Assemblyman Mike Panter

2007-09-27T12:16:00.000-04:00

Another spate of bomb threats and hoaxes last week and another several days of education lost responding to this thoughtless routine. When you consider the time and effort that is expended by emergency responders and school officials, you understand that this is a colossal waste of money. Add to that the aftershocks that often accompany hoaxes, the result of miscommunication or misguided fear, and it becomes clear that more must be done to react properly and maximize the consequences of these actions.
In August, I was joined by the Department of Education in the Freehold Regional School District to discuss with nearly all of the school districts and law enforcement branches in the 12th Legislative District best practices regarding threats to schools, real or fake. Knowing that the first priority is to protect students and staff, Scott Kisch, Chief of Staff for the Office of Homeland Security, was also on hand to provide insight for the group.
In immediate response to some of the concerns that were discussed, I am drafting legislation to maximize the potential use of drills in schools. This legislation will alter the current codes which require two fire drills a month, instead calling for one fire drill and one school security drill a month. While the thought of conducting active shooter, reverse evacuation, shelter in place and other exercises may be daunting, recent events (like the lockdown at St. Johns this week) and the annual rash of false threats tells us more must be done to prepare and prevent.
Parents, teachers and others must regularly emphasize the harm and the consequences of such negligence. I support legislation that will increase the potential penalties for individuals who cause false alarms. This, along with preparation and education will help educators and administrators focus on the task at hand, teaching.

2007-05-18T11:18:00.000-04:00

The Star Ledger reported today on Assemblyman Pat Diegnan’s idea to have Rutgers feature a reference to NJ in its logo. I’ve got many friends out of state who never knew Rutgers was our state university. I like Pat’s idea and many other state universities use their state logo, except those where the state is part of the name (Florida, Ohio, i.e.). Unfortunately, Rutgers spent almost $600,000 in December for marketing experts to create a new logo? $600,000 to come up with a red “R” at a time when the university is struggling to keep tuition in check and keep sports programs active?!? We make things too complex today. A contest for students and residents to come up with the logo could have been just as easy and generated some great attention. I know marketing gurus will tell us that polling, focus groups and teams of creative artists were required, but this was not a mapping of the human genome – they created a red “R”.

2007-05-08T11:04:00.000-04:00

The NJ Dept of Military & Veteran’s Affairs held a nice ceremony for NJ’s Vietnam vets Monday at the memorial – about 55 soldiers or their family members were there. One thing that struck me was when the Colonel who served as the MC said that many of these soldiers were never properly recognized until NJ re-instituted the NJ Vietnam Distinguished Service Medal in the late 80s. I see a lot of parallels between Vietnam and the Iraq War. Each started with greater public support, and each then divided our country. But I think the shameful (or non) reception soldiers in Vietnam received when they returned home have taught us something. Soldiers only implement our foreign policy, as the Colonel said. They don’t make it. Whether Iraq is popular or not, they should be welcomed home as heroes. Too often the word “heroes” is used to label millionaires who play a children’s game for a living. The real heroes are the folks that were there this morning, and those etched on the wall behind them.

2007-05-04T14:15:00.001-04:00

I attended the Governor’s budget town hall in the Borough of Red Bank this week, which continued the Governor’s efforts to bring transparency to the budget process – something that my colleagues in Trenton have also promised to do since too often there is little time to get our arms around everything in the budget as the deadline looms. The Governor could not attend as he recovers from his injuries, but the State Treasurer and various cabinet secretaries did an admirable job. I was particularly encouraged to see a large group of Freehold Boro residents in attendance since their school faces financial challenges unlike any other in Monmouth County (and perhaps all of New Jersey).

They don’t qualify for Abbott funding as other lower-income districts do, but they don’t have a local tax base that is even close to sufficient to fund their schools. It reminds me of my experience in attending college . . . my family wasn’t “poor” enough to qualify for enough aid for me to attend, but we didn’t have the money to do it on our own either. Freehold is stuck in the middle, and programs are being cut that puts these kids at a severe disadvantage in life. Commissioner Davy from the Dept of Education told them the new school funding formula would do a lot to alleviate inequities in funding, and that can’t come soon enough. The kids in 31 Abbott districts receive nearly 60% of the state’s educational funding, while the other 500+, which educate 4 out of 5 of New Jersey’s kids, have to live with what’s left. The Abotts need extra help, without question. The long-term price of those kids falling through the cracks would be much greater and we have a moral obligation to help them.

But the pendulum has swung too far and I hope the new formula will be fair to all of New Jersey. It was great to see so many people in the community come out for this meeting since family life and work schedules make it tough on everyone. Elected officials don’t have all of the answers, and this sort of guidance from our fellow citizens is essential.

2007-03-13T16:44:00.000-04:00

Since my first campaign in 2003, I have called for an outright ban of dual office holding in the state. While I am encouraged by Governor Corzine’s statement in his recent budget address that ‘we need to end this now’, I am disappointed that the actions of the state legislature neither reflect the Governor’s conviction, or my repeated calls for this abuse to be eradicated from New Jersey.
As a member of the state Legislature, I am regularly asked to act in the best interest and represent the needs of all communities in my district. I am perplexed at the conflict of interests for officials who serve as mayors or council members in a municipality, and also state legislators representing that municipality and others. The best case scenario is a lawmaker is representing every town in their district with equal zeal, and therefore the town they represent at the local level is lacking representation. Worst case scenario, the town they serve in is being given unfair consideration, and numerous towns are lacking full representation. We have seen this situation first hand throughout our state. I currently have legislation which would ban this practice statewide.
Dual office holding is an egregious abuse of the public’s trust and must be forbidden in order to truly restore the public’s confidence in officials at every level of government. The officials who have successfully stalled this legislation for personal benefit need to be held accountable by the constituents which they serve.

2007-01-10T11:19:00.000-05:00

Reaction to Governor Jon Corzine's State of the State speech, 1/9/07:

I pledge to work with Governor Corzine to continue the momentum of his first year in office. Special sessions on property taxes have been held and suggestions debated, and now it is time to fix a broken system. Short term relief with long term consequences is no longer an option, and the true policy makers will rise above those who have offered criticism, but no solutions. I am committed to delivering property tax relief and reform. By passing legislation to create a state comptroller and ease consolidations and shared services by local governments, my colleagues have shown that they share this commitment.

I am encouraged to see the Governor embracing reforms aimed at pension abuses, which I have pushed for since 2003. Senator Ellen Karcher and I were among the first to demand a ban on dual office holding and the forfeiture of pensions by corrupt public officials. This should send a clear message that self service will not be tolerated. Perhaps hitting these individuals in their wallets and retirement savings will reinforce the message.

Any viable property tax solutions will involve tough decisions that must be supported by the public. If the public cannot trust the integrity and honesty of elected officials, tax relief efforts will face an uphill battle. For this reason, ironclad ethics reforms must be put in place before we ask the public to buy into our property tax efforts. If a single dollar of taxpayer money is being wasted on pension abuses, or being paid out to officials who have disgraced their office, we can not ask for public support of our tax relief measures. I am volunteering to Governor Corzine and Speaker Roberts that I will carry forward my bills to implement the ethics reforms measures that were outlined today. They have been completed for several years, and I am eager to dust them off and move ahead with the support of the Governor.

