STATE CHAMBER AND CASINO ASSOCIATION SUPPORT CORZINE PLAN
The New Jersey Chamber of Commerce and the Casino Association of New Jersey have announced their support of the Governor’s fiscal restructuring plan.

The Chamber said it “applauds the Corzine Administration for putting forth a bold and aggressive plan designed to reduce out-of-control state debt and create stable, long-term funding for much needed transportation projects.”

William J. Marino, Chairman of the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce, said: “Already a strong plan with new thinking, the Chamber Board's desire is for it to go even further to forcefully address systemic expenditure problems within our state's fiscal structure that have plagued Administration after Administration." Ralph LaRossa, President and COO of Public Service Electric & Gas declared: "We're pleased to lend our support and expertise to help the Governor shore up New Jersey's critical transportation infrastructure - as well as the state's long-term financial strength and stability." Hazel Gluck, Chamber Executive Committee Member and former State Transportation Commissioner, asserted: “The Governor's plan is the best option available on the table to us to fix the state's fiscal problems."

The Casino Association statement declared: “This industry recognizes that without the resulting proceeds from the toll increases, the state cannot reduce its indebtedness by 50 percent and fund transportation projects for 75 years.”

GOVERNOR ANNOUNCES STEERING COMMITTEE TO ADVOCATE HIS PROPOSAL
Governor Jon Corzine thanked a 17-member steering committee which will advocate for his Fiscal Restructuring and Debt Reduction Plan. He made his comments in publicly releasing names of the steering committee, whom he described as representing “the highest echelons of the most important aspects of our society.”

Former Congressman Bob Franks heads the steering committee. The other members are: Philip K. Beachem, President of the New Jersey Alliance for Action; Dennis Bone, President, Verizon New Jersey; Sam Crane, Senior Vice President, External Affairs, Maher Terminals, Inc.; John Degnan, Vice Chair, Chubb Corp, and former New Jersey Attorney General; Larry Downes, Chairman & CEO, NJ Resources; Sheryl Gordon, President, American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees; Bill Gormley, former Republican State Senator; Fred Hassan, Chairman & CEO, Schering Plough; Reverend Reginald Jackson, Executive Director, Black Ministers Council; Mark Juliano, CEO, Trump Entertainment Resorts; Dick Leone, President, The Century Foundation, former Port Authority Chairman, former State Treasurer; Blair MacInnes, NJ Seeds Board Member, University Hospital Trustee; Gil Medina, former Commerce Commissioner to Governor Whitman and advisor to Brett Schundler; Raymond Meillier, Retired Vice President of Financial Services, Campbell’s Soup Company; Ray Pocino, Vice President, Laborers International Union; Shirley Tilghman, President, Princeton University; James Zazzali, former New Jersey Supreme Court Chief Justice, former Attorney General, former Chairman of State Commission of Investigation.

GOVERNOR ANNOUNCES NEXT ROUND OF TOWN MEETINGS
Governor Jon Corzine has announced the dates and sites of town meetings in the continuing series to discuss his financial restructuring plan. They will cover Union, Ocean, Monmouth, Passaic and Atlantic Counties.

-Wednesday, January 30 from 7 to 9 p.m. at Union County College, Roy W. Smith Theater, 1033 Springfield Ave., Cranford.
-Saturday, February 2 from 2 to 4 p.m. at Toms River North High School, Ritacco Center, 1245 Old Freehold Road, Toms River.
-Monday, February 4 from 7 to 9 p.m. at Marlboro High School, Theatre, 95 North Main Street, Marlboro.
-Wednesday, February 6 from 7 to 9 p.m. at Passaic County Technical Institute, Auditorium, 45 Reinhardt Road, Wayne.
-Thursday, February 7 from 7 to 9 p.m. at Atlantic Cape Community College, Walter E. Edge Theatre, 5100 Black Horse Pike, Mays Landing. For more information about the meetings Go Here http://www.state.nj.us/townhallmeetings/listing.

BIRDSALL SERVICES ACQUIRES PMK GROUP
Birdsall Services Group (BSG), the Sea Girt-based engineering firm, announced an agreement to acquire PMK Group, Inc., of Cranford. BSG serves clients in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut and Pennsylvania and now will have a staff of 450 with annual revenues exceeding $75 million.

PMK Group is an environmental consulting and engineering firm and will continue to operate under its current name as a subsidiary of BSG with James Johnston, P.E., R.B.P. as president. Howard Birdsall, CEO of BSG said the acquisition would “expand our service capabilities and strengthen our range of service to our clients.”

