New Jersey Politics 101 - Recently Updated Pageshttp://bluejersey.wetpaint.com/pageSearch/updatedRecently Updated Pages on http://bluejersey.wetpaint.comen-usinfo@wetpaint.comMon, 10 Dec 2007 08:49:51 CSTMon, 10 Dec 2007 08:49:51 CSTwetpaint.com60New Jersey Politics 101http://www.wetpaint.com/img/logo.gifhttp://bluejersey.wetpaint.comHomehttp://bluejersey.wetpaint.com/page/Homeuserr2http://bluejersey.wetpaint.com/page/HomeMon, 10 Dec 2007 08:49:51 CSTNew Jersey Politics 101 was created by the writers of the community blog BlueJersey and is intended to serve as an introduction to government and politics in the state of New Jersey. We hope that after reading this guide, you will feel comfortable reading about and contributing to the discussion on issues affecting the state. This document is intended to be updated regularly with current information. If you have comments, corrections, suggestions, updates or would like to contribute content for this guide, send us an email.

An Introduction to New Jersey


New Jersey is the most densely populated state with nearly 8.7 million residents. The population is very diverse: 66% are White, 13.6% Black, 13.3% Hispanic and 5.7% Asian. The religious breakdown is: 77% Christian (39% Roman Catholic, 36% Protestant), 5% Jewish, 1% Muslim and 16% Non-Religious. New Jersey lies between New York and Philadelphia - the first and fourth largest media markets in the country, which makes campaigning in the state very expensive. This introductory guide to New Jersey is broken up into four main sections: Levels of Government, Politics, Issues and Important Names.



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]]>Levels of Governmenthttp://bluejersey.wetpaint.com/page/Levels+of+Governmentuserr2http://bluejersey.wetpaint.com/page/Levels+of+GovernmentLudwigs Science.Sat, 24 Nov 2007 05:31:59 CSTCongressional districts (13), Legislative districts (40), counties (21) and municipalities (566). Each one corresponds to a different form of government. New Jersey also has school districts and fire districts that are governmental entities. Each school district is an independantly chartered entity, which, except in a few cities, elects its own Board of Education. School districts usually, but not always, comprise one municipality. Typically, school taxes far exceed municipal and county taxes and make up over half a resident's tax bill.


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]]>Issueshttp://bluejersey.wetpaint.com/page/Issuesuserr2http://bluejersey.wetpaint.com/page/IssuesTue, 20 Nov 2007 16:23:45 CSTclick ads

]]>36th Legislative Districthttp://bluejersey.wetpaint.com/page/36th+Legislative+DistrictScottinNJhttp://bluejersey.wetpaint.com/page/36th+Legislative+DistrictThu, 05 Apr 2007 10:06:30 CDTThe 36th comprises Carlstadt, East Rutherford, Garfield, Lyndhurst, Moonachie, North Arlington, Rutherford, Wallington and Wood-Ridge in Bergen County and stretches across the Passaic River to include the Township of Nutley (Essex) and the city of Passaic (Passaic).

State Senator Paul Sarlo is also the Mayor of Wood-Ridge. Assemblyman Frederick Scalera is the Deputy Fire Chief in Nutley. Assemblyman Gary Schaer is a Passaic City Councilman. Democrats control councils in Wallington, Rutherford, Moonachie, North Arlington, and Wood-Ridge in Bergen County and the City of Passaic. Carlstadt, Lyndhurst, Nutley, and East Rutherford are controlled by Republicans.

The district has a large Hispanic and a large foreign born population. There are 97,266 registered voters in the 36th, 16.3% Republican and 23.7% Democrats.

In 2005, Scalera and Schaer won the district by a 10,000 vote margin. This district has become more reliably Democrat but still has the possibility to swing to the Republicans. The mayor of Nutley, Joanne Cocchiola-Oliver, and former Assemblyman Paul DiGaetano has been mentioned as possible challengers to Paul Sarlo. Former Assemblywoman and current Bergen County Clerk Kathleen Donovan is always looking for a fight with her county republican group Bergen County Republicans Inc. (BCRI). The newly formed Red Faction is hoping to upset Democrats in Bergen County as well.

