SARLO-TURNER-GIRGENTI ‘MAIN STREET BUSINESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM’ SIGNED INTO LAW

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senators Paul A. Sarlo and Shirley K. Turner and co-sponsored by Senator John A. Girgenti which will establish the “Main Street Business Assistance Program” to support local small and mid-sized businesses in the State was signed into law today by Governor Corzine.

“The economic success of New Jersey lies in the thriving small and mid-sized businesses found along local throughways throughout the State,” said Senator Sarlo, D-Bergen, Essex and Passaic, and Vice Chairman of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee. “However, as the economy gets worse, consumers have less expendable income to spend, meaning that many of these businesses do not have the resources to survive the current national crisis. Through this new law, New Jersey is doing its part to protect businesses that have long-standing roots in the State, and in so doing, we’re preserving the economic engine that drives so many local communities.”

Lawyers will be the minority on the 2009 State Senate Judiciary Committee headed by engineer Paul Sarlo (D-Wood-Ridge)

For the first time since the new State Constitution was approved in 1947, a majority of members of the 2009 New Jersey State Senate Judiciary Committee -- six of eleven -- are not lawyers.  Chairman Paul Sarlo and Vice Chairman John Girgenti are not attorneys, as is fellow Democrat Loretta Weinberg.  Among the Republicans, Gerald Cardinale (who serves as the unofficial ranking Republican), Joseph Kyrillos and Jennifer Beck are not attorneys.

The lawyers on the Judiciary Committee are Democrats Raymond Lesniak, Nicholas Scutari, Robert Smith and Nia Gill, and Republican Bill Baroni. 

Senate President Richard Codey, who is responsible for the non-lawyer a majority -- a move some pols are applauding -- is one of a few non-lawyers to serve as Senate President.

TRENTON – A measure sponsored by Senators Paul Sarlo and John Girgenti, which creates the “Organized Retail Theft Task Force,” to help develop ways to address the problem of organized retail theft in New Jersey has been signed into law by Governor Corzine.

             “When these theft rings collaborate to rob stores of thousands of dollars worth of merchandise, consumers suffer because they end up picking up the slack by paying higher prices for the items they buy,” said Senator Sarlo, D-Bergen, Essex and Passaic.  “With the holiday season being in full swing, consumers are looking for bargains. This task force would identify ways to put an end to these theft rings, and allow businesses to keep their prices at lower, more reasonable levels.”

            “The effects of organized retail theft are of real concern to retailers – especially small business owners,” said Senator Girgenti, D-Bergen and Passaic.  “These theft rings not only place undue strain on the pockets of consumers and store owners, but they also pose a threat to the safety and security of all who are in the store.  Through this law’s provisions, we can deter this kind of crime, and protect the physical and financial safety of our residents.”

State Senate President Dick Codey (D-West Orange) today appointed state Sen. Loretta Weinberg to fill a vacant seat on the Judiciary Committee.

“Loretta Weinberg is an ideal choice for the Senate Judiciary Committee,” said Senator Codey in a statement. “Few members rival her passion and commitment to justice and equality. She brings with her an independent spirit and nuanced approach to government that will help ensure a thorough vetting of all gubernatorial nominees, particularly judicial candidates.”

The seat opens up as state Sen. John Adler (D-Cherry Hill) prepares to resign after being elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. Codey earlier tapped state Sen. Paul Sarlo (D-Wood-Ridge) to chair the committee.

Wally Edge's mea culpa to Senate President Richard J. Codey.

A report published two weeks ago in The Inside Edge that Senate President Richard Codey would pick Sandra Cunningham, not Frederick Madden, to chair the Senate Labor Committee if Paul Sarlo moved to Judiciary was just plain wrong.   Realizing that Madden was the most senior member of the Senate without a committee chairmanship, Codey promised to give the South Jersey Democrat strong consideration the next time a slot became available.  It is now apparent that Madden was always going to get Labor, and that Cunningham was not a candidate for this particular position.  Codey kept his word.

More on Codey’s word: on Sunday, the Senate President will read The Night Before Christmas during a performance of the Boston Pops at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center.  Our sources, hopefully correct this time, say that Codey has edited the classic story to reflect some of his own views.  That ought to be fun.

