MORRIS COUNTY — The NJ Coalition for Education and Positive Choices is rapidly becoming a household name in Morris County.  Word is spreading about the many initiatives being instituted by this unique, powerful group that provides the community with facts and information in the fight against drug and alcohol abuse. Everyone is quickly realizing the benefit to families when they sign-on. The importance of introducing kids to new activities and promoting substance-free events that keep them occupied (such as sports, exercise, career days, teen dances and activities with law enforcement) is of paramount concern when it provides ways to uphold a child’s self-esteem.  The Coalition is a proactive team comprised of elected officials, law enforcement, educational leaders and concerned citizens who are up to date on the latest crazes and abuses that are plaguing our children.

Please join officers and police departments from all over the state at the Coalition’s Annual Law Enforcement Night, on March 8, at 7:00 p.m. to be held at Mennen Sports Arena, 161 East Hanover Avenue, Morristown.

It is at this event that youngsters get to see firsthand how law enforcement officers are positive influences in our community.  Law Enforcement Night has been known to further develop these relationships often providing career opportunities for teens who might not have ever considered such a path.

The equipment on display at this event is known to even awe adults.  Never will one see such an array of machinery like this at one location.  Kids are able to ride the horses provided by the Park Police, see the Morris County Hope Van, jump in helicopters, ambulances, emergency vehicles of every shape and size, wear riot gear, try on handcuffs and comingle with the law enforcement community in a fun atmosphere.

The important aspect to remember here is that law enforcement is trained to make these kids feel safe and important.  Confidence and self-esteem go a long way in helping a child say no to his peers when the time arises.

MORRIS COUNTY — Senator Joe Pennacchio (R-26) questioned Governor Murphy’s motive to provide a multi-million dollar tax subsidy to Hollywood’s film industry while simultaneously increasing taxes that negatively impact New Jersey’s shore homeowners and the summer tourism industry.

Senator Joe Pennacchio questions Governor Murphy’s motive to provide a multi-million dollar tax subsidy to Hollywood’s film industry while simultaneously increasing taxes that negatively impact New Jersey’s shore homeowners and the summer tourism industry.

“Governor Murphy’s tax break for the Hollywood film industry stands in stark contrast to his tax hike on New Jersey shore house renters,” Pennacchio said. “While the Hollywood-connected elite will enjoy $425 million in subsidies, beach renters could pay up to an additional 14 percent in taxes. This could amount to hundreds of dollars in fees on what was once an affordable family vacation. The owners of these shore rentals are also paying an unfair price, on top of the already high taxes and operational costs required to maintain their properties.

“Why is Governor Murphy bankrolling Hollywood millionaires, while raising taxes on the little guy? This is completely unfair. If anyone should be given a tax break, it’s the hardworking families who have to scrape together extra funds just to afford a Jersey Shore rental. Governor – forget about your friends in Hollywood. The people you were elected to serve in New Jersey deserve your help first.”

Months before the recent release of the State Comptroller report, which shed light on New Jersey’s disastrous system for awarding tax breaks, Senator Pennacchio sent a letter to the New Jersey State Auditor requesting that the office examine the return on investments that are associated with the New Jersey film tax credits.

According to the non-partisan Office of Legislative Services, the New Jersey film credit could result in a net loss of $425 million to the state. OLS was also unable to quantify if and what revenue New Jersey could expect to gain from this program.

Numerous studies have questioned the effectiveness of state tax breaks on the film industry.

The number of states offering similar film tax credits has fallen from 44 to 31 in the past ten years, according to the National Conference of State Legislators.

Pennacchio added that this film tax break comes at a time when the state is raising taxes on families, business owners, corporations, and short-term shore house rentals.

New Jersey’s tourism sector is a $43 billion dollar industry, with a large portion of revenue being made in the summer months at the beach. Jersey Shore homeowners are already feeling the impact of the renters’ tax, with fewer renters signing up than previous seasons.

“There is no excuse for continuing to raise taxes on everyday people who live and work and vacation in New Jersey. It’s outrageous. They are already paying the highest taxes in the country,” Pennacchio added. “Let’s be clear: OLS has determined that the film tax credit has no guarantee of producing a return on investment, so why do it? If they really want to create jobs, Governor Murphy and his fellow Democrats should focus on creating a business-friendly climate, rather than creating programs that pick winners and losers, or handing out favors to their friends and donors in the private sector.”

MORRIS COUNTY — Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill became an original co-sponsor of the Transportation Funding Fairness Act (TFFA). The bill clarifies that a state may determine whether a federally-backed and provided loan counts towards either the non-federal share or federal share of a transportation project.