Some people have mentioned primary fights. Sarlo said that civil unions are as far as NJ should go and Schaer abstained from voting on the bill. An extremely liberal candidate could have some trouble in this district. As recently as 2003 there was a Republican Assemblyman here and there are other districts that could be challenged from the left and kept in Democratic hands.

In the past it’s been said that each of the district’s representatives doesn’t have a base for votes outside of their respective towns. That, as evidenced by the results from 2005, doesn’t seem to be the case. Scalera and Schaer won every town in 2005.

Sarlo has a large warchest, and is saving for a governor’s race someday. Bergen County has 3 Freeholder seats up and the Sherriff’s post in 2007. The 36th will receive plenty of dollars promoting Democrats from the BCDO.

]]>12th Legislative Districthttp://bluejersey.wetpaint.com/page/12th+Legislative+DistrictSharonGRhttp://bluejersey.wetpaint.com/page/12th+Legislative+DistrictMon, 12 Feb 2007 15:57:00 CST
The district has a population of 215,000 (2000 Census) and is mostly suburban/urban- only 452 live on areas considered "farm." The population is 80% white, 6% African-American, 7% Hispanic and 6% Asian. There is a striking contrast in economic situation in the twelfth; Colts Neck has a median household income of $309,190 and virtually no poverty, whereas Shrewsbury Twp. has a median hh income of $36,875, and both Freehold Borough and Red Bank both have 12% of the population below the poverty line.

Much of the district is being developed (or recently has been.) If you ask anyone who has lived here 25 years or more, you'll get the stories about how "all this used to be farmland." Some of the big issues here, therefore, are sprawl, property taxes, and road congestion. Consolidation of towns is also an issue, as the district contains several "doughnut" boroughs which are completely surrounded by other towns, including Englishtown, Freehold borough and Hightstown. It also contains a successful example of regional school district consolidation- the Freehold Regional High School District, which contains six high schools covering eight municipalities.

The district is represented in the Senate by Ellen Karcher (D) and is one of only three districts to have split representation in the Assembly: Michael J. Panter (D) and Jennifer Beck (R). In 2003, Karcher won her seat by beating Senate Co-President John Bennett III, who was under scrutiny for double-billing some legal work. In the 2005 Assembly race, incumbent Panter very narrowly defeated Little Silver Councilman Declan O'Scanlon while the other incumbent, Dr. Robert Morgan, fell to Beck. Karcher is seen as somewhat vulnerable and, of course, Beck is running for the Senate seat; she has a primary challenger, Manalapan Township Committeeman Joseph Locricchio. O'Scanlon has announced that he will run for the Assembly again, as have Fair Haven Borough Council President Thomas Gilmour and Manalapan municipal attorney Caroline Casagrande. Panter and Karcher are running for re-election, but Panter's running mate has not been selected yet.

]]>3rd Legislative Districthttp://bluejersey.wetpaint.com/page/3rd+Legislative+DistrictHopefulhttp://bluejersey.wetpaint.com/page/3rd+Legislative+Districtfixed linksTue, 23 Jan 2007 00:09:54 CST
The Census 2000 State Legislative District Summary File (see factfinder.census.gov) reports a 2000 population of 209,230. Compared to the average for all of New Jersey, the district has less expensive houses ($109,100 vs. $170,800) and lower income ($47,535 vs. $55,146). 1.7% of the employed civilians 16 years or older are employed in agriculture/forestry/fishing/hunting, which is the highest of any New Jersey district. 15.6% of workers are in manufacturing. On the other hand, only 16.8% of those 25 or older have a bachelor's degree (or higher), well below New Jersey's 29.8% average. Only 3.7% of the population is foreign born, the lowest of any New Jersey district, and only 8.3% speak a language other than English at home. The population is 79.0% white, 15.3% black, and only 0.8% Asian, in contrast to New Jersey's overall values of 72.6, 13.6, and 5.7%. Latinos make up 5.7% of the population, again below New Jersey's 13.3%, at least in 2000. 7.1% of the population was below the poverty line in 1999.

