GOVERNOR CORZINE SIGNS NEW BUDGET SEEKING FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY
Governor Jon Corzine signed a $32.9 billion state budget for FY 2009 that he conceded is “painful,” but that has been hailed as “unprecedented and fiscally responsible.” The budget appropriates $600 million less than the current budget --- only the second time in New Jersey history that a budget has decreased state spending.

To continue that fiscal momentum for future state budgets, Governor Corzine also issued Executive Order No. 103, which requires that recurring state expenses must match recurring revenues. He commented that the budget cuts “make clear that fiscal and tax stability for New Jersey citizens is possible.”

The FY 2009 budget applies $650 million to reducing state debt, which could save at least $135 million in debt service annually for the next five years. In other highlights, the budget also:
-Reduces the size of government by 3,000 workers through early retirement and attrition.
-Cuts the operating budget of every state department by an average of five percent and eliminates the Department of Personnel and the Commerce Commission.
-Provides nearly $600 million more for public education through a new funding formula.
-Maintains the property tax rebate program of $1.5 billion to property owners with incomes up to $150,000 a year.
-Uses $261 million in unexpected surplus revenues to replenish the Unemployment Insurance Fund to avoid a $350 million increase in business taxes.

LEGISLATION PASSED TO EASE FEES ON NON-RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT
The Senate and Assembly passed legislation revising affordable housing laws to reduce fees on non-residential development adopted by the State Department of Community Affairs.

Based on a variety of calculations, the fees were projected to add a premium of 8 percent to 10 percent to non-residential development projects. The newly passed legislation would override them by setting an impact fee of 2.5 percent of equalized assessed value to avert what business, development organizations and trade groups say would harm the building industry in New Jersey.

ATLANTIC CITY CONVENTION CENTER WILL GET SOLAR ENERGY ROOF
The Atlantic City Convention Center announced a 20-year agreement to purchase solar power --- which would be the largest solar power installation on a single roof in the world. The project is expected to save the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority $4.4 million over the 20-year period.

Under the agreement, Pepco Energy Services of Arlington, VA, will install solar panels across 290,000 square-feet of the center’s roof to generate 2.36 megawatts, or about 26 percent of the building’s energy consumption.

This project will be featured at the Atlantic County Alliance for Action Meeting on August 22, 2008.

PSE&G PROPOSES ENERGY-SAVING PLAN
Public Service Electric & Gas has proposed spending $45.9 million on a project aimed at helping residents and businesses to reduce the amount of electricity and gas they use each day. The proposal was filed with the State Board of Public Utilities.

In the program, PSE&G proposes to conduct energy audits, install programmable thermostats, improve attic insulation and retrofit lighting in homes and businesses in Newark and Trenton --- and later in other urban areas. The project eventually would reach 30,000 customers.

PSE&G would recover the investment through a small energy surcharge on every costumer’s bills. The company estimated the new charge would add about 42 cents annually to a typical residential customer’s gas bill and 12 cents to a typical electric bill.

MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY REACHES GREEN AGREEMENT WITH EPA
Montclair State University and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) entered into an agreement to utilize new green technology and practices at its 246-acre campus. The University said it is the first educational institution in the nation to reach such a pact with the EPA. The agreement includes usage of solar and steam energy, recycling of paper, plastic and food residue, water and land conservation, and utilizing green-building technology and materials in new construction.

Montclair State University is a member of the Alliance for Action.

PROGRAM ANNOUNCED FOR 2008 RECYCLING AWARDS
The 2008 Recycling Awards Program was announced by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and cosponsored by the Association of New Jersey Recyclers. Applicants must be located in New Jersey, agree to share their program or project with others, provide supporting documentation for the two-year period 2006-2007 and not have been an award winner for the previous three years.

Applications must be received by July 11, 2008. Categories include institution, business, retail merchant, government, leadership, rising star, educator/educational program, recycling industry source reduction and management.

For applications or information, contact Vicki Kerekes, New Jersey DEP, Solid and Hazardous Waste Program, Bureau of Recycling and Planning, 401 East State Street, P.O. Box 414, Trenton, NJ 08625, telephone (609) 984-6906.

TRENTON’S ROEBLING MARKET TO GET NEW SUPERMARKET
For the first time in more than two years, Trenton’s Roebling Market will welcome a supermarket, Food Bazaar, a New York-based chain specializing in ethnic foods. Roebling Market lost its anchor tenant, the Super G supermarket, in 2005.

The Food Bazaar, is part of a 20-year-old, 14-store chain mostly located in Brooklyn, Queens and The Bronx which specializes in inner-city supermarkets. The company plans a 65,000-square-foot market in Roebling Market, with approximately 95 percent of the store’s employees from the local area.

SWEDISH FIRM MOVING A UNIT FROM PUERTO RICO TO WAYNE
Swedish health care equipment maker, Gettinge AB announced plans to move its cardiac surgery production unit, Maquet, from Puerto Rico to Wayne. There are about 200 employees currently at the Wayne site and 235 in Puerto Rico, all of whom will be offered jobs at the Wayne plant.

The shift will be completed by the end of next year said a spokesperson for Maquet, which also has operations in Bridgewater. The Swedish firm, Gettinge, said the move is expected to save about $12 million a year starting in 2010.

BMW UNVEILS $100 MILLION ADDITION IN WOODCLIFF LAKE
BMW of North America LLC unveiled a $100 million addition to its U.S. headquarters in Woodcliff Lake. It includes a national training center, regional sales offices and engineering operations.

The company said 1,000 people will work at the expanded location. BMW Group also reports it will invest $1 billion in the US by 2012.

JAGUAR LAND ROVER RELOCATING TO MAHWAH FROM CALIFORNIA
In another automotive move, Jaguar Land Rover North America LLC announced it plans to relocate its headquarters to Mahwah from Irvine, Calif., later this year.

The New Jersey Economic Development Authority in May offered Jaguar a $1.7 million grant to create 170 jobs, according to an EDA spokesman.

MONMOUTH ALLIANCE TO HEAR ABOUT SHORE PROTECTION, WIND POWER AND RAIL LINE
The Monmouth County Alliance for Action will meet on Friday, July 18, at the Eagle Oaks Golf Club in Farmingdale. The agenda includes shore protection, offshore wind power and alignment of a Monmouth-Ocean-Middlesex rail line.

Registration will be at 8:15 a.m. and the program at 9 a.m. The speakers will be:
-Dr. Richard T. Dewling, former State Commissioner of Environmental Protection, who is Chairman & CEO of Dewling Associates and President of the New Jersey Shore Partnership.
-Bonnie Goldschlag, Assistant Planning Director of the Monmouth County Planning Board.
-Project Director Doug Pfeister and Deputy Project Director in New Jersey for Bluewater Wind.
Co-chairs of the Monmouth Alliance are County Freeholder Director William C. Barham and Wyatt Earp, President of the Monmouth-Ocean Counties AFL-CIO, Central Labor Council.
To register for the meeting, Go Here.

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE
- Gary Rose announced that he would leave his position as Chief of the State Office of Economic Growth in the Corzine administration. His departure was effective at the end of June.

To tell us what you think of our on-line news Go Here.

Back to Online News Home Page