NJ Senate Dems -- 2013 State of Our State, 1-7-13

7/30/2019 NJ Senate Dems -- 2013 State of Our State, 1-7-13

1/13

STEPHEN M. SWEENEYSenate President

LORETTA WEINBERGMajority Leader

NIA H. GILLSenate President Pro Tempore


2/13

New Jersey:

By The Numbers

0 Comprehensive plans the governor has put forward to create jobs

2 National ranking in terms of foreclosure rates1

3 Percent the middle class has shrunk in New Jersey2

7.7 Percent of New Jersey homeowners currently in foreclosure3

9Dollars the governor refused from the federal government for every$1 New Jersey spends on Medicaid-eligible womens health care4

11.4New Jersey's poverty rate, a rate that has increased every year thatChristie has been in office5

18

States and the District of Columbia that have a higher minimumwage than New Jersey6

35Years it had been until New Jersey reached 9.9 percentunemployment, in August 20127

45 National ranking in terms of personal income growth8

47 National ranking in terms of unemployment rate9

1,349,700 Uninsured New Jerseyans10

1http://www.corelogic.com/research/national-foreclosure-report-october-2012.pdf

2http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2012/09/njs_middle_class_is_shrinking.html

3http://www.nj.com/business/index.ssf/2012/12/new_jersey_still_lags_in_forec.html

4http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bills/BillView.asp?BillNumber=S788

5http://www.northjersey.com/news/Poverty_rate_in_NJ_rises_for_4th_straight_year.html?page=all

6http://www.ncsl.org/issues-research/labor/state-minimum-wage-chart.aspx

7http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2012/09/nj_unemployment_rate_rises_to.html

8http://blogs.app.com/inthemoney/2012/09/25/new-jersey-personal-income-slips-to-45th/

9http://www.bls.gov/web/laus/laumstrk.htm

10http://www.statehealthfacts.org/profileind.jsp?ind=125&cat=3&rgn=32


3/13

Unemployment RaNew Jersey vs. United Stat

January 2010 - Present

7

7.5

8

8.59

9.5

10

10.5

Jan-10

Apr-1

0

Jul-1

0

Oct

-10

Jan-11

Apr-1

1

Jul-1

1

Oct

-11

Jan-12

Apr-1

2

Jul-1

2

Oct

-12

Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics


4/13

JOBS

What The Legislature Has Done

Passed legislation to provide incentives for angel investors

Offered proposals to create public/private partnerships

Supported job training programs

Encouraged tax credits for those that hire the unemployed

Approved bills to offer tax credits and exemptions for windenergy equipment

Advanced measures to provide small businesses with lowinterest EDA loans

What The Governor Has Done

Vetoed nearly all job creation bills

Reduced the Earned Income Tax Credit1

Cut property tax relief2

Cancelled the ARC tunnel

Result

Highest Unemployment Rate in 35 years3

Hundreds of thousands still without work

1http://www.njspotlight.com/stories/12/0807/2151/

2http://www.factcheck.org/2011/09/christies-tax-tale/

3http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2012/09/nj_unemployment_rate_rises_to.html


5/13

Jobs

Legislative Action

In the last two years, the Legislature has passed dozens of bills aimed at creating jobs and

spurring economic growth in New Jersey. Among them are:

S-3055 (Madden/Weinberg)* New Jersey Angel Investor Tax Credit Act; provides credits

against corporation business and gross income taxes for investing in New Jersey emerging

technology businesses;

S-3072(Madden/Buono)* Directs New Jersey Economic Development Authority and

Commission on Higher Education to promote the establishment of higher education and

business partnerships;

S-3080 (Greenstein/Gordon/Madden)* Establishes "Back to Work NJ Program"

S-2005(Smith/Bateman)* Provides sales and use tax exemption for wind energy

equipment;

S-3052(Whelan/Sarlo)* Establishes Small Business Loan Program in EDA allowing certain

small businesses to be eligible for low interest rate loans of up to $250,000 to expand

their businesses.

The governor has vetoed, either absolutely, conditionally, or by pocket veto, dozens of job

creation and economic growth legislation that has been sent to him, including: A-1676,

A-1678, A-1851, A-2215, A-3143, A-3195, A-3308, A-3353, A-3359 A-3513, A-3584, A-3596,

A-4332, A-4337, S-483, S-690, S-1216, S-1540, S-1794, S-1968, S-2065, S-2126, S-2345, S-

2373, S-2394, S-2398, S-2454, S-2888, S-3052, S-3054, S-3072

Governor Christie slashed the Earned Income Tax Credit in his FY11 budget and vetoedlegislation that would have restored it twice. Those actions essentially resulted in a tax increase

on the working poor. That money would have gone directly into the economy, helping create

jobs and spur growth.17

Governor Christie, in his first year in office, slashed funding for property tax relief programs.