This overall demographic picture of this district -- more whites, fewer immigrants, rural, less education -- suggests a more culturally conservative district but with "blue collar" economic concerns. In fact, Democrats (25.5% of registered voters) outnumber Republicans (17.3%), but as usual in New Jersey, unaffiliated voters are a majority. The district is represented by three Democrats. Gloucester County is dominated by Democrats, and Salem County has been trending Democratic in recent freeholder elections.

The full list of towns is Alloway Township, Bridgeton City, Carneys Point Township, Clayton Borough, Commercial Township, Deerfield Township, Downe Township, East Greenwich Township, Elk Township, Elmer Borough, Elsinboro Township, Fairfield Township, Greenwich Township (Cumberland), Greenwich Township (Gloucester), Harrison Township, Hopewell Township, Lawrence Township, Logan Township, Lower Alloways Creek Township, Mannington Township, Mantua Township, National Park Borough, Oldmans Township, Paulsboro Borough, Penns Grove Borough, Pennsville Township, Pilesgrove Township, Pittsgrove Township, Quinton Township, Salem City, Shiloh Borough, South Harrison Township, Stow Creek Township, Swedesboro Borough, Upper Deerfield Township, Upper Pittsgrove Township, Wenonah Borough, West Deptford Township, Woodstown Borough, and Woolwich Township.

Unusual businesses or features that may make news are the Salem and Hope Creek Nuclear Power Reactors, the Delaware Memorial Bridge, the Commodore Barry Bridge, Cowtown Rodeo, and the proposed LNG terminal in Logan Township. Only 1.6% of the population uses public transportation to get to work, which reflects the fact that there are only bus routes available. There is a railroad between Salem and Swedesboro, but it is used only for raw materials and freight for local businesses. Democrats have supported this railroad, arguing that it is necessary to hold on to jobs.

The state senator since 2002 is Stephen Sweeney. He is also a Gloucester County freeholder since 1997 and a business represenative for Ironworkers Union Local 399. He defeated longtime senator Raymond Zane, who had switched to the Republican party, in what politicsnj.com ranked the second of the 2001 Best Campaigns. Sweeney is a childhood friend of political boss George Norcross, and the district is said to be under Norcross's influence by the Courier Post. In any case, Sweeney has often made headlines reflecting the differing political perspective of South Jersey. In 2004, Sweeney held up the Highlands Bill. In 2006, he attacked the pay and benefits of the public worker unions as out of line with private sector benefits, and he proposed a 15% cut, leading the unions to label him a rat. Eventually national labor unions met with Sweeney to pressure him to make peace and avoid damaging Bob Menendez's senate run. In 2007, he initially supported county school administration and suggested Gloucester County might serve as the test case, but reversed himself after public criticism at a school board meeting. Sweeney is chair of the Labor Committee, Vice Chair of Environment, and a member of Budget and Appropriations.

The two members of the Assembly are John J. Burzichelli and Douglas H. Fisher, both first elected in 2002. Burzichelli is also mayor of Paulsboro in Gloucester County. In 2006, he was Co-Chair of JOINT LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE ON CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM AND CITIZENS PROPERTY TAX CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION. He is Deputy Speaker, Chair of Commerce and Economic Development, and a member of Budget, Homeland Security and State Preparedness, and Legislative Services Commission. Fisher is Assistant Majority Whip, Chair of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Chair of Intergovernmental Relations Commission, and a member of Regulated Professions and Independent Authorities.



]]>38th Legislative Districthttp://bluejersey.wetpaint.com/page/38th+Legislative+Districtjerzayhttp://bluejersey.wetpaint.com/page/38th+Legislative+DistrictRenameThu, 18 Jan 2007 15:10:50 CSTThe 38th district is one of 15 districts that are completely within one county. Thirteen towns: Fort Lee, Hasbrouck Heights, Ridgefield, Fair Lawn, Teterboro, Paramus, Lodi, Little Ferry, Saddle Brook, Cliffside Park, Edgewater, Elmwood Park and South Hackensack are all in Bergen County.