I am especially focused on revising our educational funding system here in the Garden State, which is directly linked to our failed property tax system. Coming changes to our educational funding system must be fair to both urban and suburban students. The current system provides inadequate state funding to suburban schools, but still demands oversight and mandates. Frankly, if the state is only picking up 5% to 10% of a local school budget, it has not earned a seat at the table in making educational decisions.

The Governor in his State of the State speech showed leadership by promising not to approve something just because it looks good at face value. In an election year it will take true courage to bring about sustainable financial health, and I am committed to that goal.

2006-12-01T13:37:00.000-05:00

Partisanship can't be allowed to slow tax reform

The state Legislature’s bi-partisan joint committees recently released 98 recommendations to address New Jersey’s increasing property tax crisis. I applaud my colleagues from both parties for devoting time and energy to produce potential solutions. In just three months, these committees have developed proposals designed to address problems that have existed for nearly three decades.

As has unfortunately been the case in years past, there was no shortage of knee-jerk objections to any potential reforms. After reading through the first 100 pages of the nearly 600 released by these committees, I was surprised to read a biting criticism had already been issued by the Assembly Minority Leader which made me marvel at his speed reading skills. It reminded me of the Marx Brothers movie “Horse Feathers” in which Groucho sang “I don't know what they have to say, it makes no difference anyway - whatever it is, I'm against it!”

Another community leader notified parents that she would have to lay off dozens of teachers as a result of the recommendations, and issued this dire news well before the recommendations were even released – prompting parents to call my office to express their concerns.

It would also be naïve to think that there will not be valid objections to certain of the recommendations which were issued. We must all be involved in separating the wheat from the chaff – and from the political rhetoric aimed more at Election Day success rather than making New Jersey more affordable.

The recommendations explore cost savings in all areas of public service in the state, and suggest a potential 20% reduction in property taxes, which is essential to ensuring that New Jersey’s middle class is not forced to live in Pennsylvania zip codes.

While it is impossible to address each recommendation here, there were certain ideas which should garner wide support and require little debate.

I was encouraged by recommendations to end abuses in the pension system, and to banning dual office holding – two issues I have focused on for nearly 3 years. Ending these abuses through the elimination of multiple pensions for individuals, as well as banning pension “spiking” which artificially inflates pension payments could save considerable taxpayer funds. Other common sense measures such as allowing teachers to waive their health care coverage when they are covered under their spouses’ policies should be incorporated into our initiatives, and myself and others have already written legislation to enact these measures.

In addition, the committees’ decision to support my legislation implementing SCI recommendations to curb school administrative pay abuses will ensure that millions of tax dollars meant to educate our children actually reach the classroom.

The Legislature can not avoid difficult issues for fear of political consequences, which include updating Abbott school district criteria and funding in a way that is fair to suburban New Jersey communities. Monmouth County schools can not stand idly by while nearly 60% of our state government’s education dollars are sent to districts educating only 1 in 5 of New Jersey’s children. While we must invest in kids in lower income areas to ensure that they have opportunities to excel, we must be mindful of the effects our policies have on all of our children and insistent upon greater accountability for these funds and their results.

The potential benefits of consolidation and shared services in our towns must also be pursued diligently. Based upon my experiences in business, I can state with certainty that there is no company in the world which could remain competitive with over 1,300 individual payroll, legal, purchasing and accounting offices in a state the size of New Jersey – exactly what New Jersey is doing with our vast number of school districts and municipalities.

I support the notion that municipalities and school districts of particularly small size (perhaps those with less than 1,000 in total population, or with less than 50 total students) be merged with their neighbors. While many will sound the alarms that this will hurt their “local identity,” we are all paying for the budgets of these entities which are no larger than single neighborhoods. Local identity is of no use if nobody can afford to live locally.

While some of the proposals put forward may not ultimately be effective, we must all work to find solutions to this complex problem, rather than searching for problems with any and all solutions. As certain legislators in Trenton continue to discount our colleagues’ efforts, they should be reminded that the property tax crisis has been nurtured by this type of rhetorical divisiveness.

Over the coming weeks, I will review all pertinent information and will take the lead on many of the issues highlighted in these reports. I will likely oppose other initiatives if they will adversely affect our communities and schools in Monmouth County. I also welcome any guidance readers can offer, which can be sent to me at AsmPanter@njleg.org.

This is a tremendous opportunity for New Jersey to change its direction and I am encouraged by the recent actions of the Legislature and, more importantly, what we can accomplish by working together in the coming months. There will be tough and unpopular choices we must all consider, but the alternative of doing nothing is simply no longer acceptable.

2006-09-12T14:05:00.000-04:00

Requesting Residents' Help in Fair Haven

I am writing to ask for your help in determining the best course of action in relation to a critical issue affecting Fair Haven. With your guidance, I hope to help the borough to achieve an end result which is acceptable to a majority of residents.

For several years, the Borough Council has been trying to decide on the best placement for a cellular tower. Most recently, the governing body agreed on a location on Fisk Street. Several residents have contacted me to protest this placement. At the same time, I understand that when Fair Haven Fields, the Department of Public Works, the police station and other locations were discussed, there was also some opposition. In addition, the Church of the Nativity has discussed privately installing a cell tower on the church property.

Many of us, myself included, have been unclear whether Fair Haven must accept a cell tower at all within its boundaries, or whether we can decide that “no tower” is the best option given our concerns. My office has thoroughly researched this issue.

We found that the Federal Telecommunications Act of 1996 allows a municipality to control the placement of a cell tower, but prohibits an outright ban. If a municipality does not approve a site on public land for the construction of a tower, then a cell carrier can identify a private location. While the approval of land use boards is required to proceed on private property, if this approval is denied or delayed for an unreasonable time the cell carrier could bring legal action. This would be costly and probably a losing battle for Fair Haven.

Although I am not happy with this conclusion, it appears to be a reality we need to face as we consider the road ahead. Verizon has notified Fair Haven that they intend to wait until October for a public site to be approved, before proceeding on private property.

If a cell tower must go forward, ideally Fair Haven should benefit from the revenue that would be generated. If a cellular company were to construct a tower on private property, Fair Haven would have far less control over its location than if public property were used, and would not be able to benefit financially.

However, the potential health and safety issues pertaining to cell towers, effects on neighborhood aesthetics, property values and other factors are far more important than any potential financial gain. In this sense, the location of a tower (as far from homes as possible) should take precedence over any effort to capture revenues.

In examining possible public sites for the cell tower, it is clear that using a parcel of Fair Haven Fields would be the best alternative since it is not in close proximity to homes and would require only about .2 acres from this 77 acre space. But as you may know, Fair Haven’s application to pursue this alternative was denied by the NJ Department of Environmental Protection since this land is preserved as open space under the state’s Green Acres program. This decision was made despite Fair Haven’s offer to contribute approximately .57 acres of land at the end of Hendrickson Place (historically used for leaves) into the Green Acres program in exchange for the .2 acres that would be needed, in addition to making other concessions.

The primary reason is the policy that preserved open space should never be used for any type of development, unless it is an essential project and there are truly no other alternatives.

The DEP has maintained that there are other public and private sites within Fair Haven which would be viable locations. Implicit in their position is the notion that community opposition, in and of itself, does not make a location a non-viable alternative. They have also stated that the property offered in the “swap” is not suitable for open space and recreational uses. On this point, I have written to the DEP proposing that initial revenues from a cell tower could be used to improve the property.

In the end, I think it will be difficult to prove to the DEP that there are no other viable locations. Even as we continue our advocacy, the mere fact that Verizon is speaking with Church of the Nativity implies that the church location is viable – even if residents of the Gentry and elsewhere have valid concerns about it.

