newjerseynewsroom.com

Want to force Christie's support or embarrass him politically

BY TOM HESTER SR.

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

Assembly Speaker Sheila Y. Oliver on Tuesday announced five issues the Democratic-controlled Legislature will push during the final two years of Republican Gov. Chris Christie’s term and at least three are designed to embarrass him politically if he does not join in support of them.

As the 215th Assembly ceremonially convened at the Statehouse, Oliver (D-Essex) declared the Democrats will move to increase the New Jersey minimum wage, approve marriage equality for gay couples, increase the state income tax on the state’s 16,000 wealthiest residents, and attempt to improve urban public schools and and continued job creation.

Christie is opposed to a so-called “millionaires’ tax,” and has vetoed the legislation in the past. The governor also is opposed to gay marriage and a minimum wage hike and he has his own proposals for improving urban education and job creation.

Oliver was sworn to her second two-year term as Assembly speaker last week. Following the unexpected death of Assembly Republican Leader Alex DeCroce (R-Morris) last week’s War Memorial ceremonies were postponed until Tuesday. In her speech, Oliver honored DeCroce’s memory. Oliver then committed to these issues:

In his remarks to the upper house, Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-Gloucester) reflected on some of the successes of the previous session, while also vowing to move forward on the Democratic issues.

Sweeney said the Democrats will also promote tenure reform and local government shared services. But most importantly, Sweeney said, the Senate will join in focusing on job creation, an increase in the minimum wage and marriage equality for gays.

"While I am proud of what we have accomplished, it's not enough, and it won't be until our family and friends are all back to work," Sweeney said. "While the wealthiest among us are seemingly flourishing in this economy, the middle class and the working poor continue to see their jobs disappear. That is why, simply put, job number one for us must be job creation.

"While we have made progress in some areas, one area I discussed two years ago that has not seen the kind of progress I had hoped for is shared services," the senator said. "I called on us to do what we can to shrink the size of government while at the same time making it more efficient. I do not believe we have met that call."

“Quite simply, we should all support economic stimulus, increased consumer spending and livable wages, and that's what a minimum wage increase would accomplish for New Jersey,” Oliver said.

A bill hasn’t been introduced, but Oliver said she wants to start the debate by accepting the 2009 recommendation of the New Jersey Minimum Wage Advisory Commission to increase the minimum wage to $8.50 per hour and establish an automatic annual increase based on the increase in the consumer price index.

Marriage equality

“All evidence shows New Jersey's civil union law falls far short in providing equality,” Oliver said. “Civil unions send a message to the public that same-sex couples and their families are not equal to married couples in the eyes of the law. It sends a message that same-sex couples are not good enough to warrant equality. This is the same wrong message we heard from segregation laws. Separate treatment was wrong then. And separate treatment is wrong now.”

A renewed effort to ask millionaires to pay more to provide property tax relief to the middle-class and poor.

“It’s basic fairness to ask the most fortunate among us to provide a bit more to help to our disappearing middle-class,” Oliver said.

Education reform in the state’s poorest performing school districts.

“We will not solve the problems facing failing schools until we also confront the consequences of poverty,” Oliver said.

Continued job creation efforts building upon the Democratic effort of last session.

“Smart initiatives such as the bipartisan job creation bills passed by the Legislature last session are what can help position New Jersey to succeed economically,” Oliver said.