Senator Joe Coniglio (Paramus), Assemblyman Bob Gordon (Fair Lawn) and Assemblywoman Joan Voss (Fort Lee) represent the district in Trenton. These three legislators come from the three largest towns in the district.

Democrats control the town councils in all but 2 towns. Lodi and Teterboro are non-partisan.

In 2006 Menendez was the only candidate to not win any of the towns in the 38th. He lost in Hasbrouck Heights, Paramus, Saddle Brook and South Hackensack. Paul Aronsohn won Paramus and Steve Rothman was victorious in every other town. The county candidates also carried every town.

There are 26,629 registered Democrats, 17,634 registered Republicans and 62,483 unaffiliated voters.

In 2005, Gordon and Voss lost only two towns, Hasbrouck Heights and Ridgefield. Each town they lost by under 100 votes. They won re-election by over 10,000 votes each. Just like the 36th, the 38th will receive a lot of help from the BCDO.

]]>15th Legislative Districthttp://bluejersey.wetpaint.com/page/15th+Legislative+DistrictScottinNJhttp://bluejersey.wetpaint.com/page/15th+Legislative+DistrictTue, 16 Jan 2007 18:19:35 CSTPopulation and Demographics
  • Population: 201,335; Area: 123 sq. mi.
  • 94.8% urban; 5.2% rural
  • Race:
White 58.8%
Black 29.2%
Asian 3.6%
Amer. Ind. 0.2%
Hawaiian 0.1%
Hispanic 11.7%
  • Ancestry:
Italian 9.5%
Irish 6.3%
German 5.7%

Education and Military Service

  • College-educated:33.1%
  • Military Veterans: 9.6%

Empolyment

  • Top sectors of employment
    Educational services 14.5%
    Health care and social assistance 11.2%
    Public administration 10.6%
    • Residents employed out of state: 8.3%

    Economics

    Median family income: $ 62,048
    Median household income: $ 50,179
    Per capita income: $ 26,240
    Median home value: $ 142,400
    • Poverty Rate: 12.3%
    • Average property taxes:$ 3,816

      ]]>      32nd Legislative Districthttp://bluejersey.wetpaint.com/page/32nd+Legislative+Districtjmellihttp://bluejersey.wetpaint.com/page/32nd+Legislative+DistrictTue, 16 Jan 2007 12:24:45 CST
      This district has a high population of Latino and foreign-born voters, each representing four out of ten constituents.

      This district is also among the bluest in New Jersey, at least by registration. 42% of voters affiliate with the Democrats here, a nearly 5-1 advantage over the GOP. In a good Democratic year like 2005, the district votes more than 75% for Democratic candidates.Senator Nicholas Sacco leads the delegation. He is North Bergen's Mayor and School Superintendent. In the Senate since 1994, he has faced little opposition since. He has been an advocate for urban enterprise zones as well as law and order on drugs and prisoner issues. Assemblywoman Joan Quigley of Jersey City Heights, also in since 1994. is a known advocate for health issues. Vincent Prieto, a Cuban-American, was selected in 2004 to replace the ethically challenged Anthony Impreveduto. Prieto, a building code inspector in Secaucus, serves as Deputy Majority Whip, and having met him a great addition to the Legislature.

      Issues of land use, particularly with the Sports and Exposition Authority, affect the district. The heavily Democratic nature of the 32nd makes general elections a formality, but a primary challenge to Quigley from Jersey City Councilman William Gaughan in December 2006 was deftly avoided by some work between the Hudson County Democrats and Governor Jon Corzine.

      ]]>      6th Legislative Districthttp://bluejersey.wetpaint.com/page/6th+Legislative+DistrictPocketAceshttp://bluejersey.wetpaint.com/page/6th+Legislative+DistrictSmall grammar correctionTue, 16 Jan 2007 11:02:20 CSTNew Jersey's Sixth Legislative District is comprised of 16 municipalities which include Audubon Park Borough, Berlin Borough, Berlin Township, Cherry Hill Township, Chesilhurst Borough, Collingswood Borough, Gibbsboro Borough, Haddon Township, Haddonfield Borough, Oaklyn Borough, Pine Hill Borough, Pine Valley Borough, Tavistock Borough, Voorhees Township, Waterford Township, and Winslow Township.