“The Federal Transit Administration’s gambit to ignore existing laws concerning transportation funding mechanisms is malign neglect meant to kneecap the Gateway Project,” said Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill. “We should not be playing politics with the security and safety of our commuters. This bill reaffirms the congressional intent behind current law to ensure that the most important infrastructure project in the country is not unfairly targeted by the administration.”

Led by Representative Tom Malinowski (NJ-7), the bill is co-sponsored by Representatives Mikie Sherrill, Frank Pallone, Bill Pascrell, Albio Sires, and Bonnie Watson Coleman of New Jersey.

Congresswoman Sherrill supported this legislation as part of a multi-pronged effort she is leading in Congress to move the Gateway Project forward, including support for $650 million in the pending FY 2019 transportation appropriations bill for the Northeast Rail Corridor, and urging the Department of Transportation to immediately put to work the $275 million already appropriated by Congress for the Northeast Rail Corridor.

The 2015 bipartisan agreement between officials in New Jersey, New York, and the federal government established a 50-50 cost-sharing plan for funding the Gateway Project to be split between the states and the federal government. New Jersey and New York submitted their funding plan that included federal loans available to the states under the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) and Railroad Rehabilitation & Improvement Financing (RRIF).

However, under the current administration, the FTA has ignored long-standing policy and arbitrarily decided that TIFIA and RRIF loans cannot be used by states, even though 23 US Code 603 states US loans may be considered the federal or state share of a project.

The TFFA revises 23 US Code 603 to clarify states or other obligators may determine transportation loans as the federal or non-federal share of a project. It also inserts language into 49 US Code 5309, explicitly stating that the determination of where loans fall in federal/non-federal share of a project is determined in 23 US Code 603.

MORRIS COUNTY — The Morris County Board of Freeholders this week awarded a resolution of thanks and congratulations to Joseph Weisberg of Parsippany for his 25-year commitment to the County College of Morris as a trustee, and as the recipient of the Ronald D. Winthers Trustee Leadership Award by the New Jersey Council of  County Colleges.

The state award is given to long-time trustees who have made outstanding contributions to their community colleges.

“We thank Joe for the significant volunteer efforts he has made at CCM to ensure that our community college remains  a beacon of education in New Jersey,” said Morris County Freeholder Doug Cabana, who presented a county resolution to Weisberg at the Freeholder Board’s Wednesday, January 23 meeting. “We also congratulate him for his efforts as a longtime educator who has made a difference to so many students in our state.”

Joining the freeholders at the event were CCM President Anthony Iacono and CCM Trustees Thomas Pepe, Paul Licitra, Jeffrey Advokat, and

Weisberg, who is a former councilman and mayor in Parsippany, has served on the CCM Board of Trustees for 25 years and has made significant contributions both within the institution and throughout the educational system at large. His longevity on the Board of Trustees has allowed him to serve on practically all of its committees at some point.

Notable special committees he has served on at CCM include the Personnel Committee and the Lands and Buildings Committee. Weisberg also is on the Organization, Bylaws and Nomination Committee on which he helped draft and approve the CCM Statement of Trustee Responsibility and the trustee self-evaluation tool currently in use.

During his involvement in planning and budgeting, he has used his background in higher education and as a science professor in the process of renovating and updating buildings to create state-of-the-art educational spaces that promote learning, creativity and the  cutting-edge skills specifically required to serve the community college population; and

The Winthers Award was presented to Weisberg on November 16 as part of the New Jersey Council of County Colleges’ Vision 2028 Leadership Summit. It is named after long-time Rowan College at Burlington County Trustee Ronald D. Winthers, who served the college for more than 25 years, served on the national board of the Association of Community College Trustees and as chairman of the NJCCC.

Weisberg’s service to the community extends far beyond the CCM campus to his hometown of Parsippany and Morris County. He is a founding member and chair of the Morris County Open Space and Farmland Acquisition Committee, mayor and councilman in Parsippany, member of the Parsippany Board of Education, Charter Member Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany, trustee of the Parsippany-Troy-Hills Public Library and Parsippany PAL, and member of the New Jersey Historical Commission, among others.

The Morris County Board of Freeholders has approved the use of nine county-owned homes located on the former Greystone Park State Psychiatric Hospital campus in Parsippany to establish a residential campus for 32 single women at risk of homelessness.

The homes, once used by Greystone, are located on a cul-de-sac street located behind the county’s nonprofit mall and adjacent to the Central Park fields on the former Greystone property, which is now owned by Morris County.

