Mike Testa Update - 1/23/2024
Friend,
The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU), the agency responsible for approving new projects concerning offshore wind, has just approved new bids for offshore wind projects under the guise of an "emergency meeting."
I'll be blunt: I am deeply concerned about the dangerous consequences that our beloved Jersey Shore and precious marine life will endure as a result of this action.
As you know, my top priority is to safeguard the well-being of our state and its beautiful ecosystem. I've been fighting to put a stop to Gov. Murphy's radical and dangerous "Energy Disaster Plan." We must continue to take a stand against hasty decisions that could jeopardize the delicate balance of our coastal ecosystems.
The push for extreme and unsustainable green energy initiatives by Gov. Murphy has already caused extensive damage to our ecosystem as seen by massive amounts of marine life washing up. Now, as BPU approves new bids, I urge you to join me in the fight to protect our Jersey Shore and marine life.
Our coastal areas are not only vital for the beauty and recreation they offer but also crucial for the livelihoods of countless residents who depend on healthy oceans. Tourism will be gravely affected as well and we must fight back against these detrimental actions.
Join me and send a message to Phil Murphy to STOP gambling with the future of our Jersey Shore. Enough is enough!
-Sen. Michael Testa, Jr.
WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | DONATE
Paid for by Friends of Senator Michael Testa,
PO BOX 999, Edison, NJ 08818
WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
Our goal is to share some of the top stories affecting NJ Education, Business, Community, and Taxes from throughout the week as well as highlight upcoming events, interviews with statewide leaders, special offers & more!
FEATURED PILLAR
Two new wind farms win state approval, the first since Ørsted’s withdrawal in NJ
New Jersey's Board of Public Utilities has granted unanimous approval for two wind farm projects, totaling 1,342 megawatts and 2,400 megawatts, marking the largest in the state's history. The Leading Light Wind project, headed by U.S. firm Invenergy and energyRe, is the largest offshore wind farm approved in New Jersey to date. Another project, Attentive Energy Two, led by French company TotalEnergies and Danish firm Corio Generation, is expected to generate up to 1,342 megawatts. These approvals come three months after Danish wind giant Ørsted withdrew from a separate project. The projects, situated over 40 miles off the coast, aim to solidify New Jersey's position as an offshore wind leader, fostering economic and clean energy benefits for the state. The state seeks to achieve 11,000 megawatts of offshore wind capacity by 2040, and the Board is already soliciting bids for a fourth round of wind projects.
THE PILLAR PULSE
New Jersey Has Spent Just 62% of Its Emergency COVID Money
The Biden Administration's American Rescue Plan, designed to address educational learning loss due to the COVID-19 pandemic, allocated about $189 billion, with New Jersey receiving close to $3 billion. The plan had few conditions but set deadlines for allocating funds by November 2024 and spending them by January 2025. FutureED's recent calculations show that spending across states is uneven, with Alaska, Arkansas, Iowa, Nevada, and Washington having spent over 80% of their allotments, while nine states have spent less than 60%. New Jersey falls just above the lowest-spending states, having utilized 61.9% of its federal allotment, known as Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds. The remaining funds in New Jersey are expected to be allocated for facilities renovations and ongoing high-dosage tutoring plans.
Electric car mandate? What 120 dealerships from NJ are saying
Car dealerships, represented by a letter from thousands of dealers, express concerns about the Biden administration's target for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) to constitute half of new vehicle sales by 2030. The dealers emphasize the need for consumer acceptance and point out that despite price cuts, incentives, and government support, enthusiasm for EVs has stalled. They highlight challenges such as affordability, charging access, and range, stating that these issues, along with reliable charging networks, electric grid stability, and material sourcing, need time to address. Dealers argue that the demand for internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles remains high, with increased interest in plug-in hybrids. They stress that government mandates may divert taxpayer funds from investing in technologies with higher natural demand and without the need for subsidies. The letter calls for a reevaluation of the trajectory toward EVs and a recognition of consumer preferences.
Facing huge deficits, NJ Transit proposes 15% fare hike, the first in 9 years
New Jersey Transit is proposing a 15% fare hike, the first in nine years, along with annual 3% fare increases indefinitely afterward. The plan aims to address significant budget deficits faced by the transit agency. The proposed fare increase, effective from July 1, 2024, is projected to generate approximately $106.6 million in revenue. The proposal also includes measures to maintain service levels for the upcoming fiscal year, beginning in July. The state aid is expected to remain at $652.1 million, with $44 million in internal cost reductions and $52 million in revenue enhancements identified by the agency. Critics express concerns about the burden on riders and call for alternative solutions to the fiscal challenges facing NJ Transit. Public hearings will be held to gather feedback on the proposed fare adjustments.
POLL OF THE WEEK
Would you use NJ Transit if they increase their fare rates by 15%?
Last Week's Poll Results:
What is your favorite season?
Winter - 10.3%%
Summer - 39.7%
Fall - 14.7%
Spring - 35.3%
WATCH. SUBSCRIBE. ENJOY.
Thank You T o Our Pledge Supporters!
WHY TAKE THE PLEDGE?
Are you tired of the direction New Jersey is going in?
Want to take action but don’t know where to start?
Wish your voice was not just heard, but magnified and united with thousands of concerned taxpaying NJ citizens just like you?
Answered YES?
Then click below to Pledge to the citizens of New Jersey that you will put Jersey 1st
Rep. Kim’s Misleading Moderate Façade Won’t Fool Voters Says Healey
Bob Healey, republican candidate, running in the 3rd Congressional DistrictPhoto Credit: Bob Healey for Congress
By BOB HEALEY FOR CONGRESS
Published September 26, 2022 at 4:45 PM
MOORESTOWN, NJ – Congressional candidate Bob Healey today issued the following statement:
“Rep. Andy Kim’s grandstanding as a ‘moderate’ is nothing more than an attempt to pull the wool over voters’ eyes before election day. While Andy Kim tries to present himself as a centrist Democrat, his underlying activist ideology is on full display based on his founding of - and active membership in - multiple far-left groups that espouses radical ideology and extreme ideas.