      The Sixth District has 131,803 registered voters of whom 28.5% are registered Democrats, and 14.7% are registered Republicans. The Sixth has an overwhelming population of elderly and student voters, but has the lowest concentration of Hispanics in the State. The largest township in the Sixth is Cherry Hill, which has almost seventy thousand citizens, nearly doubling the amount of the second highest town, Winslow Township. Cherry Hill serves as a Democratic stronghold in the 3rd Congressional District as well as the 6th Legislative, electing a Democratic Mayor and all Democratic Town Council for more then decade. The Sixth is almost home to unusual municipalities including Pine Valley and Tavistock, each with a population of less then 25.

      Democrats in the Sixth outnumber Republicans two-to-one and because of that all three Legislative seats are held by Democrats. A native of Haddonfield, Senator John H. Adler, the current powerful Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee has held his seat since 1992 when he upset veteran GOP Sen. Lee Laskin, who now serves as a Superior Court Judge in Camden County. During the special session of the legislature in the summer of 2006, Adler was named Co-Chairman of the Joint Legislative Committee on Public School Funding Reform. The former Co-Chairman of John Kerry's Presidential Campaign in NJ, Adler raised over $280,000 for a possible 2008 U.S. Senate run, but decided against it when Senator Frank Lautenberg decided to run for re-election. The Harvard and Harvard Law graduate is an attorney at the Cherry Hill law firm of Earp Cohn, P.C.

      Assemblyman Louis D. Greenwald has served in the General Assembly since 1996. The son of the late popular Cherry Hill Mayor Maria Barnaby Greenwald, Greenwald is the current Chairman of the Assembly Budget Committee. He is also the Vice-Chairman of the Joint Budget Oversight Committee. Asm. Greenwald is an attorney who works at Remington and Vernick, a civil engineering firm. Assemblywoman Pamela Rosen Lampitt was elected to the General Assembly in 2005, taking over for the now retired longtime Asw. Mary Previte. Before being elected to the Legislature, Lampitt served on the Cherry Hill Township Council for two years. She is the Vice-Chair of the Assembly Higher Education Committee and she is the General Manager of Conference Services at the University of Pennsylvania. In 2005, Greenwald was elected with 62.6% of the vote, and Lampitt was elected with 57.3%.

      ]]>      4th Legislative Districthttp://bluejersey.wetpaint.com/page/4th+Legislative+Districtnjdemhttp://bluejersey.wetpaint.com/page/4th+Legislative+DistrictTue, 16 Jan 2007 08:31:51 CST Kicking off the "Better know a Legislative District" series, I will take a look at the fightin fourth. New Jersey's 4th Legislative District contains 10 towns across the counties of Camden and Gloucester including Clementon Borough, Franklin Township, Glassboro Borough, Gloucester Township, Laurel Springs Borough, Lindenwold Borough, Monroe Township, Newfield Borough, Pitman Borough and Washington Township.

      As of last count, there were 188,830 voters registered in the 4th district with the majority, 56% as independents, 28.5% Democrat and 15.5% registered Republican. There are Democratic mayors in 7 of 10 towns and the county has been trending Democratic even though it has historically been a very close swing district. Gloucester Township elected its first Republican Mayor in decades last cycle and Newfield now has a Republican mayor; however Democrats took control in Franklin Township and now hold all seats on council in Washington Township. Democrats hold many county offices in Camden and Gloucester counties, but this district has had historically close elections including the 2003 contest in which Senator Madden won his seat by 63 votes. In 2005, Assemblymen Mayer and Moriarty faced Republicans Frank Winters and Corey Ahart defeating them handily 63% to 37%. There are no clear challengers to any of the seats as of this time.
      This district is served by 3 Democrats: Senator Fred Madden, Assemblymen Dave Mayer and Paul Moriarty who have a website located at www.maddenmayermoriarty.com. Senator Madden was elected in 2003 to the legislature after serving as the Superintendent for the New Jersey State Police. Assemblyman Mayer was elected in 2003. He started working as for then Freeholder Rob Andrews, the served as Chief of Staff to Camden County Clerk James Beach and was also a Gloucester Township Councilman which he resigned upon election. He is a lawyer with the firm Long, Marmero and Mayer. Assemblyman Moriarty also serves as the Mayor of Washington Township and was elected to his seat in 2005. Prior to his career in politics, he was an investigative journalist at KYW-CBS 3 for 17 years and a former news producer at WCAU-TV in Philadelphia.

