New Jersey Supreme Court

SENATOR DIANE ALLEN DRAFTING SIBLING UNIFICATION ACT
New Bill Would Require That Siblings Stay In Contact

Senator Diane Allen, (R-7), announced today that she has asked the Office of Legislative Services to draft legislation that will allow siblings adopted into different families to be granted visitation rights under certain circumstances.

Governor Jon Corzine is expected to nominate a new Chief Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court sometime this summer to replace Deborah Poritz, who will reach the mandatory retirement age of seventy in the fall. Speculation still centers around Associate Justice James Zazzali, a Democrat, who would take the post until he turns seventy in 2007.

Two of the people reportedly under consideration for appointment as an Associate Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court have especially close ties to the state's largest newspaper. John Farmer, Jr., a former state Attorney General who was -- for about ninety minutes -- the Governor of New Jersey in 2002, is the son of John Farmer, the Star-Ledger's National Political Correspondent. Helen Hoens, a state Appellate Court Judge, is the wife of veteran reporter Robert Schwanenberg, who covers the state judiciary for the Star-Ledger.

Senate Republican Leader Leonard Lance, R-23, issued the following statement today:

“I have today indicated to Governor Corzine that I do not wish to be considered for appointment to the Supreme Court of New Jersey. I am honored that others may have advanced my name in this regard, but I have never done so.
My chief responsibilities as Senate Minority Leader continue to be to fight vigorously with my Senate Republican colleagues for fiscal responsibility, ethical integrity and true property tax reform.
Regarding the proposed state budget, we must learn to live within our means and not raise the sales tax, which would further weaken New Jersey’s ability to compete economically with other states. Regarding ethics, we must ban pay-to-play at all levels of government immediately. Regarding New Jersey’s punitive property tax burden, Senate Republicans have taken the lead in suggesting school funding and pension reforms that go to the heart of solving the problem.
There are many qualified persons for consideration for appointment to our Supreme Court. Senate Republicans look forward to being involved in the process through our constitutional responsibility of advice and consent.�

As the Legislature negotiates a state budget with the Governor over the next couple of weeks, here's something worth watching over the next couple of weeks: how will Leonard Lance balance his duties as the Senate Minority Leader with his candidacy for Associate Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court?

CODEY STATEMENT ON SUPREME COURT'S ABBOTT FUNDING DECISION

TRENTON -- Senate President Richard J. Codey, D-Essex, today released the following statement in response to the New Jersey Supreme Court's decision to allow the state to freeze aid to its 31 Abbott school districts:

"As I've said before, I don't necessarily believe that throwing money at the problem is the most effective solution. Understandably, we have an obligation to ensure that every child has a level playing field where they can grow and succeed and we need to reassess the way in which we go about achieving those goals. Across the board, districts need to find innovative ways to tighten their belts and we need to make sure that every hard-earned tax dollar generated for these districts is going into the classroom experience."

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FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Jennifer Sciortino
NJ Senate Majority Office
(P) 609-292-5215
(E) jsciortino@njleg.org

RANSPORTATION TRUST FUND PLAN NEEDS IMPROVEMENT
Emphasis On Borrowing Will Leave Our Children Paying The Bill

Senator Leonard Lance, (R-23) Senator Andrew Ciesla, (R-10), and Senator Henry McNamara, (R-40), issued the following statement regarding Governor Jon Corzine’s announcement of a Transportation Trust Fund reauthorization plan.

“WE WILL MOVE TO PROTECT NEW JERSEY FAMILIES"
Constitutional Amendment Banning Gay Marriage Being Drafted

After three weeks as Governor of New Jersey, Jon Corzine might find himself longing for the less stressful days of the United States Senate. The not-his-fault news has not been good: the Unemployment Fund is out of money, the Transportation Trust Fund is out of mone, the School Construction Corporation is out of money, the Open Space Preservation Fund is out of money, the state pension system faces serious financial troubles, and the state budget is facing a $4 billion hole. Some insiders say the New Jersey Supreme Court can add to the budget woes by ordering several billion dollars be spent on school construction for Abbot districts, and a payment to the pension plan. At the same time, legislators (especially those who remember the early 1990's) are looking at independent polls showing New Jersey's unwilling to accept tax increases. The house Corzine has bought apparently needs more than just a little paint to fix it up, and to make matters even less comfortable, his friend down the hall wants his house back.

MERKT: CHIEF JUSTICE'S 17% PAY HIKE DEMAND 'WAY OFF-BASE'

- STATE IN FISCAL TROUBLE, FACING $5 BILLION BUDGET SHORTFALL -