NJ TAKE ACTION AND UPDATES

[Joanne O'Neill]

TAKE ACTION
Prevent Governor Christie from Destroying Medicare & Medicaid in New Jersey

In September 2011, Governor Christie submitted a request for a federal waiver to the Center of Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) in Washington. He is requesting permission to give New Jersey's precious Medicaid program (the part that covers nursing home care) to private, managed care, for-profit companies. Most Americans are not super-rich, and therefore, depend on Medicaid insurance being there for them in their time of great need when either they or their friends and family need long-term nursing home care.

President Obama's phone number is 202-456-1111, and Secretary Sebelius's phone number is 202-205-5445. Call now, as the waiver request is near the end of a 90-day review process, and time is running out. Please tell your friends & family to call too.

That's why I signed a petition to SECRETARY SEBELIUS, SECRECTARY, DEPT. HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES, The New Jersey State House, The New Jersey State Senate, Governor Chris Christie, The United States House of Representatives, The United States Senate, and President Barack Obama, which says:

"We call on President Obama and Secretary Sebelius not to grant Gov. Christie's Sept. 2011 waiver request to give New Jersey's Medicaid programs for nursing homes to private, managed care companies."

Will you sign the petition too? Click here to add your name:

http://signon.org/sign/dont-let-governor-christie?source=s.fwd&r_by=715150  

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ACTION ALERT

Stop Governor Christie’s agenda to “waive” our health, safety, and environmental protections.

Governor Christie’s Executive Order #2 directs every state agency to develop rules that will allow them to waive their own regulations. The Department of Environmental Protection was the first state agency to enact a waiver rule.

Tell the State Senate to vote for SCR59 and to send the rule back to DEP to withdraw it. If DEP doesn't do that, after 30 days the Legislature can invalidate the rule by a simple majority vote.

This resolution passed the State Assembly.  Now we need the Senate to vote for SCR59 before the summer recess.

TAKE ACTION

Call your State Senator today and ask him or her to urge Senate President Sweeney to post SCR59 and vote to protect our safeguards.

Find your State Senator here.

When you reach your Senator or their legislative aide, tell them your name and where you live and ask your Senator to urge Senate President Sweeney to post SCR59 for a vote before the summer recess.

BACKGROUND

DEP’s waiver rule will be used to weaken important protections for workers and the public, including our chemical Right to Know and Toxic Catastrophe Prevention laws.  In Executive Order #2, Gov. Christie directed all 15 state departments and scores of other state agencies to set up a process for waiving most state regulations that the agency is supposed to enforce.  

He started with the DEP and the Division of Consumer Affairs.  All other agencies are supposed to follow.  This means the Governor’s appointees will be able to let chemical, oil, banking, insurance, or drug corporations violate safeguards – without meaningful opportunity for public comment – if they think a rule creates “an undue hardship”.

This is an overreach of a Governor’s constitutional authority – and a form of “pay to play”.  

Please call your State Senator today!

 

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Join the  New Jersey Peace Action contingent at Governor Christie's Town Meeting 
on Tuesday, June 19th 
at Cedar Grove High School, 90
Rugby Road, Cedar Grove, New Jersey
Doors open at 10:15am. First come, first served. Program begins at 11:00am and runs for 90 minutes.

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Ruiz' tenure reform bill clears Budget panel

TRENTON – The Senate Budget Committee released unanimously a bill to revamp teacher tenure in New Jersey.

Sponsor Sen. Teresa Ruiz, (D-29), Newark, said the bill, S1455, refutes those who said over the past several years that reforming tenure would prove too expensive and too long a process. She said this is not about eliminating underperforming teachers, but about “elevating the most important profession in the state,’’ and ensuring every classroom has the best teacher possible.

She said the compromise that occurred in the crafting of the bill did not interfere with the goal of accomplishing what she called a “historic vote.’’

“When I vote yes today I vote for great teachers,’’ Ruiz said.

Support came from education associations that have long been at odds with the Christie administration, which has repeatedly called for reforming tenure.

Barbara Keshishian, president of the N.J. Education Association, thanked Ruiz for working with them and hearing their input. She said the resultant bill will reduce the costs of adjudicating cases while protecting teachers’ due process rights. In addition, the process of adjudicating cases will be reduced to months from years.

Ruiz and Keshishian said the bill will make it harder to achieve tenure by lengthening the time needed from three to four years and by providing better first-year evaluations of teachers.

NJEA did seek changes.

“Any tenure reform should apply to all public schools, including charter schools,’’ Keshishian said. 

The American Federation of Teachers New Jersey as well as the N.J. Council of County Vocational Technical Schools supported the bill that they said supports good teachers and the organizations credited Ruiz with forging an atmosphere of trust among parties that have been combative.

Lynne Strickland of the Garden State Coalition of Schools also backed the bill, and said change after 100 years under one system is not easy.

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Higher-ed fiscal impact unveiled for Senate panel

TRENTON – The fiscal impact of the higher-education reorganization was outlined this evening for the Senate Budget Committee, including the transfer of over $600 million in debt to Rutgers University from UMDNJ.

The committee also was informed, for instance, that a previous Rutgers University estimated cost was for a range of $40 million to $50 million for the process of acquiring portions of the University of Medicine and Dentistry, but that estimate is now on the high end considering changes that have occurred to the proposal since the idea was first proposed, such as the fact Rutgers won’t have to put in place a totally new computer system.

The fiscal year 2013 recommendation for central support at UMDNJ is $86.2 million, the panel was told. And according to an estimate by the Office of Legislative Services, consolidation of services should generate annual operating savings of about $4.3 million, based on a “reasonable’’ 5 percent savings, the panel was told.

Also, the committee heard that refunding UMDNJ outstanding debt by Rutgers – priced today – would produce net present savings of approximately $40 million.

There is no requirement to provide any of the campuses with additional state aid, the committee was told.

Total debt at Rutgers is a little over $1 billion, the panel was told. The debt being transferred to Rutgers is approximately $650 million, Sen. Joe Vitale told the panel. But the debt rating for Rutgers is better than the one for UMDNJ.

The debt rating for Rowan University also is higher than UMDNJ’s rating.

Earlier story:

Higher ed merger cost partially offset by one-time savings, memo says