      The 4th is home to Kennedy Hospital in Washington Township and campuses for Gloucester County College, Camden County College and Rowan University in Glassboro. The town of Newfield in the south has issues with nuclear contamination as a result of the ShieldAlloy Company leaving radioactive waste on site. That issue is currently before the nuclear regulatory commission. In Franklin Township, a daycare center was discovered to have been built in a former Thermometer Factory which led to legislation being signed by the Governor to establish new standards for safety in schools and daycare centers.

      ]]>      Legislative District Profileshttp://bluejersey.wetpaint.com/page/Legislative+District+Profilesjmellihttp://bluejersey.wetpaint.com/page/Legislative+District+ProfilesSun, 14 Jan 2007 19:24:09 CST
      ]]>      Media Reformhttp://bluejersey.wetpaint.com/page/Media+Reformjimtobiashttp://bluejersey.wetpaint.com/page/Media+ReformThu, 30 Nov 2006 09:46:10 CST
      [need more: media ownership, news bureaus, public access cable, low power FM, ...]

      ]]>      What's a Freeholder?http://bluejersey.wetpaint.com/page/What%27s+a+Freeholder%3FLLiibbyyhttp://bluejersey.wetpaint.com/page/What%27s+a+Freeholder%3FWed, 29 Nov 2006 21:01:24 CST
      ]]>      Verified Votinghttp://bluejersey.wetpaint.com/page/Verified+VotingLLiibbyyhttp://bluejersey.wetpaint.com/page/Verified+VotingLliibbyy was here!Wed, 29 Nov 2006 20:57:30 CST
      The commonest form of verification is a paper record of each vote; the voter can consult the document to verify that the vote he or she cast was recorded accurately and the stored document also has legal standing as an official ballot and may be used in recounts should the vote count be challenged.

      In addition, verified voting should also include random audits at some percentage of the polling places to ensure that no unknown technical mishap or other form of mischief is taking place.

      The issue of verified voting is a consequence of the development of electronic voting machines. The current versions of these machines provide no means for recounting votes. In addition, they have been found by independent tests to be subject to security flaws and errors. This means there is the potential for machines to fail in the way that your home PC or mine might do, as well as for unscrupulous persons to alter the results of elections.

      New Jersey Congressman Rush Holt (12th Congressional District) has presented HR 550, titled "The Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act", to Congress as a means of taking the first step to initiate true verifiable voting. The bill is currently referred to the House Administration Committee.

      On the state level, New Jersey has passed bill A33, which "Requires that voting machines produce voter-verified paper record; provides that results of audit become official tally; provides for waiver if paper record not commercially available; provides for State funding for paper record." For additional information on A33, go here and search for the bill by number (A33).

      Note that A33 also contains a provision that states that counties may apply for waivers if they are unable to implement the paper audit trail requirement by the 1/1/08 due date because such functionality is not "commercially" available. This should be an enormous red flag to all: Sequoia Pacific, the maker of the voting machine in use in 90% of New Jersey counties, has the state under contractual "trade secret" prohibition against examination of its voting systems' operating software. If others cannot examine the software, they probably cannot develop peripherals to produce the printed record. If Sequoia won't do it, and no one else is allowed to, New Jersey counties may be without this fundamental measure of voting security for some time to come.

      Public comment on the developing standards for the Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (not receipt) are currently invited on the State Division of Elections page at the NJ Attorney General's website. Take a look, and share your thoughts.