The DEP has also reminded us that we would need to seek approval from the National Park Service as well, since some federal funds were used at Fair Haven Fields.

I have had numerous conversations with Governor Corzine’s office, the administrator of the Green Acres program, and with DEP Commissioner Lisa Jackson, requesting that they reconsider this decision. At this point, a change seems unlikely. I would very much like to advocate for Fair Haven on this issue, but there doesn’t seem to be an easy solution at this point. I would greatly appreciate any guidance or suggestions you may have, and I will continue speaking with the Borough, the DEP and Verizon to try to work toward a solution.

I will make sure to keep everyone for whom we have an e-mail address up to speed on any developments. Please feel free to contact me at anytime via e-mail at AsmPanter@njleg.org or at the address and phone number listed above. Thanks for your help.

2006-07-28T16:24:00.000-04:00

Q&A Friday

Since everyone is asking me about the special session that officially convened in Trenton today, I'll focus my comments today on that issue. Governor Corzine made a speech to kick off the session, which has been brought together to specifically address property taxes.

The speech is available here.

As the Governor said, few people outside of Trenton make the connection between the property tax bills they pay and the rebate checks they receive each year.

That's why we must eliminate rebates and replace them with direct property tax credits to lower the actual property tax bills New Jersey homeowners pay.

The Governor's plan to add the funding from the existing rebate program to $350 million of the dedicated sales tax revenue in this year's budget - for a total of $1.6 billion in direct property tax relief - deserves strong support.

During the coming months, I look forward to working with the Governor, my colleagues and the public to find additional ways to significantly and permanently reduce our highest-in-the-nation property tax burden.

2006-07-06T10:45:00.000-04:00

Protecting One of the 12th District's Most Important Industries

If you've been reading the news, or if you've tried to get your driver's license renewed this week, or if you had planned a trip to Atlantic City, you know by now that our state government has been shut down as a result of the fact that Governor Corzine and both houses of the Legislature are still hammering out a budget upon which all parties can agree.

My staff and I have spent many hours in Trenton this week, and in fact at this moment I am in a caucus meeting, so I am not personally posting this message. New Jersey residents are understandably angry about the situation in which we find ourselves, but let me assure all of you that everyone involved in this process is working extremely hard to get it resolved.

In light of the shut-down, Senator Karcher and I have become very concerned about the welfare of Monmouth Park and Freehold Raceway, both of which are currently closed because state employees must be on hand to monitor operations in order for racing to continue. Under current law, those employees are not designated as "essential."

Yesterday, the Senator and I introduced legislation that would change that.

For anyone who is not a fan of racing or in some way involved in the industry, you might be unaware of just how significant it is to New Jersey in general, and the 12th District particularly. Horse racing is in the top 30 businesses in the state. About 30,000 people's livelihoods depend on its survival. In the state, there are 81,000 acres of open space currently utilized in some way that is connected to horse racing. If the industry were to fail, many of those acres would likely fall to development.

It's unacceptable that this business should grind to a halt because of the budget situation in Trenton. We must ensure that this does not happen again. I know this is particularly important to constituents living in Millstone, Colts Neck, and Oceanport, so I will do my best to make sure this legislation makes its way through the legislative process quickly.

2006-06-16T16:39:00.000-04:00

Q&A Friday: The Future of Red Bank's West Side

Dear Assemblyman Panter,

I have lived on the West Side of Red Bank for the last 25 years, and I am very concerned about a proposal to expand Red Bank Recycling's operation. From what I hear, the company wants to bring in a lot more trucks every day, and even start running trash trains a few times a day. This sounds like a very bad idea to me.

Anyone who spends time in Red Bank knows that traffic is already bad enough without more trucks coming in and out of town, especially on the West Side. Right in that neighborhood there's a daycare center too. The parents who take their kids there shouldn't have to worry about dodging any more trucks than they already do with the current traffic on Drs. James Parker Boulevard.

I'm afraid that if Red Bank Recycling gets the approval to do this expansion, it will kill the chances of the West Side being fully revitalized as we're all hoping it will be. There has been a lot of progress here in the last couple years, and I would hate to see all that stop.

Can you tell me what's going on with this project and what you think about it?

Moira
Red Bank

Dear Moira,

Thanks for writing in about this. The good news, at least for now, is that the project you're referring to and its application to the Monmouth County Solid Waste Advisory Council are on hold. Red Bank Recycling withdrew it. Some are saying that this means the idea is dead, and some are saying that the company is just re-thinking its strategy.

I found out about the issue when Red Bank Councilman Pat Menna wrote to me a few weeks ago to let me know what was going on. He expressed a lot of the same concerns you did about this project affecting the quality of life in Red Bank, especially on the West Side. After I did some research on the project with my staff, I agreed that it was not a good plan.

According to the materials I reviewed, the expanded business would bring in upwards of 75 trucks on a daily basis to drop off bulk recycling materials. About 6 trains would run north of the facility every day.

Up until earlier this year, my legislative office was located at the Galleria in Red Bank, which is not too far from the Red Bank Recycling facility. I can tell you that there were several times when I waited in a long line of traffic for not just one, but two trains to go by in order to get to the office. Adding more trains to the mix would make the traffic worse, and subject residents to potentially dangerous situations.

Thinking about those 75 trucks coming in and out near Monmouth Day Care every day makes me very nervous. Again, there's the issue of traffic, but safety is a far greater concern.

A couple weeks ago, I wrote a letter to the Monmouth County Solid Waste Advisory Council expressing my opposition to this proposal, and I was very pleased to hear that Red Bank Recycling had withdrawn it. I am going to keep a close eye on this issue and I plan to stand with Councilman Menna in opposing it if it should come up again.

2006-06-13T13:54:00.000-04:00

Into the Ring With Ann Coulter on Hannity and Colmes

Yesterday evening I got a call offering me the opportunity to appear on Fox News channel's Hannity and Colmes program to talk about the inflammatory comments Ann Coulter made about some of New Jersey's 9/11 widows in her new book.

As it was somewhat of an indescribable experience, I'll just direct you to the online video so you can see for yourself. Click this link to see the show segment.

Wally Edge posted a poll on PoliticsNJ.com this morning so readers could decide who "won" the debate. If you're interested in voting, click here.

2006-06-09T17:24:00.000-04:00

Q&A Friday

Dear Assemblyman Panter,

I am a resident of Marlboro, and since I moved here 15 years ago, my the increases in my property taxes have been astronomical. It's been tough on my family budget, but I do in some ways feel fortunate that at least I am a working person with a growing income, unlike some of the senior citizens living in my neighborhood who are on fixed incomes.

I know state officials have been using this topic as a campaign platform for years, but I long ago lost hope that the property tax problem in New Jersey would really be addressed. Hearing this week, though, that former Governor Codey and the Assembly Speaker have decided to call a special session has me wondering whether I should feel at least a little bit optimistic. Is there any way that this special session will have an effect on our tax bills?

Randall
Marlboro

Dear Randall,

In a word, yes. I am personally very optimistic about the chances this special session has to make a serious difference in the property tax problem.

For anyone who hasn't been following this story, Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts and Senate President Codey (the former Governor) earlier this week called for the Legislature to reconvene this summer, during the time when we are typically on a break from voting sessions. The sole purpose of this session is to address the property tax problem. I believe this session is the best chance we have at changing the situation of property owners like you and your neighbors.

