Tuesday, December 23, 2014

DeCroce Introduces Legislation to Strengthen NJ Manufacturing and Creates Jobs

Source: Assembly Republican Press Release -
Assembly Republican BettyLou DeCroce has introduced legislation to strengthen New Jersey’s manufacturing sector and create desperately needed production jobs. DeCroce’s bill, A-4002, designates a state liaison to promote NJ manufacturers and their products nationally and globally.


“We are fortunate to have many successful and innovative manufacturers in our state. We need to do everything possible to promote the high-quality products produced by New Jersey workers,” said DeCroce, R – Morris, Essex and Passaic.
DeCroce stated that manufacturing contributed more than $41 billion to the state’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2013, and accounts for 90 percent of New Jersey’s exports.
DeCroce’s legislation, in addition, calls on the Commissioner of Education, in conjunction with the Secretary of Higher Education and the Business Action Center in the Department of State, to compile a list of industry recognized credentials in the manufacturing field to assist in the development of training programs for vocational and technical schools, colleges, and the workforce development system.
“By working together, the public and private sectors can bolster manufacturing growth, creating good jobs for trained and talented New Jersey men and women,” said DeCroce. “With the state’s help, we can increase demand for products made in New Jersey. We have the employers, and we have the talented employees to meet the demand.”

Friday, December 12, 2014

DeCroce Doesn't Care What Rudy Giuliani Thinks

Source: The Star-Ledger -
Does Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce have a problem with Rudy Giuliani?


While discussing a bill to regulate ride sharing services like Uber at an Assembly Transportation Committee hearing today, DeCroce (R-Morris) asked Uber’s representative, Nicole Benincasa, some pointed questions about how rigorous their background checks are and why they don’t finger print drivers.
Benincasa responded that they’re very rigorous, and that they hired the consulting firm of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani to audit them.
DeCroce didn’t like that answer.
“I don’t care what Mr. Giuliani thinks, because that’s New York. This is New Jersey,” she shot back.
The room, which included many people from the taxi and limo industry who don’t like Uber, erupted in applause.
The Auditor’s interest was piqued because back in 2007, DeCroce’s late husband, former Assembly Minority Leader Alex DeCroce, backed Giuliani’s bid for president. But Betty Lou DeCroce – at the time the clerk in Roxbury – publicly backed his rival, Mitt Romney.
Reached by phone, DeCroce said it wasn’t about Giuliani.
“She was name dropping on purpose, and I don’t care if it was a Republican or a Democrat. If a name drop is being brought in to say that’s right of New Jersey. That’s why I responded the way I did,” she said. “I felt she was trying to take a jab at me by name dropping and it wasn’t going to work.”

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

A Thanksgiving Day Message From Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce

Assembly Republican Press Release -
“Thanksgiving Day is the most truly American holiday of the year. It is a holiday requires of us nothing more than to be thankful for what we have and to share our blessings with our friends and families.
“Simply by virtue of being Americans, we have a lot to be thankful for. We can be thankful for the bounty that this great country offers us and appreciative of how truly blessed this nation is. We can be thankful for the opportunities that America provides and thankful that, compared to much of the world, we live in peace and safety.
“This holiday season, let’s all strive to open our hearts to those less fortunate than ourselves and do what we can to lessen their burden. There are many people right in our own towns who are struggling to put food on the table and a roof over their heads. These people deserve our support. And what better way to say thank you to God for all that we have, than to help those in need?
“I hope you enjoy the Thanksgiving Day to its fullest — open your hearts and your homes to your family and friends, and make memories that will last a lifetime.”

Friday, November 21, 2014

DeCroce Supports Call For More Local Traffic Funding

Lawmakers are calling for local governments to get a bigger share of funding from New Jersey to address transportation issues in cities and counties.
Exactly how to do that and how much bigger a share of the Transportation Trust Fund local governments should get is unclear.


 “It’s important for us to do this in a smart way, but also to make sure more money gets down to the local level and [that] some of the bureaucratic ways, with regards to inspection and oversight, is streamlined.” — Assembly Republican BettyLou DeCroce
 Assembly Transportation Committee Chairman John S. Wisniewski (D., Middlesex) and the panel discussed the issue Thursday during the fourth and final field hearing on the trust fund, in Atlantic City. It was the final day of the annual League of Municipalities conference.

The trust fund, financed in part through a 10.5-cent tax on gasoline, is facing a funding shortfall next year. Currently, all money dedicated to the fund pays for debt service on previous infrastructure projects. New projects are funded through additional debt.
The Legislature and the governor are aiming to come to an agreement by the start of the next fiscal year – July 1 – when officials will have to decide to take on more debt or to abandon new projects altogether. Officials prefer neither of those options, so the conversation has focused on raising more revenue through tax increases.
Several lawmakers have outlined proposals to raise taxes, but so far none has attracted enough support to pass the Legislature.
Increasing municipalities’ share of the trust fund, which Wisniewski said stood at 15 percent of the $1.6 billion in the fund, adds another layer of complexity to a problem whose solution has vexed lawmakers.
Republican Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce of Morris County said she supported increasing the share of the trust fund to local governments, but needed to see more statistics before saying exactly how much more municipalities should get.
She suggested that cutting regulations and permitting should be a part of the conversation, rather than just raising taxes.
“It’s important for us to do this in a smart way,” she said, “but also to make sure more money gets down to the local level and [that] some of the bureaucratic ways, with regards to inspection and oversight, is streamlined.”

