In response to Republican criticism of the way Democrats ran theSenate President Richard Codey (D-Essex): Politicker file photo state Property Tax Assistance and Community Development account, Democratic Party Chairman Joe Cryan and state Senate President Richard Codey (D-Essex) tonight tried to staunch the bleeding.

The Democrats took a series of GOP hits this week in the aftermath of state budget officer George LeBlanc’s courtroom testimony that former Gov. Codey’s administration applied no oversight to the way the state distributed $40 million supposedly dedicated to property tax relief.

The Democrats argue that Republicans want to act holier than thou, while they were knee-deep in the same slush fund that Assembly Minority Leader Alex DeCroce (R-Troy Hills-Parsippany) said was not a "merit-based, competitive grant awards system as claimed by the McGreevey and Codey administrations."

"Every grant from the program was approved by the Joint Budget and Oversight Committee (JBOC), which included Republican Senator Leonard Lance (R-Hunterdon) and Republican Assemblyman Joe Malone (R-Bordentown)," objected Cryan in a prepared statement. "Each member of JBOC had to approve the grants, a process that included notification and approval by Sen. Lance and Assemblyman Malone."

Assessing what they say was a fund that over two years added up to $128 million, Republicans say they wanted and requested JBOC meetings, however, the meetings did not take place after the majority party waited out the ten-day period deadline.

"My friends ... in the next three months, let us come together in a bipartisan demonstration of responsible governance and find the common ground to restore our state's fiscal viability." Jon Corzine, budget address, February 2008

ASSEMBLY CLEARS BILLS TO MOVE SCHOOL ELECTIONS,
SLASHING SCHOOL OVERHEAD COSTS CLEAR COMMITTEE
Bipartisan Measures Aim to Enhance Accountability at School Board Level,
Clamp Down on Non-Classroom Administrative Costs

(TRENTON) - The General Assembly today passed two bipartisan measures Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts, Jr. championed to enhance local voters' ability to hold elected school board members accountable for their fiscal and policy decisions and to slash inefficient non-classroom administrative spending in public schools.

The Asbury Park Press has endorsed Assemblymen Joe Malone and Ron Dancer for re-election in District 30. READ

RANKING REPUBLICAN COMMITTEE MEMBERS CALL FOR IMMEDIATE RESUMPTION OF STATE BUDGET HEARINGS

DEMAND FOLLOWS REVELATION OF $3.5 BILLION DEFICIT AND CORZINE’S DIRECTIVE TO IDENTIFY $3 BILLION IN BUDGET CUTS

Assembly Republican Budget Officer Joseph Malone and Deputy Assembly Republican Leader Kevin J. O’Toole today called on Assembly Budget Committee Chairman Louis Greenwald to reconvene the panel immediately to deal with the state’s impending fiscal emergency.

Malone and O’Toole, the ranking Republican members on the Democrat-controlled budget committee, said disclosures that the state faces a $3.5 billion budget deficit next year and that Governor Jon Corzine has instructed members of his cabinet to identify $3 billion in budget cuts demands swift and resolute action by the committee.

MALONE: BUDGET FAILS TO ADDRESS MAJOR CONCERNS FACING NEW JERSEY TAXPAYERS

PLAN DOESN'T CONTROL SPENDING, PROVIDES LITTLE TAX RELIEF

MALONE, O'TOOLE AND KARROW CALL FOR ASSEMBLY ACTION ON BUDGET TRANSPARENCY PROPOSALS

LAWMAKERS INTRODUCING LEGISLATION EMBRACING AND EXPANDING ON CODEY TRANSPARENCY PROPOSALS

MALONE AND O'TOOLE ASK GOVERNOR NOT TO SPEND ANY REMAINING PORK OR GRANT DOLLARS

MAKE REQUEST AT BUDGET BRIEFING IN LIGHT OF FEDS PROBE

BARONI, MALONE AND WOLFE CONDEMN SCC's CALL FOR MORE SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION FUNDS

NO MORE SCC FUNDS UNTIL SOMEONE IS HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR WASTE

WEBBER FOR ASSEMBLY FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 22, 2007 CONTACT: (973) 581-1027

WEBBER LEADS VICTORY FOR VETERANS
Governor Corzine agrees to conditionally veto anti-veteran legislation

Morris Plains, NJ -- Republican Assembly candidate Jay Webber commented today on the news that Governor Jon Corzine plans to conditionally veto A-17 (also known as S-9), a measure that would eliminate the requirement for schools to teach about the meaning of Veterans Day and Memorial Day.

"I applaud this veto, and thank the Governor for heeding my call to issue it. New Jersey school children should learn about the great sacrifices and courage of our brave veterans, and they should strive to emulate those heroes in whatever walk of life they choose. It's the least we can do for the men and women who have made us, and keep us, free," said Webber.