To the editor: Few laws have done more to strengthen our democracy than the Voting Rights Act of 1965. From banning the use of literacy tests to ordering the Attorney General to challenge poll taxes to putting into place federal oversight of state and local elections, it brought about the end of un-American practices aimed at disenfranchising minorities and the poor. The VRA and all who voted for it recognized that a healthy democracy requires that everyone’s voice be heard. Yet, 47 years later, there are those in other states who want to take a step back from the VRA and put up unnecessary…
To the Editor: The essence of the Affordable Care Act is to guarantee, through a variety of approaches, that every American can count on having access to excellent health care. We still have much work to do. Every major piece of American legislation ever passed, from Social Security to Medicare to the Civil Rights Act, has been refined and improved over the years. So, too, the Affordable Care Act will be refined and improved as we gain experience with it. Today’s decision ensures that we can continue making progress toward the goal of guaranteeing access to excellent health care for every …
To the Editor: The American people are the true winners today, as the Supreme Court has affirmed the Democrats' sensible efforts at health care reform. New Jerseyans with pre-existing conditions are the true winners, as they will no longer live in fear of being denied insurance. Young adults are the true winners, as they will be able to remain covered under their parents' inurance plans and they seek out their first full-time jobs in this hard economy. The chronically ill are the true winners as there will no longer be a lifetime cap on health benefits. And every other American is a true …
Dear Senator Buono: The 7,000 members of Save Our Schools NJ, a nonpartisan, statewide, grass roots organization, are firmly opposed to the changes to New Jersey’s current school funding formula in Gov. Chris Christie’s proposed fiscal year 2013 State budget. These changes reduce funding for the neediest students, including those in your legislative district. We also are opposed to the proposed budget’s failure to fully fund either the current school funding formula or the governor’s proposed formula until 2017. This translates into a state funding reduction of more than $2.5 billion between …
To the Editor: I am relieved that the Governor today (Thursday) abandoned his misguided income tax cut plan—a plan that disproportionately benefitted the wealthy—in favor of the Senate plan that targets much needed property tax relief to New Jersey's middle and working class families. I remain concerned about how we will pay for this tax cut, given the projected budget shortfall. The revenue situation has gone from bad to worse. Revenue collections are lower than they were five years ago. Standard & Poor, one of the nation's major rating agencies, questioned the Governor's unrealistic revenue…
To the Editor: Years ago, our Township leaders told us that if we blight our community's landscape with a pair of high-rise office towers, our taxes would go down and there would be no negative impact to our lifestyles. Did anyone see where the tax decrease went? Is the 30 minute backup on Route 18, trying to get to the NJ Turnpike every morning a mirage? Years ago, our Township leaders led us to believe, that by building new homes, town homes and apartments, on every square yard of property in East Brunswick, it would somehow benefit us all. Has anyone seen the open spaces and quiet life …
To the editor: As a parent, I have a responsibility to do all that I can to protect my children. When I sponsored the state’s first anti-bullying law in 2002, I did so for the same reason. It is the most basic duty that I share with parents across the state of New Jersey. And when the opportunity arose to act once again in 2010, I sponsored the Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights, a law that transcends party lines and brought Democrats and Republicans together for the sake of our children. The physical and emotional well-being of New Jersey’s young people depends on that sort of progress. …
In case you haven't heard by now, I wanted to inform you that the Board of Women's Professional Soccer has suspended the 2012 season. Despite the fact that it is with great regret that we have been forced to suspend WPS operations for 2012, it is also with a great deal of relief. It was a unanimous decision that has come after much agonizing thought and methodical contemplation by The Board of Governors. I also wanted to provide you with some information that will show you that this decision was necessary in order to insure the long-term viability of the league. In other words, unlike those …
To the editor: November is National Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month and I am proud to say that I am raising awareness about the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the United States. It has been 40 years since the enactment of the 1971 National Cancer Act and over the past decade there has been significant improvement in overall cancer survival rates. Sadly, pancreatic cancer survival rates are not reflected in this. In fact this insidious disease has seen an increase of cases and deaths since 1998 and remains the only cancer that still has a five-year survival rate in the single digits…
Assemblymen say mayor endorsed a friend To the editor: Mayor Stahl endorsed a personal friend and business associate. Although it is disppointing, it is understandable. We don't think that too much should be made of it. We've fought to restore municipal and state aid to East Brunswick in tough economic times and we will not waver in these goals. We look forward to continuing our work with our running mate Barbara Buono for all of the residents of the 18th District, including East Brunswick. Assemblyman Patrick J. Diegnan (D-18) Assemblyman Peter Barnes (D-18) Senator vows to continue …
Thank you for the write-up and pictures Patch did on the flooding of Squire Street on the South branch of the Raritan River. I’d also like to give an enormous thank you from the residents of Squire Street to (Emergency Management Coordinator) Austin Kosik. He has been a great help in keeping us informed and getting us FEMA aid. The police did a 24/7 on the block protection for us, which was extremely comforting. Even our Mayor David Stahl came down and gave us his support and his number in case there was anything he could do. We said we could use a hand, and so he contacted the Boy Scouts…
To the editor: I"m writing to you regarding the devastation resulting from Hurricane Irene to a family in Milltown. I saw many reports of the damage to roads and flooding but what about the people affected. The family in the attached photos live on West Church Street in Milltown, they are literally homeless due to the flooding of their basement from the swamp across the street. They contacted the local fire department and were told to put on their bathing suit and shut off the gas in the basement and to pump out the water. There was no electricity to run the pump so they managed to rig…
Editor's note: Patch recently published a series of articles examining the role of charter schools in well-performing suburban school districts. Parker Block, a co- founder of the Princeton International Academy Charter School (www.piacs.org), sent us the following response:As the current debate about charter schools in urban and suburban districts unfolds, it is important to recognize that charter schools are intended to be laboratories of innovation that provide, according to the Charter School Program Act, “a mechanism for the implementation of a variety of educational approaches which may…
To the Editor: For the second year in a row, the East Brunswick Soccer Club will be collecting gently used cleats, shinguards and balls. The Cleat Drive, taking place this weekend, April 2 and April 3, will coincide with Opening Day for the spring recreation soccer season. The Soccer Club will once again be working with Pass It To Players, a local organization that has donated to underserved communities, both locally and abroad. Pass It To Players was created by a local teenager with the intention to collect, donate and distribute soccer equipment anywhere in the world to players, teams and…
National Girls and Women in Sports Day has been celebrated in all 50 states for the last 25 years to encourage the participation of girls and women in sports. Although the benefits of athletic involvement is clear, girls' participation in sports remains at a level way below boys' involvement. Despite the advances made in the 38 years since Title IX was enacted, high school girls still receive 1.3 million fewer participation opportunities than do boys, and the money spent on girls' sports programs lags significantly behind the money spent on boys' programs. Please take today to celebrate the…
