MORIARTY BILL TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR SENIOR AND DISABLED CITIZENS TO RETAIN PROPERTY TAX RELIEF GETS FINAL LEGISLATIVE APPROVAL

(TRENTON) - Legislation sponsored by Assemblyman Paul Moriarty that would make it easier for senior and disabled citizens who move to retain their property tax reimbursement was approved today by the Senate and Assembly, giving it final legislative approval.

"New Jersey's property tax reimbursement program is a key lifeline to many senior and disabled homeowners striving to make ends meets, especially amid this global economic downturn," said Moriarty (D-Gloucester/Camden). "They should not lose this valuable lifeline for years just because they move to a new home. That makes no sense. This bill would fix that and make it easier for seniors and disabled citizens to regain this crucial help."

MORIARTY LAUDS PROPERTY TAX RELIEF FOR SENIOR AND DISABLED HOMEOWNERS

(TRENTON) - Assemblyman Paul Moriarty (D-Gloucester/Camden) today released the following statement:

"While all of us would like to do more in these tough economic times, the successful tax amnesty program and other Democratic efforts to boost the economy are allowing us to safeguard our neediest residents.

MORIARTY BILL TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR SENIOR AND DISABLED CITIZENS TO RETAIN PROPERTY TAX RELIEF ADVANCED BY ASSEMBLY PANEL

(TRENTON) - Legislation sponsored by Assemblyman Paul Moriarty that would make it easier for senior and disabled citizens who move to retain their property tax reimbursement was released today by an Assembly panel.

"New Jersey's property tax reimbursement program is a key lifeline to many senior and disabled homeowners striving to make ends meets, especially amid this global economic downturn," said Moriarty (D-Gloucester/Camden). "They should not lose this valuable lifeline for years just because they move to a new home. That makes no sense. This bill would fix that and make it easier for seniors and disabled citizens to regain this crucial help."

MORIARTY & BURZICHELLI BILL GIVING JOB PROTECTIONS TO EMERGENCY VOLUNTEERS CLEARS ASSEMBLY PANEL

(TRENTON) – Legislation sponsored by Assemblymen Paul Moriarty and John Burzichelli to provide job protections for volunteer emergency responders continued advancing toward law today.

Under the Emergency Responders Employment Protection Act (A-1263), employers would be prohibited from terminating, dismissing or suspending employees who fail to report to work because they’re providing volunteer emergency services.

“These volunteers selflessly sacrifice their time and risk their safety to protect our communities and families,” said Moriarty (D-Gloucester/Camden). “The least we can do is provide them protections when it comes to their livelihoods. This is the moral and decent thing to do.”

MORIARTY / GREENSTEIN / CONAWAY / GREENWALD / CRUZ-PEREZ BILL TO REDUCE SERIOUS MEDICAL ERRORS GAINS FINAL LEGISLATIVE APPROVAL

Measure Would Prohibit Hospitals from Collecting Payment From Patients & Insurance Companies For Serious Preventable Mistakes

(TRENTON) – Legislation Assemblymen Paul Moriarty, Linda Greenstein, Lou Greenwald and Nilsa Cruz Perez sponsored to reduce serious and preventable medical errors by prohibiting hospitals from holding patients and their insurance companies liable for medical bills related to these errors and to improve hospital-specific reporting of hospital acquired medical conditions received final legislative approval today.

Lawrence & DiCicco Call on Corzine to
Implement Republican Budget Savings and
Restore Property Tax Relief for New Jerseyans

Assembly Republicans' $783 million in proposed savings
and $300 million in "new" amnesty revenues means
Democrats have no excuse not to restore property tax relief

GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP – Eugene Lawrence and Domenick DiCicco, candidates for the General Assembly in the 4th Legislative District, called on Governor Jon Corzine to implement the Assembly Republicans' proposed budget savings in order to restore property tax relief for all New Jerseyans.

The New Jersey Assembly Republicans have proposed $783 million in additional savings from the current FY2010 budget. If Corzine and the Trenton Democrats were to implement the Republicans' responsible plan, they would have enough funding – along with the $300 million in amnesty revenues – to restore the entire property tax relief program that Corzine gutted earlier this year.

"There is no excuse for Jon Corzine, Paul Moriarty, and the rest of the Trenton Democrats not to take advantage of this opportunity," Domenick DiCicco said. "For them not to take advantage of the specific savings proposed by the Assembly Republicans is a thumb in the eye to the millions of New Jerseyans who will continue to have their promised property tax relief taken away."