Thursday, November 20, 2014

DeCroce Wants Rate-Payers to Know About Hidden Fees in Utility Bills

Source: NJ 101.5 -
Did you know that you’re paying a “societal benefits” fee in your utility bill? If you don’t know what that is, or exactly how much it’s costing you, it’s because under current law, utility companies don’t have to list it separately or define it.
You’re also paying a sales tax and an energy surcharge, and they’re lumped in together as well. But a new bill would force utility companies to be more forthcoming in their billing practices.


“People have the right to know that they’re paying these taxes, and to know exactly what they’re paying for the services that are provided to them,” said bill sponsor, Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce (R-Parsippany). “This is about transparency, and this is about letting the public be informed.”
Under the legislation, utility companies would have to include the amounts of the tax imposed by the “Sales and Use Tax Act,” the societal benefits charge, and the transitional energy facility assessment surcharge each customer must pay as separate items on their bills.
As currently drafted, the bill does not require the companies to explain each of the taxes and other charges, but DeCroce said she’s not done finalizing the measure yet.
“I plan to amend my bill to include the language as to the interpretation of each one of the taxes that will be listed, so that (consumers) understand what it’s for,” she said.

Monday, October 20, 2014

DeCroce, Webber on Responsible Solutions to Transportation Funding Crisis

Source: NJ Spotlight -
To new Transportation Commissioner Jamie Fox, the challenge is clear, and so is the solution: After years of “taking a Band-Aid approach to everything,” New Jersey’s transportation system is in crisis. The only way out is to raise taxes to replenish the soon-to-be-empty Transportation Trust Fund (TTF) and build a new rail tunnel under the Hudson.


“If we did a 30 cents a gallon gas tax, they (the public) would tar and feather us, and throw us out of New Jersey,” Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce warned, even though that tax hike would still leave New Jersey’s gas tax — currently the second-lowest in the nation at 14.5 cents per gallon — below New York’s 50.6-cent-per-gallon tax. DeCroce said the state should consider a mixture of solutions, such as extending the state sales tax to gasoline, which would generate the equivalent of 24.5 cents per gallon based on an average price of $3.50 a gallon. She also suggested increasing the petroleum products gross-receipts tax, which is levied at the refinery or distributor level; imposing a tax on airport car rentals, as most other states do; and adding a tax on containers that come into Port Newark and Port Elizabeth.
“Crisis is opportunity. We are broke. We can let our infrastructure fall apart and become worse. Or we can put the ‘D’ and ‘R’ aside and pass a revenue enhancer, whatever that is,” Fox said in an impassioned plea to business and labor leaders to fight for a stable, long-term source of funding for highway, bridge and mass transit projects.
“This is not an easy vote to pass,” Fox warned the New Jersey SEED (Society for Environmental, Economic Development) business-labor coalition in Atlantic City Friday, referring to polls showing that most New Jerseyans oppose an increase in the gas tax. “There has to be a revenue enhancer. If it’s a gimmick, we’ve failed. We have to tell legislators we will be there with them. Anyone who thinks we’re going to get this done without a tax is just mouthing words.”
Fox said in an interview following the NJ SEED speech that ideally he would like to increase annual state transportation capital funding from the current $1.6 billion a year to $2 billion. That hike has been recommended by Forward New Jersey, a broad-based pro-transportation coalition headed by State Chamber of Commerce President Tom Bracken, but one that would presumably require a larger “revenue enhancer” at a time when Christie may be about to launch a bid for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination.
Christie, who had previously ruled out a gas tax increase, said when he announced Fox’s nomination that “everything’s on the table.” When asked if that included a gas tax, he responded testily, “What part of ‘everything’s on the table’ don’t you understand?”
Assemblywoman Betty Lou DeCroce (R-Morris), who also serves on the Assembly Transportation Committee, said there is a growing recognition among Republicans that a revenue increase will be needed to pay for transportation capital projects.
“If we did a 30 cents a gallon gas tax, they (the public) would tar and feather us, and throw us out of New Jersey,” DeCroce warned, even though that tax hike would still leave New Jersey’s gas tax — currently the second-lowest in the nation at 14.5 cents per gallon — below New York’s 50.6-cent-per-gallon tax.
DeCroce said the state should consider a mixture of solutions, such as extending the state sales tax to gasoline, which would generate the equivalent of 24.5 cents per gallon based on an average price of $3.50 a gallon. She also suggested increasing the petroleum products gross-receipts tax, which is levied at the refinery or distributor level; imposing a tax on airport car rentals, as most other states do; and adding a tax on containers that come into Port Newark and Port Elizabeth.
Even Assemblyman Jay Weber (R-Morris), a former state GOP chairman and leading conservative, acknowledged that an increase in New Jersey’s relatively low gas-tax increase was a possibility, although he suggested it should be accompanied by a corresponding cut in the state’s high estate and inheritance taxes.
Political fear of raising the gas taxes is not confined to Trenton.
U.S. Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ), who serves on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, noted that “just as New Jersey hasn’t raised its gas tax, the federal government hasn’t raised its gas tax either.” And just as New Jersey’s Transportation Trust Fund is scheduled to run out of money for new projects early in the next budget year, Congress was forced to do a short-term extension when its Highway Trust Fund started running out of money in July.
Finding a funding solution that guarantees the continued flow of federal transportation aid to the states is critical for New Jersey, whose $1.6 billion state Transportation Trust Fund is matched on a dollar-for dollar basis with federal aid, LoBiondo and Fox both noted.
“Am I worried?” Fox said, when asked about the fiscal problems that would be created if Congress was unable to agree on a sufficiently robust federal transportation funding formula. “Of course, I’m worried.”