Not only has that resulted in increased property taxes, but that funding would have been spent by

middle class New Jerseyans to help bolster the economy18

Governor Christie canceled the ARC tunnel, which would have created thousands of jobs here

in New Jersey.19



19http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/10/gov_christie_cancels_arc_tunne.html

* From the 214th

Legislative Session


6/13

HOUSING


Created expedited process for lenders to foreclose onabandoned homes

Directed HMFA to use federal funding to help keep people inforeclosed homes

Helped transform abandoned properties in affordable/marketrate housing


Mismanaged $300 million in funding meant to keep people intheir homes

Vetoed legislation that would provide affordable/market ratehousing

Cut legal services intended to help the poor

Result

Second highest foreclosure rate in the country1

Over 7 percent of New Jersey homeowners in foreclosure2

1http://www.corelogic.com/research/national-foreclosure-report-october-2012.pdf

2 http://www.nj.com/business/index.ssf/2012/12/new_jersey_still_lags_in_forec.html


7/13

Housing

Legislative Action on Foreclosure Crisis

The three measures below, taken together, represent a multi-pronged approach to resolvingNew Jerseys foreclosure crisis.

S-2156 (Lesniak) The law establishes an expedited foreclosure procedure for abandonedresidential properties that have fallen into disrepair. Lenders would be able to bring summaryactions to foreclose mortgages on vacant and abandoned residential property. The goal is totransform a process that can take over a year in most foreclosure cases, and compact it toa few months for abandoned properties that have fallen into disrepair. Final LegislativeApproval: 10/18/12, Signed 12/3/12

S-2202 (Lesniak/Greenstein) Requires HMFA to expand the NJ HomeKeeper Program inorder to help more homeowners at risk of losing their homes to foreclosure. FinalLegislative Approval: 12/20/12

S-2157 (Lesniak) Establishes the New Jersey Residential Foreclosure Transformation Actfacilitate the transformation of abandoned, run-down properties into affordable and market-rate homes. Final Legislative Approval: 12/3/12

Governors Action

Several media outlets reported on the administrations failure to adequately expend $300 million

in federal Hardest Hit funds to help struggling homeowners.15

Last July, the governor vetoed S-1566 (Lesniak/Buono) which establishes the "New Jersey

Residential Foreclosure Transformation Act," which would have helped totransform abandoned

properties into affordable/market rate housing.

As part of his FY2013 budget, Governor Christie slashed funding to the poor through legal

services. As a result, many low-income residents facing foreclosure will not have access to legal

assistance.16

15http://www.philly.com/philly/news/breaking/20121024_Christie_administration_acknowledges_foreclosure_lapses.html

16http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2012/06/gov_chris_christie_veotes_eigh.html


8/13

Health care


Created framework for state-based health exchange

Passed legislation to restore health care coverage for theworking poor

Urged Medicaid expansion through legislation


Twice vetoed health exchange bills

Left exchange subject to federal control

Slashed FamilyCare eligibility

Failed to commit to Medicaid expansion

Result

Hundreds of thousands of uninsured left vulnerable1

234,000 Medicaid-eligible unprotected2

39,000 low-income parents denied access to NJ FamilyCare3


2http://www.cshp.rutgers.edu/Downloads/8970.pdf

3http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/06/nj_democrats_call_on_gov_chris.html


9/13

Health Care

Health Exchange

The federal Affordable Care Act requires the creation of health exchanges, marketplaces where

both individuals and small employers can purchase affordable quality health insurance.

These new marketplaces, sometimes referred to as the Travelocity of health insurance, willprovide consumers with clear and concise information to enable them to choose among plans.

Federal subsidies will be available to many consumers to make coverage more affordable.

Hundreds of thousands of uninsured New Jerseyans would be covered by insurance that may

be purchased on the Health Exchange.5

A state-based exchange would better protect New Jersey consumers as it would allow the

state to create coverage standards for insurance companies and mechanisms to respond quickly

to changes in local insurance market.

