RIBLE-SIMON-DeCROCE ASK SPEAKER OLIVER TO POST REFORM THAT WOULD MAKE N.J. SAFER FROM VIOLENCE

LEGISLATION WOULD ALLOW RESIDENTS TO DECIDE WHETHER VIOLENT OFFENDERS BELONG IN JAIL OR IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS

Assembly Republicans Dave Rible, Donna Simon and BettyLou DeCroce asked Speaker Sheila Y. Oliver today to include a proposal that would keep dangerous offenders in jail as part of the legislative response to prevent violence.

“Any serious effort to prevent violence should begin with common sense solutions such as keeping people in jail if they have been accused of committing violent acts,” said Assembly Republican Conference Leader Dave Rible, R-Monmouth and Ocean. “We would like to work in bipartisan cooperation to keep New Jersey safe and this proposal has been endorsed by law enforcement, Governor Christie, and Democrats and Republicans in the Legislature.”

Rible, Simon and DeCroce, sponsor ACR-153, bipartisan legislation to permit voters to decide whether New Jersey should deny bail for dangerous defendants, bringing the state’s policy in line with federal law and 48 other states. They sent a letter to Speaker Oliver requesting her to add the resolution to the Assembly’s Feb. 21 session.

“A reasonable approach to reduce the risk of violent acts in our communities includes placing violent offenders behind bars, where they cannot do any more harm,” Assemblywoman Donna Simon, R-Hunterdon, Somerset, Mercer and Middlesex, said. “Ensuring violent offenders don’t repeat their offenses while awaiting trial is also common sense gun safety because it makes sure that those with the capacity for violence do not have the opportunity to hurt our neighborhoods, children and senior citizens.”

The legislation was unanimously approved by bipartisan committees in the Assembly and Senate before stalling last summer.

“Tragedies throughout the country have shown it’s time to get serious about reasonable solutions to protect public safety,” Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce, R-Morris, Passaic and Essex, said. “Guaranteeing bail to even the most violent offenders is a glaring deficiency in our state’s law that we can all agree to fix with this common sense solution.”

DeCROCE SAYS INDUSTRY LOBBYISTS WHO ARE NOT WILLING TO COMPROMISE ON GENERATOR BILL COULD THREATEN N.J. ECONOMY

(Parsippany, NJ) Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce (R-Morris, Passaic) – sponsor of the N.J. Residents’ Power Protection Act, which would require gas stations and other key facilities to have backup natural gas powered generators, says she is not buying the arguments of the lobbyists representing gasoline and convenience store owners that were made in Trenton on Monday in opposition to the legislation. 

“The lobbyists are unwilling to recognize the damage that the lack of gasoline and power to vital businesses caused to the economy of the state and the lives of the people who live here,” said DeCroce. “They are putting their interests ahead of the overall good of the state.”

DeCroce’s legislation would address the power outage problems suffered by many residents during Hurricane Sandy by requiring vital and unique facilities to install either natural gas or propane powered generators. Those facilities would extend beyond gas stations and nursing homes to include private assisted living facilities, Class C (dementia patients) boarding homes, pharmacies, and firehouses and ambulance squad facilities.

To offset the cost of the generator upgrades, the bill provides for a corporation business tax deduction and gross income tax deduction (not to exceed $10,000 in either case), and a sales tax exemption, for the purchase of applicable equipment by the business and facilities covered under the N.J. Residents’ Power Protection Act.

Sal Risalvato, the Executive Director of the New Jersey Gasoline, Convenience Store and Automotive Association, reportedly objected to generator legislation saying, even with the requirement for natural gas generators: “You would have seen the same gas lines. You would have seen the same inconvenience.”  Assemblywoman DeCroce stated that this was a tunnel vision statement on his part.

“For anyone to characterize what happened in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy as simply an inconvenience, demonstrates a complete unwillingness to recognize the dire problems faced by millions of people,” said DeCroce.

The gasoline shortages had a dramatic impact on people’s lives and on commerce in general in this state. When tens of thousands of people are waiting for hours in line to get a few gallons of gas to power their home generators or operate their cars, that’s not an inconvenience; that’s an emergency.  This created an economic ripple effect that I will not allow to be ignored,” said DeCroce.

"This is not just about gas stations.  This is about protecting the lives of our vulnerable, senior citizens, residents needing constant medical care, and our families," she added.