Friday, October 17, 2014

Webber, DeCroce Named Outstanding Legislators By The NJ Society For Environmental Economic Development

Source: Assembly Republican Press Release -




Assembly Republicans Jay Webber and BettyLou DeCroce today were hailed as Outstanding Legislators by one of the state’s premier economic and environmental advocacy organizations. Webber and DeCroce were presented with the Arthur T. Young Award from the New Jersey Society for Environmental Economic Development (NJ SEED) during its 2014 Economic Summit in Atlantic City.
NJ SEED is dedicated to the creation of private sector jobs to bolster the economy and enhance the environment. Membership includes the business and labor communities.
“Economic growth and environmental protection are compatible policy goals that can and should be pursued together,” said Webber, R — Morris, Essex and Passaic. “NJ SEED recognizes that, and I appreciate its special recognition.”
“I am proud and honored to be acknowledged for promoting reasonable and responsible policies that provide private-sector jobs and economic growth,” said DeCroce, R — Morris, Essex and Passaic. “With the proper balance, we can augment our state’s environmental vulnerabilities and fuel a flourishing economy for New Jersey families.”

Thursday, October 16, 2014

DeCroce Calls For Non-Tolerance of Domestic Violence At All Levels of Sports

Assembly Republican Press Release -
Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce introduced a resolution (AR-179) today urging all professional sports teams and leagues to adopt a consistent, zero-tolerance policy across all the leagues regarding domestic violence. Reports of multiple incidents of domestic violence in the National Football League over the last several months have brought this issue to the forefront of national discussion.
“Domestic violence is not confined to one sport or league,” said DeCroce, R-Morris, Essex and Passaic. “Any policy adopted should include a structure of fines for violating this rule in addition to any legal ramifications.
“The resolution urges that funds collected from these violations be distributed to victims’ rights organizations,” continued DeCroce. “We cannot avoid dealing with an issue that not only impacts women, but children as well. Athletes are role models. Those who engage in vicious and dangerous attacks must be held accountable.”
More than 40 million women in the United States have experienced some form of domestic violence in their lifetime. New Jersey law enforcement reports over 70,300 offenses were committed in 2011. Sports leagues that implement a no-tolerance policy regarding domestic violence send a clear and powerful message there is no place for this behavior in their profession.

Thursday, October 9, 2014

Wolfe-DeCroce Bill Labeling Foods With Genetically Engineered Material Wins Committee Approval

Assembly Republican Press Release -
Provides consumers with more information on product ingredients
Legislation Assemblyman Dave Wolfe and Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce sponsor that lets consumers know if a product has been genetically engineered today won approval from the Assembly State and Local Government Committee.
“Just as consumers are interested in a product’s nutritional value, they are entitled to know if a food source has been genetically engineered,” said Wolfe, R-Ocean. “Many countries require this labeling and some states are already in the process of enacting similar legislation.”
The bill, A-1359, defines a food product as being genetically engineered if its contents include more than one percent of materials that are produced or enhanced by acid technology, genetic engineering or bioengineering. Genetically engineered foods are derived from organisms whose genetic material has been changed in a way that does not occur naturally.
“Disclosing that products contain genetically engineered material help shoppers make an informed purchase,” said DeCroce, R-Morris, Passaic and Essex. “Customers today are savvy about the products they buy. It’s in the consumers’ best interest if they are aware of whether this growing technique was used in an item they might purchase.”

Friday, September 26, 2014

DeCroce Bill Would Establish Drug Prevention Program For Students

Source: NJ 101.5 -
For some kids the transition from middle school to high school is very stressful and unfortunately, many start abusing drugs and alcohol when they get to high school. Assemblywoman Betty Lou DeCroce (R-Parsippany) is sponsoring a bill (A-413) to establish a statewide substance abuse prevention grant program for eighth-graders.


“It’s imperative that we do it. In today’s world with technology and peer pressure the way it is we have to start way younger,” DeCroce said. “We have to change things and that means changing laws, assisting communities and schools in a way that we haven’t done before.”
The legislation is modeled after a successful drug and alcohol education prevention program at the Copeland Middle School in Rockaway Township in Morris County. Project Positive Choice started at the school in 1998.
“We all know New Jersey’s heroin and prescription drug problem has exploded during the past couple of years and it’s not just in the cities. It’s in our suburban and rural areas too,” DeCroce said.
At CMS, Students meet with teenagers who are recovering from addiction. They listen to their peers who have been impacted by substance abuse and they meet celebrity role models.
“It combines educators, parents and the children and that’s where we have to get,” DeCroce explained.
Under DeCroce’s legislation, the programs would be funded by private and corporate donations, federal money or school districts.

