Nellie Pou

POU: CORZINE ORDER ENSURING WOMEN AND MINORITIES BENEFIT FROM STIMULUS IS ‘REAL PROGRESS’ FOR NJ

(PRINCETON TWP.) – Assemblywoman Nellie Pou (D-Passaic) released the following statement Friday after Gov. Jon S. Corzine signed an executive order ensuring businesses owned by women and minorities benefit from federal and state economic stimulus projects:

“It was so gratifying and important today to see Go. Corzine reaffirm his strong commitment to provide equal employment opportunity for women and minorities.

“Today’s executive order not only emphasizes the importance of providing work to deserving women- and minority-owned business, but imposes requirements to make it possible.

“This isn’t just a piece of paper signed to make us feel good about boosting women and minority-owned businesses.

“This is real progress for New Jersey..."

POU: DEMOCRATIC PRIVATE JOB CREATION INITIATIVES BRING PROGRESS FOR NEW JERSEY

(TRENTON) – Assembly Appropriations Chairwoman Nellie Pou (D-Passaic) today released the following statement after employment numbers that show 13,000 private sector jobs were added in New Jersey last month:

“This positive trend on private sector job growth indicates the efforts by Gov. Corzine and the Democratic Legislature to help New Jersey emerge strong from this global crisis are paying off.

“These 13,000 new private sector jobs come after New Jersey Democrats took aggressive and comprehensive steps to help our state emerge strong. It also comes after many sat back and offered nothing but criticism.

“This has been a challenging time for businesses and their workers, but Governor Corzine and New Jersey Democrats are on their side..."

LEGISLATIVE LATINO CAUCUS STATEMENT ON SENATE CONFIRMATION OF SONIA SOTOMAYOR AS THE NATION’S FIRST HISPANIC SUPREME COURT JUSTICE

(TRENTON) – New Jersey Legislative Latino Caucus Chairwoman Assemblywoman Nellie Pou (D-Passaic/Bergen) today issued the following statement on Sonia Sotomayor’s confirmation as the nation’s first Hispanic Supreme Court justice:

“This truly is a historic and emotional day. “Judge Sotomayor will now be working to ensure equal justice under the law, using her real world experiences that are a shining example to all Americans..."

WATSON COLEMAN / CRUZ-PEREZ / JASEY / EVANS / GUSCIORA / POU BILL ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS CLOSER TO BECOMING LAW

(TRENTON) – Legislation to give counties the ability to establish grant programs to address homelessness is closer to becoming law. The bill (A-3101) is sponsored by Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Mercer) and Assembly members Nilsa Cruz-Perez (D-Camden), Mila Jasey (D-Essex), Elease Evans (D-Passaic), Reed Gusciora (D-Mercer) and Nellie Pou (D-Passaic).

“The number of homeless, in New Jersey – especially women and children – is unacceptably high and may go even higher as more families face the very real and scary prospect of losing their homes to foreclosure,” Watson Coleman said. “State and local governments must work together to provide more funding and better services to provide access to affordable housing and ensure families have another option to living in a shelter or on the street.”

LEGISLATIVE LATINO CAUCUS ON SENATE CONFIRMATION OF CAMELIA M. VALDES AS PASSAIC COUNTY PROSECUTOR

(TRENTON) – New Jersey Legislative Latino Caucus Chairwoman Assemblywoman Nellie Pou (D-Passaic/Bergen) today issued the following statement on Senate confirmation of Camelia M. Valdes to be the new Passaic County prosecutor.

Valdes, an assistant federal prosecutor with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Newark, will become the first Latina to hold the office of county prosecutor:

“This confirmation is great news for the state’s Latino community and for all of Passaic County as we welcome Camelia Valdes to her new position. I congratulate Gov. Jon S. Corzine for this groundbreaking nomination and the State Senate for wisely confirming it..."

***MULTIMEDIA PACKAGE***

ASSEMBLY DEMOCRATIC BUDGET COMMITTEE MEMBERS ON PASSAGE OF THE FY 2010 BUDGET

(TRENTON) - The Democratic members of the Assembly Budget Committee today issued a multimedia package on the Assembly passage of New Jersey's annual appropriations act for fiscal year 2010.

The $28.9 billion fiscal year 2010 budget (A-4100) is about $4 billion less than last year - representing the largest spending cut in state history - and would:

• Provide property tax rebates to households earning less than $75,000 per year;
• Retain the property tax deduction for households earning up to $250,000 per year;
• Devote more than half of state spending to property tax relief;
• Cap tuition increases at 3 percent and increase direct college student assistance by about 10 percent; and
• Increase school aid by $270 million.

POU: BUDGET BRINGS HISTORIC CUTS

(TRENTON) – Assembly Appropriations Chairwoman Nellie Pou (D-Passaic) released the following statement today:

“This budget is a reminder of the extent of the economic collapse across the globe, but New Jersey is already better positioned than other states to endure because Democrats have taken bold and fiscally responsible steps to control spending. This budget continues that effort.

“The successful tax amnesty program that allowed us to provide even more property tax relief is proof Democratic efforts are working..."

Gov. Jon Corzine addresses the crowd at Friday night's LLANJ 10th Anniversary Gala at Rutgers University.

NEW BRUNSWICK – Midway into Gov. Jon Corzine’s speech to the Latino Leadership Alliance of New Jersey (LLANJ), a powerful and expanding grassroots organization celebrating its tenth anniversary, the door flung open and former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie strode into the room. 

He took a seat.

Murmurs ensued. 

The two men had shared a stage at Newark’s North Ward Center, and now they were once again in close proximity with the potential for their general election showdown building as Corzine rattled off what he argued were his achievements of particular interest to the Latino community before a receptive crowd of LLANJ members.

Moments later, Christie would seemingly bash Corzine in his absence and make his own case for why Latinos should consider his candidacy, basing his argument in part on his record of choosing minorities for jobs at the U.S. Attorney’s Office and on his commitment to dramatic public education reform. 

LEGISLATIVE LATINO CAUCUS STATEMENT ON PRESIDENT OBAMA’S NOMINATION OF SONIA SOTOMAYOR AS THE NATION’S FIRST HISPANIC SUPREME COURT JUSTICE

(TRENTON) – New Jersey Legislative Latino Caucus Chairwoman Assemblywoman Nellie Pou (D-Passaic/Bergen) today issued the following statement on President Obama’s nomination of Sonia Sotomayor as the nation’s first Hispanic Supreme Court justice:

“Judge Sotomayor has the intellect and compassion needed to ensure equal justice under the law, honed from real world experiences that are a shining example to all Americans.

“Her personal story – born of working class parents from Puerto Rico, growing up in the South Bronx, rising from humble means to earn respect from scholars and citizens alike for her mastery of the law – is an intensely American story..."

Twelve members of the State Assembly had more than $100,000 cash on hand as of the most recent reports filed with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission: