Wayne DeAngelo

PANEL RELEASES SCHAER/JASEY/COUTINHO/DeANGELO BILL
TO PUT MORE MATH, SCIENCE TEACHERS IN THE CLASSROOM
Pilot Program Would Recruit Non-Traditional Teachers

(TRENTON) - The Assembly Education Committee today released legislation Assembly members Gary Schaer, Mila Jasey, Albert Coutinho and Wayne DeAngelo sponsored to create a pilot program to enable more individuals with degrees and career experience in math and science to receive teaching certificates.

Former Republican Mercer County sheriff candidate Jim McSorley confirmed today that he will not run for state assembly in the 14th District.

“My DNA is in the law enforcement end, but I know that they’re going to win those two seats,” he said.  

McSorley, who ran a long shot campaign against incumbent Sheriff Kevin Larkin last year, was heavily recruited by state Republicans to run with Hamilton Councilwoman Kelly Yaede, meeting with Assembly Minority Leader Alex DeCroce (R-Parsippany) and Minority Whip Jon Bramnick (R-Westfield) about the prospect.  Yaede could not be reached for comment, but is said to be undecided.  

The 14th is expected to be one of the few true battleground districts this year, with its two assembly seats held by freshman Wayne DeAngelo (D-Hamilton) and long-time incumbent Linda Greenstein (D-Plainsboro).  

NEW JERSEY CLOSER TO BECOMING 11TH STATE WITH 'SILVER ALERT' SYSTEM FOR MISSING ELDERLY

(TRENTON) - The Assembly Appropriations Committee today released legislation sponsored by six Assembly Democrats to make New Jersey the 11th state with a "Silver Alert" system to notify the public about missing elderly people.

Linda Greenstein and Wayne DeAngelo are Democrats who represent the 14th district in the State Assembly.

A Fairleigh Dickinson University poll showing Governor Jon Corzine with upside-down 31%-56% approval ratings among public employee households could be bad news for Linda Greenstein (D-Plainsboro) and Wayne DeAngelo (D-Hamilton), who are seeking re-election to the State Assembly this year.  The fourteenth district is one of the most politically competitive areas of the state and has the highest number of public employees.   DeAngelo won an open Republican seat in 2007 by just 821 votes.

Former Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan is confident he'll keep his matching funds as he pursues the Republican nomination for Governor.

Without commentary on the merits of an issue that threatens the public financing of Steve Lonegan's campaign for the Republican gubernatorial nomination, one thing is an absolute certainty: if the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission were to rule that he was ineligible for matching funds - and if the courts were to back up the decision - it could mean the end of the Lonegan campaign.  Lonegan's strategy is dependent upon public financing that gives him $2 for every $1 he raises.

The ELEC investigation is the result of an Associated Press story that suggests the former Bogota Mayor was obligated to disclose the details of his relationship with Americans for Prosperity, an anti-tax lobbying group for whom he served as New Jersey Director.  State law requires candidates to disclose their connection to issue advocacy groups to avoid a conflict, such as avoiding spending limits that come with the public financing of gubernatorial elections.

The Lonegan campaign maintains that the candidate could not disclose AFP contributions, since he did not have access to their donor list.  And they say that AFP was created and organized more than seven years ago, before Lonegan was involved.

There is good news and bad news for Lonegan when it comes to ELEC.  It's helpful that the commission traditionally lacks extraordinary testicular fortitude. But it's potentially hurtful that the panel is hard to predict.  In 2001, they allowed former U.S. Rep. Bob Franks to simply take over the campaign treasury of Gov. Donald DiFrancesco when he replaced him on the ballot, and then allowed Jersey City Mayor Bret Schundler to change his mind and accept public financing.

Two Democratic legislators from a district where state employees are a huge voting bloc acknowledge Gov. Jon Corzine is in a tough spot and has to make budget cuts, and both profess support for the re-election of their fellow Democrat.  But Linda Greenstein (D-Plainsboro) and Wayne D'Angelo (D-Hamilton) can't back some of his latest proposed cost saving measures, like a mandatory two day worker furlough, wage freezes and pension deferrals.

"Respectfully to the Governor in understanding the difficult situation he's in - I'm mindful of it - but all too often, whenever it comes down to balancing a budget or cuts, it's always on the backs of the working families," said DeAngelo, who's also president of the Mercer County Building Trades.  "We need to look at other things first before we start taking food off peoples' tables."

The political reality for both Democrats and Republicans here in the 14th - a Trenton-abutting swing district that thousands of state workers call home -- is that agreeing with the Governor on those cuts would mean almost certain political suicide.

SPENCER/DeANGELO BILL TO HELP BUSINESSES COMBAT UTILITY OVERPAYMENTS ADVANCES

(TRENTON) – Legislation sponsored by Assemblywomen L. Grace Spencer and Assemblyman Wayne DeAngelo to help businesses better handle overpayments to public utilities is advancing toward law.

The bill (A-678) would require interest be paid or credited on overpayments by residential and nonresidential customers to public utilities. State law only requires utility companies do that for residential customers.

DEANGELO/MILAM/ALBANO ’RIGHT TO FILE’ CONSUMER-PROTECTION LEGISLATION ADVANCES

Measure Would Invalidate Any Consumer Contract That Requires Consumers to Give Up Their Right To File A Complaint

(TRENTON) – Legislation sponsored by Assemblymen Wayne P. DeAngelo, Nelson T. Albano and Matthew W. Milam to safeguard consumers by invalidating any contract that requires the customer to waive their right to file a complaint was recently released by an Assembly panel.

The bill (A-2465) would nullify any contract that contains language negating the ability of a consumer to contact either law enforcement or state, county or municipal authorities to file consumer complaint.

“When companies are using contract clauses that force consumers to waive their right to file a complaint, something must be done,” said DeAngelo (D-Mercer/Middlesex). “Preventing a customer from filing a complaint undermines New Jersey’s long standing tradition of consumer protection. Without such protection, government’s ability monitor a business’ compliance with existing law is severely compromised.”

DeANGELO: DISTRICT OFFICE HELPING RESIDENTS WITH UTILITY BILL ASSISTANCE

Office Now Helping Residents Apply for NJ SHARES Money

(HAMILTON) – Assemblyman Wayne DeAngelo today announced residents who have fallen behind on utility bills because of a financial crisis can now visit his district office to apply for help.

DeAngelo said those needing the assistance can visit his office and receive help applying for NJ SHARES assistance. The program provides grants to pay utility bills.

“These have been difficult times for many, but this program can be a lifeline,” said DeAngelo (D-Mercer/Middlesex). “Eligibility is based on a demonstrated financial crisis and a history of good-faith utility bill payments, providing relief to those who otherwise would have no means of help. It’s simply the right thing to do amid this tsunami of economic bad news.”

SCHAER, DeANGELO TO ASK AG TO DETERMINE WHETHER
JILTED SPRINGSTEEN FANS HAVE ALLY IN STATE LAW
Lawmakers to Ask Whether State's Consumer Fraud Act Applies

(TRENTON) - Assemblymen Gary Schaer and Wayne DeAngelo today said they will ask the state Attorney General to determine whether New Jersey consumers blocked from purchasing tickets for this spring's Bruce Springsteen concerts at the Meadowlands can seek refunds under the state's Consumer Fraud Act.