the eve of the last weekend before Election Day.

"Eldridge Hawkins has the competence, good ideas and determination to create a bright future for Orange," Booker wrote of the 28-year old West Orange police officer.

Senate President Richard Codey at the Wilshire Grand Hotel todayAfter getting one question cleared up in the affirmative with Sen. Barack Obama, Senate President and former Governor Richard Codey today officially endorsed Obama for president at a press conference in his hometown of West Orange.

"What’s the skinny on the fact that you’re part Irish?" Codey said he asked Obama in a 10 minute conversation with the presidential candidate this morning, six days before the Feb. 5 primary.

"I am," Obama told him.

"Is that on your father’s side?" Codey cracked.

"It’s O’bama," Senator Loretta Weinberg informed the Senate President.

Supporters of marriage equality say they have 19 votes in the Senate and 39 in the Assembly – two votes short of passing a same sex marriage law – and are “thrilled, strategically” that legislative leaders have decided not to post the bill during the lame duck session, according to an e-mail sent by Garden State Equality President Steven Goldstein and obtained by PolitickerNJ.com. Goldstein says his organization’s focus in lame duck is on hate crimes legislation.

JASEY TAKES OATH AS ESSEX COUNTY'S NEWEST ASSEMBLYWOMAN

(TRENTON) -- Mila M. Jasey, a former public health nurse and veteran school board member for South Orange/Maplewood took her oath of office today as an Assemblywoman representing the 27th District in Essex County.
Jasey's swearing in - coupled with that of newly appointed Assemblywoman Elease Evans - gives the Legislature eight African-American women members, the most in state history.

Sandra Bolden Cunningham won a Special Election Convention tonight to replace Joseph Doria in State Senate.  Doria resigned to become Acting Commissioner of Community Affairs.

Cunningham will fill the remaining three months of Doria's term.

In case you missed it: New Jersey's three newest Assembly candidates were effectively annointed by individual party leaders, unencumbered by the need to present themselves to voters -- in this case, elected members of the County Committee.  Elease Evans, a Passaic County Freeholder who was elected to fill Alfred Steele's unexpired term, was picked by County Chairman John Currie; Bergen County Freeholder Connie Wagner, who will be the Democratic candidate for Assemblywoman in the 38th district (replacing Bob Gordon, who is running for Joseph Coniglio's Senate seat) was selected by County Chairman Joseph Ferriero; and Mila Jasey, a South Orange Board of Education member, was handpicked by Senate President Richard Codey to replace Mims Hackett in the Legislature.