The assemblywoman said generators would keep gasoline stations open, and coupled with better deployment of gasoline deliveries, would improve both economic and quality of life issues immeasurably. She said she hopes the gasoline retailers and other business  groups will contribute positively to the post-Sandy discussion.

“The governor and others are leading the way in making substantial regulatory changes to reduce the impact that major storms will have on the people of New Jersey,” said DeCroce. “Instead of pretending that Sandy didn’t happen, the lobbyists should be contributing positively to  the discussion on how we avoid a repeat of the toll that Sandy took on people’s lives.”

BETTYLOU DeCROCE SWORN INTO ASSEMBLY

Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce, R- Morris, Essex and Passaic, who won a special election in November to serve the unexpired term of her late husband Alex DeCroce, was sworn in today to the General Assembly. In January, DeCroce was elected by the Republican County Committee to represent the 26th Legislative District until November’s election. Assemblywoman DeCroce joins Senator Joe Pennacchio and Assemblyman Jay Webber serving the 26th Legislative District.

DeCroce has over 30 years of experience serving at various levels of government. Prior to her service in the Assembly, DeCroce served as a councilwoman in Mine Hill and as the Roxbury Township municipal clerk and deputy township manager. Most recently, she served as deputy commissioner in the state Department of Community Affairs.

“I am honored to represent the people of the 26th Legislative District,” said DeCroce. “I have spent my professional career serving the public, and I appreciate the opportunity to be a part of the effort to make New Jersey a better place to live and work. I am committed to serving the needs of my constituents and intend to be a voice that represents the interests of taxpayers. I am sure Alex would be happy that I am able to serve the public as he proudly did for over 20 years.”

Commenting on DeCroce’s swearing in, along with her Republican colleague Assemblywoman Donna Simon, Assembly Republican Leader Jon Bramnick said, “I am so very proud to lead a caucus that has state representatives as talented and honest as Assemblywomen DeCroce and Simon. They are true treasures of the state of New Jersey and their districts are very fortunate to have them as their advocates.”

WEBBER-BUCCO-DeCROCE BILL ON EDUCATIONAL COSTS FOR STUDENTS IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTERS APPROVED BY ASSEMBLY

Bipartisan legislation sponsored by Assemblyman Jay Webber, R-Morris, Essex and Passaic, supporting women and families in domestic violence shelters and the communities that host them, was approved by the General Assembly today.

In addition to Webber, other primary sponsors include Assembly Republicans Anthony M. Bucco and BettyLou DeCroce.

“This bill is the result of the unanimous support of the Assembly which recognizes the financial burdens presently imposed on towns that provide transitional facilities for battered women and their children,” said Webber, who is a member of the Assembly Budget Committee. “During the budget hearings this year, the committee heard testimony that drew its attention to the school funding obligation placed on the municipality where these facilities are located if the student resides there beyond one year. The typical stay at a transitional facility is two years, requiring the host town to absorb the cost of the second year of the student’s education.

“This bill removes the unfair financial burden on the host municipalities that house victims of abuse from communities across the state and will help sustain the viability of the transitional housing facilities which provide the compassionate care these abused victims need and deserve,” Webber stated.

The legislation, A-3164/S-2120, which received unanimous support in the Assembly (77-0), would take effect in the 2012/13 school year. The bill stipulates the State will pay the educational costs of students who reside in a domestic violence shelter or transitional living facility for more than one year. The Departments of Education and Children and Families will establish rules to identify those facilities that qualify as transitional living facilities or domestic violence shelters.

“New Jersey’s per-pupil costs are a drain on local budgets,” said Anthony M. Bucco, R-Morris and Somerset, who is also a member of the Budget Committee. “Communities with shelters that house students who live in these facilities are forced to bear an inequitable fiscal burden. At a time when host towns are trying to cut costs, but preserve services while keeping property tax rates in check, this bill helps alleviate the costly burden municipalities are incurring.”

An administrative law court’s decision in 2010 interpreted conflicting statutes and concluded that once a family in transition lives within a school district for 12 consecutive months, the financial responsibility of any school age children in that family is the host district’s responsibility.

“Municipalities around the state are strapped for cash as it is,” said DeCroce, R-Morris, Essex and Passaic. “Requiring them to bear this additional fiscal burden on their own isn’t fair. At the same time, we have a responsibility to assist victims of abuse who face dire situations through no fault of their own. This legislation is an equitable solution.”