Along with his membership in the far-left Congressional Progressive Caucus, Rep. Kim also has ties to radical groups such as ‘The Indivisible NJ 3rd District’, ‘Bold Progressives Organization’, and as a founder of ‘Rise Stronger’.
Among other startling items on its organizational agenda, Rise Stronger has signaled support for the ‘Defund the Police’ movement through its promotion of 'The Indivisible NJ 3rd District' group. In another show of contempt for law enforcement, the Rise Stronger organization listed a book by a convicted cop killer in their “Library of Resistance”.
There is a reason why Rep. Kim works so hard to maintain a moderate public image. Revealing his true support for groups that promote anti-Semitic literature and disastrous ‘Defund the Police’ policies would result in an unprecedented backlash from his constituents, who simply want moderate, common-sense representation in Congress. Instead of being honest with voters about his beliefs, Kim masks his extreme ideology with centrist promises and platitudes.
Make no mistake about it, Andy Kim is a fringe-progressive in moderate clothing. His active ties to these radical groups prove that he’s ideologically out-of-touch with the rational, hardworking folks of this district. NJ-03 voters deserve honest leadership and common-sense solutions, not deception and failed activist policies.
I’m sure when voters learn more about Rep. Kim’s true views, they will decide to retire their representative this November.”
Jack Ciattarelli: Why I want your vote to become New Jersey
ICYMI: Jack Ciattarelli: Why I want your vote to become New Jersey's next governor
I am running for Governor to fix our broken state.
By Jack Ciattarelli
November 1, 2021
Fox News
What would you say to a governor who told you, "If you don’t like paying high taxes, you should pick up your family and your small business and leave the state?" Well, if you live in New Jersey, that’s exactly what Gov. Phil Murphy suggested you do. He told the highest-taxed people in America to deal with it or get out.
No governor from New Jersey – one who truly understood our residents – would ever say that. Murphy is tone deaf and out of touch. He’s not one of us. He’s not New Jersey. He’s an extreme liberal transplant from Massachusetts.
My story is a New Jersey story. It’s where my grandparents immigrated from Italy 100 years ago. It’s where I was born and raised. It’s where I went to school. Where I became a CPA. It’s where my wife Melinda and I raised our four children. It’s where I started two successful Main Street businesses and created jobs and opportunities for fellow New Jerseyans (while Murphy was busy making rich people richer on Wall Street).
Whatever Murphy learned on Wall Street has not helped him in managing our state’s economy. New Jersey is ranked the worst state in the country in which to do business. And one out of three small businesses has shut their doors forever because of Murphy’s oppressive regulations during the pandemic.
If that wasn’t bad enough, now Murphy is standing shoulder to shoulder with President Joe Biden’s failed economic agenda. Rising gas prices, inflation, supply chain issues and, adding insult to injury, a refusal to restore our SALT deduction despite promises that he would.
I am running for governor to fix our broken state. I know that taxes ARE an issue. But in New Jersey, we don’t run from problems, we solve them. In fact, I have a plan to lower taxes for everyone and reduce the size and cost of our bloated government.
Under Murphy, murders and gun violence are up 40%, while our police are constantly disrespected and disarmed by his anti-law enforcement agenda. When questioned on it, the governor resorts to lies, telling police officers, firefighters and even teachers that I am going to take their pensions.
As governor, I will stand with our police and get tough on crime to make our communities safer and more secure. I will also keep whole the pay, health benefits and pensions of police, fire and teachers.
Murphy proved he was the most extreme politician ever to serve as our governor when he said he wanted to make New Jersey "the California of the East Coast." Who says that?! How has he tried to do it? By mandating kindergartners learn about sexual orientation and gender ID and by requiring that sixth-graders learn about mature sexual content.
Murphy even went as far as to mock the role of parents and is so extreme on abortion that he wants to prohibit parents from knowing if their 15-year-old daughter is seeking an abortion. He even wants to allow pregnancies to be terminated up until the day of birth for any reason. Who does that?!
On the issue of vaccines and masks, I am very up front with people. I am vaccinated and encourage others to get vaccinated.
At the same time, I don’t believe government has a right to tell adults that they or their children must get a COVID vaccine.
Government should educate people with the facts and let them make decisions on how to protect themselves.
On this issue and others, rather than respect people’s viewpoints Murphy prefers to call people "knuckleheads" and demean parents gravely concerned about putting their children at risk.
Recently, an undercover video of Murphy’s staff revealed that the governor plans to implement blanket vaccine and mask mandates AFTER the election. A stunning and appalling lack of transparency that puts his political career above the health and safety of New Jerseyans. He should be ashamed.
But what would you expect from someone who ordered our nursing homes to take in COVID patients? A decision inconsistent with CDC advice and despite warnings that it would result in people dying? The end result? More than 8,000 seniors and veterans died, prompting an investigation by the Biden Department of Justice!
New Jersey, it doesn’t have to be this way. We can do better. And when I’m governor, we will. I just need your vote on Tuesday, Nov. 2.
Click here to read Jack Ciattarelli's Fox News op-ed in its entirety.
Follow Jack on social media!
Happy Election Eve, New Jerseyans!
For months, I have included the following statistics in this email as a reminder of what the Garden State has lost under Phil Murphy, but it's easy to gloss over them.
For the the families 8,006 residents in long-term care facilities who have died of COVID-19 because of Murphy's disastrous directive - one he was warned would be deadly - it means they will have an empty chair at the upcoming holidays.
