Passaic

WITH CONSTITUTIONAL BUDGET DEADLINE MISSED, DeCROCE CALLS BUDGET PROCESS A DISGRACE

TAXPAYERS ARE NOT WELL-SERVED BY TRENTON POWER PLAYS

DeCROCE AND BIONDI SAY DEMOCRAT FIXATION ON RAISING TAXES IS DEPLORABLE

Democrat Power Struggle is Just More Bad News for Taxpayers

DeCROCE AND MALONE TO DEMOCRATS:
BUDGET DELAY IS UNFAIR TO TAXPAYERS

GIRGENTI BILL WOULD CREATE POW-MIA MEDAL RECEIVES FINAL APPROVAL

TRENTON - Legislation sponsored by Senator John A. Girgenti to create a State POW-MIA (Prisoner of War - Missing in Action) medal to be awarded to those who were taken prisoner and held captive or declared missing in action was approved by both the full Senate and General Assembly today.

"Throughout history we have been blessed with heroes willing to sacrifice their freedom to protect and defend ours," said Senator Girgenti, D-Bergen and Passaic, and Chairman of the Senate Law, Public Safety and Veterans' Affairs Committee. "Today, in foreign lands our military men and women are still fighting to defend our country's freedom. They do so knowing that could fall on the field of battle, or be captured. We owe an unending debt of gratitude for the sacrifice these men and women made, the pain they endured, and the hardships they suffered to ensure our freedom, and that is why New Jersey should have a medal to honor our POWs and those missing in action."

PENNACCHIO CONDEMNS "KELO LIGHT"

Assemblyman Joe Pennacchio, R-Morris and Passaic, released the following statement today following the passage of legislation by the Assembly that allows municipalities to seize a resident's private property for private redevelopment. The bill allows this if the inclusion of the property is found necessary, and as long as the non-blighted property is no more than 20 percent of the land mass being designated as needing redevelopment. The legislation does not contain any real safeguards to ensure that a good faith effort has been given in order to save those properties from eminent domain:

SARLO URGES CAUTION FOR TEEN TANNERS

TRENTON - Senator Paul A. Sarlo, a Senate sponsor of the bill to restrict the use of tanning salons by teenagers, today said its enactment will help fight skin cancer for generations to come.

"Like smoking in earlier generations, young people didn't really know the cancer-causing dangers of over-exposure to ultraviolet rays until fairly recently," said Senator Sarlo, D-Bergen, Essex and Passaic. "With the medical evidence now convincing, we need this legislation to back up our warnings to young people who sometimes believe they are immune to danger."

SENATE APPROVES TURNER/DORIA/GIRGENTI BILL TO PROTECT PRIVATE SCHOOL EDUCATORS

TRENTON - The Senate today gave unanimous approval to legislation sponsored by Senators Shirley Turner, Joseph Doria and John Girgenti that would define any assault on a nonpublic school teacher or administrator as an aggravated assault.

"No teacher should ever have to worry about being assaulted by a student," said Senator Turner, D-Mercer and Chair of the Senate Education Committee. "But the penalty for harming a teacher should not be dependent on whether that individual teaches in a public or private school. Charging tuition shouldn't result in less stringent punishments for students acting in such a deplorable way."

DeCROCE: CORZINE ACKNOWLEDGES REPUBLICANS HAVE BEEN RIGHT ON NEED FOR REAL SPENDING CUTS

GOVERNOR GOES ON THE RADIO AND BLASTS DEMOCRAT FISCAL GIMMICKS OF THE PAST FOUR YEARS

DeCROCE AND MALONE CALL ON DEMOCRATS TO GIVE ADEQUATE TIME FOR REVIEW OF BUDGET DOCUMENT

CALL FOR LEGISLATORS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO HAVE AT LEAST FIVE DAYS TO REVIEW THE BUDGET BEFORE JULY 1st DEADLINE

ASSEMBLY JUDICIARY COMMITTEE CLEARS SARLO/GIRGENTI MEASURE STRENGTHENING PENALTIES FOR ORGANIZED SHOPLIFTING

TRENTON – A measure sponsored by Senators Paul A. Sarlo and John A. Girgenti that would create the crime of “leader of an organized retail theft enterprise,� and impose prison time on persons found guilty of leading or participating in organized theft rings received unanimous approval today from the Assembly Judiciary Committee.

“This legislation would help apprehend members of these shoplifting rings on every level, from the low men on the totem pole to the ringleaders,� said Senator Sarlo, D-Bergen, Essex and Passaic. “Groups like these force store owners to raise prices, leaving the rest of us to have to pay more and make up for the lost profits. Tougher penalties are needed to send a clear message to these shoplifting organizations that the State is standing behind store owners and honest consumers, and we will not allow these theft rings to continue – if they are caught, they will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.�

"Organized retail crime is more serious than simple everyday shoplifting and that is why I am committed to fighting this growing problem," said Senator Girgenti, D-Bergen and Passaic. "The economic impact on the retail industry is enormous and usually gets passed onto the consumers. This bill would send a strong message by increasing the seriousness of organized retail crime, above and beyond what you would be prosecuted for if it were a regular theft.