GOVERNOR CHRISTIE WILL DISCUSS TRANSPORTATION FUNDING AT ALLIANCE SUMMIT
  Governor Chris Christie will discuss his Transportation Funding Plan at the New Jersey Transportation Summit sponsored by the New Jersey Alliance for Action on Wednesday, March 2.  He will be joined by State Transportation Commissioner James Simpson as well as other key transportation decision makers in the region.  

Alliance President Philip K. Beachem said the Summit will provide a first-hand opportunity to hear from the Governor what his funding plan means for the State's in safety, jobs, economy and mobility.  

The Summit will be held at the Trenton Marriott Conference Center, Trenton.  Registration will begin at 12:30 P.M. and the program at 1:15 P.M.  

A large turnout is expected.  Get reservations in early by clicking Here>.

DAVID SAMSON ELECTED CHAIRMAN OF THE PORT AUTHORITY
Former New Jersey Attorney General David Samson, a prominent attorney who has served more than 30 years in public-sector positions, was elected the 18th Chairman of The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. 

Samson was nominated by Governor Chris Christie and confirmed by the State Senate.  He succeeds Anthony R. Coscia, who served as Chairman since April 2003 – the longest tenure as Chairman in the Port Authority’s modern history.  In June 2010, Mr. Coscia was appointed to the Board of Directors of the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak).

Governor Chris Christie said, “I have enormous faith and trust in David Samson.  With his background and experience in public life, he is particularly suited to serve New Jersey and New York, at this critical time as we work together to maximize our shared resources to expand commercial opportunities and prosperity in the port region.  We also owe a debt of gratitude to Tony Coscia for his years of service to the Port Authority, particularly for helping maintain the agency’s stability and effectiveness during a deep recession.”

Samson said, “During the upcoming years, our mission is clear.  We will continue to address the region’s major transportation needs, including Bayonne Bridge modernization, and to drive economic competitiveness and job creation in the port region with a commitment to fiscal responsibility.”

Samson is a founding member of the law firm Wolff & Samson. During 2002-2003, Samson served as New Jersey Attorney General, the chief law enforcement officer for New Jersey.  As Chairman of the New Jersey Domestic Security Preparedness Task Force, he worked with federal agencies in organizing and directing counterterrorism efforts throughout the New Jersey-New York area.

CREATING INVESTMENT FOR MEADOWLANDS SUPER BOWL IS ANNOUNCED
Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno and the Port Authority of New York &New Jersey announced an agreement with Host Hotels & Resorts, the owner of the Newark Liberty International Airport Marriott, for a multimillion-dollar renovation project. The private investment agreement comes in preparation for increased demand at the hotel as it welcomes Super Bowl XLVIII in 2014.

Under the agreement, approved by the Port Authority’s Board of Commissioners, Host Hotels & Resorts will invest $164 million in capacity and infrastructure improvements, including $34 million before Super Bowl XLVIII, to upgrade its facility. These private investments are in addition to the minimum annual guaranteed revenue the Port Authority will receive from the hotel over the life of the lease. As part of the agreement, the Port Authority will extend the hotel’s airport lease for 40 years. The total economic activity impact amounts to 250 total jobs, $14 million in wages and $60 million in economic activity over the life of the project. New Jersey

Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno said, “Today’s announcement underlines our commitment to attracting, retaining and growing jobs in New Jersey today and beyond 2014. This type of collaboration between the private and public sectors is a great win for the state.”

Port Authority Executive Director Chris Ward said, “This is a great deal for the Port Authority and a great deal for the New York-New Jersey region. And it’s happening just in time for Super Bowl XLVIII.” Deputy Executive Director Bill Baroni said, “Newark Liberty International Airport is the gateway to the 2014 Super Bowl.”

John Magnifico, General Manager of the Newark Liberty International Airport Marriott, said, “We're delighted that the Port Authority and Host Hotels & Resorts are working together on a project connected to the Super Bowl planned for New Meadowlands Stadium that will enhance the Marriott Hotel at Newark-Liberty International Airport as an inviting gateway hotel.”

The hotel, managed by Marriott International, has been a fixture at Newark Airport since 1983. Before the Super Bowl in three years, Host Hotels & Resorts will build a 10,000-square-foot ballroom and reconfigure and upgrade its food and beverage outlets.  

