WINNER: Reed Gusciora - Incumbent:
Top three priorities:
1) Property Tax Relief
2) Jobs
3) Environmental Protection and Open Space Preservation
WINNER: Reed Gusciora - Incumbent:
I believe that we, as legislators, must bring everyone to the table to discuss the root problems that are causing our public schools to fail. Opening up new charter schools or relocating students through vouchers does not address the fundamental problems. It is merely a band-aid rather than a solution. Should a community feel it is necessary for the establishment of a charter school within their district, there needs to be ensured transparency and direct DOE oversight.
WINNER: Reed Gusciora - Incumbent:
I fully support the precedent set by the Supreme Court that ensures all New Jersey school children have the right to a through and efficient education. I will continue to advocate for this ruling and any legislation which protects the School Funding Reform Act.
WINNER: Reed Gusciora - Incumbent:
Yes, the state should continue to adopt regional planning initiatives to prevent sprawl and keep our open space preserved. Current appropriations should be kept intact via the Green Acres programs and Farmland Preservation programs.
WINNER: Reed Gusciora - Incumbent:
As one of the original sponsor of the New Jersey’s Global Warming Response Act, I did not support Governor Christie’s decision to pull our state out of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) program. This administration has not only removed our participation from RGGI, but has coupled that poor decision by stripping funds from the Clean Energy funding. I support clean energy initiatives like wind, solar, and water.
WINNER: Reed Gusciora - Incumbent:
Creative revenue builders will be required to keep our infrastructure intact. I am not opposed to reasonable toll hikes.
WINNER: Reed Gusciora - Incumbent:
I have always championed for shared services and consolidation in part to relieve some of the extra layers of local government all while attempting to reduce the burden on New Jersey taxpayers. I have introduced a series of bills which would bring about municipal consolidations. By sharing services or merging towns, the size of local government will decrease, thus reducing local spending and property taxes.
WINNER: Reed Gusciora - Incumbent:
An open dialogue that allows all players to sit at the table.
Full Name:
Walter Reed Gusciora
Party:
Democrat
Incumbent:
1996
Phone:
609-661-0377
Birthday:
03/27/1960
Education:
BA, The Catholic University of America, Politics/International Relations; JD, Seton Hall University School of Law
Kathy Kilcommons:
To reduce property taxes by 25-33% (by pledging to support Sen. Doherty’s Fair School Funding Act.)
To reform a broken educational system
Attract, create and keep jobs in New Jersey
Kathy Kilcommons:
The state absolutely should provide more school choice to children by expanding charter schools, providing educational vouchers, and expanding district choices. These are among my plans for Priority #2.
Kathy Kilcommons:
The Constitution says the Legislature “shall provide for the maintenance and support”
of the school system and that the fund shall be annually appropriated for “the equal benefit of all.” Hence, I support the Fair School Funding Act which brings control of this issue back into the hands of the people where it Constitutionally belongs. It is fair and equal. It is the first step in fixing a system that has failed despite $30 Billion dollars pumped in with no effect in scores or drop out rates. It returns money to the people for much needed property tax relief.
Kathy Kilcommons:
The state already has a great deal of regional planning initiatives adopted over the last twenty years and funded federally as well as with state, municipal, and other funding. We must always be evaluating how to balance that need and goal with the many others we face. We must continuously evaluate whether this or any active plan is helping or hurting us and how much we can afford to sustain them or at what level, especially during times of financial crisis.
Kathy Kilcommons:
I think Gov. Christie’s EMP (Energy Master Plan) strikes the right balance which I mentioned. We’re doing what we can for right now, working towards the right goal with what we have. I’m a fan of renewable energy for it’s own sake and believe market forces will drive that industry ultimately.
Kathy Kilcommons:
Transportation infrastructure is a necessity. Funding should include maintenance and some upgrades. Special projects should be planned and saved for. Real urgent ones could be solved with a one year one penny gas tax. Borrowing should be a last resort as it costs the most.
Kathy Kilcommons:
The Fair School Funding Act would return 25-33% of property taxpayer money. That’s significant. That is something my opponents can’t say.
Kathy Kilcommons:
We live in interesting times. Considering we have an agenda driven media that is in lock step with each other, the public discourse reflects that. I hope it never exceeds this level.
Full Name:
Kathy Kilcommons
Party:
Republican
Incumbent:
No
Phone:
609-
Birthday:
1956
Education:
Sacred Heart School in Highbridge, Bronx, NY
Cardinal Spellman High School
Graphic Arts/Museum Work (bachelor's), Ladycliff College
Public Service:
The Thomas Jefferson Club in Newtown, PA, Secretary in their first year
WINNER: Bonnie Watson Coleman - Incumbent:
Top three priorities are education, jobs, and relief for New Jersey taxpayers.
WINNER: Bonnie Watson Coleman - Incumbent:
I believe that there should be more choice in our public schools and that our State must continue to fully fund our public schools and provide them with the necessary resources to better our children's education.