Monday, August 25, 2014

DeCroce Says She Cannot Support Amendment Using Corporate Business Tax For Open Space Purchases; Lawmaker Says Highland Owners Deserve Compensation From State

Source: Assembly Republican Press Release -


Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce said she cannot support an amendment to the New Jersey Constitution that would allocate state business tax funds to pay for open space and recreation because the legislation is ill-defined, redundant and fails to reimburse property owners in the Highlands region for the loss of their property values.
DeCroce (R-Morris, Essex Passaic) says the legislation behind the amendment dedicating 4 percent of the corporate business tax to an open space fund, saddles corporations with an ongoing tax to fund, not only open space acquisition, but environmental cleanup and a host of other obligations that have nothing to do with business incentives or job creation.
“It is not the responsibility of business to pay a tax that will finance historic preservation, open space purchases and environmental remediation in perpetuity ” said DeCroce, noting that the CBT dedicated to open space and allied programs will increase to 6 percent in 2019 under the proposed amendment approved by the legislature this month. For the amendment to become law voters must approve a referendum that will appear on the November ballot.
“When state legislative leaders wonder how come New Jersey has such a poor business reputation it is precisely because of legislation such as this which stifles business investment in our state,” added DeCroce, a small business owner.
With a corporate tax rate of 9 percent on most corporations, New Jersey has the fourth highest corporate tax in the nation.
DeCroce said while she supports open space preservation, the state already taxes property owners on local and county levels for open space purchases .She said hundreds of millions of dollars are taken from taxpayers under the name of open space preservation only to find the funds being used for a variety of purposes that have nothing to do with buying undeveloped land.
“Paying for the construction of tennis courts and artificial turf football fields is not how most people imagine their open space tax money being used,” said DeCroce. “And with this new amendment, the public is again being fooled into thinking that the corporate tax will be used primarily for open space preservation, when in fact, that is not the case.”
PROPERTY CONFISCATION
The assemblywoman said she is particularly disturbed that in the decade since the Highlands Act became law –and more than 1,343 square miles of the state were put under severe development restrictions — there has been no action from Trenton to reimburse property owners for the devaluation of their property. The act has severely crippled the economy of many rural communities such as West Milford.
“The Highlands Act spawned the largest taking of private property rights in the state’s history without fair compensation for land owners,” said DeCroce, whose district includes several Highlands Communities.
“If the state deems it good public policy to preserve vast areas of open space by enacting extremely strict development prohibitions that make people’s land practically worthless, then it has an obligation to pay the owners for the land,” said DeCroce.
“I encourage voters to vote against the misleading and unnecessary referendum that will be placed before them on the November ballot, said DeCroce.

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

DeCroce Has Plan To Fund Public Projects Without Tax Dollars (AUDIO)

Source: NJ 101.5 [audio] -
You may have heard of Kickstarter.com, the website that allows would-be filmmakers to solicit donations to help fund their movies. The process is called crowdfunding, and a New Jersey lawmaker wants towns and counties in the Garden State to be allowed to do it in lieu of using tax dollars to raise cash for community projects.


“We are bringing the public in to be a part of the process, and that’s the opposite of what happens in Trenton,” said Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce (R-Parsippany).
“Normally you’re dictated to. Whenever we pass a bill in Trenton we’re always imposing on the public, whether we’re dictating or mandating or requiring.”
According to the assemblywoman, towns have many worthwhile projects each year that don’t get funded because of fiscal issues, or a lack of public support for spending tax dollars. She said her bill gives people the option of donating for projects they do like, and they obviously would not have to contribute to projects that they do not support.
“With crowdfunding, they’re not being taxed for different things like an athletic field, a community center, storm disaster relief, historical preservation,” DeCroce said.
There are safeguards in place to ensure the donated funds are used for their stated purpose. DeCroce’s legislation would also allow for donor-based crowdfunding, where donors could contribute to a project and then reap any potential dividends.
Some other states already allow crowdfunding. In Portland, Oregon, it’s being used to raise money for a world-class bicycle park. In Kansas City, it was used to raise almost $420,000 in private funds for 90 shareable bikes. In the Boston area, crowdfunding was used to give iPads and Bluetooth headsets to students.
“Why not allow teachers in New Jersey to use crowdfunding for supplies?” DeCroce asked.
CLICK HERE to listen to audio

Monday, June 23, 2014

DeCroce Bill Extending Permit Extension Moratorium Date Helps State's Economic Development

Assembly Republican Press Release -
Legislation sponsored by Assembly Republican BettyLou DeCroce, R-Morris, Essex and Passaic, that re-instates the moratorium on the imposition of fees on non-residential construction projects through December 31, 2014, was approved by the General Assembly today. The moratorium had expired on July 1, 2013.
“The building industry is one of New Jersey’s key economic drivers as it creates jobs and facilitates commerce,” said DeCroce. “Extending the moratorium will save builders from re-applying for approvals previously obtained which only drives up the costs of a project. Unlike some recent legislative proposals that will hurt job growth in New Jersey, this bill will help build it.
“Many jobs are created both directly and indirectly due to the construction industry, such as suppliers, retailers, financial institutions and real estate,” stated DeCroce. “I would like to thank my colleagues Assemblymen Bramnick, Burzichelli, Singleton and Wimberly, and Assemblywoman Lampitt for working in a bipartisan manner on this legislation.”
The legislation, A-1907, provides that municipalities are required to return any monies paid by a developer during the time period between July1, 2013, through the effective date of the bill. Municipalities that have already spent such fees on affordable housing projects would not be required to provide a refund.

