The Politics Of Disaster Relief

By Art Gallagher, artvg@aol.com

When disaster hits, natural or man made, Americans put aside their differences and come together to handle the emergency.

We saw it with 9-11. Most recently in New Jersey we saw it with Superstorm Sandy.

Once the emergency is over and the federal money is flowing, the politics…partisanship and patronage starts.  We saw it with 9-11. We’re living it with Sandy.

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Free rabies clinics for pets of Monmouth County residents.

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Are New Jersey voters (that would be you) greedy jerks or just stupid and impressionable?

By Art Gallagher, artvg@aol.com

New Jersey voters are either greedy jerks or stupid and impressionable buffoons if you buy The Star Ledger Editorial Board’s (Tom Moran’s) reading of the QuinnipiacPoll released on Thursday.  The poll reported that New Jerseyans favor wage freezes for state workers, by a 53-42 margin, and oppose an increase in the gasoline tax by a 65-33 percent margin.

Hundreds of middle-aged people looking for work at Brookdale Community College job fair. April 4, 2014

New Jersey voters are jerks. The new state motto: “Screw you, not me.”

That is how Moran starts off his rant. He finishes by cutting the poll respondents a break. Maybe we aren’t greedy jerks, maybe we’ve been led to think the way we do.

We’ll cut the folks responding to the Quinnipiac poll a break – they’ve been goaded in this direction. Despite widespread reforms to state workers’ pay and benefits during the past four years, not to mention budget cuts that led to historic layoffs of police, teachers and firefighters, Gov. Chris Christie used his annual budget address to continue to blame state worker compensation for our fiscal aches and pains.

Hmmm.  Moran’s frustration is showing.  As the editorial page editor of the state’s largest media outlet, Moran should be the most powerful opinion maker in New Jersey. How could his readers be so stupid?!

Insulting your customers (readers) is a interesting strategy to stop the bleeding of a company (media outlet) that is contracting rapidly and recently announced 167 layoffs which followed millions in concessions from the outlet’s unionized workers and a smaller round of layoffs.

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Reacting to Christie, NJ lawyers call for constitutional amendment to protect judges

Reacting to Christie, NJ lawyers call for constitutional amendment to protect judges (via NJ.com)

TRENTON — New Jersey’s largest group of lawyers today called for a rewrite in the state constitution that would strengthen job security for the state’s judges and Supreme Court justices. After seeing Gov. Chris Christie deny reappointment to two Supreme…

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Brielle woman killed by 2 NYC taxis was celebrating job offer, report says

Brielle woman killed by 2 NYC taxis was celebrating job offer, report says (via NJ.com)

Kelly Gordon, a Boston College senior from Brielle who was struck and killed by two taxi cabs while crossing the street in New York City, was celebrating a job offer with her sister Thursday night, according to multiple published reports. Gordon, 22…

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Beck and Casagrande will sleep on the street in Trenton tonight

Monmouth County Legislators Senator Jennifer Beck and Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande will be sleeping under the stars on the grounds of the Statehouse in Trenton tonight, April 11, along with 8 other members of the legislature, from both parties, to raise awareness and funds in support of New Jersey’s homeless runaway and trafficked youth who are served by Covenant House.

Click on photo to support a legislator’s fund raising efforts for Covenant House

“Covenant House is always there, when no one else is, to help homeless, at risk adolescents,” says Casagrande.  “I was moved to get involved by the stories of those whose lives have been changed by this remarkable organization.  It is my hope that my participation in this ‘Legislative Sleep Out’ will bring attention to the work of Covenant House and encourage others to get involved.”

“Those of us sleeping outside tonight will be lucky. We only have to do it for one night and it will be during the spring,” Beck said. “Hundreds of youths sleep outside every night through the most brutal of seasons and during the harshest of weather.”

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Bookerism of the day

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Monmouth County’s Next Star: Heather Brittain O’Scanlon

Move over Bruce, Jon, Max, Maury  and Queen Latifah.  Heather Brittain O’Scanlon’s star is rising.

“I’m a mother. I’m the wife of a New Jersey politician. And, after taking some time to devote myself to loving those wonderful people, I rekindled with my first love… acting. I am living my own personal trifecta. Life is good.”

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Readers Needed for Shakespeare’s 450th Birthday Celebration

This spring, the Brookdale Community College English Department
completes its four-year celebration of SHAKESPEARE’S 450TH BIRTHDAY.
This event has taken place every April since 2011 with the goal of reading from all 37 of his plays. On Wednesday, April 23rd the actual birthday of William Shakespeare, we will accomplish that goal!

Members of the community, students, faculty, staff, and administrators are invited to read from the following plays so we may complete the achievement:

Macbeth
Antony and Cleopatra
Timon of Athens
Coriolanus
Pericles
Cymbeline
The Winter’s Tale
Henry VIII
The Tempest

All Plays located at The Complete Works of William Shakespeare

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Scudiery Speaks Out In Opposition To A Gas Tax Increase

Democratic leaders in Trenton are working on increasing the only tax in New Jersey that is not one of the highest in the nation, the gasoline tax.

In a February meeting with  The Star Ledger Editorial Board, Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto said he favored increasing the 14.5 cent gas tax and that he favored a tax on water consumption.

Senator Ray Lesniak proposed a 29% increase in the gasoline tax in March.

Former Monmouth Democratic Chairman Victor Scudiery

Former Monmouth County Democratic Chairman Victor V. Scudiery wrote Lesniak to oppose an increase in the gasoline tax on March 25.  Not having heard back from Lesinak, Scudiery sent his letter to all members of the legislature yesterday and released it to the press:

March 25, 2014

Senator Raymond J. Lesniak

985 Stuyvesant Avenue

Union, NJ 07083

Dear Senator Lesniak:

I was disappointed to read that you are proposing raising the tax on gasoline here in New Jersey to pay help for repairs to our roadways.

Have you considered taxing the oil companies I believe that the road repairs should be their responsibility; after all, it appears we have no control over the increase at the gas pumps each week. In 2008 gasoline was $1.89 per gallon, look what has happened in just six (6) short years.  We continue to see a rise in gasoline prices weekly and the average person just cannot afford the current prices let alone another tax.

If the current taxes collected on gasoline were used solely to repair roads as was the original intent, instead of using it for other items in the state budget, it would not be necessary to add any new taxes.  These taxes would be more than enough funds to repairs our roads, bridges and tunnels, which incidentally are one of the highest labor and material costs in the nation.

It is time for all our Elected Officials to look for ways to cut and control spending and keep our residents financial hardships at the forefront.

Your consideration in this matter is appreciated.

Sincerely,

Victor V. Scudiery

Victor V. Scudiery, President

Scudiery Enterprises, LLC

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