GOVERNOR CALLS FOR NEW JERSEY TO EMBARK ON A NEW COURSE
In his first budget address, Governor Chris Christie today issued a challenge to state and local governments and the citizens of New Jersey to share the necessary sacrifices and to set what he repeatedly described as a “New Course.”

In acknowledging political pressures to come, Christie asserted “I was not sent here to increase taxes. I was sent here to veto increased taxes. New Jersey’s tax madness must end!”

The Governor issued a series of declarations such as: “It’s time for change. The day of reckoning has arrived. We must stop sweeping problems under the rug.”

Christie asserted that “all of us must make tough and painful choices as every department in state government will be reduced and local governments no longer can spend more than their revenues.”

He anticipated that there will be 1,300 governmental layoffs beginning in January 2011 and asserted “in my eight weeks as Governor I have cut $13 billion in spending.” Declaring that New Jersey has the sad distinction of being the number one state in the nation in property taxes, Christie called for a constitutional amendment limiting annual property tax increases to 2.5%, a cap he said would also govern annual state government spending.

Christie said that while New Jersey suffers the highest property tax burden in the country, it also has experienced the highest unemployment rate in the region. “Does that seem like a coincidence to you?”

Prior to his address, the Governor briefed the New Jersey Alliance for Action and other key state associations on the specifics of his budget proposals.

Among the highlights of Christie’s address were $820 million reduction in local school aid, $445 million reduction in municipal aid and $175 million reduction in aid to public colleges and universities. He concluded by describing his budget as “a blueprint for reform not only for this year but also for years to come.”

FEDERAL OFFICIAL AFFIRMS LONG TERM COMMITMENT TO TUNNEL PROJECT
  A top official in the U.S. Department of Transportation reaffirmed the Obama Administration's long-term commitment to the ARC Mass Transit Tunnel now under construction.  To a question by U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg at a hearing by the Environment and Public Works Committee, the response by Under-Secretary for Policy, Roy Kienitz was:  

"...we are continuing to be committed to keeping that project moving forward as fast as possible.  The amount of resources that were committed earlier in the year and in the President's budget are designed precisely to make sure that it stays on track because, as you know, the usage of that facility, when eventually completed, is just going to be so terribly high it really competes very well under any criteria."  

President Obama's budget for FY 2010 prioritized the tunnel project for a Full Funding Grant Agreement, signaling a commitment from the federal government.  The budget includes $200 million toward construction of the tunnel.  

Senator Lautenberg said he was pleased by "a show of long-term support for the largest and most forward-looking mass transit project in America."  A project spearheaded by the New Jersey Alliance for Action.

FEDERAL TRANSPORTATION FUNDING EXTENDED TO
END OF 2010
After a series of temporary month-to-month extensions, it appears that the federal surface transportation funding program will be on solid financial footing for the rest of this year.  The House approved the Jobs Bill by 217-201, which extends the program through December 31, 2010.

Since the House made some minor changes, the bill returned to the Senate for another vote before it is sent to President Obama for signature.  The extension would provide Congress and the White House with more time in which to try to come up with a longer multi-year solution.

NJ TRANSIT SETS HEARINGS ON PROPOSED FARE HIKES AND SERVICE CUTS
NJ Transit will hold a series of hearings to receive public input on the proposed 25 percent fare increase for trains and buses and service cuts to offset a $300 million budget deficit.

Hearings and information sessions are scheduled for 11 locations from March 25-27 in the evenings and on Saturdays to encourage participation.

THURSDAY, MARCH 25 FROM 5:30-8:30 p.m.

• Paterson -- Passaic County Community College Theatre, Ellison Street & Memorial Drive
• Newark -- NJ Transit Headquarters Board Room, One Penn Plaza East
• Trenton -- Trenton Transit Center, 72 South Clinton Avenue

• Secaucus -- Frank R. Lautenberg Rail Station, County Road and County Avenue
• Camden -- Camden City Hall Council Chambers, 520 Market Street
• Morristown -- Morristown Town Hall Senior Community Center, 200 South Street
• Long Branch -- Long Branch Middle School Auditorium, 260 Indiana Avenue
• New York -- (Information Session) Port Authority Bus Terminal, Times Square Hall, 625 Eighth Avenue

• Hackensack (Information Session) Bergen County Freeholders Public Meeting Room, 5th floor One Bergen County Plaza
• Atlantic City (Information Session) Atlantic City Rail Terminal Lobby, One Atlantic City Expressway

GROUND BROKEN FOR NEW CENTRA OFFICE BUILDING IN ISELIN
Construction has begun on Centra, the redevelopment of the former Siemens building at Wood Avenue in the Iselin section of Woodbridge. 

The project will include a five-story 105,000 square-foot Class A office building with floor to ceiling glass, sunken gardens, a cafe, fitness center and conference space.  For its environmentally friendly features, LEED certification will be sought for the new facility.

DENMARK COMPANY TO OPEN US HEADQUARTERS IN PARSIPPANY
Leo Pharma, a Denmark pharmaceutical company which specializes in skin diseases, will open a U.S. headquarters in Parsippany.  It plans to have 100 workers in New Jersey by the end of this year.  

A spokesman said the company chose New Jersey because it is the center of the pharmaceutical industry.  

DATE TO REMEMBER
The New Jersey Alliance for Action's 34th annual Golf Classic will be held on Monday, May 17, at Eagle Oaks Golf & Country Club in Farmingdale.  The day will include lunch at 11:00 a.m., shotgun start at 12:30 p.m. and cocktails and dinner at 5:30 p.m.

Co-Chairmen are Michael Capelli, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of New Jersey Regional Council of Carpenters, and Jeffrey Waters, President of Waters & Bugbee.
To register, Go Here.

VOTERS APPROVE $76.8 MILLION FOR LOCAL SCHOOL PROJECTS
  Local voters approved school construction projects on the ballot in two of five districts for a total of $76.8 million.  This amounted to approximately 60 percent of the proposed $128.8 million on referendum.  

The public questions approved were $67.3 million in Willingboro Township for renovations to eight schools and $9.5 million in Lumberton Township to install solar panels at four schools.  

RAHWAY MOVES TO FUND $8.5 MILLION ARTS PROJECT
  The Rahway Municipal Council adopted a $8.5 million bond ordinance to fund downtown construction projects, featuring a new 1,100-seat theatre.  The site would be near the existing Union County Performing Arts Center.  

The theatre will be constructed on property that once was home to the Hamilton Laundry.  The project also would include a black-box theatre next door as well as conversion of a 54-unit apartment building into affordable housing geared toward artists.  Mayor James Kennedy said the project should be completed in 2011.  

REMINDER:  BURLINGTON ALLIANCE TO MEET ON
FRIDAY, MARCH 19
  Discussions of economic development and transportation issues will highlight a meeting of the Burlington County Alliance for Action on Friday, March 19.  The meeting at Double Tree Guest Suites, Mount Laurel, will begin with registration at 8:15 a.m. and a program to follow at 9:00 a.m.

  Speakers will be:

• Mark Remsa, Director of the Burlington County Department of Economic Development.
• John Keller, P.E., Supervising Engineer, and Lamis Malak, P.E., Senior Highway Engineer, of the New Jersey Turnpike.
• David A. Kuhn, P.E., Executive Director of the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE