Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Jersey: Still Waiting For Dem Legislature To Act

In New Jersey, there are only 143 days, or nearly 5 months, left before the legislature adjourns for the summer  and state lawmakers begin to shift their focus to the November election.
There are numerous pressing issues facing New Jerseyans that require the legislature’s attention before the legislators adjourn.
These issues have been outlined by the Governor in his State of the State and at subsequent town hall meetings, and many have carried over from proposals introduced last year.
They have already been introduced and debated, only to be neglected by this legislature.
Remember: Democrats control both the House and the Senate in Trenton. They own the legislature.
Despite promises to lead, there are still many, many issues that the Democrat legislative leadership has failed to act on.
Among those issues are:
· Pension and Benefits Reform
· 15 Remaining Tool Kit Bills, Including Real Civil Service Reform Sent Back to the Legislature Last Week
· A Strengthened and Improved Bill to Curb Public Employee Sick and Vacation Benefit Abuse
· Ethics Legislation to Expand and Improve Financial Disclosure Information from Public Officials, Including the Legislature
Legislative Democrats have been happy to pay lip service to these issues – to get through the news cycles with half-hearted assurances that action will come. Yet, with few exceptions, the last year has been littered with broken promises and inaction from a legislature that refuses to take action on the real reform put forward by Governor Christie.
The public will not allow the political season to begin in February and squeeze out an agenda that focuses on pension and benefit reform, education reform and the remaining tool kit bills (that the legislature has had since May of last year and yet has only managed to act on 5 of the 20 bills).
They are demanding the legislature make good on its own promises to move these bills.

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