In the 255 days since the Murphy Administration has failed to respond to gubernatorial nominee Jack Ciattarelli's Open Public Records Act ("OPRA") request investigating COVID-19 nursing home deaths and communications with former Governor Andrew Cuomo, the public has been left in the dark about what transpired. We are entitled by law to this information, but the Administration's arrogance and media's apathy - even with respect to their own requests - have ensured that we will never see it.
In considering the one out of three New Jersey businesses have closed their doors forever, thanks to Phil Murphy's unscientific and arbitrary lockdown measures, remember that families and communities have lost immeasurably important institutions, and they will never be the same.
Tomorrow is our only opportunity to end this madness.
And in other Phil Murphy news...
There’s been a jail break at Edna Mahan just two days before Election Day 2021
Save Jersey
As New Jersey kids were trick-or-treating around the state, law enforcement was looking for a 40-year-old female inmate who apparently escaped from the notorious Edna Mahan Correctional Facility located in Clinton. Jessica Graham was reportedly captured around 7 p.m. by Clinton police.
Camden Candidate: ‘We Want Dem Party out of Our Educational System’
Insider NJ
Among those at the forefront of fighting the machine in Camden stands Vida Neil Rosiji, who had hopes of the Gov. Phil Murphy administration derailing the organization here only to see him endorse their candidate for mayor and fold onto the top of the party ticket. “He really let the City of Camden down,” Neil Rosiji told InsiderNJ, referring to Murphy, who formed a task force examining the alleged misuse of $11.5 billion in tax incentives for a corporate network with ties to the Camden County Democratic Party power structure only to gradually ease away from pursuing the story.
Outside groups shatter spending records in this year’s N.J. gov’s race
NJ.com
Murphy overwhelmingly benefited from outside spending. More than $34.7 million went to support him compared to nearly $4.5 million for Ciattarelli in the pre-primary, primary and general elections.
Chris Christie: NJ Governor Phil Murphy Is Running For President & If Anybody Tells You Anything Differently Is Not Telling You The Truth.
Fox News Radio
When asked about why New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy had Senator Bernie Sanders stump for him, Christie says Murphy is running for president and he needs the support of the acolytes of Bernie Sanders, AOC and Elizabeth Warren to help make New Jersey the California of the East. Christie added, “Anybody tells you anything differently is not telling you the truth.” that Murphy is not running for president.
N.J. Latino voters are important and unpredictable. Where will they land in N.J. governor’s race?
NJ.com
Castaneda, a sales manager for a plastics company, feels Murphy “went too far” regarding pandemic-related mandates, including shutting down businesses. “My parents started a small business, a restaurant, in the middle of the pandemic,” Castaneda said. “He closed everything down, and I understand it was with good intentions, but we haven’t recovered.”
NJ governor’s race: Who’s funding Gov. Phil Murphy’s campaign?
NJ 101.5
The out-of-state donors hail from 28 states, plus Washington, D.C...Second was California, where donors gave $178,150[.]
Why a New Jersey Democrat Is Calling for Gov. Murphy's Emergency Power to Be Revoked
Town Hall
To Holley, this is unacceptable and reveals the mandate is not about health or science, but politics. “It has come to my attention that Governor Murphy will impose #Covid_19 vaccine mandates statewide if he is re-elected,” the Democrat tweeted. “Public health is not a political issue. Medical decisions are a choice and should be treated as such for every individual. Not election timing.”
Alex Wilkes | Communications Director
New Jersey Republican State Committee
Articles and Blogs
Political Perspective: From a Princeton Republican
Political Perspective: From a Princeton Republican
Responses by Dudley Sipprelle, Edited by Lisa Jacknow
What is it like to be a Republican in Princeton, Mercer County, New Jersey? When working on this elections issue, many Republicans or conservative-leaning voters were reluctant to speak their minds. They feared retaliation from the liberal majority. Current records indicate slightly fewer than 2,000 Princeton residents (of just under 21,000 registered voters) are registered Republicans, though several “independents” may share their views. To expand on the views of the local Republican party for those that align with it and to enlighten everyone else on what the “other” party thinks, we reached out to the Chair of the Princeton Republican Committee, Dudley Sipprelle, to get his perspective on today’s political climate.
- What is it like to be a Republican in Princeton today?
Being a Republican in Princeton in 2020 is not unlike being a Republican in Mercer County or in the State of New Jersey. Republicans are in the distinct minority of registered voters in our “blue” State (23%) and County (15%), but even more so in our Town (10%).
Princeton is an exemplar of a phenomenon that has been building in America in recent years. What we are witnessing is a geographical sorting and ideological clustering of Americans. The location of a renowned Ivy League university in town which is also Mercer County’s largest private employer has attracted many people to Princeton who share the university’s progressive liberal mind-set.
- Can you explain what the Princeton Republican Committee is/does and how it compares to other local republican organizations?
The Princeton Municipal Republican Committee is a legal entity defined in State Statute. It is composed of publicly elected members, two for each of Princeton’s 22 voting districts who are elected in the primary every four years. The local committee members are also members of the Mercer County Republican Committee. The members represent the political interests of their constituents within the party. The role of local Republican committees is similar throughout the state and includes the recruitment and endorsement of candidates for public office and promotion of the Republican brand. The success of local committees is directly related to the number of Republicans in the community, the ability to raise funds, recruit qualified candidates and volunteers and to put it bluntly, the availability of patronage, that is, the power of appointment to coveted municipal boards, commissions and committees. This appointment power lies with our elected Mayor and the six Council members, all of whom are Democrats.
- If you could impart some experiential wisdom as head of the Princeton Republican Committee, what would you like local Democrats and unaffiliated voters to know about what their vote means?
