Some 100 Alliance members attended each lunchtime meeting - with Democrat Jim McGreevey on August 15 at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel and Republican Bret Shundler one week later at the Sheraton Edison Hotel.

McGreevey charged that, under 8 years of Republican Governors, New Jersey had not shared in the national economic prosperity and had neglected infrastructure, rebuilding the cities and education. On transportation, he called for merger of the Garden State Parkway, the New Jersey Turnpike and Atlantic City Expressway and pledged to fight diversion of dollars from the Transportation Trust Fund.

Shundler said New Jersey acutely needs reform of the way government works and how it provides education to its young people. He asserted that New Jersey "has to change the way government does business and how it spends money." He stated that special interests stand in the way of reform, but that he had demonstrated as mayor of Jersey City that "I can bring people together to bring about changes."

Both McGreevey and Shundler are long-time active members of the Alliance for Action and expressed agreement with the Alliance's focus on infrastructure investment as a key to New Jersey's economy, environment and quality-of-life.

True to the position as a non-partisan organization, the Alliance does not endorse candidates for political office.

Vieser's importance to the state was acknowledged in the Star-Ledger obituary which described him as "New Jersey's Mr. Infrastructure" for his forcefull and out spoken advocacy of infrastructure investment causes.

Vieser was a founder of the Alliance 27 years ago and served at its first President until he retired in 1995 and was honored with the title of President-Emeritus. He was still serving at the time of his death as President of The Foundation of the New Jersey Alliance for Action and as Chairman of the New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust Fund.

Two Governors, Republican Thomas Kean and Democrat Jim Florio, spoke elequently of Vieser's Contributions.

Kean said: "He was a force in the state. His monument is the tremendous number of roads and bridges we have to get people to work." He recalled that Vieser was instrumental in the creation of the Transportation Trust Fund.

Florio declared: "Ellis Vieser was an institution, a legend who for the last 30 years has been in the forefront of bringing public attention to the need for public and private investment in infrastructure." He credited Vieser with building support for the Wastewater Trust Fund, the forerunner of the Environmental Infrastructure Trust Fund.

Among the long list of honors bestowed on Vieser, there are two he especially coveted - an honorary Doctor of Science Degree from New Jersey Institute of Technology and the Governor's Pride Award for Economic Development.

Alliance President Phillip K. Beachem and Chairman George R. Laufenberg said Vieser was "a man who will never be forgotten." They reported that an appropriate memorial is being developed and will be announced soon.