Fiocchi: Democrats' Plan 'Disastrous' For Struggling Middle-Class Families

Assembly Democrats are now on board with their Senate colleagues in pushing for higher income taxes on wealthy households to avoid cutting the pension payment in New Jersey’s 2015 budget.
Details of the Assembly Democrats’ budget blueprint remain sketchy, although Speaker Vincent Prieto, D-Hudson, said he hopes the spending plan and associated tax increases will be approved by the Assembly next Thursday. The deadline to adopt a budget is June 30.
“Judging from their single-minded pursuit of tax increases, the Trenton Democrats’ plan will be disastrous for middle-class families struggling to find jobs and make ends meet. The last time New Jersey tried to tax itself out of its fiscal woes, thousands of residents left our state along with more than $70 billion in wealth. Rather than fiscal solvency, we were left with the largest structural budget deficit in the entire country.” – Assemblyman Sam Fiocchi
Prieto said he hoped to start the income-tax hike at $1 million, rather than at the $500,000 level proposed Wednesday by Senate President Stephen Sweeney, D-Gloucester. He said other details envisioned by Senate Democrats, including a 15 percent surcharge on corporate business taxes and a one-year suspension of some grants to businesses, are similarly subject to ongoing talks.
“The way I look at it, the state of New Jersey has a revenue problem. I don’t think it has a spending problem,” Prieto said.
The Assembly proposes additional spending that wasn’t included in the Senate’s plan and lacks the detail about revenue-raisers that Sweeney announced this week.
Whatever the details of the Democrats’ compromise turn out to be, the plan will be vetoed by Gov. Chris Christie.
“Different day, same plan for an already severely overtaxed state,” Christie spokesman Michael Drewniak said.
This would be the fourth time Democratic lawmakers sent Christie a so-called “millionaires tax.” The governor vetoed similar plans in 2010, 2011 and 2012.
Senate Democrats estimated a 10.75 percent tax rate on income over $1 million would generate $565 million in the coming budget year, not counting a one-time infusion — estimated at $105 million, which includes the impact of a 10.25 percent tax rate on income above $500,000 — generated by applying the tax retroactively on income since January.
Foremost among the obligations that Democrats say are being shirked is a $2.25 billion payment to the pension funds, rather than the $681 million Christie is proposing to offset reductions in the forecast for income tax collections. Unions have gone to court seeking to block the cuts in both the current and upcoming budgets, which total nearly $2.5 billion.
Union leaders cheered the plan, as they did the Senate’s proposal. Business organizations and Republicans criticized it.
“This is the same old tired song we hear repeatedly at budget time,” said Assemblywoman Bettylou DeCroce, R-Morris, of the more detailed Senate plan.
“A back-breaker for job-creators,” said Assemblyman Christopher Brown, R-Burlington.
Assembly Sam Fiocchi, R-Cumberland, panned the idea of tax hikes in response to the Senate Democrats’ proposal.
“Judging from their single-minded pursuit of tax increases, the Trenton Democrats’ plan will be disastrous for middle-class families struggling to find jobs and make ends meet,” Fiocchi said. “The last time New Jersey tried to tax itself out of its fiscal woes, thousands of residents left our state along with more than $70 billion in wealth. Rather than fiscal solvency, we were left with the largest structural budget deficit in the entire country.”

Friday, June 20, 2014

DeCroce, Brown Balk As Assembly Democrats Push Income Tax Hike For Rich, Too

Source: Asbury Park Press -
Assembly Democrats are now on board with their Senate colleagues in pushing for higher income taxes on wealthy households to avoid cutting the pension payment in New Jersey’s 2015 budget.


 “This is the same old tired song we hear repeatedly at budget time.” – Assemblywoman Bettylou DeCroce, R-Morris.
 Details of the Assembly Democrats’ budget blueprint remain sketchy, although Speaker Vincent Prieto, D-Hudson, said he hopes the spending plan and associated tax increases will be approved by the Assembly next Thursday. The deadline to adopt a budget is June 30.

“A back-breaker for job-creators.” – Assemblyman Christopher Brown, R-Burlington.
Prieto said he hoped to start the income-tax hike at $1 million, rather than at the $500,000 level proposed Wednesday by Senate President Stephen Sweeney, D-Gloucester. He said other details envisioned by Senate Democrats, including a 15 percent surcharge on corporate business taxes and a one-year suspension of some grants to businesses, are similarly subject to ongoing talks.
“The way I look at it, the state of New Jersey has a revenue problem. I don’t think it has a spending problem,” Prieto said.
The Assembly proposes additional spending that wasn’t included in the Senate’s plan and lacks the detail about revenue-raisers that Sweeney announced a day earlier.
Whatever the details of the Democrats’ compromise turn out to be, the plan will be vetoed by Gov. Chris Christie.
“Different day, same plan for an already severely overtaxed state,” said Christie spokesman Michael Drewniak.
This would be the fourth time Democratic lawmakers sent Christie a so-called “millionaires tax.” The governor vetoed similar plans in 2010, 2011 and 2012.
Foremost among the obligations that Democrats say are being shirked is a $2.25 billion payment to the pension funds, rather than the $681 million Christie is proposing to offset reductions in the forecast for income tax collections. Unions have gone to court seeking to block the cuts in both the current and upcoming budgets, which total nearly $2.5 billion.
Union leaders cheered the plan, as they did the Senate’s proposal. Business organizations and Republicans criticized it.
“This is the same old tired song we hear repeatedly at budget time,” said Assemblywoman Bettylou DeCroce, R-Morris, of the more detailed Senate plan.
“A back-breaker for job-creators,” said Assemblyman Christopher Brown, R-Burlington.