Having spent a large portion of my time since taking office discussing shared services and consolidation of municipalities and school districts, it is very encouraging to see that Speaker Roberts and Senate President Codey have envisioned joint committees specifically to study these ideas. In New Jersey, we have a longstanding and unhealthy relationship with the concept of ‘home rule’ which is draining taxpayers’ pocketbooks and limiting our efficiency.

All of the joint committees being convened (the actual lineup is still being discussed with Governor Corzine's office, I hear) will be bipartisan, which I think is an important ingredient in the potential success of the special session as a whole. It is my hope that my colleagues will be able to leave politics at the door and set to work on this problem, which most New Jersey residents put at the top of their priority list.

The Senate President and the Speaker have said that they hope to implement meaningful reform by the end of the year. That would be very good news for every property owner in the state. I'll keep everyone posted as this progresses.

2006-05-31T13:55:00.000-04:00

Memorial Day

It was an honor for me to take part on Monday in the East Windsor/Hightstown Memorial Day parade, and I'm glad to have spent the day remembering those who lost their lives on our behalf with such a great group of people.

As we emerge from the Memorial Day weekend when we remember veterans and their service, it's important to make sure we're fighting for them here in New Jersey. I'm proud to have brought forward several initiatives during my time in the state Legislature which are intended to help the veterans living in our communities and the families of those who have lost their lives in service.

In addition to the bill I am sponsoring to keep protesters away from funeral services (which was of course in response to individuals disrupting military funerals in other states), I am sponsoring a bill, Assembly bill 2298, to extend the veterans' property tax rebate to veterans living in continuing care retirement communities. These residents pay into property taxes through their communities, but have previously been left out of this rebate program. New Jersey should be finding ways to make veterans' lives easier when they return from service, and this is one simple but meaningful way we can do that.

To veterans and their families in District 12, my door is open at any time to discuss any challenges you may be facing. Thank you for your service and for your sacrifice.

2006-05-26T14:22:00.000-04:00

Q&A Friday

My staff told me that we've had a few inquiries this week about a topic not usually addressed by state legislators, but which is very prominent on the national agenda: gay marriage. I thought I would share my viewpoint on that issue here today.

It seems to me that it is the obligation of government to ensure equal rights for everyone regardless of sexual orientation, and also to ensure equal rights for same sex couples. When it comes to healthcare issues, tax status and other benefits, there should be absolutely no difference in what is available to heterosexual couples and what is available to homosexual couples. New Jersey has already made some strides in this area, with the passage a few years ago of an act which provided a great number of these benefits to committed homosexual couples and unmarried couples of any orientation who are seniors. We still have some progress to make, but I am happy to say that our state is ahead of many, many others in this respect.

The fact that the word "marriage," which has very heavy religious connotations, describes our legal adult partnerships even for heterosexual couples is somewhat troubling in our modern existence. In my opinion, couples of any sexual orientation who are willing and able to commit to each other should be able to do so equally under the law, but perhaps we should not be referring to the official legal side of that commitment as "marriage," since obviously the term means different things to different people. If all couples have equal legal access to the benefits of commitment, each can choose privately how to define that commitment as far as religion or spirituality.

Although I believe that it may be time to rework the language we use in our current law, not necessarily just include homosexual couples in what is essentially an inappropriate term, I would not support a constitutional ban on gay marriage. In my opinion, efforts to enact such bans are rooted in hatred and ignorance, and really should have no place in the discussion.

In the current political climate, this is a very controversial issue, but I hope we will see some changes in the coming years.

Have a great holiday weekend everybody, and please don't forget to find a way to honor the men and women who lost their lives serving our country. I will be at the East Windsor/Hightstown Memorial Day parade on Monday; maybe I'll see some of you there.

2006-05-25T16:17:00.000-04:00

Progress on the Funeral Protest Issue

I was happy to see today that Congress passed a bill to prevent demonstrators from disrupting military funerals at national cemeteries. It’s unfortunate that legislation is necessary to accomplish something that has always been considered common courtesy, but it’s clear from the protests that a despicable group has been holding around the country that we can no longer rely on that.

While this legislation on the federal level is a good step, it is imperative that we protect mourning New Jersey families at all cemeteries, not just at our two national cemeteries. The demonstrators in question have already said they will specifically target New Jersey families; we must take action immediately.

My colleagues in the Assembly and I are sponsoring a measure, A-2870, which would prohibit protests within 500 feet of a funeral. I hope the community will join with us in asking that it be posted for a vote and approved as soon as possible.

2006-05-18T14:44:00.000-04:00

Panel Discussion at Hightstown High School

I was privileged to take part in a very productive panel discussion at Hightstown High School on Monday, and I would like to thank the many residents who came out to discuss with my legislative colleagues and me their concerns about education funding and property taxes.

The East Windsor Regional School district is an excellent model for the future of education statewide. With one superintendent, the very effective Ronald Bolandi, overseeing the operations of five schools, students test scores are improving, and judging from the response at our panel discussion, parents are very happy with the results.

There were a number of issues that were raised on the 15th that expanded my point of view, including the opinions of school board members that if school budgets are under a certain cap, there should be no public referenda for their approval. In most cases, I tend to favor the option of giving citizens the right to vote on as much as possible, but some excellent points were raised, and I will be considering that further.

I was pleased to learn that so many audience members agreed that New Jersey’s educational system needs to be completely overhauled, both to protect education, and to bring some much-needed relief to property taxpayers.

I look forward to continued dialogue with the residents of Hightstown and East Windsor, and I hope all residents of the 12th District will feel free to contact me with their input on this very important topic. I am optimistic that reform will take place soon, and I pledge to represent the interests of students, parents and taxpayers to the best of my ability.

2006-05-18T12:29:00.000-04:00

Community Leadership Breakfast - Thanks Everybody!

Last Saturday, I hosted my Community Leadership Breakfast at the Golden Bell Diner in Freehold. It was a huge success thanks to everyone who came out (about 60 people - wow!) and I hope those of you who didn't make it will join us at the next one. It is something I definitely plan on doing again.

I'm really grateful to the other elected officials who joined us, especially Congressman Rush Holt. State Senator Ellen Karcher, East Windsor Mayor Janice Mironov, Hightstown Councilman David Schneider and former Manalapan Committeewoman Rebecca Aaronson were kind enough to join us as well, and I think they offered some great insights.

My hope in putting this event together was to give residents of the 12th District the opportunity to meet each other and discuss the issues that matter to them so that they could forge partnerships for their activism. I think we were successful in creating that environment.

My thanks go out to my staff and the very hard-working staff at the Golden Bell for helping this event to be a success. I look forward to doing this again.

Here are some snapshots from the event:

2006-05-12T17:08:00.000-04:00

Q&A Friday

Dear Assemblyman Panter -

Please say NO to the proposal for self-serve gas in New Jersey!

Laura
Fair Haven

In the last two weeks, my office received a great many inquiries about the proposal to allow New Jersey residents to pump their own gas. Governor Corzine had floated the idea of doing a limited study of self-service gas for New Jersey. Just so everyone knows, the Governor has since tabled that idea, and it will not be considered for implementation in New Jersey at this time.

I am in favor of many measures that are intended to lower gas prices, but there is some question as to whether self-serve gas would have that effect on pricing or would just remove the full service many New Jersey residents enjoy. But at this point, that's a debate for another time!