Although there are 11,519 registered Democrats in Princeton, the party
apparatus is essentially controlled by a relatively small group of “insiders” or what is known as the political “establishment” which decides policy. This group is often the most partisan party members and has a low tolerance for dissent. The insiders include a number of elected officials and members of the Democratic Municipal Committee. The Municipal Committee’s campaign endorsement means the endorsed candidate has “won the line” and will appear in the official Democratic column.
Why is this important? Because the overwhelming majority of Democrats vote the “straight party line,” that is, straight down the party column from top to bottom. It is widely understood that winning the Princeton Democratic primary decides who will be elected to office in the general election. It is virtually impossible for dissident Democrats, independents and Republicans to win election to office in Princeton. In addition, 75-80 percent of the registered “unaffiliated” vote for Democratic candidates. The party faithful are quick to unite around the Democratic party primary winner. Having gained office, elected officials turn their focus on remaining in office and the way to do that is not “make waves,” that is, don’t depart from the party policy line.
- There is a concern, amongst some, that this year’s election process could be flawed due to mail-in voting, provisional voting, etc. What is being done locally to ensure the democracy of this process?
We can count on a flawed election process owing primarily to the Governor’s hasty and poorly thought-out decision to go to an almost total vote by mail (VBM) election without a reorganized system and trained staff in place to handle millions of paper ballots. The perpetual vagaries of the U.S. postal system are well-known: undelivered mail, misdirected mail, lost mail, delayed mail, trashed mail. Add the pandemic which is affecting staff. The instructions for the VBM ballot are complicated and confusing and result in a high percentage of ballots being rejected and voters disenfranchised. The voting process is directed by the County Board of Elections and there is not much we can realistically do locally beyond carefully filling out our ballots and using the VBM drop box at Municipal Hall.
- What key issues would you like local voters to understand regarding the 2020 elections?
The viral pandemic is on everybody’s mind and has upset our lives and economy. We will overcome this pandemic in due course as we have in the past. We will not see a return of economic strength and prosperity, however, if we don’t lower taxes and our debt. This is topical locally where taxes continue to rise and our community is consequently adversely affected.
- There are several uncontested local races in this year’s election, with Democratic candidates running unopposed. What does that say about our local politics?
(The unwavering partisanship that impacts the local political environment has been discussed above in section 3.)
- Our municipality and county tend to lean Democratic. What must be done to broaden opportunities and gain more Republican leadership?
“Diversity” is the mantra that suffuses every political campaign in Princeton. Every type of diversity one can think of is promoted and accepted. The one exception is political diversity. The idea of a Republican, however qualified, being elected or appointed to a position is not seriously entertained. Until a significant number of Democrats subordinate their partisanship and consider merit as a basis for election or appointment to office, Republicans cannot gain traction.
- What can be done locally to help Republicans in higher office win this area (i.e. Congress, Senate, Presidency)?
We must overcome the demoralization of many local Republicans who have experienced defeat in recent elections in spite of valiant efforts and highly qualified candidates. We can help candidates for national and statewide office by increasing Republican turnout and encouraging candidates to recognize they have a role to play in energizing local Republicans.
- As a Princeton Republican leader, what else would you like to share with our readers?
Local government as exemplified in Princeton is too often characterized by elected officials pursuing their own agendas, lack of community involvement, torpid bureaucracy, over-regulation and a lack of transparency and accountability. Our community deserves better but will continue to be plagued by high taxes, indecision and outcomes that have questionable benefit to local residents and taxpayers until voters accept that party labels alone do not produce good government and are willing to vote for change.
Dudley Sipprelle, originally from Compton, CA, is Chair and member of the Princeton Republican Committee (2005-2020). A retired teacher of History, Economics and English and a coach in the California Public School System, he was a Foreign Service Officer, U.S. Department of State for over 30 years, responsible for political/economic reporting and analysis, protection of American citizens, immigration, refugee & human rights affairs. Sipprelle was a Diplomat-in-Residence and Visiting Professor of International Relations at Lehigh Univ. and received a Presidential Meritorious Performance Award from President Reagan. In retirement, he enjoyed a year as assistant girl’s basketball coach at Stuart Country Day School, was Chair and member of Princeton Regional Sewer Operating Committee, and has been involved as an ESL Certificated Tutor, as well as with Princeton University International Center, Mercer County Literacy Volunteers, YWCA Princeton ESL program, and Nassau Christian Center.
2020 Budget Open Letter to Hamilton Mayor and Council
To: Mayor Jeff Martin, Hamilton Township Council
From: Win Cody
Date July 20, 2020
I am trying to enlighten residents and help with questions that they may want to ask as well as finding places the council may want to consider for savings. I have a few comments and questions that I hope will be helpful. I will not be able to attend Tuesday’s budget and wanted to share these thoughts in advance. I will post publicly so all residents can see. While I am now a resident of Hamilton, I was previously a Mayor of a New Jersey municipality and understand the budget process.
I am concerned that in this difficult time for many people, a large tax increase is being proposed. From what I have seen, taxes on increasing 8-10% for most people. While I realize that it is only an estimate and would get trued up during the 4thquarter. But when taxes are increased, they tend not to go down.
- While I see most staffing increases in departments were controlled, there is an overall staffing increase from 523 to 528 people. The largest areas of increase are the administrative departments – Business Administrator, Clerk, Human Resources, Budget/Purchasing and Financial Administration.
- For these Departments, overall salary and other expenses have increased 18% over last years adopted budget and 15% over the revised budget 2019.
- The Business Administrator Department budget increased 38% with staff going from 2 to 4 people.
- I see the lower paid employees (less than $65,000) took a furlough saving $500,000. But, that was not a true savings for taxpayers. Federal funds of $700,000 - $800,000 were used to pay the employees so they would not have an income reduction. This funding comes from taxpayers.
- Why not have a furlough of the higher paid employees and get some true savings.
