DeCroce-Webber-Schepisi Bill Exempting Local Government from Highlands Act Approved by Assembly

A bill sponsored by Assembly Republicans BettyLou DeCroce, Jay Webber and Holly Schepisi that would provide an exemption to local governments from certain provisions of the Highlands Act when deciding to install synthetic turf fields was approved by the General Assembly today. At present, the 2004 law only provides public or private schools the exemption.

“This legislation represents an opportunity to level the playing field for municipalities that are restricted by the Highlands Act from installing synthetic turf for their residents,” said DeCroce, who noted there are 88 municipalities and portions of seven counties in the Highlands Region. “The conditions of the municipal fields in some towns in the preservation area are deteriorating and often unusable and unsafe.  “It is ironic that the schools can install the turf or make field improvements, but the towns can’t,” explained DeCroce. “If the residents want to upgrade their municipal fields to a more durable surface they should be allowed to do so. Affording municipalities the same exemption that schools already enjoy is common sense and something property taxpayers deserve.”

The bill, A-3541, would exempt towns from the lengthy, costly and arduous process of obtaining a permit under the Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act.

“The Highlands Act remains a model of unfairness and arbitrariness, and represents the worst government land grab against our communities in New Jersey history,” said Webber. “This legislation injects a bit of reasonableness into otherwise bad policy. It offers our local communities a fair opportunity to provide safe and durable ball fields on open space, and puts local property taxpayers back in charge of a decision that affects their own welfare.”

“This bill affords local governments the same chance to upgrade their facilities and provide the same safe environment for recreational use as given to schools in the Highlands Region that were grandfathered in when the Highlands Act was passed,” said Schepisi. “Providing this exemption to another entity at the local level is fair and will save the burdensome application-related costs borne by taxpayers. All parents want their children to play on safe fields, not ones that could potentially put them in harms’ way and cause serious injury.”

The bill is also sponsored by Assemblyman Gordon Johnson, D-Bergen, and was released with unanimous approval from the Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee on June 10.

ASSEMBLYWOMAN DECROCE JOINS LEGISLATIVE LEADERS FOUNDATION

Source: Parsippany Patch-

Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce (R-Morris, Essex and Passaic) of Parsippany was chosen to participate in the State Legislative Leaders Foundation’s (SLLF) “Emerging Leaders Program” at The Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia.

She is one of 50 legislators selected from across the country to participate.

“I am honored to have been selected to participate in this prestigious program which will afford me the chance to learn from and network with fellow legislators from around the nation,” said DeCroce.

“I fully intend to make the most of this challenging opportunity to further enhance my leadership skills and gain new perspectives so that I may better serve my constituents and the residents of New Jersey,” she added.

According to a written statement from DeCroce’s office, the program will be held over the course of four days in July to develop leadership skills focusing on:
•Analysis and feedback on elements of personal leadership style.
•Awareness of the importance of values and ethics in governance and public service.
•Gaining perspective on the importance of the role of the state legislature in contem­porary American politics.
•Recognition of the importance of legisla­tors as consensus builders and facilitators of compromise.

DeCroce was nominated by Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver and selected by a committee of senior staff from the SLLF and Darden faculty selected the participants.

“One of the primary criteria for selection is the candidate’s long-term commitment to public service and keen interest in self development,” the statement said.

DeCroce: Nearly $1M in Road Improvements Coming to Morris County

Municipalities in Morris County will share just under $1 million in state grants for road improvement projects, according to District 26 Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce.

The projects receiving state funding range from a $250,000 Interpace Parkway improvment project in Parsippany to $140,000 road resurfacing project for Carey Avenue in Butler.

“I am extremely pleased that we were able to secure this funding through the state Department of Transportation to upgrade the infrastructure in [these] district  communities,” said DeCroce. “The state funding is critical to help offset the costs of road and bridge improvements for local taxpayers.”

MORRIS COUNTY DISBURSEMENTS

Municipality	Project	Type	Amount	Total
Butler Borough	Carey Ave Resurfacing	Roadway Preservation	$140,000	$140,000
Jefferson Township	Weldon Road Improvements	Roadway Preservation	$200,000	$200,000
Lincoln Park Borough	Two Bridges Road & Pine Brook Road Improvements – Phase II	Roadway Preservation	$180,000	$180,000
Montville Township	Roads Resurfacing – Church Lane, Stiles Lane/Vail Road	Roadway Preservation	$200,000	$200,000
Parsippany-Troy Hills Township	Interpace Parkway Improvement Project	Roadway Preservation	$250,000	$250,000

A total of $2.1 million dollars in state grants covered projects in Morris, Essex and Passaic counties.
 

Bucco & DeCroce: Murderers Must Face Their Victims

As the state Supreme Court decides whether a convicted killer must attend his own sentencing, Assembly Republicans Anthony M. Bucco and BettyLou DeCroce have introduced legislation that would clarify the rights of crime victims to face their assailants at sentencing.

Guiseppe Tedesco, convicted of killing Alyssa Ruggieri in her Hopatcong home in 2010, is attempting to waive to his right to appear at his sentencing. The state Supreme Court heard arguments this week and is expected to decide the matter in the fall.

“Alyssa had no choice whether to face Tedesco. He doesn’t deserve a choice now whether to face those who are grieving her loss,” Bucco, R-Morris and Somerset, said. “Those who have been convicted of an egregious crime against humanity cannot dictate to the courts, or those they have victimized, how they will receive their punishment. This is making a mockery of our justice system.”