WINNER: Bonnie Watson Coleman - Incumbent:
I will continue to support our current school funding formula as it is constitutionally upheld by our Supreme Court, making sure that every child is receiving a thorough and efficient education in all districts throughout the State.
WINNER: Bonnie Watson Coleman - Incumbent:
The State should continue to adopt regional planning initiatives to prevent sprawl and encourage the preservation of open space through our Green Acres and Farmland Preservation programs.
WINNER: Bonnie Watson Coleman - Incumbent:
Governor Christie's Energy Master Plan reduces our State's previous renewable energy goals. I support higher goals for renewable energy and public investment to be limited to the cleanest forms of energy like solar and off shore wind power. We need more state incentives to encourage energy efficient consumption.
WINNER: Bonnie Watson Coleman - Incumbent:
In order to better our transportation infrastructure, we need to look into toll hikes as well as our options of continued bonding and borrowing. We need to continue to foster a working relationship with all of our neighboring states.
WINNER: Bonnie Watson Coleman - Incumbent:
We need to refund the State aid and rebates that have been stripped from our taxpayers in order to produce the much needed relief New Jerseyans deserve.
WINNER: Bonnie Watson Coleman - Incumbent:
Civility
Full Name:
Bonnie Watson Coleman
Party:
Democrat
Incumbent:
1998
Phone:
609-292-0500
Education:
BA, Thomas Edison State College; Rutgers University
Public Service:
Chairman, NJ Democratic State Committee, 2002-2006; Ewing Township Planning Board, 1996-1997; NJ Governing Boards Association of State Colleges, 1987-1998, chairman, 1991-1993; Richard Stockton College of New Jersey Board of Trustees, 1981-1998, chairman, 1990-1991
Peter M. Yull:
1. Real and immediate property tax relief.
2. Real educational reform that eliminates waste so money is spent in the classroom.
3. Attack the morass of onerous regulation and unfunded mandates that inhibit sound economic development and job creation.
Peter M. Yull:
The State should focus on true educational reform so all children are funded the same AND all children receive the same high quality education. School choice, vouchers, charter schools are not education reform they are operational reform; they are interim help, but if institutionalized they will be another example of abandonment of those that can't help themselves.
Peter M. Yull:
The Fair School Funding Act is a step in the right direction, especially in dealing with the property tax problems. In the current funding system there is too much opportunity for waste, abuse and fraud, and too many school systems have succumbed to that; it must be cleaned up.
Peter M. Yull:
Yes. We need planning initiatives that provide improvements that make urban and town centers attractive (better schools, good crime control, etc). We've concentrated too much subsidized housing and not enough market rate housing in our cities; need to turn that around. Cities like Trenton have so much to offer residents, like myself, such as good infrastructure, excellent fire and police (even undermanned) departments, as well as excellent cultural and historical institutions. Outside cities like Trenton and Princeton, towns are trying to invent such culture and institutions. Preservation should continue though trust fund acquisitions.
Peter M. Yull:
I do support the Governor's plan, but I am not in lock step with it. I'm a realist. I, too, aspire to lofty goals, but I will not succumb to "green" just because it is in vogue. Every energy choice has it's liabilities; they may be environmental, or economical, or emotional. We need energy. When we are able to convert solar to useful energy like a plant that generates growth that can then be consumed and regenerated, I'll be "green." Until then, we need to utilize that which we have in the the economical and environmentally responsible way while we pursue our lofty goals.
Peter M. Yull:
My suggestion: enact a five cent a gallon motor vehicle fuel tax for two years and route ALL the motor vehicle fees, taxes, fines, etc, toward the NJDOT where the necessary projects are completed and the Transportation Trust Fund is paid off and retired. Then we remove the that tax and go to a cash and carry system for maintenance of our roads.
Peter M. Yull:
Governor Christie has admirably charted a course to provide property tax relief, although he has had to fight tooth and nail for the progress he has made. We can only make so many program cuts (though there can be more) and only so many rebates and aid programs. Shared services is a warm and fuzzy concept that is fine until you get to the meat of it, then people don't want to give up power or jobs. I would work towards consolidation of services to include school districts and municipalities. We cannot insist on crying about our taxes and not be willing to give up something to fix it.
Peter M. Yull:
We just had a nice, collegial debate for the candidates of the 15th Assembly District. We disagreed on some issues and agreed on others; we pointed fingers and blame; we answered some questions pointedly and some we just plain missed. But we talked before and after. We are on opposing sides but we are not enemies. The more often we do this and the more people that participate and view such proceedings first hand then the less is left to misinterpretation or manipulation by the media, formal and social.
Full Name:
Peter M. Yull
Party:
Republican
Incumbent:
No
Phone:
609-394-7145
Education:
BA Gonzaga University; MA Central Michigan University; CPM Fairleigh-Dickenson University
Public Service:
USA Military 1968-74; Chair of the M.C.I.A.
e.thePeople
