Approximately 83,000 employees at an average salary of $50,000 equals … let\’s see … $4.15 billion. That\’s only for salaries. Add 10 percent for payroll taxes and another 3 percent for minimal pension costs and that equals an additional $540 million.

Therefore, labor costs alone account for at least 14 percent of the total 2007-08 New Jersey budget. That doesn\’t even include health benefits.

Now Gov. Jon S. Corzine has outlined his plan to raise revenue so the state can meet its obligations.

He says the debt of the state of New Jersey is equal to $45,000 per household, and this is why the Legislature must continue to raise \”revenue.\”

ote that I said raise \”revenue\” and not raise taxes.

Our state politicians no longer raise taxes. Instead, they burden us with all kinds of business-related and personal fees, costs, tolls, etc. so they can say they didn\’t raise taxes and continue to get elected. But nowhere did I see the governor or any of our elected officials mention the obviously bloated state labor force as a potential source of cost cutting.

Let\’s demand that our elected officials begin to cut costs as opposed to raising revenue to keep us afloat. In fact, I have a proposal for our government.

I will secure a home equity loan on my house for $45,000. With that money, I will pay off my share of the current state debt with the proviso that I must be consulted before any additional costs are added into the state budget. If I don\’t agree, I will veto any new spending.

I refuse to allow these Trenton spendthrifts to continue to pile on the debt. I will accept no more. If each of the households in New Jersey will do the same, we can pay off our state debt and not increase tolls. We can regain control of our state and send a clear message to the New Jersey politicians that there is a solution to our problems.

Gov. Corzine, state lawmakers: Stop the nonsense.

 

MARK MOROWITZ

Linwood

KLIMOWICZ ADDS 15TH DOUBLE-DOUBLE

Ewing, NJ…The College of New Jersey women’s basketball team hosted Scarlet Raptors of Rutgers University-Camden on Wednesday night in Packer Hall on Saturday. TCNJ cruised to a67-29 win to improve to 14-5 overall and 5-2 in the NJAC, while Rutgers-Camden drops to 7-12 overall and 1-6 in the league.

TCNJ led 32-9 at the break, holding the Scarlet Raptors to a season low for points in a half, yielding only nine as they shot only 10.0% (2-20).

TCNJ’s junior center Hillary Klimowicz (Scotch Plains, NJ/Scotch Plains-Fanwood) added her 15th double-double of the season as she tallied 16 points and 10 rebounds and four blocks. Overall on her career, she has now added double-digits in 24 games with the Lions. She also surpassed the 900 career point plateau as she played her first season at St. Joseph’s University, tallying 275 points and earning Atlantic-10 Rookie of the Year honors. She also now has 641 career rebounds as well 909 points.

TCNJ’s rookie forward Kelsey Kutch (Hillsborough, NJ/Hillsborough) contributed 15 points, while senior Sara Best (High Bridge, NJ/Voorhees) added 14 points with four rebounds, five assists and five steals. TCNJ’s sophomore center Alexandra Gregorek (Mahwah, NJ/Academy of the Holy Angels) also added 10 points with seven rebounds off the bench as the Lions held a 42-31 edge o n the boards and forced 29 turnovers.

For the game, TCNJ shot 46.9% from the floor, while limiting the opposition was held to 22.2% (10-45).

RUC’s senior guard Imani Hafiz (Franklinville, NJ/Delsea Regional) collected one steal to pull her even closer the Scarlet Raptors’ career steal mark as she is now just three shy of the current mark held by Tamara Carey (1991-95) with 345. Hafiz now has 343 steals with the Scarlet Raptors.

Senior center Amber Parker (Pennsauken, NJ/Pennsauken) netted a team-best nine points while hitting 4-of-8 from the floor.

TCNJ returns to action on February 2, traveling to NJCU for a 5 p.m. NJAC match-up, while RUC hosts Montclair State University that same day with a 1 p.m. start.

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Lautenberg introduces gun show bill WASHINGTON – People wouldn’t be able to buy firearms at gun shows unless they first undergo background checks under legislation Sen. Frank Lautenberg introduced today.