The proposal, A-4118, would amend the Crime Victim’s Bill of Rights to strengthen victims’ rights to make an in-person statement directly to the court and the offender at sentencing.

“Crime victims will always feel the pain, loss and suffering caused by crime. They deserve the opportunity to confront those who harmed them before justice is served,” DeCroce, R-Morris, Essex and Passaic, said. “It’s mind boggling to think that the Supreme Court has to even consider whether a convicted murderer has to appear in court for his sentencing. The last words a violent criminal should hear before being locked up should be from the friends and families left behind.”

DeCroce and Bucco urged the Supreme Court to side with crime victims and said they would fight to change the law to make sure this situation never arises again.

“Crime victims who have suffered a horrendous loss should decide for themselves whether addressing their assailant will help their grieving process,” Bucco said. “We hope the Supreme Court will use common sense and side with the Ruggiero family in this case. Meanwhile, we must change the law to make sure the courts never have to consider a case like this again.”

“The question of whether a criminal should have to sit for a sentencing should never be asked again,” added DeCroce. “We will support the Ruggieros and any other family victimized by crime and will fight to make sure the legal process remains open and compassionate to victims.”

Why Was Coach’s Conduct Tolerated?

Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce, a member of the Assembly Higher Education Committee, issued the following statement on the firing of Rutgers University Men’s Basketball Coach Mike Rice:

“Rutgers Coach Michael Rice demonstrated a pattern of conduct with his players that is unbefitting an institution of higher learning. There is no rational way to condone or explain the physical and verbal abuse that Mr. Rice heaped on his players. Coach Rice earned his dismissal and I support his firing.

More problematic for me as a member of the higher education committee, however, is that Coach Rice’s conduct was tolerated for so long by the university. People in the Athletic Department knew for quite some time of Coach Rice’s violent outbursts and physical confrontations with players, yet chose to keep him at the institution until ESPN’s broadcast of the Rice’s behavior made it impossible to retain him as a representative of the state’s largest public university.

Apparently, some people at Rutgers did not learn from the experience at Penn State.  Failure to act quickly to deal with inappropriate actions of coaches harms individuals, players and the university’s programs – not to mention the reputation of the university itself.

The desire to win games and protect a sports program cannot ever be allowed to supersede a university’s obligation to protect its players and all those who come in contact with a program. The failure to fire Coach Rice earlier was a failure by Rutgers to meet its obligation to its student athletes and their parents.

Rutgers needs to examine its policies regarding the conduct of its coaches and how the Athletic Department and other college officials deal with abusive coaches in the future.” 

DeCROCE NAMED TO STATE’S HIGHER EDUCATION COMMITTEE; WANTS TO TACKLE COSTS AND EDUCATION RELEVANCY

Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce (R- Morris Passaic) has been named to the Assembly Higher Education Committee. 

 

DeCroce said she is honored to serve on a committee whose oversight of higher education touches the lives of so many families in New Jersey. 

“Traditionally, the path to success and social mobility in America has been through our colleges and universities.  I want to make sure that a quality higher education is affordable to everyone who has the desire to pursue learning,” said DeCroce.

DeCroce said she is concerned that the cost of college is placing too high a burden on college graduates and their parents. “The spiraling costs of a college education are having a tremendous negative impact on students and families. The debt burden carried by college graduates is impacting their working lives and is proving to be a disincentive to some who want to pursue advanced learning,” said DeCroce.

The assemblywoman said she would like to see more fiscal accountability and cost controls on colleges and universities that accept government financing.  “Gov. Christie and the legislature have been fighting successfully to hold down the costs of our primary and secondary public schools and demanding more accountability from teachers and administrators. I believe we need to do the same with our colleges and universities where costs are far outstripping the rate of inflation,” said DeCroce. 

DeCroce pointed to a study released last fall that said tuition and mandatory fees for in-state students at the state’s public colleges will range from $10,422 at New Jersey City University to $14,740 at New Jersey Institute of Technology in Newark. Those costs are exclusive of room and board paid by students who live on campus. 

Tuition and fees at Rutgers University for the average in-state undergraduate rose this year to  $13,073.Students living on campus will pay a total of more than $24,000 once room and board are added to the bill.

DeCroce, a career businesswoman, also noted that college curriculums need to be more relevant to today’s workplace. “The mission of our colleges should be to turn out people who have skills that are readily and immediately adaptable to the available employment opportunities,” said DeCroce.

The assemblywoman said she encourages businesses to become more involved with college administrators in shaping curriculums that give students the skills necessary to meet today’s job requirements.

CONSTITUENT SERVICES

Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce’s District Office assists constituents by working as a liaison between state agencies and removing red tape, as well as providing a valuable resource of public information and programs in the community.  The district office addresses a variety of areas, such as professional licensing delays, citizen suggestions for policy, public safety complaints, questions about pending legislation, notary legislative endorsements, and public assistance issues.  The office is staffed by trained professionals who will work with each individual to best resolve his or her case or make an appropriate referral.  To inquire with a concern or to make an appointment to meet with a staff member, please call (973) 265-0057.  Constituent service hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00AM to 4:30PM. 

If you would like to voice your opinion on an issue facing New Jersey, you may write Asw. DeCroce at 1055 Parsippany Blvd., Ste. #104, Parsippany, NJ 07054 or AswDeCroce@njleg.org.