New Jersey Senate Republicans

Bill Authorizes Gold Star License Plates for Parents of Soldiers Killed Overseas Senator Sean Kean stood with Gold Star families and representatives from military organizations at a press conference to highlight legislation he has sponsored in honor of New Jersey military families that would authorize a special Gold Star Family license plate for families of servicemen and women who have lost their lives while on active duty for the United States. Senator Sean Kean was joined by local Gold Star families and representatives from military organizations at a press conference to highlight legislation he has sponsored in honor of New Jersey military families. According to ... Read Full Story

No More Double-Dipping Pensions Senator Bill Baroni (R-14) has drafted pension reform legislation that is designed to prevent excessive government payouts from state pension funds to those who continue in post-retirement public service employment. The legislation would help shore up distressed state pension funds by preventing individuals who work in full-time positions from collecting both a paycheck for public employment and a pension check simultaneously. “This legislation will protect the state pension funds that hundreds of thousands of current and future public service retirees depend upon,” said Baroni. “It has become increasingly difficult to maintain solvent pension funds when people who come out of ... Read Full Story

Senate Republican Leader Tom Kean issued the following statement regarding Senator Diane Allen’s illness: “My thoughts and prayers are with Senator Allen and her family during this challenging time. I wish her a speedy and full recovery and I look forward to welcoming her back to the caucus.” Read Full Story

Senate Republican Leader Tom Kean today called on Governor Jon Corzine to immediately impound all unspent funds. This year’s budget is running almost $1 billion behind in anticipated revenues. A projection by the nonpartisan Office of Legislative Services (OLS) estimates the structural budget deficit for FY 2011 to be almost $10 billion. Impounding funds is using legal authority to set aside appropriated monies. “It is vitally important that the Corzine Administration ensures that a portion of unspent funds are immediately impounded. Revenue collections for the current budget are running more than $1 billion behind, in the current fiscal year. (more…) Read Full Story

Data to be Used for State Planning Purposes Kept Secret Senator Christopher “Kip” Bateman (R-Somerset) continued to call on Governor Jon Corzine today to release the results of a Rutgers study provided to the State Planning Commission that projects future population, employment and housing numbers in New Jersey. The numbers from the Rutgers Study apparently indicate that job growth for the period encompassing the years 2008 to 2028 will only amount to 6,550 annually, compared with the administration’s previous projection of 54,000 over the same period. (more…) Read Full Story