On January 29, 2008. Age 80. (nee Kammauf) Of Gloucester City. Loving wife of the late Earle S. Lafferty. Devoted mother of Bruce W. Lafferty (Eileen), Janet L. Malone (late Jimmy) and Elaine R. Hancock (Fran). Beloved grandmother of John S. Hancock (Kerri), Heather Rose Hancock, Meghan E. Goins (Michael), Eileen Rose Lafferty (Fiancé Paul Marmino), Carey Ann Lafferty, William E. Malone and Timothy J. Malone. Beloved great-grandmother of Sydney Anne Hancock and Ryan John Hancock. Dear Sister of Vincent Kammauf (Floss) and the late Jeanne (Sweeney) Becker. Loving Sister-In-Law of Eleanor Richter. Survived by many nieces, nephews and cousins. Claire was born, raised and lived her entire life in Gloucester City. She was a 1944 Graduate of Saint Mary’s High School (now Gloucester Catholic). Claire was a lifelong parishioner of Saint Mary’s R.C. Church in Gloucester City and was a devoted member of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas: Court Giese Council # 439. Relatives, friends and Catholic Daughters are kindly invited to attend her viewing on Saturday morning from 8:30 to 10:30 am at the McCANN-HEALEY FUNERAL HOME: 851 Monmouth Street, (at Brown Street) Gloucester City. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 11 am at Saint Mary’s R.C. Church: 426 Monmouth Street, Gloucester City, NJ 08030. Interment New Saint Mary’s Cemetery, Bellmawr. There will be no evening viewing. Family requests memorial donations in Claire’s name to Saint Mary’s R.C. Church: Special Fund: at the above address. Please write Claire Lafferty in memo. Expressions of sympathy can be e-mailed to the family through our funeral home website www.mccanhealey.com under online obituaries of Claire C. Lafferty.

On January 28, 2008. (nee Rich) Age 88. Of Stanfill Towers in Haddon
Hts. Formerly of Lock Haven, PA. Loving wife of 20 years to the late
Boots Merrill. Loving and devoted mother of Evelyn J. (Edward) Morris of
Oaklyn and Joan (Dick) Doebler of Jersey Shore, PA. Caring grandmother
of 3 and great-grandmother of 6. Also survived by her sister Evelyn
Keyes of NY, her brother Warren Rich of PA. and many nieces and nephews. Alvina enjoyed traveling, boating and trips to the casinos. Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend her viewing at the Yost-Gedon Funeral Home Saturday morning from 11 am to 12 noon. Methodist Service will begin at 12 noon in the funeral home. At the request of the family, cremation will be private. The family requests memorial donations in Alvina\’s memory to: Emmanuel United Methodist Church: 21 East Cedar Avenue Oaklyn, NJ 08107. Please write in the memo of the check: Alvina V. Merrill. Expressions of sympathy can be e-mailed to the family through our funeral home website www.mccannhealey.com under online obituaries of Alvina V. Merrill. Local Funeral Arrangements are through: McCANN-HEALEY FUNERAL HOME: 851 Monmouth Street, (at Brown Street) Gloucester City, NJ. Phone: 856-456-1142

Ewing, NJ…The College of New Jersey men’s basketball team hosted the Scarlet Raptors of Rutgers University-Camden on Wednesday night in NJAC play. Rutgers-Camden tallied the 58-53 win as the Scarlet Raptors snapped a six-game losing streak to improve to 4-15 overall and 1-6 in the league. TCNJ drops to 5-13 overall and 1-6 in the NJAC.

The win over the Lions by RUC snapped a 10-game win streak TCNJ held over RUC. Rutgers-Camden’s last win over TCNJ came on January 30, 2002, a 95-80 overtime win in Camden, NJ. That snapped
a 30-game losing streak against TCNJ. The Lions still hold a commanding edge in the series history with a 52-10 lead.

Rutgers-Camden’s junior guard Bill Banks (Berlin, NJ/Eastern) led all scorers with 21 points, while freshman guard Brandon Canty (Riverside, NJ/Riverside) added 15 points off the bench. Junior forward Antoine Miller (Camden, NJ/Medical Arts) added a game-high 10 rebounds, including nine defensive boards in leading his team to the win.

TCNJ pulled within one point, 51-50 at 1:15 on a rebound and layup by junior guard Jeff Molinelli (Pennington, NJ/Hopewell Valley), before Canty hit a key three-point basket at 31.8 to give his team a 54-40 lead. TCNJ’s sophomore Jay Frank (Brick, NJ/Brick Memorial) sank a three-pointer at 24.5 left to play keeping it a one-point game.