The county’s Morris Advisory Leadership Group recommended this proposal for use of all nine homes (which are currently empty) that was submitted jointly by nonprofit organizations Homeless Solutions and Family Promise of Morris County.

The Board of Freeholders were briefed yesterday on the proposal and unanimously approved it at their public meeting last night.

“There is a high level of need for supportive housing in our county which this important initiative will help address,” said Freeholder Kathy DeFillippo, who is the county governing board’s liaison on Human Services issues. “These homes will provide essential living space for women struggling with a housing crisis in a therapeutic and non-stigmatizing and non-polarizing environment.’’

Family Promise Executive Director Joann Bjornson and Homeless Solutions CEO Dan McGuire offered a joint statement: “This is an amazing opportunity to work jointly, on a new level of partnership between our two agencies. Sharing our resources and project expenses, along with the support from local community providers, will allow us to convert this property into not only housing but safe homes for vulnerable women in our community.  We thank the Morris County Freeholders and the Morris Advisory Leadership Group for their trust in us.’’

Housing opportunities would target women across the homeless continuum, including but not limited to persons with developmental disabilities; mental health, substance abuse, HIV/AIDS, domestic violence issues; and veterans and senior citizens.

Homeless Solutions would be the property and tenant manager, and provide an on-site supervisor responsible for monitoring the campus. Family Promise would provide management and programming, with on-site service staff and administrative staff.

A network of community providers are supportive of this project, including Atlantic Health System, Child & Family Resources, Community Hope, Community Soup Kitchen, County College of Morris, Drew University Center for Civic Engagement, Interfaith Food Pantry, JBWS, Monarch Housing, Habitat for Humanity, New Jersey AIDS Services, Mental Health Association of Essex & Morris, NewBridge Services, United Way, Zufall Health Center, and the Housing Alliance of Morris County.

This proposal:

• Meets a high priority social services need for housing to support single women;
• Offers an innovative collaboration of two leading social services providers, each known for offering quality services to adults and children who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
• Employs agencies that are currently leasing other county government space and have a solid record or proper use of those spaces;
• Includes a highly detailed program proposal that include assessments with consumers, facilities renovations estimates, engagement of provider network, support letters, capital funding support, and a reasonable staffing plan.

The county and the two providers, Homeless Solutions and Family Promise, will next draft the terms of a lease agreement, which could lead to the opening of at least some of the homes later this year, once some needed repairs are done.

MORRIS COUNTY — The Assembly Agriculture Committee gave its approval today to legislation sponsored by Assemblymen Anthony M. Bucco and Jay Webber eliminating unnecessary and counterproductive regulations imposed on bakers selling their goods at farmers markets.

The bill (A2201) allows the products, including cakes, cookies, pies, and muffins, to be sold in wrapped or covered containers, which promotes sanitation, without being weighed.

“Requiring precise weighing for individual products at local markets is onerous and cost prohibitive,” said Webber (R-Morris). “This is an effort to make it easier for people to earn extra money without incurring significant overhead costs while at the same time ensuring the goods are safe and sanitary.”

Currently, sellers of baked goods at farmers markets are not required to provide the product’s weight when the good is out in the open or in an uncovered container.  For example, a piece of apple pie out on a plate or a loaf of bread in a basket does not require any labeling for weight.  But once sellers puts that pie under cellophane or the loaf of bread in a paper sleeve to promote sanitation and freshness, then they must put on that covered container precise weight labeling, or they are subject to fines for lack of compliance.

“Shoppers love farmers markets because they know they are getting fresh top quality products,” said Bucco (R-Morris).  “People who sell baked items at these local markets should not get caught up in red tape created by weight regulations. It’s an unfair burden. Removing this requirement will put them on equal footing with people who sell at retail shops and local bakeries since they aren’t required in those establishments.”

The weight regulation is causing problems at local farmers markets. Heavy-handed weights and measures inspectors are fining or shutting down farmer’s market vendors who comply with all other applicable health and safety regulations because they do not have the capacity to provide specific measurements on each item sold.

“Such a regulatory anomaly makes no sense for a variety of reasons,” explained Webber. “We should encourage sellers of baked goods in outdoor markets to promote sanitation and freshness, not discourage them.  Also, bakers in retail shops and local bakeries are not required to provide weight labeling when they wrap or cover the same baked goods. There’s no reason to treat bakers at farmers markets differently.”

There are more than 35 farmers markets throughout the state, according to the New Jersey Farmers Direct Marketing Association.

The Senate unanimously passed an identical bill (S410) in June 2018.