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senatenj uploaded a new video
(2 days ago)
Senate Republican Tom Kean discusses SCR-60, legislation which would prevent raids of New Jersey's unemployment funds. In the past, governors and ...
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Senate Republican Tom Kean discusses SCR-60, legislation which would prevent raids of New Jersey's unemployment funds. In the past, governors and legislators have used these funds that workers pay into, for purposes other than the provision of unemployment benefits. Senator Kean's legislation would prohibit these diversions.
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senatenj uploaded a new video
(3 months ago)
Says Traffic Patterns Harming Area Businesses
Senator Sean T. Kean today called for the State Department of Transportation (DOT) to implement new tr...
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Says Traffic Patterns Harming Area Businesses
Senator Sean T. Kean today called for the State Department of Transportation (DOT) to implement new traffic patterns at the site of the new Route 36 Highlands Bridge.
While visiting a local business that is being impacted by the construction, Kean said the DOT could help mitigate the impact on businesses and motorists by requiring the bridge contractor to construct a new traffic configuration. The area has been beset by traffic tie-ups throughout the summer.
Businesses in the area that were already struggling to survive during the construction are now suffering even more because of the traffic patterns, he said. I am calling for the DOT to act quickly to implement new traffic patterns to alleviate the impact that this project is having on local businesses.
At the Sea Bright restaurant Something Fishy, Kean said that, in addition to increasing traffic congestion in the area, the traffic patterns are hurting businesses by discouraging people from visiting certain businesses.
He cited the prohibition of left turns for motorists leaving Sandy Hook as one of the traffic rules that has driven down business in the area. He noted that cars leaving Sandy Hook are unlikely to travel back over the bridge and use the jug handle in order to travel south on Route 36.
The existing traffic patterns are making it increasingly difficult for patrons to get to businesses, including several restaurants, that are located near the construction site, he said. Businesses cannot survive if they are not accessible to their customers.
Kean said that he will be meeting with he DOT on August 13 and will urge them to consider a variety of proposals that have been considered as possible solutions to the traffic situation in the area.
The DOT needs to look at all possible approaches that could possibly ease the traffic problems at the Highlands Bridge, he said. It is simply unacceptable to force area residents and businesses to endure yet another year under the current traffic patterns.
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senatenj uploaded a new video
(5 months ago)
Senate Republican Leader Tom Kean (R-21) responds to New Jersey Democrats who continually refuse to accept responsibility for their actions over th...
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Senate Republican Leader Tom Kean (R-21) responds to New Jersey Democrats who continually refuse to accept responsibility for their actions over the eight years that they have controlled the State of New Jersey.
Senator Kean makes it clear that actions taken in Trenton, including more than 100 tax increases, irresponsible spending and skyrocketing debt, have led to New Jersey's budget problems today.
Despite the efforts of Democrats to claim that New Jersey is no worse off than other states, Senator Kean forcefully shows that claim to be untrue.
While Democrats continually say that New Jersey's unemployment rate is no higher than anywhere else, Senator Kean disputes that fallacy as New Jersey's unemploment rate is actually half a point higher than any other state in the region.
Senator Kean also points out that the private sector job growth rate is 6x higher in Pennsylvania, 11x higher in Connecticut, 12x higher in Massachusetts and 8x higher in New York than in New Jersey
In fact, New Jersey will be the only state to end the decade with fewer private sector jobs than it had at the beginning of the decade.
He concludes by saying that the current budget fails in every single regard, and to try to place blame elsewhere is wrong.
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senatenj uploaded a new video
(1 year ago)
Pennacchio, Kean: Transparency Act Will Give Citizens a Tool for Better Government
The Transparency in Government Act would create a user-friendly W...
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Pennacchio, Kean: Transparency Act Will Give Citizens a Tool for Better Government
The Transparency in Government Act would create a user-friendly Web site to empower New Jersey citizens with the ability to ensure accountability for every state tax dollar. Senator Joe Pennacchio, R-District 26, the primary sponsor of the bill, is urging the state to create an easy-to-use site that displays the States annual revenues, expenditures and total debt as well as other current and historical information vital to monitoring government.
Taxpayers have a right to know how the state is spending their money. Today, Trenton doesnt help them very much, Pennacchio said. The state can easily provide information in a user-friendly format that can be accessed from homes, libraries and businesses. New Jersey citizens are demanding that it do so. It is long past time that we listen to taxpayers who are demanding that Trenton be accountable.
Garden State taxpayers get the bill for every expenditure made by the state. They deserve to know exactly where and how their hard-earned tax dollars are being spent, said Grover Norquist, the president of Americans for Tax Reform (ATR), a coalition of taxpayer groups, individuals and businesses opposed to higher taxes. A number of states have already started to empower taxpayers to track their tax dollars virtually at a mouse click. In doing so they are not only providing greater accountability, but are also able to identify tangible savings and efficiencies. New Jersey should seize the opportunity to reap the same benefits, and pass the Transparency in Government Act, immediately.
With a growing budget deficit, New Jersey needs common-sense solutions to get more value out of every dollar spent and insure accountability from Trenton, said Senate Republican Leader Tom Kean, a co-sponsor of the legislation.
I am thrilled to hear the great state of New Jersey is considering budget transparency, said Kasha Kelley, a state representative from Kansas who has championed government transparency on the Web across the nation. In a time when faith in government is weak at best, allowing transparency and sunlight into the fiscal affairs of government is simply and yet profoundly critical.
Similar legislation has been successful other states such as Texas and Kansas. An example of such a Web site can be viewed at: http://www.kansas.gov/kanview/.
In Texas, the state Comptroller Susan Comb was able to indentify $2.3 million in savings in her agency alone. One example: The site helped her discover that her office had five contracts for toner. The contracts were consolidated into one for a savings of about $73,000 a year.
Senator Pennacchio has established an online petition to build grassroot support for this legislation which is available at www.transparentnj.com. The website also includes links to other states using similar databases and a list of New Jersey municipalities that have sponsored resolutions in support of this legislation.
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