Thursday, June 19, 2014

DeCroce Calls Senate Democrat Budget Plan A Job Killer

Source: Assembly Republican Press Conference -


Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce (R-Morris, Essex Passaic) said the Senate Democrats’ budget proposal that increase taxes and cuts business incentives by $1.6 billion is a “job killer” that will send more people to the unemployment line and keep them there.
DeCroce, a member of the Commerce and Economic Development committee, decried the Senate Democrats plan for failing to include any spending cuts and again call for raising taxes on hard working, productive citizens in the state.
“This is the same old tired song we hear repeatedly at budget time,” said DeCroce. “Raising taxes is the typical response to too many in Trenton and discourages the people working the hardest to create jobs and make business investment in New Jersey.”
DeCroce said adding a 15 percent corporate business tax surcharge and suspending $175 million from the Economic Development Authority’s Business Employment Incentive Program will merely add to New Jersey’s reputation as a bad place to do business.
The Assemblywoman, a small business owner, said the last thing struggling business owners need is yet another tax on their earnings.
“I encourage my Democratic colleagues to look at the national data that continually ranks New Jersey near the bottom as the place to do business in the United States,” said DeCroce. “The state already has a bad business reputation that is responsible for high unemployment. The Senate Democrat plan will guarantee just one thing – fewer jobs.”
Forbes ranked New Jersey 48th in business costs and 38 in regulatory environment in 2013. And CNBC ranked the state 42nd in the cost of doing business and 41st in business friendliness.
“Does anyone think that adding a $1.6 billion burden on people who run businesses and guide corporate investment in New Jersey is going to encourage the creation of more jobs?” asked DeCroce.
The assemblywoman said any serious discussion on the state’s budget has to begin with cutting unnecessary spending.
“Any serious discussion of the state’s budget has to begin with cutting unnecessary spending. Any budget solution that begins with raising taxes ignores our real problems and puts jobs in danger,” said DeCroce.

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

DeCroce Intros Bill Giving Government Opportunity to Fundraise For Beneficial Community Projects

Assembly Republican Press Release -
‘Crowdfunding’ a different approach for public projects
Government entities in New Jersey may soon have a new mechanism at their disposal to raise private funds for projects that benefit the public thanks to legislation sponsored by Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce, R-Morris, Essex and Passaic.
“Crowdfunding” allows all governments entities, including the state, counties, municipalities, school boards and authorities to raise money via the internet or other direct solicitation vehicles for a variety of projects that governments are constrained from funding.
“These are tough economic times for many towns and school boards,” said DeCroce. “Crowdfunding offers an alternative to direct taxation to fund improvement projects that governments are unable to fund, but people want. I believe it can be a useful tool to help governments, civic groups and investors work together to make improvements that benefit the entire community without raising property taxes.”
DeCroce explained the need for the legislation, saying that there are many worthwhile projects in communities each year that do not get funded because of budget constraints or lack of community-wide support for a public expenditure. She cited projects such as bike paths, artificial turf and dog parks that crowdfunding could be used for.
“Each of these amenities has a constituency, but may not have the full support of the public if the funding had to go to a referendum,” explained DeCroce. “This measure gives governments and citizens an alternative funding method that doesn’t dip into taxpayers’ pockets.”
Crowdfunding is in use in several states and cities in the U.S., including Kansas City, Mo., which raised just under $420,000 to provide 90 shareable bikes at 12 sharing stations in the city’s downtown area. Another crowdfunding venture in the Boston area gave students iPads, Bluetooth headsets, and the training to use them.
In Portland, Oregon, the city is working on using crowdfunding to finance a world class bicycling park that will also be used for runners, picnickers, and others. The city does not have the money to develop the project, so the state Department of Transportation transferred a piece of vacant property to the city’s Parks & Recreation Bureau. A governor-appointed body, called Oregon Solutions, is using a crowdfunding website to obtain the initial capital. Although the finished project will cost millions, the campaign’s initial goal was to raise $100,000 to hire trail designers and landscape engineers to draft plans to eventually qualify for government and private grants, as well as obtain construction permits.
Cities in Europe are also turning to crowdfunding to supplement government financing. It is usually done with the assistance of a company that specializes in internet-based fundraising.
DeCroce’s legislation (A-3378) outlines the process governments must follow in New Jersey before starting a crowdfunding venture, including setting a specific fundraising target and implementing a time limit on the fundraising activity. Entities using crowdfunding for the first time must initiate a pilot project and, if successful, may take on multiple crowdfunding projects in the future.
Crowdfunding, according to DeCroce’s legislation, may be donor-based or investor- based. A donor-based effort shall specify that if the target funding amount is not reached, the funds will be allocated to the government entity in charge of the project for funding of another project.
In the case of investor-based crowdfunding initiatives, the money must be returned to the investors if the target goal is not reached.

Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Christie Signs Lunsford Act into Law

Source: The Advertiser News -
Gov. Chris Christie joined with lawmakers and victims advocates for a ceremonial bill signing of the Jessica Lunsford Act which strengthens penalties for those who commit sexual assaults against children in New Jersey.


Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce (R- Morris, Essex, Passaic) was a cosponsor of the legislation that sets a mandatory minimum prison sentence of at least 25 years to life with no chance of parole for those who are found guilty of aggravated sexual assault against a child under the age of 13.
The law provides flexibility to prosecutors in very limited circumstances for terms of no fewer than 15 years, only when such a plea is in the best interest of the victim as determined by plea guidelines established by the Attorney General’s Office.
“This law will ensure that those who commit the unspeakable act of sexual assault on a child will be taken off our streets and locked behind bars where they cannot harm any more children,” DeCroce said.
The law is named for a nine-year-old Florida resident, Jessica Lunsford, who was kidnapped, raped, and murdered by a registered sex offender in 2005. “The harm that sexual predators inflict on children, their families and friends is immeasurable and must be punished as severely as possible under the law,” added DeCroce.
The legislation was initially sponsored by the late Assemblyman Eric Muñoz in 2005. Muñoz’ wife, Assemblywoman Nancy Muñoz, R-Union, Morris and Somerset, is the bill’s prime sponsor.
“The physical and emotional harm done to children, as well as the trauma suffered by their families and communities, deserves the strongest possible response by the justice system. Justice has now been served,” said Assemblywoman Allison Littell-McHose of Sussex County.
“The new law will equip law enforcement with the tools it needs to make sure sexual predators receive the punishment they deserve.”

