newjerseynewsroom.com

Sen. Kean and Assemblyman DeCroce re-elected to lead Republican minority

BY TOM HESTER SR.

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

Assembly Speaker Sheila Y. Oliver (D-Essex) and Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-Gloucester) were re-elected by their Democratic colleagues Thursday to the top two positions in the Legislature, posts that also make them the two most powerful elected Democrats in New Jersey.

Sen. Tom Kean (R-Union) ad Assemblyman Alex DeCroce (R-Morris) were re-elected Senate and Assembly Republican minority leaders.

Assemblyman Joseph Cryan (D-Union) was bumped from his post as lower house Democratic majority leader anfter questioning Oliver’s leadership ability and was replaced by Assemblyman Lou Greenwald (D-Camden). Assemblyman John Wisniewski (D-Middlesex), the state Democratic chairman, was named Assembly deputy speaker.

Senate Majority Leader Barbara Buono (D-Middlesex) was moved aside as majority leader and replaced by Sen. Loretta Weinberg (D-Bergen). Sen. Paul Sarlo (D-Bergen) was elected deputy majority leader and chairman of the Budget and Appropriations Committee. Sen. Nia Gill (D-Essex, Passaic) will serve as president pro temp.

On the Senate Republican side, Sen. Diane Allen (R-Burlington) will serve as deputy minority leader, Sen. Kevin O'Toole (R-Passaic) will be the Republican whip, Sen. Robert Singer (R-Ocean) will be conference chairman, Sen. Christopher "Kip" Bateman (R-Somerset) will be deputy conference chairman, and Sen. Anthony Bucco (R-Morris( will be the budget officer.

Elected to Assembly Republican leadership posts with DeCroce were Assemblyman Jon Bramnick (R-Union) as conference leader and Assemblyman Dave Rible (R-Monmouth) as Republican whip.

When the Legislature reorganizes in January, the Democrats will control the Assembly 48 to 32 and the Senate 24 to 16.

Oliver, of East Orange, became the speaker in January 2010 after first being elected to the Assembly in 2003. As speaker, she has led Democratic efforts to create jobs and stimulate economic growth, control property taxes, provide working class tax relief and reform education, while fighting cuts to health care programs for women and the poor and to programs that help distressed cities.

“I’m honored to once again have the chance to lead the ‘People’s House’ and to guide its steadfast efforts standing up for working class New Jerseyans and their families,” Oliver said. “The people have made it clear that they want Democrats leading this house, and we will never waiver from the commitment we’ve made to work together in unity to protect New Jersey’s middle-class and working poor.”

Oliver is the only African-American woman to lead a chamber in the New Jersey Legislature’s history. She is the second woman and second African-American to ever serve as speaker. She will lead an Assembly controlled 48-32 by Democrats during the upcoming 2012-13 legislative session, a one seat gain from the current session.

Greenwald, of Voorhees, joined the Assembly in 1996. He has been the Assembly Budget Committee chairman since 2002. Greenwald led the efforts to reform New Jersey’s auto insurance system, sponsored the law creating the Amber Alert system, spearheaded the effort to establish a nationally designated cancer center in South Jersey and has sponsored numerous property tax reform and job creation bills.

“I can assure New Jersey residents that this team will be working tirelessly to continue protecting their priorities, whether it’s job creation, property tax relief or accessible health care,” Greenwald said. “The voters have made clear that they want Democrats in charge legislatively, and we will get the job done for them.”

After his re-election, Sweeney said, “I can promise the people of New Jersey that our commitment to creating jobs, revitalizing the economy and fighting for working class people will not end. I look forward to accomplishing great things in this upcoming session."

Weinberg said, "I am thrilled to serve in this capacity (as majority leader)… While we must work in a bipartisan manner to get things done for New Jersey, my colleagues and I will not yield an inch in our fight for the hard working families who have had their taxes go up under this governor, or the women who have had their health services decimated, or the folks who can't find work. I look forward to working closely with my fellow senators and achieving what is in the best interests of the people of New Jersey."

Kean said, “We've put a great team on the field that will do everything in our power to stand up to the majority's endless attempts to increase taxes on job creators and families and increase the size of a government that is already too large and costly. It is our hope that the majority will work with us to heed the call of New Jersey taxpayers to make our state a more affordable place in which to live, work, and create jobs through fundamental, sweeping reform."

“I appreciate the overwhelming support by the members in re-electing me to continue as leader of the caucus," DeCroce said. "I look forward to working with them and Governor Christie in our ongoing effort to make New Jersey a great place to live and work. Along with Assemblymen Bramnick and Rible, and the rest of our leadership team, we can achieve our goals of creating jobs, improving our economy, and making our state more affordable for middle class families,” DeCroce said. “The continuity of our leadership team reflects the fact that our caucus has never been more united. I have no doubt we will benefit from the experience of our returning members and the input of those who are new to our caucus.”