DECROCE GENERATOR BILL INCLUDES TAX INCENTIVES

Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce, R-Morris, Passaic and Essex, has sponsored legislation requiring gas stations, nursing homes and other critical facilities to have generator backup power during declared emergencies. To help implement the generator program, DeCroce has included in her legislation a tax incentive to make the upgrades affordable to businesses.

DeCroce’s bill, “The N.J. Residents Power Protection Act” (A 3495), would address the power outage problems suffered by many residents during Hurricane Sandy by requiring vital and unique facilities to install either natural gas or propane powered generators. Those facilities would extend beyond gas stations and nursing homes to include private assisted living facilities, Class C (dementia patients) boarding homes, pharmacies and all firehouses and emergency medical facilities.

“I am not an advocate of government mandates, but after witnessing what occurred in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy it is clear that there are holes in our economic and safety network that need to be mended. We need to ensure that power is available for key businesses and institutions during emergencies,” said DeCroce.

To offset the cost of the generator upgrades the bill provides for a corporation business tax deduction and gross income tax deduction (not to exceed $10,000 in either case), and a sales tax exemption, for the purchase of applicable equipment by the business and facilities covered under the Power Protection Act.
DeCroce said the economic incentive portion of the Power Protection Act is vital to moving it forward in the legislature.

“I would not add another government mandate on businesses without an offsetting tax incentive that will mitigate the cost of the improvement,” said DeCroce. “I strongly believe in the need to have backup power supplies for key industries and health providers during natural disasters.

“It’s the right thing to do for residents and for our economy,” explained DeCroce. “Government and business must work together to make the kinds of improvements needed to benefit the citizens of New Jersey during extraordinary events like Hurricane Sandy.”

DeCroce’s legislation would require the backup energy come from natural gas generators — where natural gas is available — or propane stored in above-ground tanks. The generators would be hard wired into the facilities’ electrical systems to provide near instantaneous power in a blackout and would restore a majority of the power needed for basic services.

DeCroce noted that by hardwiring generators to facilities, there would be less need for extension cords coursing through nursing homes.

“Extension cords snaking through nursing homes are an invitation to disaster,” continued DeCroce. “The cords pose a hazard to elderly people in wheelchairs or those whose mobility is assisted by walkers and canes.”

CONVENIENCE STORES

DeCroce’s legislation would also require backup power sources for any new construction of grocery stores or convenience stores. She predicted that generator costs would be offset, not only by the tax deductions, but by a reduction in food spoilage and the stores’ ability to continue business during natural disasters. She noted that many convenience store owners were scrambling for generators before the hurricane hit and those without generators fought to save perishable food.

“With natural gas powered generators in place, convenience stores can stay open, maintain an income flow and prevent the loss of their perishable items,” said DeCroce.

“All these facilities that provide vital services to the public – whether they are emergency response buildings, gas stations, grocery stores or nursing homes – should have the backup power necessary to serve the needs of our residents and our economy,” said DeCroce.

“The technology is there to be used; let’s put it to good work before the next major storm hits our region,” added the assemblywoman.

TEMPORARY DISASTER RELIEF EMPLOYMENT

If you are interested in finding temp work while New Jersey rebuilds after Hurricane Sandy, please call 877-682-6238 or e-mail SandyHelp@dol.state.nj.us.

You may also send your resume to FEMA-NJ-localhire-jobs@fema.dhs.gov for additional job opportunities.

KEY DISASTER RECOVERY CONTACT INFORMATION

1. FEMA: http://www.disasterassistance.gov/ or 1-800-621-3362 or 1-800-462-7585

2. Business Assistance Services:
N.J. Business Action Center http://www.newjerseybusiness.gov/ or 1-866-534-7789
U.S. Small Business Administration http://www.sba.gov/content/disaster-assistance; 1-800-659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov

3. Disaster Mental Help Hotline – 1-877-4357 or 2-1-1

4. Disaster Unemployment Insurance (now covering all 21 counties)
North Jersey – 201-601-4100
Central Jersey – 732-761-2020
South Jersey – 856-507-2340
Out-of-State – 888-795-6672

5. Volunteer – 1-800-537-7397

6. Donate – N.J. Hurricane Sandy Relief Fund organized by the Governor and Mary Pat Christie http://www.sandynjrelieffund.org/.

For additional disaster-related contact information, visit the Assembly Republican website at http://www.njassemblyrepublicans.com/?page_id=6576
or visit the state’s web page, http://www.nj.gov/ (click on Hurricane Sandy Information Center).