Bergen County Sheriff Leo McGuire, with Freeholder David L. Ganz, is a possible candidate for U.S. Marshal in the Obama administration

There are reports from some Democratic insiders that Bergen County Sheriff Leo McGuire is testing the waters to see if he can become the next U.S. Marshal from New Jersey -- a race where there are essentially two voters, U.S. Senators Frank Lautenberg and Robert Menendez.  Both Senators enjoy a good relationship with McGuire.

McGuire, who was not included in early Democratic short lists because of his interest in running for Bergen County Executive in 2010, is suddenly warming to the idea of leaving his county post to succeed James Plousis, a Republican who is expected to leave office at the end of the Bush administration.  

If McGuire resigns to become federal marshal, Gov. Jon Corzine would appoint an Acting Sheriff to replace him.  That could be problematic for the Governor, since he would need sign off from at least four State Senators from Bergen County to get the Senate to confirm his nomination -- not an easy task, since he'll need Paul Sarlo and Loretta Weinberg to back the same candidate.

PATERSON – On a mid October morning, state Sen. Paul Sarlo’s (D-Bergen) wife found him unconscious in the couple’s bed, suffering the effects of a pulmonary viral infection in conjunction with a sever acid reflux condition.

Early reports out of the hospital weren’t good.

Over a month later, Sarlo says he has made a full recovery as he prepares to assume the chairmanship of the Senate Judiciary Committee to succeed U.S. Rep.-elect Jon Adler (D-Camden).

“My recent episode puts a lot of things in perspective,” said the 40-year old Sarlo. “What I learned is the need for balance. I am in great shape and truly honored to be able to serve as chairman of such a prestigious committee and to play a vital role in our Constitutional duty to vet and examine all executive and judicial branch appointments.”

Sen. Joseph Kyrillos (R-Monmouth)

TRENTON – Members of the state Senate Judiciary Committee this evening responded favorably to news that state Sen. President Richard Codey (D-Essex) is poised to name state Sen. Paul Sarlo (D-Bergen) as committee chairman.

No one expressed any concern that Sarlo, an engineer by trade – lacks legal training.

“Paul’s an able guy and he’s been in the senate several years now,” said state Sen. Joseph Kyrillos (R-Monmouth). “He will bring a non-attorney’s perspective, which I think will be refreshing to many. I would urge Paul to take our institutional responsibility seriously, that we should not be and the people expect us not to be, a rubber stamp for the executive branch, despite the fact that governor and majority party are the same party.”

In terms of Sarlo’s close relationship with Codey, whom critics of the senate president regard as a control freak, Kyrillos said, “That’s not news.”

Gov. Jon Corzine

TRENTON - Emerging from passing six bills, part of a larger, nine-bill $245 million economic recovery plan championed by Gov. Jon Corzine - senators in both parties agreed that the work today represents only a small part of what’s required. 

Predictably, Democrats and some dissenting Republicans diverged starkly on fundamentals, with key GOP reps doubtful about enabling government to work as a problem solver, and Democrats digging in to take another big crack at the problem with that all-purpose tool: government.

“I think today New Jersey took a step in the right direction,” said state Sen. Paul Sarlo (D-Bergen), whose EDA Main Street Assistance bill dishes $50 million to help jumpstart small businesses. “We recognize this needs to be solved on the national level. But although a lot of Republicans talked, many of them came with us in the end.”

SARLO-TURNER ‘MAIN STREET BUSINESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM’ BILL APPROVED

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senators Paul A. Sarlo and Shirley K. Turner which would establish the “Main Street Business Assistance Program” to support local small and mid-sized businesses in the State was approved by the full Senate today by a vote of 37-3, receiving final legislative approval.

“New Jersey’s economic strength depends heavily on the many small and mid-sized businesses which dot our local landscapes and set up shop in storefronts along our major thoroughfares,” said Senator Sarlo, D-Bergen, Essex and Passaic, and Vice Chairman of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee. “These are businesses built from the ground up, by New Jerseyans and for New Jerseyans, providing access to jobs and investing in our communities. As we work to address the fall-out from the biggest economic meltdown since the Great Depression, we need to continue to support small and mid-sized business growth, and protect these businesses from the worst of the national crisis.”