Saturday, May 17, 2014

DeCroce: Just Say No To Legalizing Marijuana

Source: Daily Record – Letter-to-editor by BettyLou DeCroce -
The parade of those clamoring for the legalization of pot in New Jersey includes an odd alignment of progressives, municipal prosecutors and doctors. They see legalization as harmless and inevitable. They make an interesting, if not a compelling case.
Legalizing marijuana, they argue, would eliminate from our already crowded court system cases of casual users of pot who pose little threat to the community. Why waste taxpayer money prosecuting these individuals and why burden these people with criminal records for smoking a weed? Instead, they argue, legalize pot, and tax it; filling government coffers with millions of dollars.
I have a different view: let’s not make another illicit drug legal just for expediency. I am not persuaded that legalizing marijuana for anything but medical use will prove beneficial to our society.
The experiment with legalizing marijuana in Colorado is barely five months old; before we blindly follow that state off a Rocky Mountain cliff, let’s review real world data. I’m not alone in that position. California Gov. Jerry Brown recently told The New York Times that “I think we ought to kind of watch and see how things go in Colorado,” before legalizing marijuana in the Golden State.
Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper is no big fan of legalization of marijuana, which was approved via referendum, not legislation. He said in an eye-opening documentary by CNBC that legalization sends a “terrible message” to minors. He’s right. Pot smoking may or may not be as dangerous as alcohol, but it is not benign.
While the entertainment industry glamorizes marijuana and other drugs in movies and magazines, it sidesteps reality. Scientists at the National Institute on Drug Abuse warn that the effects of pot on the developing teenage brain include the potential of an 8 to 10 point drop in IQ over time. They also note that users are likely to become dependent, physically or psychologically.
Recently, fourth-graders in Colorado were caught selling an edible form of marijuana, which is popularly baked into candy and cookies. Their parents left the edible marijuana where their children could access it and take it to school —apparently ignorant of the dangers of ingesting marijuana . Eating pot can lead to life-threatening overdoses and dangerous behavior, especially in children. The catastrophic impact of drunk drivers on innocent people is already well documented. Do we really want to encourage young people under the influence of marijuana to get behind the wheel of a car and hurt more innocent people? I say no.
Marijuana smokers suffer many of the same respiratory problems as cigarette smokers. The American Lung Association says cigarette smoking-related diseases claim over 393,000 American lives each year and cost the nation over $97 billion in lost productivity and $96 billion in direct health care expenditures. Encouraging the smoking of pot through legalization will only worsen those statistics.
Legalization proponents say we have to throw in the towel on the war on drugs and legalize marijuana so we can reap the benefits of taxing it. I say government’s insatiable desire for tax dollars should not rest on legalizing harmful substances to subsidize more wasteful spending. Government already taxes cigarettes and alcohol heavily to generate revenue and then spends money telling people to quit smoking and not to abuse alcohol. Following the same schizophrenic model, the government will do the same with marijuana: legalize it, tax it, and then direct people to government subsidized clinics to stop abusing marijuana. What’s next: Legalize cocaine or heroin so we can generate more government revenue?
The CNBC report on Colorado’s marijuana experiment showed tremendous entrepreneurial activity built around marijuana sales and a booming demand for the weed largely among middle age people. The sellers are raking in big money, but how long will 50- and 60-year-olds shell out good money to relive the 1960s and 70s? Or will “Big Pot’s” business model mirror that of cigarette companies — get them hooked young and keep them coming back?
Legalizing marijuana without knowing more about the social and health consequences is reckless and not something I can support.
Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce

Thursday, May 8, 2014

DeCroce Bill Extending Permit Extension Moratorium Date Approved By Committee

Source: Assembly Republican Press Release -
Bipartisan legislation sponsored by Assembly Republican BettyLou DeCroce, R-Morris, Essex and Passaic, that re-instates the moratorium on the imposition of fees on non-residential construction projects through December 31, 2014, was approved by the Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee today. The moratorium had expired on July 1, 2013.
“The building industry is one of New Jersey’s key economic drivers as it creates jobs and facilitates commerce,” said DeCroce. “Extending the moratorium will save builders from re-applying for approvals previously obtained which only drives up the costs of a project. The recent report that small business loan activity has increased 12 percent over the last six months in the state is certainly good news as this business segment accounts for the majority of our economic activity. Construction is an important first step in growing our economy.”
The legislation, A-1907, provides that municipalities are required to return any monies paid by a developer during the time period between July1, 2013, through the effective date of the bill. Municipalities that have already spent such fees on affordable housing projects would not be required to provide a refund. The Assembly unanimously approved the identical bill last December (A-4457), but it received no action in the Senate.
“Many jobs are created both directly and indirectly due to the building industry, such as suppliers, retailers, financial institutions and real estate,” stated DeCroce. “I would like to thank my colleagues Assemblymen Bramnick, Burzichelli, Singleton and Wimberly, and Assemblywoman Lampitt for working in a bipartisan manner on this legislation.”