- It was stated the furlough only caused a “minimal disruption of services”. If that is the case, why not make these changes permanent saving more money?
- The revenue was reduced over $2 Million for the year, primarily due to COVID-19. There are expenses associated with generating much of this revenue, why weren’t expenses reduced. If a private business lost revenue, they would need to reduce expenses. Shouldn’t the town do the same thing.
- $300,000 for loss in Municipal Court Fees. If courts were closed, shouldn’t some employees be furloughed?
- $450,000 loss of interest on Deposits? Taking money market rates of 1% and assuming that is over 3 months, that would mean $180 Million in delayed deposits, that sounds exceedingly high.
- $150,000 lost interest on delinquent taxes? Aren’t there penalties for paying late taxes that would make up for this?
- Capital Budget issues. While the public has not received details about what was closed from the historical capital budget, I had thought many older approved items were closed in 2019 which would allow the township to reduce the overall debt and reduce interest. In this difficult time, I would question some new capital items.
- There is $6 Million in road repair. Is all this necessary? Can township employees be used for some of this. There are state road grants, are these being used?
- There are $380,000 in improvements for the Sayen Gardens house and Kuser Mansion. While these facilities are important for the town, are all these necessary this year, especially when they have not even been opened for most of 2020?
- There are $152,000 in improvements for the Senior Center (including $20,000 for a bocce court). While the center is important for the seniors in town, not all residents benefit from the center. Are all these necessary this year when the center has not even been opened for most of 2020?
- There is a $125,000 expense for repaving the tennis courts in the budget. There is a proposal on July 21 meeting to spend $137,000 to repave 2 courts for pickle-ball. Is there duplication here? Do we need to spend $137,000 for pickle-ball?
- While it is important to be current with technology, there are $1.6 Million in new expenses. Many organizations have outsourced the management of technology infrastructure to professional firms (US based) that do this for a living. They can provide economies of scale and professional skill to keep the expense under control. Has this been investigated before making such a large investment?
- The surplus comments were confusing. Based on the budget documents, surplus for 2018 was $5.1 Million, for 2019 was $6.6 Million and 2020 ending with $3.5 Million. This means $3.1 Million of the surplus is being used to fund ongoing expenses. The introductory commentary states that $9.2 Million was available in the prior year, but the budget says it was $5.1 Million.
- I see that in the council meetings, they reduced the $108 Million budget by $35,350 which is about 0.03%. Is that all that was done, has there been more scrutiny done to find more reductions to help taxpayers.
Thank you for your review.
Site Content
Young Republicans in Hamilton Helping Bob Healey on November 6
Young Republicans in Hamilton Helping Bob Healey on November 6
Young Republicans in Hamilton Helping Bob Healey on November 6
Great Day in Hamilton, Bob Healey greeting large group of Young Republicans helping get the word out
Young Republicans in Hamilton Helping Bob Healey on November 6
Young Republicans in Hamilton Helping Bob Healey on November 6
Jack Ciattarelli joined the group at their lunch break.
Recent Articles
Op-Ed: Why Sen. Menendez may need a criminal tax lawyer
ANDREW SIDAMON-ERISTOFF | SEPTEMBER 29, 2023 | OPINION
The federal indictment of the senator, his wife and co-defendants raises civil and criminal tax liability issues
Sometimes it’s the little financial details that trip you up. Ask Al Capone.
On Sept. 22 the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York unsealed the indictment against Sen. Robert Menendez, his wife Nadine Menendez and three New Jersey businessmen for “participating in a years-long bribery scheme” in which Menendez and his wife allegedly accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars of bribes in exchange for Menendez’s agreement to use his official position to protect and enrich them and to benefit the government of Egypt. Menendez faces one count of conspiracy to commit bribery, one count of conspiracy to commit honest services fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right.
That’s bad, but more may be coming: civil and criminal tax liability.
The indictment doesn’t specifically allege tax crimes, but it does assert that Menendez and his wife received bribes consisting of cash, gold bullion, payments toward a home mortgage, compensation for a low- or no-show job, a new Mercedes convertible, home furnishings and “other things of value” from their co-defendants. In response, Menendez and his wife face a legal conundrum: how to characterize these things of value for tax purposes?
One approach would be to argue that there was no receipt and thus no tax consequence. Not coincidentally, Sen. Menendez, in a post-indictment statement to the press, claimed that the $480,000 in cash found in his home simply represents withdrawals from his savings account over some 30 years. Presumably, Sen. Menendez would not have made this claim without being confident that bank records and date information from serial numbers on the currency bills will back him up. But how will he explain the $70,000 in cash found in Ms. Menendez’s safe deposit box and the fact that some of the envelopes holding the cash are linked through DNA and/or fingerprints to a co-defendant? Moreover, this “no receipt” argument may be tougher to make in connection with the other things of value listed in the indictment, such as the payments made by the co-defendants toward the Mercedes convertible and Ms. Menendez’s home mortgage.
Distinct tax consequences
Assuming it can be proven that they did indeed receive things of value, the Menendezes will be obliged to choose whether the receipt of these things constitutes taxable compensation, a loan or a gift. Each carries distinct tax consequences.
Menendez could maintain that he and his wife received the things of value as compensation for services rendered. The facts alleged in the indictment suggest that would be a stretch: Is it normal to receive gold bars as compensation? In any case, the Menendezes could easily preempt speculation by disclosing their tax returns for the relevant years, as the senator voluntarily did when up for reelection in 2012 and 2018. But what happens if those returns don’t include those items of income? (Awkwardly, per the indictment, Menendez did not disclose car payments, gold or cash in the relevant calendar year on his annual Senate financial disclosure form.) Menendez would either have to concede that the stuff he and his wife received was not compensation or admit that he underreported income and filed false tax returns, statements and documents — serious tax offenses.
