SWEENEY MEASURE TO ESTABLISH FINANCIAL LITERACY PILOT PROGRAM RECEIVES FINAL LEGISLATIVE APPROVAL

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Steve Sweeney which would create a three-year pilot program to provide high school students with financial literacy education was approved by the Senate today by a vote of 35-1, receiving final legislative approval.

“New Jersey has to do a better job in preparing our students for the economic realities of the world around them,” said Senator Sweeney, D-Gloucester, Cumberland and Salem. “Ignorance of basic financial concepts like compound interest and credit ratings have contributed to years of living and buying beyond our means, and have helped to destabilize our global economy. We need to ensure that New Jersey’s students are given the education they need to make better financial decisions for the future.”

SWEENEY STATEMENT ON AGREEMENT ON WAGE FREEZE AND FURLOUGHS

Senate Majority Leaders Applauds Corzine Administration for Saving Taxpayers Money, Negotiating Give-Backs

TRENTON – Senate Majority Leader Steve Sweeney, D-Gloucester, Cumberland and Salem, issued the following statement today on Governor Corzine’s announced agreement with the Communications Workers of America (CWA) for wage freezes and 10 unpaid furlough days in the fiscal year beginning July 1:

“This agreement is good news for the State of New Jersey at a time when we can use all the good news we can get. Our economy is suffering due to the national recession, our State revenues are lagging behind even the most conservative estimates put forth earlier in the year, and our unemployment figures are through the roof. In a few weeks, I and my colleagues in the State Legislature are going to have to advance a balanced “Doomsday Budget” for FY 2010 that slashes State spending to the bone.

“It’s about time something went right for the taxpayers of our beleaguered State.

VITALE-SWEENEY-WEINBERG BILL TO PUBLICIZE HOSPITAL ERRORS APPROVED IN ASSEMBLY

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senators Joseph F. Vitale, Loretta Weinberg, and Senate Majority Leader Steve Sweeney which would require the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) to publicly report certain preventable patient safety errors at New Jersey’s hospitals was approved by the Assembly today by a vote of 76-1.

“Health care consumers have a right to know when it comes to key patient safety indicators at health care facilities around the State of New Jersey,” said Senator Vitale, D-Middlesex, and Chairman of the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee. “Right now, we collect information confidentially to help identify the best practices to create a safer health care environment for patients, but I think the next step in patient safety is giving consumers the information they need to make the best personalized health care choices they can. Through this bill, we’re augmenting our current patient safety efforts and educating and empowering health care consumers to make the best choices for their own care.”

LESNIAK-SWEENEY 'VOTE BY MAIL LAW' RECEIVES SENATE APPROVAL

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senator Raymond J. Lesniak and Senate Majority Leader Steve Sweeney which would create a Vote by Mail system to allow more New Jerseyans to take part in the democratic process was approved by the Senate today by a vote of 24-14.

“Voting by mail has become a popular alternative nationwide for busy voters unable to get to the voting booth on Election Day,” said Senator Lesniak, D-Union. “Oregon and Washington State have an electoral system that’s run entirely from the mailbox, as opposed to the ballot box, and many other states are considering hybrid systems which balance voter convenience with vote integrity. As New Jersey tries to get more people to exert their voice in government, we must make it easier for voters to vote on their own terms, rather than try to squeeze something else into what can be a hectic workday.”

SWEENEY-VAN DREW BILL TO REQUIRE LAW ENFORCEMENT TO INFORM SCHOOL PRINCIPALS OF CRIMES COMMITTED BY STUDENTS APPROVED BY SENATE

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Steve Sweeney and Senator Jeff Van Drew which would require law enforcement or prosecuting agencies to provide written notice to high school principals of the identity of any student who is 18 years old or older and has been charged with certain serious criminal offenses was unanimously approved by the Senate today.

“School officials have a sacred and moral responsibility to ensure a safe and productive learning environment for their students,” said Senator Sweeney, D-Gloucester, Cumberland and Salem. “However, many times, principals and other school administrators do not always have all the information they need to protect students from danger. This bill expands the current principal notification requirements for students older than 18 who have committed very serious criminal offenses, in order to give school officials the information they need to respond to and address potential dangers on school grounds.”

Senator Says Governor's Action Too Little, Too late, and Calls on Attorney General to Recover Taxpayer Money That Was 'Lost in Space"

SWEENEY BILL TO ESTABLISH PILOT COUNTY-WIDE TAX ASSESSMENT IN GLOUCESTER ADVANCES IN COMMITTEE

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Steve Sweeney which would create a pilot program in Gloucester County to merge municipal property tax assessors into a countywide office was unanimously approved by the Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee today.

“Gloucester County has been a Statewide leader in shared services and has shown that there are real savings for the taxpayer when you merge municipal services at the county level,” said Senator Sweeney, D-Gloucester, Cumberland and Salem. “At a time when we must stretch public tax dollars to the limit, we need to look at new ideas that ensure the cost-effective delivery of public services. Our limited public resources should go to benefit the public, not perpetuate the bureaucracy.”

NEWARK - Senate Majority Leader Steve Sweeney (D-Bridgeton) today choked down the fate of his one-time colleague, former state Sen. Joe Coniglio (D-Paramus), a fellow union man whom a jury found guilty on five counts of mail fraud and one count of extortion.

"I love the guy," said Sweeney. "I feel for horrible for Joe. He didn't have the ability to get that kind of money. My heart goes out to him. I was saddened by it, stunned. This is a guy who was afraid to do something wrong. I can't find anyone who had a bad word to say about Joe Coniglio. He doesn't have a dishonest bone in his body."

State Sen. Marcia Karrow (R-Raritan Twp.)

TRENTON – After a sedate budget session with little discernable action and time running down, both sides suddenly opened up in a bitter back and forth sparked by state Sen. Marcia Karrow (R-Raritan).

Karrow trained tough questions on Department of Community Affairs Commissioner Joe Doria, wondering why city officials in Jersey City are getting raises and why a zoo in Cumberland County is slated to receive state dollars in tough times.

That prompted back-to-back regional objections from Democrats serving on the Senate Budget Committee.

“Bridgeton houses a lot of bad things, senator,” state Sen. Steve Sweeney (D-Bridgeton) told Karrow. “They have nothing. If you want to pick on them for having a zoo (the Cohanzick Zoo), please come to Bridgeton before you criticize Bridgeton. Come take a trip with me. I’ll take you on a trip. Cumberland County houses 26 percent of the state’s prison population. That’s our economy.” 

Quashing rumors that he would hide from the election year embrace of Gov. Jon Corzine, Cumberland County Democratic Chairman Lou Magazzu today endorsed the governor for reelection, formally taking public the unanimous recommendation of his county committee. 

“We’ve had some policy differences on key initiatives, notably when he proposed to close the Department of Agriculture, which would have a disproportionate negative impact on my county,” said Magazzu. “I was also concerned that my county would be the only one not to get federal stimulus dollars, but the governor yesterday committed $52 million to Cumberland.”