BERGER PLANS TO INVEST $56 MILLION IN DOWNTOWN NEWARK
An investment of about $56 million in three real estate projects in Newark will be made by The Berger Organization and partners.

Berger last month purchased all of the Military Park Building built in 1925 from the Kushner Companies for $25 million for the 85 percent of the property it did not already own. Berger plans to invest another $5 million to upgrade the building.

Berger also plans to start construction in April of a $6 million 50-room budget hotel on Central Avenue in Newark’s West Ward. In a third venture, Berger has an option to participate in a $20 million project to redevelop a three-acre site near NJ Transit’s Broad Street Station.

URBAN TRANSIT HUB TAX CREDITS ACT IS ENACTED
The Legislature passed and Governor Corzine approved a program known as the Urban Transit Hub Tax Credit Act. To encourage investment in urban centers, the Act would provide tax credits to firms that invest in projects within a half mile of transit stations. To qualify for credits, firms would have to invest at least $75 million in the projects and create at least 250 jobs. The tax credit would equal 10 percent of the company’s real estate investment.

CONSTRUCTION APPROVAL RECEIVED FOR WALL DEVELOPMENT SITE
Final approval has been received by Sheldon Gross Realty, Inc., of West Orange, to begin construction at Wall Commercial Park at Route 34 in Wall Township. Development plans at the 47-acre site will include three office buildings and one flex building for a total of approximately 300,000 square feet.

The first phase of construction will be a four-story, 58,000-square-foot office building and a 60,720-square-foot flex property. The second phase will be a two-story, 163,200-square-foot office building, and the final phase will consist of a three-story, 30,000-square-foot office facility.

REINVESTMENT AUTHORITY TO BE ATLANTIC CITY’S AGENT FOR BADER FIELD
The Casino Reinvestment Development Authority will serve as Atlantic City’s redevelopment agency for the 150-acre Bader Field Airport that closed in 2006. The tract is being eyed by potential developers, especially a number of casino operators who want to bring one or more new casinos.

The Reinvestment Authority will float the city a $25 million loan, which will be paid back when a developer buys Bader Field. The city plans to use the money to create a tax relief fund for local residents and businesses.

AUTHORITY TO HOLD INFORMATION SESSION ON EXPRESSWAY WIDENING
The South Jersey Transportation Authority will hold a public information center on Tuesday, February 19, to provide information about the Atlantic City Expressway widening project. The public is invited to attend at any time between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. at the Authority’s administration building located next to the Farley Service Plaza on the Expressway.

The Authority proposes to widen the Expressway with a third westbound lane from just west of the Garden State Parkway to just west of Route 73.

ALLIANCE IN ACTION
SAVE THE DATE – GOVERNOR’S TRANSPORTATION CONFERENCE --- FEBRUARY 29
The Alliance for Action’s 5th Annual Governor’s Transportation Conference will be held on Friday, February 29, at the Lafayette Yard Marriott Conference Center, Trenton.

The program will feature Governor Jon Corzine and will focus on his Fiscal Restructuring Program’s impact on New Jersey transportation projects.

Registration will begin at 12:30 p.m. and the program will begin at 2:00 p.m. Go Here.

GLOUCESTER COUNTY KICKS OFF 2008 CHAPTER MEETINGS
February 8, 2008 is the date; 8:15 a.m. is the time; and RiverWinds Community Center, 1000 RiverWinds Drive, Thorofare, N.J. is the place. A great program has been assembled with Senate Majority Leader, Stephen M. Sweeney;   Rowan University’s Technology Park, Chief Executive Officer Thomas Drury;  and New Jersey Motorsports Park Founder, Donald L. Fauerbach. To register Go Here.

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

-David Rousseau has been nominated by Governor Corzine as the new State Treasurer, he is awaiting Senate confirmation.
-Matthew Boxer took the oath of office as New Jersey’s first comptroller under legislation signed by Governor Corzine creating the Independent Office of the Comptroller. Boxer had been head of the Governor’s Authorities Unit and, prior to that, was an Assistant U.S. Attorney.
-Edward J. McBride, Jr., was appointed by Governor Corzine as his new Chief Counsel. McBride has been Deputy Chief Counsel since 2006.
-James J. Laskey has been elected Chairman of the Board of the Somerset County Business Partnership. He is a member of the Somerville-based law firm, Norris, McLaughlin & Marcus.

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