In Case You Missed It:
Philadelphia Inquirer Endorses Glading for Congress;
Attacks Democrats' "Atrocious" Backroom Politics

Paper calls Andrews' machinations "atrocious";
Glading "most viable candidate in years"

BARRINGTON – Dale Glading, candidate for U.S. Congress in New Jersey's 1st District, today received the endorsement of The Philadelphia Inquirer in the June 3rd Republican primary.

The Inquirer editorial board wrote that Dale Glading "gives GOP voters in the district their most viable candidate in years." ("Editorial: N.J. First District Primary", The Philadelphia Inquirer, May 23, 2008)

The paper, having the 16th largest daily circulation in the United States, also harshly criticized the machine politics of the Andrews family and South Jersey bosses, calling their "scheme" to use Camille Andrews as a placeholder candidate "atrocious."

The paper's editorial board went further to say of the Andrews/Norcross "backroom politics": "Voters want a candidate, not a process that disenfranchises them."

Dale Glading, on the other hand, is running in an open primary and has appeared at public events discussing the issues facing South Jersey voters.

Glading stands in strong opposition to the disenfranchisement of Democrats in South Jersey, and he has risen above party politics to communicate his popular message of lower taxes and real reform.

South Jersey Democrats may not have a real choice on June 3, but Dale Glading gives them a real choice for real change on November 4.

Democrats should remember that when their own party leaders were engaging in "atrocious" backroom dealing, Dale Glading stood alone in truly earning the votes of every South Jerseyan, regardless of party.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT...

Christmas in July? Bah, humbug!
They're called "legislative initiatives."
They really are out-of-control budget stuffers.
Editorial, The Philadelphia Inquirer, February 23, 2007

The New Jersey Legislature should end Christmas in July.

Thats the last-minute practice of stuffing the state budget with "legislative initiatives" for the folks back home - sidewalks, recreation centers, library additions, firefighter equipment.

Some are worthy projects; some are special-interest payoffs. But how would the public know? They're usually negotiated in the dark of night.

Last July, after a weeklong government shutdown caused by an impasse over the proposed 1-cent sales-tax increase, Democrats spent another day behind closed doors porking up the budget with as much as $300 million in pet projects, known as "Christmas tree items."

Gov. Corzine got rid of the most egregious add-ons through line-item veto. After his vow to change the way Trenton did business, he should have slashed even more.

Yesterday, Corzine embraced Senate President Richard Codey's proposal to bring "legislative initiatives" into the light of day. All modifications to the governor's budget would have to be submitted to budget committees at least 14 days before the committee was scheduled to take action. It's a good start point for reform.

The eleventh-hour goodies defy sound budgeting. It's ATM time, not justification for the best project.

It's no wonder that last week U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie subpoenaed records related to these last-minute expenditures between 2004 and 2006. He's reportedly investigating whether any legislator personally benefited from the hundreds of millions of dollars allocated.

The new subpoenas are believed to be related to an ongoing federal investigation of State Sen. Wayne Bryant (D., Camden). A federal monitor appointed by Christie concluded in September that Bryant did "little or no work" at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. The monitor concluded that Bryant was hired to use his influence as chair of the powerful Senate budget committee to direct millions in extra funding to the school.

Bryant has denied the allegations. He stepped down from the committee last fall. He has not said whether he will run for reelection in November.

Regardless of the outcome of the Bryant case, the Legislature should eliminate the annual stocking-stuffing. It's wasteful and rightly intensifies public distrust in government.

"We have tough choices coming, and the public needs to trust that we are working for them - not ourselves, not our friends, and not anyone else," Corzine said yesterday.

Legislators should justify their budget requests, just as Cabinet members do.

It's time to stow the Christmas tree. Spring budgets are better symbolized by fresh air and open doors.

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Corzine plays it safe in budget
Gloucester County Times, Editorial excerpts, February 23, 2007

The legislators got their present from the governor. The unions got theirs. What about the rest of us? A pat on the head, and a lecture that things won't be as bad as a year ago... The budget represents too little effort in terms of state program cuts... In November, lawmakers' performance needs to be judged on forward progress on these items, not just a one-year breather from some budget pain.

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For more information, contact:
Assembly Republican Press Office / 609-292-5339

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DeCROCE CALLS ON CODEY TO RELEASE ALL DOCUMENTS
PERTAINING TO THE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS
IN PORK HE APPROVED AS GOVERNOR AND SENATE PRESIDENT

Assembly Republican Leader Alex DeCroce said today if Richard J. Codey is sincere when he says the process of awarding grants to favored legislators for pet projects should be "transparent," then he should publicly release all documents relating to the hundreds of millions of dollars in pork he sanctioned as Governor and Senate President immediately.

"Codey says he wants to remove the negative stigma from pork," said DeCroce, referring to a story in today's Philadelphia Inquirer. In it, Codey is quoted as saying he supports an "open dialogue on these things."

"We said, 'Let's make it transparent, put it out in the open,'" Codey said in the news story.

"I couldn't agree more," said DeCroce, R-Morris and Passaic. "Let's put it out in the open - all of it - and let's do it now. Before Codey wraps himself with the robe of 'reformer,' let's see what his role has been."

DeCROCE ASKS CORZINE TO ACKNOWLEDGE PROPERTY TAX BILL IS NOT LASTING RELIEF

CORZINE SHOULD BEGIN THE PROCESS OF SEARCHING FOR A REAL LONG-TERM SOLUTION TO PROPERTY TAX CRISIS

Layoffs at the Philadelphia Inquirer, where new ownership has reduced the editorial staff by 17%, will affect three reporters who have covered New Jersey: Leonard Fleming, Adam Fifefield and Joel Brewly. But Elisa Ung, Jennifer Moroz and Cynthia Burton have survived.

Martha Bark will not seek re-election to the State Senate. The 75-year-old Burlington County Republican will announce early next year that 2007 will be her last year in office. The Philadelphia Inquirer is reporting today that an ethics probe into allegedly no-show jobs held by Bark has been expaned to include a $5 million Delaware River Port Authority grant for a project that "employed Bark as a consultant." The GOP is anxious to avoid placing the heavily Republican 8th district into play.

GREGG: STATE'S USE OF TAXPAYER MONEY TO DEFEND RIGHTS OF PEDOPHILES IS OUTRAGEOUS

Assemblyman Guy Gregg said today he is outraged at the state's decision to file a lawsuit challenging the right of municipalities to establish "pedophile-free zones," calling the lawsuit an abhorrent abuse of taxpayer money and a travesty of justice.

DeCROCE SAYS DEMOCRATS SHOULD NOT LOWER EXPECTATIONS FOR PROPERTY TAX RELIEF

TAXPAYERS DEMAND RELIEF -- NOT EXCUSES

Harris Calls on Garvin to Explain Actions On Messenger Ballots; Wants Public Disclosure Of Office Policy

Joe Vas' campaign research director, Donna Gefter, filed a lawsuit against Vas for Congress today, alleging that Vas failed to pay her more than $4,000 for opposition research she conducted on former Assembly Speaker Albio Sires. Sires defeated Vas on Tuesday by a 75%-25% margin. The suit, filed in Middlesex County, comes a day after Vas announced that property taxes in Perth Amboy will go up abolut 50%.

Last February, Vas made a big deal about Sires campaign staff checking out his record in Perth Amboy. Vas told the Philadelphia Inquirer that he would prefer to talk about issues than the "politics of personal destruction."