The couple might assert that the things of value they received were a loan and thus not taxable. Indeed, they may already be advancing this argument. According to the indictment, following the execution of search warrants on the Menendez home in June 2022, Nadine Menendez wrote a $21,000 check to a co-defendant who had been making payments on her Mercedes convertible with a memo line reading “personal loan.” Maybe Ms. Menendez can produce documentation to substantiate the car payments as a loan, but she and her husband may find it a bit more challenging to argue that the other stuff, such as gold bars or home furnishings, were loans. Moreover, even if it accepted the depiction of the car or mortgage payments as made in connection with a loan, based on the facts in the indictment, the IRS might well assert that the co-defendants forgave a portion of any such loan, generating taxable income to the Menendezes.
Gifts, maybe, but complicated
Finally, the Menendezes could claim that the things of value they received were gifts. This is their best scenario since the receipt of a gift is not taxable. But there are complications.
First, donors of gifts are liable to pay tax on the value of any gift that exceeds the annual gift tax exclusion amount ($16,000 in 2022, the relevant year). In this case, the donors are the three co-defendants, and some of the transferred things of value (e.g., the gold bars) appear to have exceeded $16,000 in value. If the co-defendants did not in fact pay applicable gift tax — a not unreasonable assumption, and easily checked — they might object to any attempt to characterize the transfers as gifts since it would expose them to civil tax penalties. But if they weren’t gifts, what were they?
Second, the IRS is aware that some taxpayers will try to mischaracterize income as gifts and therefore is fairly strict in defining a gift as “the transfer of property by one individual to another while receiving nothing, or less than full value, in return … whether or not the donor intends the transfer to be a gift.” Here, the alleged facts suggest that it would be difficult to argue that the co-defendants received “nothing in return,” even if they claim that it was their intention to make gifts.
Third and finally, Senate Rule 35 generally prohibits the receipt of gifts unless an exception applies. The only reasonably applicable exception in this case is for gifts “given on the basis of personal friendship, unless there is reason to believe that the gift was provided because of the individual’s official position and not because of the personal friendship.” Although the indictment suggests that Sen. Menendez and his co-defendants were indeed friendly, the rule also provides that senators must obtain written approval from the Select Committee on Ethics before accepting any gift given on the basis of personal friendship that exceeds $250. Query: Did Sen. Menendez request and receive such approval? If not, how could he claim that he received gifts for tax purposes without admitting that he violated the Senate’s rules?
Al Capone reportedly once boasted that “they can’t collect legal taxes from illegal money.” Sen. Menendez would be well advised to remember that Capone was ultimately jailed for tax evasion.
____________________________________________
Tricks of the Trade: The Trenton Tax Trap | Elias
July 8, 2023 Adam J. Elias Taxes 0
From its inception, the senior tax credit plan introduced earlier this month by Democrats in the Legislature has been called several things, from reverse robin hood, to smoke and mirrors, election year politics at its worst, or simply nothing more than a trick to give Trenton lawmakers a victory lap in their districts as they recess for summer and campaign for reelection in November.
Reasonable minds can differ on whether the plan is good policy, but here is a question worth asking our representatives: is the plan even enforceable? Not at all.
The New Jersey Constitution limits the powers of the Governor and State Legislature to spend our tax dollars in two ways: The Appropriations Clause and the Debt Limitation Clause. The Appropriations Clause allows the Legislature to submit an appropriations bill to the Governor reflecting a “negotiated” budget for the upcoming fiscal year, with a balance of enough revenue to cover the wish list of expenses outlined in the bill. Our government cannot set aside a specific dollar amount for future budget years and tie the hands of future legislators who may find themselves dealing with unanticipated economic setbacks like a recession, or a pandemic.
The Debt Limitation Clause requires any newly proposed state debt amounting to more than 1% of the year’s budget to be submitted directly to the voters by referendum. By applying both of these principles to the Democrat StayNJ plan, specifically how the plan is supposed to be funded with annual increasing sums of hundreds of millions of dollars set aside in a “lockbox,” it is clear that the tax relief plan is nothing more than a pinky promise to set aside money “subject to” the State Treasurer’s approval and can be broken as early as next year’s budget season, well before the delayed start date of January 2026 as the next Governor is getting settled in at Drumthwacket.
This is the same reason why many state workers will never see their pensions, or at least as much of it as anticipated. In 1997, Governor Whitman suspended the State’s contribution to the pension funds in exchange for granting public employees a “non-forfeitable” right to their pensions, which was meaningless.
After Democrat Governors McGreevey, Codey and Corzine continued to suspend these payments with the blessing of a Democrat-controlled Legislature, Chapter 78 was enacted in 2011, phasing in the State’s obligation to fund the pensions for the first time in 15 years. While beach bum Chris Christie is often blamed for “screwing public workers” and taking more out of their pockets, voters should remember that it was the Democrat-controlled Legislature—the same folks promising senior tax relief—that voted to increase employee contributions in exchange for a “contractual right” to the State funding their pensions.
The New Jersey Supreme Court later ruled in 2015 that any such contract would violate both the Appropriations Clause and the Debt Limitation Clause and likewise amounts to another pinky promise by Democrats.
Herein lies the Trenton tax trap. Governor Murphy has followed through on that promise for the past six years. But for how long (if ever) can the State deliver on promises to our public employees AND our seniors? It is unsustainable, that is, without breaking another promise to the rest of New Jersey: more taxes.
It may be worthwhile to start considering whether the “Next New Jersey” needs the next New Jersey Constitutional Convention to overhaul the status quo. A Constitution that lays out protections for public employee pension benefits and/or senior property tax cuts, both of which can already be found in other states. A Constitution that restructures our State obligations and ties school funding to alternative, more equitable revenue sources like income taxes, as proposed every year for the past five years by Republican lawmakers. Most importantly, a Constitution that provides for a full-time legislature subject to reasonable term limits, spending its time wisely solving our State’s ever worsening problems rather than staving off retirement until the next pay raise.