      The Black Box Voting web site provides a great deal of information on the problems and issues with the current generation of electronic voting machines.

      ]]>      Jon Corzine (D)http://bluejersey.wetpaint.com/page/Jon+Corzine+%28D%29JamesCurranhttp://bluejersey.wetpaint.com/page/Jon+Corzine+%28D%29Wed, 29 Nov 2006 10:56:37 CSTBefore entering public service, Corzine had been the CEO of Goldman-Saks investment house.

      ]]>      Bob Menendez (D)http://bluejersey.wetpaint.com/page/Bob+Menendez+%28D%29JamesCurranhttp://bluejersey.wetpaint.com/page/Bob+Menendez+%28D%29Wed, 29 Nov 2006 10:49:00 CSTJon Corzine to fill the seat made vacant by Corzine's resignation from the Senate to serve as Governor of New Jersey. In November 2006, he was then elected to his own full term in the U.S. Senate. Menendez is one of only three Hispanics currently serving in the United States Senate. Before his appointment to the Senate, he had represented the state's 13th Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives from 1993-2006. He currently resides in Hoboken. Born to Cuban parents in New York City, Menendez attended Saint Peter's College. While he was at school, he was elected to the Union City Board of Education. Menendez was mayor of Union City from 1986-1992. He was a member of the Assembly from 1987 - 1991, and a member of the State Senate from 1991- 1993, when he was elected to the House.

      ]]>      Stem Cell Researchhttp://bluejersey.wetpaint.com/page/Stem+Cell+Researchjimtobiashttp://bluejersey.wetpaint.com/page/Stem+Cell+ResearchWed, 29 Nov 2006 08:09:52 CSTBackgroundEmbryonic Stem Cells were first discovered in 1998 by scientists at the University of Wisconsin. A stem cell is a primitive type of cell that can be coaxed into developing into most of the 220 types of cells found in the human body (e.g. blood cells, heart cells, brain cells, etc). Some researchers regard stem cells as offering the greatest potential for the alleviation of human suffering since the development of antibiotics. Early work suggests that the regrown cells could enable patients with cancer, Parkinson's disease, diabetes, and spinal cord injuries to be treated.

      Stem cells can be extracted from adult tissues as well as embryos, without harm to the subject. Unfortunately, adult stem cells are more difficult to remove and are severely limited in quantity. There has been a consensus among researchers that adult stem cells are limited in usefulness -- that they can be used to produce only a few of the 220 types of cells in the human body. Thus much of the current interest focuses on embryonic stem cells.

      Scientists, patient groups, and a wide majority of Americans embrace the research because of the potential the cells hold for developing new cures and preventative therapies. It has support from members of all walks of life including former First Lady Nancy Reagan (R), the late Christopher and Dana Reeves, U.S. Congressman Dana Rohrbacher (R), former NJ Governor Richard Codey (D), the actor Michael J Fox, U.S Senator Bill Frist (R), Governor Jon Corzine (D) and U.S. Senator Orin Hatch (R).

      However, anti-abortion and related activists oppose stem cell research because they believe that it would provide even more support for abortion rights. A counter-argument concerns the principal sources of embryonic stem cells: the hundreds of thousands of pre-embryonic blastocysts produced as part of the in vitro fertilization process. Since these blastocysts are usually destroyed after a successful pregnancy, no "lives" would be saved if the research were banned. Opponents of the research also raise the specter of cloning, which is not connected to this research in any way.

      Stem Cell Research in New Jersey

      New Jersey is trying to become national leader in stem cell research. In 2004, New Jersey took a historic step for medical research by creating the nation's first state-supported institute dedicated to stem cell research and medical treatment. In 2005, Governor Richard J. Codey announced a $380 million investment -- the second largest state investment in the nation -- to build the Stem Cell Institute of New Jersey and to finance promising stem cell research. New Jersey was only the second state to legalize stem cell research and already has earmarked $11.5 million for the Stem Cell Institute, with the FY 05 State Budget including $9.5 million for the Institute, as well as $1 million each from UMDNJ and Rutgers.

      ]]>