Dear Assemblyman Panter,

My daughter is a student at Rutgers, and I hear that this year's state budget will cause an increase in tuition at state colleges. Is that the case, and if so, what is the outlook for families like mine?

Rose
Freehold

This issue is particularly important to my family, since my sister is a student at Rutgers, and since I pay her tuition! The proposed budget, which is currently under review and revision in the Assembly and Senate, does indeed include some cuts in higher education aid, and most, if not all, state colleges and universities have said this would lead to unfortunate increases in tuition for their students.

Governor Corzine has said that if he finds extra funding for the budget, the higher education aid will be the first item to be restored. I am hopeful that the Governor and/or the Assembly and Senate budget committees will identify those savings.

Tuition costs are already very high for most families, and further increases could conceivably prevent some of New Jersey's brightest students from obtaining the education they deserve. This would be a tragedy for those students, and for our state.

2006-05-11T11:48:00.000-04:00

Fighting the Hospital Tax

On Tuesday, I held a press conference at Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank to stand with New Jersey's hospitals against the proposed "sick tax" that hospitals would be forced to pay under Governor Corzine's budget plan.

I commend the Governor for his Herculean efforts to access federal funds, cut spending, and bring New Jersey's finances under control, but this particular plan would hurt our hospitals, and they're already in fragile economic condition.

Hospital executives from all around the state, about 20 in total, joined me for this important event, which I have to thank Riverview for hosting. The Blaisdell Auditorium was packed with about 150 people, including members of the press, doctors, nurses and other individuals who have concerns about the effect this proposed tax could have on healthcare in New Jersey.

Under the tax proposal, hospitals would pay approximately $50 per patient bed each day to generate $430 million for the state. Two hundred fifteen million of that funding would support the state budget, while the other half would be used to attempt to collect matching funds from the federal government under a federal-state partnership that pays for Medicaid services.

If the federal government accepts the plan, funding will be redistributed in a way that would benefit 25 hospitals and work to the detriment of 49 others. There is no guarantee, however, that New Jersey’s proposal will be approved, and recent activity at the federal level seems to suggest that it won't.

If we move forward with this proposal, every county in New Jersey will experience a net loss. We could very likely see hospital closures around the state and, at the very least, reductions in staff. If we balance the budget on the backs of New Jersey hospitals, they cannot help but collapse, or face the possibility of passing their economic burden on to their patients. The end result would be a further reduction in access to health care for New Jersey residents; I don't think that's a risk we should be willing to take.

Although some hospitals in the state would benefit from the plan if it were successful, all of New Jersey’s hospital organizations are united in their opposition to the proposal, which they believe would have an overall negative impact on the health care network in the state.

It doesn’t make sense to place these requirements on the second largest industry in New Jersey, particularly when it is already struggling to stay above water.

Riverview, which would lose over $6 million annually under this proposal, is a great example of what is wrong with the plan.

Just last year, Riverview introduced the $4 million Cyberknife technology, which will help patients who have inoperable tumors and vascular abnormalities. That kind of innovation has made New Jersey’s medical services well-known across the country. But if our hospitals are strained under this new tax, new technologies like Cyberknife will be impossible for them to implement.

Already operating under razor-thin margins, the majority of New Jersey hospitals will find that with the further burden of the proposed tax, it will be too expensive for them to borrow the kind of funding needed to offer new technologies to their patients, or complete capital projects.

I was pleased to read in the Star Ledger today that there has been some significant resistance to the "sick tax" among members of the Senate Budget Committee. Senator Ellen Karcher, who serves the 12th District with me, is firmly opposed to it as well. I know a lot of my colleagues in the Assembly are concerned about it . While I truly appreciate what Governor Corzine is trying to do with the budget, I don't think this plan is worth the risk we would be taking by implementing it.

Here are a couple more photos from the conference:

John Lloyd (far left), President/CEO of Meridian Health; Betsy Ryan, President of the New Jersey Hospital Association; and Richard Scott, M.D., Vice President of Clinical Effectiveness and Medical Affairs at Riverview (far right), all gave impassioned speeches about this topic.

2006-05-09T16:26:00.000-04:00

Open House

There was a great crowd at the open house at my district office in Shrewsbury on Saturday, and I want to thank those of you who did make it out there. We had some great conversations about the issues affecting New Jersey with the refrain, as always, "property taxes, property taxes, property taxes."

I hope everyone will come to the Community Leadership Breakfast I am hosting at the Golden Bell Diner in Freehold this coming Saturday at 9 a.m. For those of you who have ideas on how to change the state of things in our district and in New Jersey, this will be a great place to talk with community leaders and your neighbors about how to move forward. I'll get in on those talks too, and see how I might be able to help legislatively.

I'll leave you with some photos from the open house. Thanks again to everyone who made it on Saturday!

2006-04-28T08:09:00.000-04:00

Q&A Friday

Please initiate a special legislative session to act on much needed property tax reform through a constitutional convention. No need to wait! Do it now... before July. With too many defeated school budgets and unhappy property owners, “It’s the right thing to do!”

Thank you.

Mayor Bob Patten

Hightstown Borough

I'm so glad to have a "celebrity" question this week - and one that seems to be on the minds of most 12th District constituents. Thanks to Mayor Patten for agreeing to take part in Q&A Friday.

For anyone who isn't aware, there are two methods that the state Legislature has discussed in recent years to address property taxes: a constitutional convention and a special session of the Legislature.

Last year, I voted in favor of Assembly bill 5269, which would authorize a constitutional convention to reform New Jersey’s property tax system. I also supported a measure that would allow the constitutional convention to address spending in addition to revenue sources. Unfortunately, this legislation was not considered by the State Senate, but I will continue to push for it in this session of the Legislature this session.

I prefer the option of convening a special session as it would provide quicker results than a constitutional convention. I sponsored ACR-108, which would bring this session together.

As you may know from previous Q&A Fridays, one of the topics I would like to see the Legislature consider in a special session is the consolidation of administrative services for schools. This could also be considered in relation to municipal services.

Earlier this week when I met with the Brookdale Dems, one of the students asked me why there is such a strong emphasis in New Jersey on "home rule", the concept that each municipality and school district needs to have its own services provided in-house, so to speak. "Is it because we're one of the oldest states and people are just set in their ways?" she asked.

I can't really answer that question with authority, but it occurred to me that perhaps that sense of wanting to have all our needs taken care of locally is a remnant of our colonial past, when community members really did depend on each other almost exclusively.

Whatever the reason, "home rule" is bleeding you and me dry, and the time has come to consolidate our services. I'm not, by any means, proposing that New Jersey consolidate entire towns or take away total control from local school boards, but there is no reason why we can't share services like attorneys, payroll services, trash collection and street cleaning.

New Jersey is changing, and we've got to change with it.

2006-04-26T10:53:00.000-04:00

Brookdale Dems Club

I had the opportunity yesterday to speak with members of the Brookdale Democratic Club at Bankier Library on the Brookdale Community College campus in Lincroft. What an intelligent and civic-minded group of students! I was very impressed with their questions and their input. Like most of my conversations around this time of the year, our talk focused heavily on the budget, but we also talked about life as a legislator, and New Jersey policy in general.

Club president Randy Thompson (center in the photo above), vice president Alex Holodak (second from right), Ambra Talarico (left), John Swift (far right) and the rest of the club members are to be commended for their interest in our community and our state.