However, the governor twice vetoed legislation approved by the Legislature to create a strong,

state-based health exchange.6

He has left the exchange subject to federal control, essentially giving up the opportunity to

create an exchange to fulfill the unique needs of New Jerseyans. 7

Legislative Action on Health Exchange

A-2171/S1319, sponsored by Senators Nia Gill and Joe Vitale, The Health Benefit Exchange

Act passes both houses on 3/15/12. It was vetoed on 5/10/12 with the Governor citing

pending U.S. Supreme Court Case and specific provisions in his veto message. 8

S-2135/A-3186, sponsored by Senators Gill and Vitale Second Health Benefit Exchange

Act Addressing Governors concerns9

passes both houses on 10/18/2012; Governor delaysdecision on Health Benefit Exchange Act, citing Presidential Election as outstanding factor

10;

The Governor vetoed it on 12/17/12 citing lack of information from federal government11


6http://www.politico.com/story/2012/12/christie-nixes-state-run-insurance-exchange-84718.html?7

http://statehealthfacts.kff.org/comparemaptable.jsp?ind=962&cat=178

http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2012/Bills/A2500/2171_V1.HTM9

(Note: Legislation removes $50,000 annual salary for board members; sets compensation for board executive director at same

level as NJ cabinet officials ($141,000 annually); adds two public members to the board of directors of the exchange to allow for

additional stakeholder input; clarifies that the exchange may, but is not required to, create and offer a Basic Health Plan)10

http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2012/10/nj_legislature_approves_health.html11

http://www.njspotlight.com/stories/12/12/07/citing-new-concerns-about-costs-christie-vetoes-health-benefit-exchange-bill-again/


10/13

Medicaid Expansion

The Affordable Care Act provides for the expansion of Medicaid to individuals with incomes up

to 138% of the federal poverty level based on modified adjusted gross income ($15,415 for

individual, $31,809 for family of four).

The expansion creates a new minimum Medicaid eligibility level for adults and eliminates a

limitation of the program that prohibits most adults without dependent children from enrolling in

the program.12

Federal and state governments currently share cost of Medicaid, with each entity paying 50

percent of the cost.

Federal government would pay 100 percent of Medicaid expansion for first three years, from

2014 to 2016. In later years, the federal government would pay 90 percent of the cost.7

234,000 New Jerseyans would be covered by the Medicaid expansion, according to the

Rutgers Center on State Health Policy.13

On Nov. 29, the Senate passed SCR-132, sponsored by Senators Vitale and Weinberg, urging

the governor to accept the offer from the federal government to pay the full cost of the

Medicaid expansion the first three years, followed by a three-year phase down to a permanent 90

percent reimbursement.

To date, Governor has refused to commit to the expansion.

New Jersey FamilyCare

Governor Christie froze enrollment in FamilyCare in the FY2011 Budget, which denied access

to the program to 39,000 adults.

In response, the Legislature passed S-2134 (Vitale) (214th

Session) to restore funding for the

program which would have enabled adults with incomes between 134% and 200% of the federal

poverty level to continue to be enrolled in the NJ FamilyCare program.

The funding also would have generated approximately $45.7 million in federal funds on behalf

of adults with incomes between 134% and 200% of the federal poverty level.

The governor vetoed the legislation, denying access to tens of thousands of residents.14

12http://www.kff.org/healthreform/upload/8023-R.pdf13

http://www.cshp.rutgers.edu/Downloads/8970.pdf14

http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2010/Bills/S2500/2134_V1.HTM


11/13

WomenS ISSUES


Prioritized health care funding for women

Repeatedly offered proposals to restore funding to womenshealth care

Laid groundwork for 9-to-1 federal funding match for familyplanning

Advanced measures to create pay equity for women


Eliminated family planning funding

Blocked critical funding restorations

Refused to pursue $9 federal match for every $1 spent onwomens health care for Medicaid-eligible residents1

Vetoed gender equity bills

Result

Dramatic decline in health services for women, families2

Women remain vulnerable to pay discrimination3

1http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bills/BillView.asp?BillNumber=S788

2http://www.politifact.com/new-jersey/statements/2011/jun/10/loretta-weinberg/state-sen-loretta-weinberg-says-6-new-jerseys-58-f/

3http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2012/Bills/A3000/2649_V1.HTM, http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2012/Bills/A3000/2650_V1.HTM,

http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2012/Bills/A3000/2648_V1.HTM


12/13

Womens Issues

Family Planning

In 2010, Governor Christie completely eliminated the state family planning budget line that

allocated $7.4 million for basic reproductive health care services.