Thursday, February 6, 2014

DeCroce Asks Speaker To Post Vote on Resolution Demanding More Money From Washington

Source: Assembly Republican Press Release -


Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce (R- Morris, Essex, Passaic) is strongly urging that the Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto post a resolution (for a vote that calls for the state’s Congressional delegation to fight harder for a more equitable return of tax revenue that New Jersey taxpayers send to the federal government in Washington D.C.
Her resolution (AR50) – which has strong bipartisan support. notes “that that for every dollar New Jersey sends in taxes to the federal government, the State receives only 61 cents in return. This disparity needs to be diminished.”
The legislation which focuses on a greater need for federal transportation for the state, is supported by Democrat Assembly members John Wisniewski, chairman of the Assembly Transportation Committee Chairman and Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto who are both co-sponsors of the legislation; and former Speaker Sheila Oliver, who is a primary sponsor of the legislation.
She said with a more equitable return of its tax dollars New Jersey would be able to reduce taxes and make the state attractive to businesses looking to invest in the Garden State. DeCroce is a member of the Assembly Commerce and Economic Development Committee and the Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee.
“With just a 61 percent return on our federal tax dollar we are subsidizing other states that are competing with us for jobs,” said DeCroce, who spoke with U.S. Senator Cory Booker about the legislation and offered to go to Washington to testify in support of the state’s need for more federal funding.
Citing a report in the March 2014 edition of The Atlantic Magazine – New Jersey ranks 40th out of 50 state in return of federal tax dollars
The authors of the study Wallet Hub Analysts, noted that: “It’s not just that some states are getting way more in return for their federal tax dollars, but the disproportionate amount of federal aid that some states receive allows them to keep their own taxes artificially low.”
Georgia, Pennsylvania and North Carolina, states that New Jersey is competing with to retain or attract business, all rate higher in return of federal tax dollars.
The Assemblywoman said companies such as Mercedes Benz of Montvale, and Sealed Air Corp. of Elmwood Park are moving to states that get a better return of their tax dollar from the federal government. Georgia for example got $270 million more in federal highway funds in 2014 than New Jersey did.
DeCroce pointed out that New Jersey last year saw a drop of almost 20 percent ($231 million) in its federal highway allocation from Washington. That $231 million, she said, would be extremely helpful as the state battles to deal with funding to upgrade its infrastructure.
“It’s time for us in the state legislature to rattle the cage of our congressional delegation and tell them they need to do a better job for the taxpayers of New Jersey,” said DeCroce. “I hope the Speaker will agree with me.”

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Legislators Officially Join Forces on Bridge Investigation

Source: Inquirer -
The Legislature voted unanimously Monday to establish a joint panel to investigate disruptive lane closures in September at the George Washington Bridge, though Republicans continued to voice frustration with the Democrat-led effort.
“We’ve been down here twice, and both times in the last two weeks were related to the investigation,” Minority Leader Jon Bramnick (R., Union) told reporters. “I would hope we can move forward with property-tax relief and those other issues.”
The decision comes 10 days after the Assembly and Senate created separate special investigatory committees. Those committees were dissolved Monday after Democratic leaders brokered a deal last week to combine their efforts.
Documents obtained and released by legislators this month suggest that Gov. Christie’s deputies at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey worked with at least one member of the governor’s inner circle to shut down the lanes, perhaps as political payback.
The scandal has consumed the start of the legislative session and created a political headache for Christie, a popular Republican who has not hidden his possible ambitions for the presidency in 2016.
“Who knew what and when did they know it? That’s all this is about,” Majority Leader Louis D. Greenwald (D., Camden) said Monday on the Assembly floor.
The new committee is composed of 12 legislators from both houses: eight Democrats, including Greenwald, and four Republicans. Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg (D., Bergen) and Assemblyman John S. Wisniewski (D., Middlesex) are co-chairs.
While there was universal agreement on the need to continue investigating, Republicans suggested the scope of the inquiry was too broad. They asked, for example, whether the committee would delve into allegations made by Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer that the Christie administration had tied Sandy relief funds to a development project. Christie’s office strongly denies that claim.
Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce (R., Morris), who is not a member of the new committee, asked how the committee would approach someone such as Zimmer, who has said that she has met with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and has been advised not to discuss the matter publicly. Democrats said they would consult their outside special counsel to determine how to proceed in such a scenario.
Republicans, who are the minority party in both houses, also said they were wary of a Democratic-led partisan investigation. All four Republican committee members voted against a resolution to establish the parameters of the investigation, including its power to issue subpoenas.
Wisniewski argued that it was impossible to know what the documents subpoenaed by the panel might reveal. Therefore, he said, it would be unwise to declare certain subject matters, such as the Hoboken controversy, off-limits.
“This investigation started out as an inquiry into the operations and finances of the Port Authority. Following that level of inquiry, we uncovered e-mails that originated from [the governor's office],” Wisniewski said on the Assembly floor. “We can’t predict what other information will come before the committee.”
This month, the special Assembly panel served subpoenas to 20 organizations and individuals, including some of Christie’s top advisers. Wisniewski said Monday that the committee would reissue those subpoenas as a matter of precaution. The recipients have until Feb. 3 to respond.
The new committee has subpoena power through 2016.
Separately, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has issued subpoenas to Christie’s reelection campaign and the Republican State Committee, seeking information about the lane closures.
In the meantime, at least one legislator expressed hope that the Legislature would continue to legislate.
“We’ve been down here twice, and both times in the last two weeks were related to the investigation,” Minority Leader Jon Bramnick (R., Union) told reporters. “I would hope we can move forward with property-tax relief and those other issues.”