2006-04-14T14:37:00.000-04:00

Q&A Friday #2

Question One:
I'm filing my taxes last-minute this year, and I've heard about some problems with commercial tax return preparation. Is it true that there have been problems with some of the preparers? Would I be protected from the consequences of any errors they might make or would the IRS come after me?

Thomas
Freehold

Dear Thomas,

The Government Accountability Office recently did a study in which hypothetical tax returns were submitted to commercial tax preparers to see how they performed. Unfortunately the watchdog agency found multiple problems, including failure to itemize deductions, claiming ineligible chidren for the Earned Income Tax Credit, and failure to report business income, among other things.

It's important to note that if there are any errors on the return you submit, whether you prepare it yourself, or have someone else do it, the IRS will hold you accountable.

So while it may save you some time and frustration (especially when you only have a couple days left!) to pay someone to prepare your return, please make sure you work with someone you trust. And no matter how confident you are, always look closely at your return before it's submitted.

Question Two:

I'd like to ask Assemblyman Panter what's being done on disaster preparedness planning that includes pets, companion animals, service animals, and the myriad other creatures that live with us here in NJ. Neither the state emergency preparedness flyer nor any of the state's ads in newspapers ever mention anything about making plans to provide for or evacuate animals, and this is a serious mistake; we saw just how serious in the wake of Hurricane Katrina when people chose to die rather than leave their animals behind.

This is a vital concern to me, since I do have plans to take my dog with me if anything should happen -- but if the state has not made preparations I will stay with her rather than abandon her.

Is legislation proposed or underway to provide for emergency planning for animals? If not, why not, and how can we change that?

Marlene
Oceanport

Dear Marlene,

I'm glad you asked about this, because I haven't had a chance yet to speak publicly about my sponsorship of Assembly bill 1929, which addresses your concern.

Like most animal lovers, I found it heartbreaking to hear the stories of families in the Gulf region who were forced to leave their beloved pets behind in addition to all of the other loss they experienced. My Assembly colleague, John Burzicelli, introduced A-1929, which would require the State Office of Emergency Management and the counties and municipalities to include in their respective emergency operations plans provisions to support the needs of individuals with a household pet or service animal in a major disaster or emergency.

It's true that emergency operations plans in New Jersey currently do not include household pets and service animals. Assemblyman Burzicelli believed that providing for household pets and service animals would both encourage individuals to evacuate when required and would spare residents the heartache of unnecessarily losing a pet or service animal during a crisis.

I agree with Assemblyman Burzicelli, which is why I joined him and eight other colleagues from both parties in sponsoring A-1929, which passed the Assembly in mid March. An identical bill (S-1681) is pending hearing in two committees in the Senate. I will continue to encourage my colleagues in the other house to help move this bill forward so it can be signed into law.

2006-04-12T11:40:00.000-04:00

Answers Coming This Friday

Just a reminder that the second installment of Q&A Fridays will be out this Friday. There is plenty of time left to get your questions in, so please send them to me at AsmPanter@njleg.org with your name and contact info. I won't give out any personal information, just identify you by your name and hometown. Please be sure to include "Q&A" in your subject line so I know you want to be included.

2006-04-04T10:04:00.000-04:00

Protection Needed For Families of Fallen Heroes

Like all Americans, reading through the newspaper has become a heart wrenching experience for me, when faced with the almost daily reports of the latest casualties suffered by our soldiers serving in Iraq and throughout the world. While the loss of any member of the armed forces causes us all great sadness, I’m always particularly saddened to see the ages of those who have fallen in service of our country.

It seems that so many of those who are giving their lives are of an age when the average citizen is just starting college, or a family, or embarking on their first careers with most of their lives and dreams still ahead of them.

In 2003, someone close to me lost her brother in Iraq. I had never met him, since he had been deployed to Iraq for some time from his home base in Colorado Springs. His family was immensely proud of him. At the age of 28, he had just earned his company command as a Captain serving with the infantry, and was killed soon after.

When we arrived at Fort Carson in Colorado for his funeral, I was struck by how many homes in that military town were adorned with banners and ribbons in support of their loved ones serving overseas – each hoping that their brothers, sisters, parents or spouses would return home safely.

The memory of his boots standing near the altar next to a bayonet standing on its end is one that I will never forget. Just as powerful was the long line of his fellow soldiers who had assembled in their dress uniforms to say goodbye to their comrade, along with their own families.

I remember asking an even younger soldier who accompanied us how hard it must be to say goodbye to someone with whom he had served, and his answer surprised me. With a very professional and cool demeanor, masking what must have been great sorrow, he said that he had already been through this experience five times in the preceding months. I wondered how he and others could maintain their composure, when the whole experience led me to stare down at the floor in an effort to maintain my own.

When an Army National Guard Sergeant and former Marine named Jessie Davila was killed in Iraq by a suicide bomber this past month, his family gathered to honor him at a funeral service in Dodge City, Kansas. But Sergeant Davila’s funeral was not attended by just his grieving relatives and military family. It was also attended by a small and disgraceful group from Topeka, Kansas, intent on heckling Sergeant Davila’s family and dishonoring his memory.

In a disturbing campaign that has targeted the funerals of military heroes across the United States, this group carried signs printed with phrases like, “Thank God for IEDs” and “Thank God for Dead Soldiers” in a shameful effort to get press attention by creating even greater pain for the families of fallen soldiers.

This week, Kentucky became the fifth state to enact laws protecting funerals from this type of hate-filled activity. New Jersey should be the sixth, before the families of any of our soldiers who have made the ultimate sacrifice are faced with similar situations. Several legislators from both parties have proposed these measures in the Garden State, and they should advance as soon as possible to get these protections in place.

There are those who will claim that the U.S. Constitution’s protection of free speech protects even these kinds of “protests.” This is true to a degree since the First Amendment precludes bans on protests, whether based on the specific content of the message, or in a “content neutral” fashion that bans all protests in a specific area.

For this reason, ignorant and hate-filled groups like the Ku Klux Klan and neo-Nazis are allowed to march our streets, no matter how distasteful their activities might be.

But the Supreme Court has determined, for instance, that bans on protests at people’s homes pass the constitutional test due to the importance of residential privacy. I would argue that bans on funeral protests are certainly of equal importance to protect the privacy of grieving families, so long as they are narrowly tailored in terms of the time and distance provisions of the ban.

While some will prefer to debate this issue nonetheless, this is not the time to let them postpone efforts to bring this law into effect – this is the time for action.

There is no way our country can ever adequately repay the sacrifices made by our fallen soldiers and their families. We can and must, however, take strong steps to protect their families, to honor their service, and to stand with them when confronted with those wishing to dishonor their memories.

2006-03-31T12:13:00.000-05:00

It's Here: Q&A Friday Version 1.0

Charles R. Baker of Morganville asked this question:
"Thanks for the update. While this is all well & good, the real issue is our local property taxes (and i am not talking about senior citizens only). What are you doing to keep me in Monmouth County? I am very concerned that the next wave of school budgets will push me over the brink- to move out of state."

Mr. Baker, I can't even tell you how many of your neighbors share that concern. Polls show that property taxes are number one on the list of concerns of 12th District residents, and as such the issue is my top priority.

In my first two years, there was a great deal of talk about a constitutional convention to address property taxes (I sponsored a bill to convene one) , and of a special session of the Legislature to basically force Assembly members and state senators to come together and find a solution. I supported, and continue to support these ideas, but unfortunately neither has gotten off the ground just yet.