RUC’s sophomore Joshua Askew (Philadelphia, PA/Winslow Township) hit two free throws at 22.1 left to play as his squad once again took a three-point lead, 56-53. They were his only points of the game, but turned out to be key. Banks returned to the free throw line at 7.9 seconds and proceeded to make both shots to give his team a 58-53 lead as TCNJ’s last shot failed to hit the mark.

RUC held a 25-22 lead at the break and led in all but one possession of the half (19-18 with 6:20). Leading the way for the Scarlet Raptors in the first half was Banks added eight points. RUC held a narrow edge on the boards (21-19) in the first half. TCNJ’s Frank tallied seven points and six boards in the first half and finished with 15 points as the only Lion in double-digits on the night and was also the high performer on the boards with eight caroms.

TCNJ returns to action on Saturday, February 2 at New Jersey City University in a 7 p.m. NJAC match-up, while Rutgers-Camden hosts Montclair State University also on February 2 in a 3 p.m. home league contest.

As a registered voter since 1981, I have lived in three municipalities in those years (Gloucester City, Collingswood and Brooklawn). I have never had a problem voting anywhere. The polling places have always been convenient and the people there have always been helpful. It is my cherished civic duty to vote and I always make the time to do so.

 

Polls open at 6AM and close at 8PM, so to those people who say they haven\’t the time to vote because of school or work, I say \”Try harder!\” Anything that is important to the individual is worth the rearranging of one\’s schedule. Elections are scheduled well in advance, so make a mental note to allow time to get to your polling place.

 

Your ability and right to vote is too important to dismiss because of work or school. You only vote once and it does not take very long. Many voting-age adults simply choose not to exercise their privilege to vote either through ignorance of the issues at hand or knowledge of the candidates or just plain laziness. I maintain no one is prevented from voting, neither throughout New Jersey nor the United States of America.

 

Michael Kazmar

Gloucester City, NJ

source American Kennel Club

The bill would require that before a dog could be released from any shelter or pound it must be sterilized, unless the owner can provide documentation of the following:

• that the dog \”has been shown\” within the last 12 months; or
• that the owner is a \”professional licensed breeder registered with the American Kennel Club\”; or
• a licensed veterinarian has determined that sterilization would be detrimental to the dog\’s health.

Sterilization is required for all dogs impounded, even if it is the first time the dog has been detained.

The majority of purebred dogs never compete in AKC events and would not be eligible for this exemption. Further, the American Kennel Club does not license breeders. Therefore, this bill creates conditions that the vast majority of responsible dog owners cannot possibly meet.

The American Kennel Club opposes the concept of breeding permits, breeding bans, or the mandatory spay/neuter of purebred dogs.
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January 30, 2008

\”I am deeply concerned about the allegations made regarding inhumane handling of non-ambulatory disabled cattle in a federally inspected slaughter establishment.

\”We are confident in our inspection system and the food safety regulations that ensure the safety and wholesomeness of the food supply. Among the federal safeguards in place, the U.S. Department of Agriculture\’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) prohibits non-ambulatory disabled cattle and cattle tissue identified as specified risk materials for use in human food.

\”I have called on the Office of the Inspector General to work with FSIS and the USDA\’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) to conduct an investigation into this matter. As a result of the investigation, any violations of food safety or humane handling laws will be immediately acted upon.

\”While we are conducting our investigation, today, USDA has indefinitely suspended Westland Meat Company as a supplier to Federal food and nutrition programs. Westland Meat Company will not be permitted to produce or deliver any products currently under contract. Under the suspension, no further contracts will be awarded to Westland Meat Company. The suspension will remain in effect until all investigations are complete and appropriate action is taken by the Department. An administrative hold has been placed on all Westland Meat Products that are in, or destined for Federal food and nutrition programs.

\”It is unfortunate that the Humane Society of the United States did not present this information to us when these alleged violations occurred in the fall of 2007. Had we known at the time the alleged violations occurred, we would have initiated our investigation sooner, and taken appropriate actions at that time.\”

United State AGRICULTURE SECRETARY ED SCHAFER