Nellie Pou

JOB-GROWTH GRANTS, HOMEOWNER ASSISTANCE
CLEAR ASSEMBLY APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE
Measures Aim to Help Residents Weather Current Economic Downturn,
Promote Job-Growth and Retention

(TRENTON) - The Assembly Appropriations Committee today released a package of measures aimed at helping homeowners and businesses emerge intact from the global economic crisis.

ASSEMBLY DEMS APPLAUD INCREASE TO HOME HEATING ASSISTANCE FUNDING

(TRENTON) – Assembly members Wayne P. DeAngelo, Fred Scalera, Joan M. Quigley, Annette Quijano, and Nellie Pou today commended the swift response of Governor Jon S. Corzine and the state Department of Community Affairs in enacting the recommendations of legislation (AR-165) they sponsored to allow more working families to receive help paying their heating bills this winter.

BILL SEEKING TO HELP RESIDENTS PAY HOME HEATING BILLS APPROVED

(TRENTON) –Legislation to push the federal government to allow more low-income households to receive help paying home heating costs has been approved 78-1 by the Assembly.

The measure (AR165) urges the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) to take all administrative steps necessary to increase the annual income eligibility level for receiving assistance under the federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program.

ASSEMBLY PASSES BILL INCREASING FUNDS AVAILABLE TO TOWNS TO START SHARING SERVICES

Bill Would Allow SHARE Funds to Pay for More Start-Up Costs

(TRENTON) – The General Assembly has passed legislation to give towns greater ability to pay for entering into shared service agreements that can save property taxpayers money.

The bill is sponsored by Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts Jr., Assemblymen Frederick Scalera (D-Essex) and Herb Conaway (D-Burlington) and Assemblywoman Nellie Pou (D-Passaic).

ASSEMBLY DEMOCRATS REACT TO BUDGET COMMITTEE HEARING AIMED AT HELPING STATE AMID FINANCIAL MELTDOWN

(TRENTON) - Assembly Democrats today issued the following multimedia package as the Assembly Budget committee considered legislation that would expand the state's network of social support programs amid a continuing global economic meltdown.

The panel met as part of a concerted effort by the Assembly to continue its focus on helping New Jerseyans and businesses emerge strong from the global financial crisis.

Assembly committees today considered 19 pieces of legislation to revamp state business taxes and incentives, help struggling homeowners, promote jobs, protect consumers from financial fraud and help low-income residents.

ASSEMBLY DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKERS SAY WORRISOME FORECASTS HIGHLIGHT NEED TO HELP RESIDENTS WITH ENERGY COSTS

(TRENTON) – Assembly Democrats today said ominous signs regarding winter fuel bills, looming cold weather and the global economic crisis simply re-emphasize the need to help low-income seniors and disabled persons pay gas and utility bills.

There is some chatter among Passaic County Democrats attending the Democratic National Convention in Denver that veteran State Sen. John Girgenti could be in his last term.  Girgenti, a legislator since 1977, is the last white male to represent a district where minority voters represent the majority of the district.  Two years ago, Assemblywoman Nellie Pou went as far as to present her name to the Passaic Democratic screening committee as a Senate candidate, but Girgenti—rather easily – secured party support for another term.  Pou, by the way, says she’s not interested in challenging the popular Girgenti in 2011. 

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.

POU: LEANER GOVERNMENT STILL HAS OBLIGATION
TO STATE's MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS

Assemblywoman Nellie PouAfter watching the CNN debate in South Carolina on Monday night, Assemblywoman Nellie Pou applauded the performance of her presidential candidate, Sen. Hillary Clinton, who during the Democratic Primary tussle bashed what she described as Bush's too little too late economic stimulus package.  

"The most important change we can bring to the  country is a change in the policies and priorities that have governed from the  White House and I believe the best Democrat to deliver that change is Hillary  Clinton," said Pou. "The economic  injustices of the past eight years need to be reversed and Hillary has the  experience and ability to produce the type of change that offers economic  opportunity to all."

Obama likewise targeted what he sees as the failed economic policies of the Bush administration but took an additional poke at the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) championed by Clinton's husband when he was president, in a debate that largely saw frontrunners Clinton and Obama gunning for each other.