Six family planning centers closed and numerous others cut service hours as a result.1

In 2011, New Jerseys family planning providers saw at least 26,000 fewer patients compared

with 2009 a 19% drop in patients served, according to Planned Parenthood of New Jersey.

During that period, the number of breast exams provided dropped by nearly 20,000, and fewer

tests were performed for sexually transmitted infections: From 2009-2011, the number of

gonorrhea and chlamydia tests both decreased by 24%, while syphilis and HIV tests decreased

by 5% and 6%, respectively, according to Planned Parenthood of New Jersey.

The Legislature has sent numerous bills to the governors desk to restore funding, only to see

them vetoed.2

Federal Match

The governor withdrew an application for a family planning waiver that could have provided

coverage to New Jersey residents in need and saved the state over $73 million3

In doing this, the governor left millions in federal funding on the table in Washington. He

refused $9 in federal funding for every $1 spent in New Jersey on family planning services for

Medicaid-eligible women.

The governor blocked legislation that would restore the funding, most recently vetoing

legislation that would require the filing of a State Plan Amendment to extend Medicaid coveragefor family planning services to people with incomes of up to 200% of the federal poverty level.

The Medicaid language change would have made New Jersey eligible for a 9-to-1 federal

match on funds to support family planning for Medicaid-eligible women.4

As a result, more women have gone without critical preventive health care.

1http://www.plannedparenthoodnj.org/library/consequences

2http://www.northjersey.com/news/health/072310_NJ_Gov_Chris_Christie_vetoes_75_million_family_planning_grant.html3

http://www.nationalfamilyplanning.org/document.doc?id=1814

S-788 Supplemental appropriation to DHSS for $7,453,000 for family planning services, and requires filing of State Plan

Amendment to extend Medicaid coverage for family planning services to persons with incomes up to 200% of federal poverty level.

Final Legislative Approval: 6/25/12, Vetoed: 7/26/12


13/13

Equal Pay

Women are nearly half of the workforce and are the equal, if not main, breadwinner in four out often families, according to research from the Washington D.C.-based Institute for Women andPolicy Research. In addition, they receive more college and graduate degrees than men. Yet,

women on average earn 77 cents for every dollar earned by men, according to the Institute.

The Legislature acted to address this dramaticdisparity.

In June, the Legislature gave final approval to four bills intended to create an environment inwhich men and women were more likely to be paid an equal wage for an equal days work.

The bills sought to expand wage transparency, educate employees of their right to equitabletreatment, and ensure that valid claims of pay discrimination were not tossed out as a result ofa technicality. Another measure (SR-50) urged Congress to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act,in order to combat the persistent income gap attributable to systemic gender discriminationnationwide.

The governor vetoed 3 of the 4 bills as indicated below:

S-1933/A-2650, sponsored by Senate President Steve Sweeney and Senator LorettaWeinberg, which would have applied provisions of the federal Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Actof 2009 namely, the ability to restart the statute of limitations every time an employeereceives a paycheck that violates discriminatory pay practices to the State Law AgainstDiscrimination. The goal of the legislation was to ensure that people who were subject to paydiscrimination for an extended period of time wouldnt have their claims thrown out in court ona technicality. Final Legislative Approval: 6/21/12, Vetoed: 9/24/12

S-1935/A-2648, sponsored by Senators Weinberg and Linda Greenstein, which would haveprohibited employers from retaliating against any employee who discusses informationregarding job title, occupational category and rate of compensation with a fellow or formeremployee. The intent, according to the bill sponsors, was to create a more open

environment in which pay disparity based on gender discrimination was uncovered and dealtwith appropriately. Final Legislative Approval: 6/21/12, Vetoed: 9/24/12

S-1932/A-2649, sponsored by Senators Weinberg and Greenstein, which would haverequired public contractors to report the gender, race, job title, occupational categoryand rate of compensation of every person employed in New Jersey in association with apublic contract to the Department of Labor and Workforce Development. Final LegislativeApproval: 6/25/12, Vetoed: 9/24/12

S-1930, sponsored by Senators Weinberg and Linda Greenstein, which requires employersto post notice of worker rights particularly the right to be free of gender inequity or bias inpay in the workplace, and to provide written or electronic notification to workers of theirrights under the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination, Title VII of the federal Civil

Rights Act of 1964 and the Equal Pay Act of 1963. Final Legislative Approval: 6/25/12,Signed 9/19/12

Documents

NJ Senate Dems -- 2013 State of Our State, 1-7-13