In the meantime, I have been advocating for the regionalization and consolidation of services to cut costs (and of course, taxes).

New Jersey has 616 school districts, each with its own superintendent and business administrator. In 2004, the average salary of a superintendent in New Jersey was $137,813, up from $121,416 in 2001. The total cost to pay all school superintendents in New Jersey in 2004 was $77 million, up from $69 million in 2001.

New Jersey spends more money per student than any state in the nation. However, we rank forty-first in terms of how much of that money actually reaches the classroom. Much of the funding for school districts from property taxes goes to fund administrative services, which could be done from a County Superintendent of Schools’ office.

Fairfax County, Virginia has only one school superintendent, earning $251,457 a year, for more than 200 schools and 166,000 students. Fairfax County also has the highest standardized test scores of any school district in the nation. One reason for this is because education funding is being spent in the classrooms and not on multiple administrative salaries.

New Jersey school district administrative costs are 75% higher than the national average and 31% higher than Michigan, which is the next closest state. The 2002 Goldwater Institute Policy Report noted that regional school districts spend 8% of their budget on administrative costs while non-regional districts spend 28% on administrative costs.

If New Jersey were to utilize the Fairfax County model of having one superintendent of schools for each county who made an annual salary of $251,457, the total cost would be $5.2 million. This would result in an annual cost savings of $71.7 million on superintendent’s salaries alone. More importantly, there would be no negative effect on education in New Jersey while property taxes would decrease.

At the very least, a superintendent and business administrator should be responsible for a K-12 school district. This would let communities retain control of their schools while decreasing the burden on taxpayers. Furthermore, the 1999 Assembly Task Force on School District Regionalization referenced “A Plan for School District Consolidation in New Jersey” from 1995 which stated that all regional high school districts merging with their respective K-8 districts in the towns they serve could save an estimated $32 million in annual administrative costs and more than $200 million a year overall.

One of the pieces of legislation I have sponsored that could also be considered in a special session is A-1984, which requires the Commissioner of Education to develop a plan to eliminate local school districts and establish a county-based educational system.

Bruce Brickman of Manalapan posed the following question, which is very relevant considering what is going on across the country and in Washington, D.C.:
"Legislation has been proposed to change driver license requirements to allow illegal aliens to be even more exploited by landscapers and developers. How do you stand on that change? Why is the State not enforcing minimum wage laws in auditing landscappers, developers, etc. to prevent such victimization and to make it less attractive for illegals to be in N. J."

In my opinion, New Jersey should not be doing anything to reward illegal immigrants. The best argument against this idea is the fact that if the state were to provide driving privilege cards to individuals who are in the country illegally, the federal government would no longer recognize our drivers' licenses for purposes of identification. This would make travelling and other activities for which New Jersey's legal residents might use their licenses as identification much more difficult.

I'm not sure about your question regarding minimum wage, but that is certainly something my staff can investigate, and we'll get back to you on what exactly is happening there (and update the blog too).

I am glad to see that Congress is hashing out the immigration issue, and I sincerely hope that a fair solution is found. Immigration laws are not being enforced across the country, and as a result there are currently millions of illegal immigrants living and raising their families in the United States. The questions Congress is facing are practical, political, and moral, but the debate is long overdue. I'm looking forward to following the progress in Washington. I can say with certainty, however, that I will not support the state-level driving privilege card proposal.

Sandy Mack of Freehold asked the following question:
"I know the rail question is being reopened to a further study. Do you think this issue will ever reach a conclusion? Is the line through Freehold still the favored one or are all now equal in consideration?"

New Jersey Transit has indeed re-opened their study of the Monmouth-Ocean-Middlesex (MOM) line, and they expect the new study to take approximately 18 to 24 months to complete. The study was reopened for a number of reasons. In the original study, the three rail line alternatives were expected to terminate at Newark, where passengers would have to transfer for continuing northbound service. In the new study, trains will go directly to Manhattan. New Jersey Transit is also removing two stops on the Monmouth Junction alternative (Edison and Metuchen), which will speed that trip up by about seven minutes.

New Jersey Transit is not admitting to having a favorite among the lines, but the changes that were made for this study will likely make the Monmouth Junction line preferable to the Red Bank and Matawan lines.

Hopefully, the issue will reach a conclusion when this new study is concluded. The construction of a rail line is critical to the progress of Monmouth and Ocean Counties, but in my opinion the only responsible decision would be to reactivate the Monmouth Junction line.

2006-03-30T16:51:00.000-05:00

Stay Tuned...

At some point tomorrow, I'll be posting answers to some questions constituents have sent me about topics affecting the 12th District and New Jersey. Please continue to send me questions, as Q&A Friday will be taking place every other Friday.

2006-03-23T20:34:00.000-05:00

Friday Q & A

As some of you may already know, I'm going to be starting a new interactive function on my blog callled "Q & A Friday." Every other Friday, I will take a number of questions that have been emailed to my office and answer them here in sort of an online interview format. A lot of constituents have the same questions, so this will be a good way to get my anwers or positions out to a large number of people.

If you would like to participate, please e-mail me with your name, mailing address
and question. Unfortunately I won't be able to answer every question online, but everyone who makes an inquiry will get an answer via regular mail.

Next Friday, March 31, I will post Q & A Friday for the first time. I've already gotten some great questions, so I'm looking forward to it. Please feel free to participate!

2006-03-15T11:49:00.000-05:00

Derailing the School Administrators' Gravy Train

I am very disappointed about the results of a State Commission of Investigation (SCI) probe that uncovered widespread abuses and secretive deal-making on salary and benefits for school administrators across New Jersey.

We have to be careful not to use this information to paint all school districts with a broad brush since the study focused on only about 10 percent of NJ’s school districts. That being said, the results are alarming.

In an era when schools are under increasing pressure to stretch every dollar, administrative compensation has gotten out of control. It is state government’s responsibility to rein it in, and to ensure that accurate disclosure is being made to the taxpayers.

There are several issues that need to be addressed legislatively. First, we need to look at capping compensation and perks, and the pension padding that costs taxpayers dearly. When we see administrators’ compensation surpassing, even doubling, that of any other public employee, we know that things are out of control. Some of these administrators are taking home double or triple the compensation that the Governor and Commissioner of Education are making.

It is the height of hypocrisy for administrators to be highlighting the valid need for more funding, while living the life of Riley at the public’s expense.

Second, it’s clear that more stringent reporting requirements are needed since the true value of these packages is being hidden from the public. Base salaries are being reported, without information on the extra buybacks and perks being given to administrators.

We’ve allowed a free agency market in which administrators prosper - one which would make professional athletes blush. Meanwhile, teachers are the backbone of our education system, but their salaries have increased by less than half that of administrators.

I am working on legislation to address this problem. I hope to accomplish the following:

- Enhance public disclosure laws so the public is aware of the true value of administrative pay packages;
- Establish and enforce strict limits on benefits for highly-paid administrators, such as selling unused sick or vacation time prior to retirement (this will prevent a disadvantage for schools that can not are not offering these golden parachutes);
- Enforce adherence to pension calculation limits;
- Grant greater authority to the state Division of Pensions to ensure manipulation is not taking place;
- Strengthen the oversight and accountability practices of both the state Department of Education and local school boards; and
- Limit the duration of automatic contract renewals.

This particular gravy train has made it too far in New Jersey. It’s time to derail it, and it’s the responsibility of the Legislature to do so.