"If Corzine and his team will not lead, then voters will replace them with representatives who will," Eugene Lawrence added. "If Jon Corzine and the Democrats pass on this unique opportunity, it will provide voters will have a clear choice in November: a choice between more of the same from the Democrats, or real change represented by Domenick and I."

MORIARTY BILLS TO PRESERVE FARMLAND & OPEN SPACE ADVANCE IN ASSEMBLY

(TRENTON) – Legislation sponsored by Assemblyman Paul Moriarty to help preserve farmland and open space throughout the 4th Legislative District has been approved by an Assembly panel.

“Preserving farmland and open space limits development, protects our water quality and maintains parks and recreation for our families for years to come, all while helping to sustain our reputation and tradition as the Garden State,” said Moriarty (D-Gloucester/Camden). “This is supported by voters and will bring benefits to Camden and Gloucester counties for years to come.”

4th District Assembly Candidates Lawrence and DiCicco
Call on Democrats to Stand Up for Taxpayers
and Oppose Corzine's Budget

Lawrence and DiCicco say budget full of one-shot gimmicks
and unacceptable cuts in property tax relief

GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP -- Eugene Lawrence and Domenick DiCicco, candidates for the General Assembly in the 4th Legislative District, called on Democrats to oppose Governor Corzine's $28.6 billion budget.

"Jon Corzine's budget is an embarrassment to New Jersey and is nothing more than a shell game, trying to fool the public in an election year," said DiCicco, a resident of Franklin Township. "To present a budget that guts property tax rebates for nearly all New Jerseyans, after pledging to expand those very same rebates, represents the absolute worst kind of politics. New Jersey deserves better than representatives who promise one thing during campaign season and then do the opposite once they are elected."

"Voters must ask themselves if they really want four more years of this nonsense from the Governor and an Assembly that supports him," DiCicco added.

The Corzine budget also raises taxes on some consumer goods as well as an income tax hike on New Jerseyans who are already paying some of the highest taxes anywhere in the United States.

"This budget hurts regular people," added Lawrence, a resident of Gloucester Township and a former Democratic councilman. "Under Jon Corzine, the average property tax bill in Gloucester Township has gone up almost 9 percent. In Washington Township, taxes are up almost 20 percent, and in Franklin Township, taxes are up almost 27 percent. Regular people are being taxed straight out of New Jersey, and this budget is just more of the same."

Corzine's budget represents no fundamental change from previous budgets, relying on ineffective, one-shot gimmicks to try to fill massive budget holes left by poor fiscal management and repressive taxation.

"Voters need to decide whether they want more of the same or if they want real change," Lawrence said. "We represent real change."

"High taxes and out of control spending are what got us into this mess," DiCicco concluded. "More high taxes and more out of control spending are not going to get us out of it. What New Jersey needs is fiscal responsibility in Trenton, and South Jersey deserves Assemblymen in Trenton who will do the right thing and vote against bloated budgets like this one."

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BURZICHELLI/MORIARTY/DeANGELO COMMENTARY ON THE 'NJ FAIR DEBT COLLECTION PRACTICES ACT'

Measure Would Protect Consumers from Over Aggressive, Illegal Debt Collection Practices

(TRENTON) - Assemblymen John J. Burzichelli, Paul D. Moriarty and Wayne P. DeAngelo today released a multimedia package on their legislation to protect consumers from abusive debt collection practices.

The "New Jersey Fair Debt Collection Practices Act" (A-2493) would eliminate abusive debt collection practices in New Jersey while providing consumers with a vehicle to dispute and validate debt information.  The sponsors noted that the legislation would, in no way, relieve New Jersey consumers of their obligations to pay outstanding debts.

PANEL CLEARS GUSCIORA / CRUZ-PEREZ / MORIARTY / RILEY BILL TARGETING SIMULATED GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS

(TRENTON) – Legislation Assembly members Reed Gusciora, Nilsa Cruz-Perez, Paul Moriarty and Celeste Riley sponsored to make it illegal for businesses to advertise using a simulated government document was released today by an Assembly committee.

The bill (A-3931) would make using such documents – whether through the mail or the Internet – a violation of the Consumer Fraud Act.

“Marketing companies that use these simulated forms are preying on the vulnerability of the average citizen during a global recession,” said Gusciora (D-Mercer).