In the meantime, with just four months left to go for an election with all 120 seats in the Legislature on the ballot, voters must give major consideration to a desperately needed overhaul of the Statehouse roster.
Testa obliterates Ørsted bailout on ‘Fox & Friends’
Testa obliterates Ørsted bailout on ‘Fox & Friends’ (savejersey.com)
A $2 billion wind farm bailout cleared the New Jersey legislature last week, one which isn’t only corrupt but guaranteed to increase energy costs rather than lower them.
On Wednesday, State Senator Mike Testa Jr. (R-1) joined Fox & Friends to explain why throwing billions at a foreign company is an indefensibly stupid idea.
Party-backed Republicans win 14th legislative district primary
Elias, Gilmartin overcome off-the-line challenge from Shah
By Joey Fox, June 06 2023 9:26 pm
The Republican organizational candidates for two Assembly seats in the 14th legislative district, Adam Elias and former Hightstown Councilwoman Skye Gilmartin, have won their Republican primary against challenger Bina Shah, the New Jersey Globe projects.
As of 9:25 p.m. and with only mail-in ballots reported, Elias and Gilmartin have 46% and 45% of the vote, respectively, while Shah has just 8%.
Shah, who was one of the district’s Republican Assembly nominees in both 2019 and 2021, attempted to get the county line this year but was rebuffed. Undeterred, she filed to run off-the-line anyways, but she never raised much money or drew attention to her campaign.
Elias and Gilmartin, alongside Senate candidate Patricia Johnson, will now confront a difficult general election in the Democratic-leaning district. Though Republicans began the cycle with hopes of competing in tough districts like the 14th, the district’s Democratic slate – State Sen. Linda Greenstein (D-Plainsboro), Assemblyman Wayne DeAngelo (D-Hamilton), and Tennille McCoy – appears to be in a strong position to win.
___________________________________
Our campaign had our first KICKOFF event at the Hibernians. Over 125+ supporters and friends attended our first event, kicking off our fundraising efforts in a big way.
And we are regularly attending community events in town, supporting our fellow Hamiltonians and our community.
We are just getting started - there is plenty of work to be done. Thank you to everyone for lending a hand or donating to make our efforts a success. We are very excited for all April will bring & we look forward to seeing you all on the campaign trail.
Every dollar will make the difference in this race. We need your help. Please consider making a donation HERE - Support - Friends of Marty Flynn (anedot.com)
Pappas Says Zwicker Overreaches on
State Control of Local Libraries
Urges Age-appropriate Books
Decided Locally with Parental Involvement
May 22, 2023
Branchburg – Mike Pappas, candidate for New Jersey State Senate, today offered comments regarding Sen. Andrew Zwicker’s sponsorship of legislation that would directly connect State funding for public libraries and School District libraries to traditionally local decision making.
“Andrew Zwicker wants to sensationalize this into a conversation about book banning. I am not advocating banning books. However, there should be age-appropriate standards that are decided locally with the vital input from parents. The legitimate concerns of many parents, local educators and librarians could be summarily dismissed if Andrew Zwicker has his way. He seems to have determined that parents and local communities are incapable of making decisions that are in the best interests of their children and students,” said Pappas.
“The public policy advocated by a national library organization has been offered as the leading authority to be followed. I am sure this group has important professional perspectives but parental responsibility and parental rights should be supported and not negated,” stated Pappas.
“Parents should be given every opportunity to be involved in the education of their children and the State government should not take the heavy-handed approach that Mr. Zwicker wants. He is trying to confuse the issue and divert attention away from his extreme position that places greater control in the hands of State government that is insulated from parents and communities,” said Pappas.
“I urge Andrew Zwicker to step forward and join me in respecting and supporting parental responsibility. I urge him to support age-appropriate books and educational materials for school-age children. Grammar school-age children, such as first and second graders, are not taught algebra or geometry, they are taught basic arithmetic such as addition and subtraction. This should hold true for all educational materials,” concluded Pappas.
# # #
Michael Pappas
Candidate for New Jersey State Senate
P.O. Box 5016, North Branch, NJ 08876
District 16
Pappas Highlights $13 Million Impact to South Brunswick School District Due to Andrew Zwicker’s Inaction
May 15, 2023
Branchburg – Mike Pappas, candidate for New Jersey State Senate, today issued the following statement concerning impact to the South Brunswick School District:
“When Andrew Zwicker was given the chance to vote to restore full funding for school districts due to the S2 school funding formulas, he abstained from voting – twice! When given the chance to vote to use some of the State’s $10 billion budget surplus, his decisions to abstain on March 10 and 30, 2023, are prompting these scenarios in school districts throughout New Jersey.
The South Brunswick School District, his hometown, is reported to expect a $13 million shortfall,” said Pappas.
See attached article from South Brunswick Patch
south brunswick schools could be in financial jeopardy in 2024-25, saynofficials - Search (bing.com)
“When it mattered to his constituents, Andrew Zwicker was absent. He chose to ignore the needs of the people he actually represents in Trenton,” concluded Pappas.
# # #
Michael Pappas
Candidate for New Jersey State Senate
P.O. Box 5016, North Branch, NJ 08876
District 16
Governor Murphy: Do Your Damn Job and End the Rutgers Strike
April 13, 2023, 9:24 pm
New Jersey’s 14th legislative district is situated in close proximity to Rutgers University’s New Brunswick campus. Consequently, the current strike by Rutgers University employees is having a disproportionate impact on many families in the district with students just a few weeks away from concluding the spring semester or graduating college.