2006-03-14T15:12:00.000-05:00

Thanks for the Feedback on TTF

I wanted to respond to the person who posted an anonymous comment on my statement on the Transportation Trust Fund. I appreciate the input.

My primary concern is making sure we don’t hit insolvency of the fund this year so that critical projects can not proceed and federal funds are put in jeopardy. Also, we need to restore fiscal discipline to the fund (putting the “trust” back in the trust fund to use the often repeated phrase). My hope is that a permanent revenue source which assures that expenditures do not exceed recurring revenues can be put in place – and that some of the debt can be retired short of maturity. This is not a permanent solution, and I think that has to be considered by state government in the near term. The real question is whether, in a year with another $4 billion plus budget deficit, we can make the TTF fiscally sound without a refinancing. Is the only option a significant gas tax increase, which could be phased in? None of us who drive a long way to work (in my case about 55 miles each way to Trenton) want to pay this, but what are the other options?

One-time asset sales or leases could be considered, but the state only has about $19 billion in total assets and once they’re gone, they’re gone. Any suggestions are certainly welcome.

2006-03-09T15:05:00.000-05:00

The Transportation Trust Fund

Today in the Assembly Transportation Committee, we passed Assembly bill 2813, a bill introduced by my Assembly colleague John Wisniewski, which is designed to prevent the insolvency of New Jersey's Transportation Trust fund.

Although this bill is not a perfect solution, it is the best solution we have under these difficult circumstances. While we consider new revenue sources, this legislation will allow the Transportation Trust Fund to continue to support capital projects. Without action, on June 30 the Fund would become insolvent, and we would lose out on $1.2 billion in annual federal aid, which is the equivalent of an additional 25 cents in gas tax. I know I don't want to see that tax increase, and I'm sure 12th District constituents don't either.

I am most encouraged by the fact that this bill creates oversight over the Fund, which is currently lacking, and which is needed to ensure fiscal discipline so that funding is not siphoned off for other purposes. The bill dedicates the full 10.5 cents of gas tax to transportation infrastructure.

The problems we’re facing with the Transportation Trust Fund came about because of the same types of poor fiscal practices that landed New Jersey in dire straits in every area of our budget. State government under both Democrats and Republicans too often utilized asset sales, financial gimmicks, and debt deferrals to plug budget gaps.

We do not want our children and grandchildren saddled with additional debt we create today, but we also don’t want them on unsafe bridges, or trains that are not maintained.

If you would like to see the text of this bill, visit http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/ and type "A2813" (no dash) in the bill number search field.

2006-03-01T12:47:00.000-05:00

Appearing on Newsmakers

Comcast Newsmakers asked me to stop by this morning to film two segments for their program. Since I became an Assemblyman, I have worked with them about once every other month, and it's always an interesting experience.

Today I talked with the host, Jill Horner, about two topics: Abbott school districts, and Fort Monmouth. If you've been following the news on the Fort, you probably know that I introduced a bill last week that will put together the group that will decide the future of the property. The military installation is in the process of closing. Thanks to the help of local officials, other legislators, and a number of other stakeholders, I was able to draft something that seems like the best possible consensus. There will be representatives from all levels of government, and also some experts on employee relations/training, and environmental issues. The most important provision, I think, is the one that will prevent any level of government from acting unilaterally.

I'm doing a lot of research on the Abbott school district situation right now. For anyone who isn't familiar with that term, Abbott school districts are among the poorest in the state, and they are funded (largely with state funds) to the level of the wealthiest districts in New Jersey. Although it is important to make sure these districts are able to satisfy their needs, the current funding formula is putitng a major strain on taxpayers across the state. Through my research, I am looking to find a solution to this problem. I would love to hear your input.

2006-03-01T12:28:00.000-05:00

This is the control room at the Newsmakers studio at Brookdale Community College in Lincroft. One of the best things about appearing on this program is working with the staff. It seems like everyone has a great sense of humor. I guess they would have to, since they listen to politicians talk all day.

2006-03-01T12:24:00.000-05:00

In addition to being a very poised and professional host, Jill Horner is a former Miss New Jersey.

2006-02-28T00:08:00.000-05:00

A Successful Fundraiser - Thanks Everyone!

Tonight we had a great fundraiser at Raccioppi's in Red Bank. There was an excellent turnout, with some people travelling from the far reaches of the state just to support the effort. These days it's difficult for me to find time to leave the 12th District, so I am very grateful to everyone for coming out on such a cold night. I think it was well worth it, though, between Joe Raccioppi's hospitality and the great conversation that was taking place in every corner of the room. Below are some photos my staff took while I was busy talking.

2006-02-28T00:02:00.000-05:00

It was great to have a chance to thank everyone for their support, and to talk a little bit about some of the things that are on my legislative agenda, like tougher sentencing requirements for sex offenders, and reforming NJ's education funding formula.

2006-02-28T00:01:00.001-05:00

Margie Donahue (center) talks with Monmouth County Democrats Executive Director Kate Burlett (left) and Fair Haven Democratic Chair Marti Egger.

2006-02-28T00:01:00.000-05:00

Rachel Weiner, who will begin working for Senator Karcher tomorrow, with NJEA representative and Monmouth Regional physics teacher David Pinkus

2006-02-27T23:58:00.000-05:00

Senator Ellen Karcher was kind enough to attend, and to introduce my former 12th District colleague, Dr. Bob Morgan, to the guests.

2006-02-27T23:56:00.001-05:00

Kevin Monaco (left), Doug Hritz, and Larry Lewis (right)

2006-02-27T23:56:00.000-05:00

I'm so grateful to everyone who came out to support me, particularly representatives from the labor community, who have been so helpful to me since 2003

2006-02-27T23:55:00.000-05:00

Here's my biggest fan, Jan Panter, with Dan Reilly.

2006-02-27T23:54:00.000-05:00

Dan Reilly (left) and Torry Watkins

2006-02-27T23:53:00.000-05:00

Raccioppi's is a perfect spot for a fundraiser. Joe Raccioppi and his staff make everyone feel at home, and the food they serve is excellent. Doug and Gus seem to be enjoying themselves.

2006-02-27T23:52:00.001-05:00

A fundraiser is really a great place to network with people from a variety of different fields.

2006-02-27T23:52:00.000-05:00

Eric Larkin and Jarrod Grasso

2006-02-27T23:51:00.000-05:00

Animal Protection PAC representative, Stu Chaifetz, with his son, Akian

2006-02-27T16:54:00.000-05:00

Reaching Out

Ever since I took office, I have been on the lookout for ways to keep in touch with 12th District constituents. Having mastered the e-newsletter, my staff has convinced me that it's time to expand my online presence by keeping a web log, or "blog." I'll use this space to give you more frequent updates on what I'm doing in Trenton and in the district, in addition to the news you can get through the newsletter, Panter Update. I would love to send a newsletter or e-mail out to you every day, but I realize that doing so might just overwhelm people, so I thought it would be good to give those of you who want to the opportunity to check in with me more often.

This medium will allow me to speak with you and your neighbors in a much less formal fashion than I might normally do anywhere else. I'm looking forward to sharing with you, and hearing your feedback, so feel free to use that "Comments" function (there's a link below every entry) and tell me what you really think.

2006-02-27T15:34:00.000-05:00

Here I am with my mom, Jan Panter (right), my dad, Michael Panter Sr., and his wife Maureen, along with my sister Caroline (left). They were nice enough to come out and support me on January 10, when I was sworn in for a second term.