CORZINE BUDGET PROPOSAL IS UNVEILED
After weeks of speculation, Governor Jon Corzine has unveiled the first budget proposal of his new administration. The $30.9 billion budget must be adopted in time for the beginning of the new fiscal year on July 1, 2006.

The budget ball is now in the Legislature’s court. After receiving the Corzine budget message, the Legislature went into recess for the Senate and Assembly Budget and Appropriations Committees to schedule hearings.

The new revenue key to the Governor’s request is increasing the state sales tax to 7 percent from 6 percent and applying it to more services. The other proposals cover the entire gamut- raising the cigarette tax, surcharges on the corporation tax, new luxury car registrations, water supply, a commercial realty transfer tax, and increase in the alcoholic beverage tax. Cuts would include $169 million to colleges and universities and elimination of roughly 1,000 state workers.

LEGISLATURE COMPLETES APPROVAL OF TRANSPORTATION FUNDING PLAN
The Legislature completed action on Governor Corzine’s plan to raise $8 billion over the next five years for highway, bridge and transit capital projects. It goes to the Governor’s desk for his expected signature.

The Senate gave final legislative approval to the plan by a 25-13 vote, following a 48-28 vote in the Assembly last week.

ROWAN UNIVERSITY WANTS TO BUILD HUGE PROJECT TO INCLUDE SOCCER STADIUM
Rowan University has announced plans to expand its campus to include a major league soccer stadium, student housing, retail and restaurants. Called Rowan West, the complex would be built on a university-owned tract of 280 acres in Glassboro and Harrison Townships.

Estimated cost of the project would be $800 million to $1 billion, the largest mixed-use complex ever in Gloucester County. Under an agreement with Major League Soccer, Rowan has 120 days to recruit a developer and come up with a plan for a public/private partnership to finance construction.

KEY EXECUTIVES WILL SPEAK AT PHARMACEUTICAL CONSTRUCTION CONFERENCE
Key executives will speak at the New Jersey Alliance for Action’s Conference on March 27 on New Jersey’s $4.3 billion pharmaceutical and medical technology construction program. The conference is co-sponsored by the HealthCare Institute of New Jersey.

The program at 10 a.m. at the Lafayette Yard Marriott Conference Center in Trenton will include Geoff Monk, Vice President of Global Engineering Services/New Jersey and Puerto Rico Operations, for Schering-Plough Corp.; Randy Dias, Executive Director of Engineering and Space Solutions, Novartis Pharmaceutical Corp.; and Steve Mongiardo, Senior Director of Infrastructure, Environmental and Office Projects, Merck & Co., Inc.

They will also participate on a panel with construction industry representatives William Mullen, President of the New Jersey State Building and Construction Trades; Ben Torcivia, Executive Vice President of Torcon; and Nick Saccamano, Senior Business Development Coordinator for Gannett Fleming. For reservations Go Here.

ON-THE-SPOT PURCHASING OPPORTUNITIES AT SMALL BUSINESSES PROCUREMENT FAIR
Public and private agencies will offer on-the-spot opportunities for purchasing from small, minority and women-owned businesses at the New Jersey Competitive Purchases “Avenues for Opportunity for Small Businesses” on Wednesday, April 12. The event will be held at the Robert Meyner Reception Center of the PNC Bank Arts Center, Garden State Parkway, Holmdel, from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Participants will be able to submit price quotes on products and services, ranging from janitorial supplies to printing work. Eight sponsors will provide purchasing opportunities. They include: NJ Transit, New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, South Jersey Transportation Authority, Delaware River Port Authority, Rutgers University, New Jersey Turnpike Authority and the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission. For information, contact NJ Transit’s Office of Business Diversity at (973) 491-8070.

BEACHEM TO CO-CHAIR SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION ADVOCACY COALITION
A new coalition called Building Our Children’s Future was announced to advocate for restarting New Jersey’s stalled school construction program, with Alliance for Action President Philip K. Beachem as co-chairman. His co-chair is David Sciarra, Director of the Education Law Center, which initiated the suit that led to the State Supreme Court’s mandate on construction for the 31 Abbott urban school districts.

At the coalition’s opening news conference, Beachem declared: “One of the quickest ways for the Governor to raise new revenue for the state is to jump start this program because it will have a direct, fast and immediate impact in a positive way on the state’s overall economic condition.”

COSCIA AND LAPOLLA ADDED TO SPEAKERS AT TRANSPORTATION CONFERENCE
Two additional speakers have been added to the Alliance for Action’s 4th annual Governor’s Transportation Conference on Wednesday, May 10, which will be highlighted by a keynote address by Governor Jon Corzine. They are Anthony Coscia, Chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and Michael Lapolla, Executive Director of the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.

The conference will be held at the War Memorial in Trenton and will also include Kris Kolluri, the new State Transportation Commissioner, and George Warrington, Executive Director of NJ Transit. For reservations, please contact the Alliance at (732) 225-1180 or Go Here.

SENATE BILLS INTRODUCED FOR HIGHER EDUCATION BOND ISSUE
Two bills have been introduced in the State Senate to place before the voters in November a $2.7 billion bond issue for higher education facilities. The bills, S-1477 and S-1560, are sponsored by State Senators Wayne Bryant and Joseph Doria.

The Alliance for Action is participating on a special steering committee of presidents of public and private universities and colleges seeking to fund capitol expansion and improvements for their institutions.

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE
Douglas Hritz has joined the staff of the Utility and Transportation Contractors Association (UTCA) as Director of Legislative/Regulatory Affairs. He most recently was Legislative Advisor/Director of Intergovernmental Affairs in the Governor’s Office.
Bob Briant was reappointed by Governor Codey before he left office to his fourth term on the Board of Directors of the New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust, where he serves as chairman. He is the retired CEO of the UTCA.
Dr. Carl E. Van Horn, Director of the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University, has been named by Governor Corzine as Chairman of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority.
Douglas Duncan, President and CEO of FedEx, made news at a Washington, D.C. transportation conference by asserting that raising fuel taxes is the way to provide for transportation infrastructure. He commented: “We have a great revenue-raising mechanism, and it’s called fuel taxes.”
Scott Weiner has been named acting CEO of the Schools Construction Corporation. Mr. Weiner, a former DEP commissioner and special counsel to the SCC, replaces Paul Maricondo.
Donald Cornell has been named chief executive of American Water, the nation’s biggest water company, which is based in Voorhees. The company employs 1,300 people in New Jersey.

ALLIANCE IN ACTION

LARGEST NJ DOT CAPITAL PROGRAM IN HISTORY TO BE UNVEILED AT BURLINGTON COUNTY CHAPTER MEETING BY ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER MARK STOUT
The Burlington County Alliance for Action will meet this Friday, March 24. Some 100 county business, labor and government representatives are expected to attend the meeting at the Double Tree Guest Suites Hotel in Mt. Laurel. The program will begin at 9 am, following registration at 8:15 am.

Dr. Mark Stout, Assistant Commissioner of Planning and Development for the NJ Department of Transportation, will unveil the DOT’s Fiscal 2007 Program. Secretary of the NJ Department of Agriculture Charles M. Kuperus will speak on “Green Energy and Agriculture” and Burlington County Freeholder Aubrey A. Fenton will give an update on Burlington County’s economic development.

To register online Go Here.

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