Today, Adam J. Elias, candidate for the General Assembly in the 14th legislative district, called on Governor Murphy to take more deliberate steps to end the strike and get faculty back to work with their students.
https://www.insidernj.com/press-release/governor-murphy-do-your-damn-job-and-end-the-rutgers-strike/
Tax Increase And Audit Demonstrate Need For New Leadership In Mercer County
The need to end single-party rule in Mercer County
HAMILTON TWP – Republican candidate for Mercer County Executive, Lisa Richford, said today that passage of a tax-increasing county budget last week and the expected release of an audit of county finances this evening demonstrate the need for new leadership in Mercer County government.
“Last week the County Board of Commissioners voted to raise our taxes and announced they will be releasing details of an audit of the county’s finances this evening.” Mercer County Executive candidate Lisa Richford said, “The thing is we should not be raising t
New Report: Mercer County, NJ Wasted Millions in Taxpayer Dollars
Your tax dollars hard at work.
The New Jersey Office of the State Comptroller has released a report revealing Mercer County paid almost $4.5 million in penalties and interest for delinquent tax filings and payments between 2018 and 2021.
According to the report, the Democratic-controlled county's Finance Department regularly failed to make adequate and timely payroll tax payments to both the Internal Revenue Service as well as the New Jersey Division of Taxation.
Read More: New report: Mercer County NJ wasted millions in taxpayer dollars | https://nj1015.com/new-report-finds-mercer-county-nj-wasted-millions-of-taxpayer-dollars/?utm_source=tsmclip&utm_medium=referral
14th District Republicans call to move up start date of StayNJ plan, say residents need relief now
By Ricky Suta, August 21 2023 11:48 am
The Republicans in the 14th legislative district unveiled their “StayNJ Today” plan, which would move the existing StayNJ plan’s start date from 2026 to 2024.
A 2026 start isn’t soon enough for State Senate candidate Patricia Johnson and Assembly candidates Adam Elias and Skye Gilmartin.
The plan, approved by the legislature and signed by Gov. Phil Murphy in June with bipartisan support, provides a 50% property tax credit for qualifying seniors, with accommodations to renters. Until StayNJ kicks in, the $250 tax rebate under the ANCHOR program remains in effect.
“The voters need representatives committed to taking action now while we have a $10 billion surplus, rather than making promises for a day that may never come,” Johnson said.
Although all but two Republicans in the legislature voted to pass the StayNJ plan, the delay in the program’s start date has been a concern among Republicans in the legislature since the legislation was first introduced.
“Republicans in both the Senate and Assembly moved to amend the bill to take effect now, and the Democrats rejected the amendment because they were never serious about helping our seniors in the first place,” said Elias.
State Sen. Linda Greenstein (D-Plainsboro) and Assemblyman Wayne DeAngelo (D-Hamilton) voted for the StayNJ plan and will headline a town hall on the tax relief program this Wednesday in Monroe.
NJ GOP - Weekly Rundown - April 8, 2024
Van Drew criticizes Murphy for continuing out-of-state trip after N.J. earthquake
Save Jersey
“So I think he could have taken maybe even 12 hours out to come back to New Jersey. Our folks in New Jersey really had to look to New York – to New York officials – and what they were saying,” Van Drew continued. “Even though the actual earthquake was centered in Lebanon, New Jersey, in the northwestern part of the state.”
Gov Murphy’s Ceasefire Call Shocks NJ Jewish Community
Jewish Link
Gov. Phil Murphy’s unexpected March 27 statement supporting a ceasefire in Gaza has “disappointed and saddened” New Jersey’s Jewish community and prompted a response from the Jewish Federations of New Jersey that more than 70 synagogues, organizations and institutions have signed.
After securing New Jersey Senate nomination, Andy Kim calls for permanent cease-fire
Jewish Insider
The Senate candidate had previously rejected such calls as he courted support from Jewish and pro-Israel voters, many of whom favored Bob Menendez and Tammy Murphy
As White House Stands by Embattled Judicial Nominee, Democrats Jump Ship
Town Hall
When it comes to opposition from what Jean-Pierre decries as "hateful forces," there have been concerns about Mangi's association as a board advisor with the Center for Security, Race and Rights (CSRR) at Rutgers Law School...An increasing amount of police groups are opposed to Mangi's nomination as well, especially as a group Mangi was also a board member for, the Alliance of Families For Justice, referred to cop killers as "freedom fighters."...Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), who passionately argued in favor of Mangi from the Senate floor, was among those who claimed critics are opposed because the nominee is Muslim.
J&J’s Duato: New Jersey needs to do more to support business community
ROI-NJ
Duato, speaking last week at the ReNew Jersey Business Summit & Expo, said the company was “disappointed” with the proposal to increase taxes — and said the state needs to do more to help innovative companies or risk losing more of them to other states. Duato spoke against Gov. Phil Murphy’s proposed Corporate Transit Fee, which will make the state’s largest companies pay an additional 2.5% tax, to be used as a permanent funding source for New Jersey Transit.
Bidenomics backlash: New Jersey's Latino families feeling the pinch
NorthJersey.com
Here in New Jersey, where 22% of the population is Latino, the failure of Bidenomics is real. Since Biden took office, inflation has cost New Jersey residents tens of thousands of dollars. The average American household needs $11,400 more a year just to maintain the same living standards they had in 2021.
New Jersey National Guard To Guard 6 Gigawatts Of Offshore Wind
CleanTechnica
Finding room for new energy infrastructure along the crowded, cluttered, overdeveloped oceanfront of New Jersey is a tough row to hoe, but one key site holds some promise. That is the 168-acre National Guard Training Center, located in the coastal community of Sea Girt, in Monmouth County...Also located there are the National Guard Militia Museum of New Jersey and the 154th Water Purification Company, which is responsible for procuring local, potable water in bulk during emergencies.
Alex Wilkes
alex@njgop.org
Communications Director, NJGOP
