Quorum Call
News from the District
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From the office of Assemblyman Kevin J. Rooney
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A Message from the Assemblyman:
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Dear Friend,
Welcome to July! Summer is finally upon us and we celebrate our nation’s independence this month. As we get ready for backyard barbecues, trips down the shore, and extended vacations, I wish you and your family a safe and healthy summer. June was certainly a busy month as our weeks were packed with committee meetings and voting sessions. The legislature acted on over 200 bills in June, including the budget.
July is also the beginning of the fiscal year 2020, which means another year without tax relief. On Sunday, June 30th at 2:00 PM – just hours before his constitutional obligation to act on a budget, Governor Murphy signed a $38.7 billion budget into law. While it didn’t include a new millionaire’s tax, this budget represents a 3.5% increase over the one Governor Murphy signed last year. It’s also an 11.5% increase in state spending since Governor Murphy took office. New Jersey cannot afford the Murphy Administration’s tax and spend agenda. During his remarks about the budget, Governor Murphy proudly proclaimed that he was elected because he “offered a different vision for New Jersey.” However, Governor Murphy failed to explain to the people of our state that the budget he signed included over $82 million in special interest earmarks. Governor Murphy is right, he does offer a different vision for New Jersey – but his vision has brought Washington D.C. style of politics and policies to Trenton. New Jerseyans deserve better than Trenton’s consistent mismanagement and I will continue to provide reasonable dissent to Governor Murphy’s flawed policies. That is why I voted against this budget.
Other news from the District and about my activities this past month are included below. I've also included a brief section detailing July's Observances as National Blueberry Month and National Postal Worker Day on July 1st. Finally, our
Spotlight
feature this month recognizes Alie Stroker of Ridgewood on becoming the first actor in a wheelchair to win a Tony Award for her work on "
Rodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma!
"
Sincerely,
Kevin J. Rooney
Assemblyman
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Rooney's Recipes
Assemblyman and winner of Food Network's
"Chopped"
shares his favorite recipes
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Now that’s its grilling season, a simple and easy summer light side dish
Broccoli Salad.
Dressing:
1-cup mayonnaise
1/2-cup sugar
1/4-cup apple cider vinegar
Salad Mix:
1 pound chopped fresh broccoli
3/4 cup shredded Cheddar
1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts (nut allergies, substitute pretzels)
1/3-cup sun-dried cranberries
1/3 cup Mandarin Orange Slices
1/4 cup chopped red onions
3 slices cooked bacon, chopped
Directions:
- For the dressing: Whisk together the mayo, sugar and vinegar in a large bowl.
- For the salad mix: Toss the broccoli, cheese, macadamia nuts, cranberries, mandarin orange, green onions and bacon in a large bowl. Fold in the dressing until mixed thoroughly. Enjoy.
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Recent Legislation and News from Trenton
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Here is some of my recent activity at the State House.
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Joined Assemblyman Chris DePhillips, Wyckoff Mayor Tom Madigan, and Committeeman Rudy Boonstra at the Annual Wyckoff Day.
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Wyckoff Annual Fishing Derby
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Attended the fishing derby with my grandchildren Gryffin and Scarlett. Proud to say that Scarlett won the entire fishing tournament!
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Uniting to Be Stigma Free for Our Angels - Wayne
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Attended a wonderful event with Assemblyman Chris DePhillips, Wayne Mayor Chris Vergano and township council.
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Assemblyman Chris DePhillips and I joined Mayor David Kohle at Pequannock's annual Street Fair.
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Allendale Girl Scouts Gold Award Ceremony
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Proud to have been part of the ceremony. I congratulate all the girls.
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Consumer Affairs Committee
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Attended the Assembly Consumer Affairs Committee meeting where we voted on numerous bills including a bill that allows a business income tax deduction for charitable food donations.
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Had the pleasure of attending this morning's Tuesday Group Meeting to discuss the upcoming budget and the affordability crisis in New Jersey caused by Governor Murphy’s irresponsible policies. I also would like to thank
Grover Norquist
for coming to New Jersey for giving us an update on federal issues
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Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey's Year End Dinner
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I thank the
Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey
for inviting me to their year end meeting. I commend them for all that they do for our children and community.
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Oasis - End of Year Empowerment Ceremony
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Honored to join
Oasis - A Haven for Women and Children
for the 2019 End of Year Empowerment Celebration. The work that Oasis does has always been very dear to me and I congratulate all the women. I am so proud of them and look forward to seeing their continued success.
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Assembly Appropriations Committee
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Attended the Appropriations Committee, where we acted on over 50 bills. I thank all the members of the public for participating in today’s meeting.
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Allendale Veterans Housing Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
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Senator Kristin M. Corrado,
Assemblyman Christopher DePhillips
and I joined
Mayor Ari Bernstein
, Councilwoman Liz Homan, and Councilwoman Amy Wilczynski for
Bergen County's United Way
and Medeline Corporation's Allendale Veterans Ribbon cutting to celebrate the town's newest housing developments for military families.
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Eagle Scout Court of Honor
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Assembly Consumer Affairs Committee
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Attended another Assembly Consumer Affairs Committee meeting in Trenton. We acted on multiple bills including Assembly Bill No. 5225 that requires consumer notification of vehicle warranty for aftermarket and recycled parts.
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Girl Scout Troop 70126 Gold Awards Ceremony
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Attended a meeting of the Assembly Appropriations Committee. We heard over 30 bills including A5570, which I co-sponsored. This bill will play a critical role in moving the Gateway Tunnel project forward.
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Pompton Lakes - Lincoln Elementary School's Advancement Ceremony
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Assemblyman Christopher DePhillips
and I attended Lincoln Elementary School’s Advancement Ceremony in Pompton Lakes. I congratulate all the 5th graders and Principal Louis Shadiack on his retirement. His service to the students of Pompton Lakes is immeasurable and I wish him all the best.
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Spent a long day in Trenton voting on over 150 bills. We approved numerous measures that address with our infrastructure, opioid crisis, and healthcare.
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Joined Julie Briggs on WMTR 1250AM to discuss the budget and other issues impacting the state.
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Eagle Scout Court of Honor
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New Jersey's Hammonton
is often referred to as the blueberry capital of the world. Our blueberry farmers don't only produce a tasty fruit but they also contribute so much to our state's economy.
New Jersey's $79.5 million blueberry industry is backed by about 254 farms spanning 8,800 harvested acres, with about 7,594 of those acres located in the Hammonton area of Atlantic County. Those acreage totals yield about 57 million pounds of blueberries in the state and 49 million in the county per year. Both the totals for harvested acres and yield per acre rank fifth in the country. Additionally, New Jersey's Outer Coastal Plain makes up nearly all of southern New Jersey. Its soils are more fine, sandy and acidic compared to the regions to the north due to its relatively young geographic age. These soil conditions allow the berries to thrive. Located within this geographic region is the New Jersey Pine Barrens, an internationally recognized biosphere that makes up 22 percent of the state's land area.
After the turn of the century, the Pine Barrens quickly lent itself nicely to agricultural practices, specifically cranberry and blueberry crops. Elizabeth Coleman White, a native of Whitesbog, was credited with developing and marketing the first cultivated highbush blueberry plant with the help of a United States Department of Agriculture botanist named Frederick Coville. Thanks to the efforts of White and Coville, paired with a geographic location smack-dabbed in between multiple metropolitan areas and a hot and humid climate perfect for the fruit, blueberries have become an industry most-recently valued at $79.5 million -- a 40 percent increase from the year before
National Postal Worker Day is observed annually on July 1st. This is a day to appreciate and thank the numerous men and women who work consistently and diligently deliver all of our mail and packages. These employees suffer some of the harshest working conditions, yet continue to persevere six days a week. Across the United States, postal workers walk an average of 4 to 8 miles carrying a full load of letters and packages and delivering them promptly to each of our doorsteps. There are approximately 490,000 postal workers across the United States. They work in all kinds of weather including extreme heat and cold, rain and sleet and blizzards, too. Besides severe weather, they have also dealt with unusual packages. In 1913 the postal service started delivering packages up to a maximum 11 pounds. The most surprising package to arrive for delivery was a small child. Barely under the weight limit, James Beagle was mailed at a cost of 15 cents to his grandmother just a few miles away. This practice continued for just over a year until the postmaster general was able to put regulations in place prohibiting it.
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Consumer Tips
Tips, scam alerts, and other advice about every-day situations for consumers
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Ridgewood native becomes the first actor in a wheelchair to win a Tony Award
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Ridgewood native Stroker, 31, who was paralyzed from the chest down at the age of 2 in a car accident, plays Ado Annie in a
revival of the Broadway classic "Rodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma!"
Throughout her time at Ridgewood High School, Stroker frequently landed leading roles in the theater program, RHS New Players. "It's not that the wheelchair disappears, but it's an integral part of her performance,"said Meg Schaefer, artistic director of the Ridgewood High School theater program. "I feel like everybody in Ridgewood is watching tonight, because we all watched her grow up." Her talent shone through even in childhood: At age 9, she starred as Dorothy in "The Wiz" in a production at Somerville Elementary School.
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1211 Hamburg Turnpike
Suite 301
Wayne, NJ 07470
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Office: (973) 237-1362
Fax: (973) 237-1367
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Appropriations
Consumer Affairs
Environment and Solid Waste
Statewide Public Safety Communications Commission
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