ATLANTIC CITY CASINO INDUSTRY GETS REVIVAL BOOST
  The revitalization of Atlantic City received a big boost when Governor Christie signed two bills to create a tourism district around the city's casinos and visitor attractions and to overhaul the way casinos are regulated by the State.   At the same time, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority approved $260 million tax increment financing to resume construction of the long-stalled $2.5 billion Revel casino project.

  Emphasizing bi-partisan support, State Senate President Stephen Sweeney, D-Gloucester, joined Christie at the bill signings in the lobby of the unfinished Revel Hotel & Casino.  Christie said the EDA action on tax increment funding will enable construction on the Revel to resume within weeks.  

ALLIANCE HONORS COUNTY ENGINEERS
  County Engineers from 16 of New Jersey’s counties were honored for serving the residents of the counties at a special “Salute to County Engineers” breakfast hosted by the New Jersey Alliance for Action. A capacity audience of some 250 attended the event at the PNC Arts Center in Holmdel. Some of the Engineers were accompanied by a County Freeholder.

Each County Engineer received a plaque from Alliance President Philip K. Beachem “in recognition of intelligent pursuit in discharging the daily responsibilities of your demanding service to the residents of your county.”

Alliance Chairman George Laufenberg commended the Engineers for “keeping in good repair thousands of miles of roads and bridges and environmental infrastructure.”

A report on the importance of county transportation systems was given by Monmouth County Engineer Joe Ettore and former Monmouth County Engineer Michael Barrett.

They noted that 50 percent of all county bridges are on municipal roads. County lane miles equal State lane miles. County roads carry half of the traffic carried on State roads. County roads carry three times the traffic per center line mile compared to Municipal roads.

Beachem informed the group that the Alliance for Action is preparing a communications effort to inform and convince the public how critical infrastructure is their lives and safety.

ITALIAN FIRM SET TO BUILD $15 MILLION PROJECT IN GLOUCESTER
Construction will begin in March for a $15 million U.S. headquarters and processing plant in Logan Township, Gloucester County, by a leading manufacturer of gluten-free foods in Europe.  The site will be the Pureland Industrial Park.

The project will be by Schar, Inc., founded in 1922 in northern Italy near Trieste.  Schar USA has been in tests for a few years at the Rutgers Food Innovation Center business incubator in New Brunswick and now intends to launch a full-scale operation in this country.

BAYONNE BRIDGE REPORT TO FEATURE HUDSON ALLIANCE MEETING
Reports on raising the Bayonne Bridge, transportation, and remarks from Bayonne Mayor Mark Smith will highlight a meeting of the Hudson County Alliance for Action on Friday, February 25.

The meeting will be held at Hudson Manor, LaQuinta Inn & Suites, 350 Route 3 West, Secaucus. Registration will begin at 8:15 a.m. and the program at 9:00 a.m. Presentations will be:

• "Bayonne Bridge: Raising the Roadway - a Cost-Effective Solution" --- Director Richard M. Larrabee of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. li>"Bayonne Has It All" --- Mayor Mark Smith.
• "Transformation Through Transportation" --- James C. Greller, Transportation Planner, Hudson County Improvement Authority.

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

• Joe DeMark, the Business Manager of Sheet Metal Workers Local 25 has been elected President of the New Jersey State Council of Sheet Metal Workers
• Scott Sheridan, Business Agent for Sheet Metal Workers Local 27, has been elected Secretary/Treasurer of the New Jersey State Council of Sheet Metal Workers.
• Thomas A. Bracken, a former bank executive, was named President & CEO of the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce.  He is a former Chairman of the Chamber's Board of Directors and has serves the New Jersey Alliance for Action on its Board and is Chairman of the Alliance's Foundation.
• Richard Sarles, former NJ Transit Executive Director has been named Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authorities (WMATA) new General Manager.
• Robert Garrison has been named the Director of the Bergen County Department of Planning & Economic Growth and Executive Director of the Bergen County Improvement Authority.  Garrison was Of Counsel to the law firm of Florio Perrucci Steinhardt & Fader, he also served as Director of the Laborers Eastern Regional Political Education Fund and Administrator of the New Jersey State Laborers Political Action Committee.
• Thomas “TJ” Earle of the Earle Companies has been elected President of the NJ Asphalt Pavement Association effective March 1, 2011.
• Dean J. Paranicas has been named as President and CEO of The HealthCare Institute of New Jersey, effective March 1, 2011.  Paranicas, 59, will succeed the late former Congressman Bob Franks.  He is currently Vice President, Corporate Secretary and Public Policy, for Franklin Lakes-based BD.

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