Stimulus Money Will Create Jobs And Ease Property Taxes

By Assemblyman John S. Wisniewski

The Obama administration deserves a lot of credit for the Federal Stimulus Program. This program not only gave a boost to the economy overall, but helped put many New Jerseyans to work making much needed improvements to our transportation infrastructure.  Unfortunately though, the bulk of that money has been designated for projects that do not satisfy local county and municipal needs.

Recently the Assembly Budget Committee considered the year’s proposed spending for the Department of Transportation and NJ Transit.  The good news is that the budget will now contain an additional $50 million to help counties and municipalities in the state pay for transportation improvements.

This much-needed infusion is a result of an effort I spearheaded with Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts Jr. and state Transportation Commissioner Stephen Dilts – talks spurred by my discussions with mayors and freeholders afraid that federal stimulus money was not going to filter down to key infrastructure projects in local communities.

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What You Need To Know About Fire Safety

 By John S. Wisniewski

As I watch the nightly news or read the newspapers these days, I see an alarming trend.  There are far too many tragic headlines involving children and fire.  Each year, hundreds of young lives are lost, because children do not know the basics of what to do when faced with a fire emergency. 

As the son and grandson of volunteer firefighters, fire safety has always been very important to me.  As a father now myself, I am always concerned about the safety of my own three daughters. And as Chairman of the Fire Safety Commission, I am especially sensitive to fire safety issues throughout the state. 

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Assemblyman Touched By Generosity of Middlesex Residents

By Assemblyman John Wisniewski

Even after all my time spent as an elected official in Middlesex County, I still find myself humbled and greatly touched by the generosity of my constituency.  As some of you may have seen on the news and in the papers recently, local food banks and charitable organizations have been running low on food and other supplies.  The current state of the economy has forced more and more New Jerseyans to rely on these services. And if the needs of our neighbors continue to grow, these charitable organizations will need to rely more and more on help from their local communities.

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Infrastructure Investment As Economic Stimulus

By John S. Wisniewski

Our nation is experiencing an economic crisis of such scope and proportion that some are comparing it to the Great Depression.

In an era of economic globalization, we cannot afford to allow our economy to descend to the same levels as we saw from 1929 to 1933. Now, as then, it falls to government to step in and avert an economic crisis before it becomes an economic collapse.

The simplest solution is to stimulate the economy. And while direct injections of cash may be a welcome relief to the investment banks and brokerage houses on Wall Street, such injections have had questionable benefits. The single best stimulus package we can provide is a job.

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Suicides Point To Need For More Mental Health Funding

By Assemblyman John Wisniewski

We were all truly saddened to learn that yet another person had chosen to jump off the Victory Bridge and end their life.  It is nearly impossible to imagine the pain and sorrow felt by a family when a loved one decides to take their own life, and my heart goes out to the families of all these individuals.  Equally, it is difficult to grasp the turmoil someone must be going through to make such a tragic and irreversible decision. 

This most recent suicide follows close behind two others and an additional attempt all made earlier this summer.  And while suicide rates in the state of New Jersey are among some of the lowest in the nation- so many instances, so close together and so very close to home might be telling us a different story. 

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A Solution To Transportation Funding For 10 Cents A Day

By John S. Wisniewski
There is no denying it. We are facing tough economic times.

The meltdown of the national subprime mortgage lending market sparked an economic recession that has created ripples across our entire economy, increasing everything from interest rates on loans, to the price of produce at the grocery store, to the price of a gallon of gas.

Amidst these national concerns, New Jersey also is wrestling with an austere state budget and a need for billions of dollars in funding to maintain our transportation network.

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A Roadmap To Safer Teen Drivers

By John S. Wisniewski

Transportation data shows that every nine minutes, a teenage driver is involved in an accident in New Jersey. In 2006, there were 55,729 automobile accidents involving teenagers in New Jersey, killing 48 drivers and 19 passengers.

This horrible loss of young life is what led the Legislature to create the Teen Driver Study Commission. This past March, the 15-member panel issued its final report, containing 47 recommendations to help improve teen driver safety for drivers age sixteen to twenty, 14 of which were considered “essential.”

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NJ’s Parks Are A Vital Resource

By Assemblyman John Wisniewski

With 42 parks, 11 forests and more than 50 historic sites, New Jersey has a rich natural and cultural heritage. But we may soon lose the chance to enjoy some of our state’s most special natural resources.

Earlier this month, the state Department of Environmental Protection released a list of nine state parks and forests slated for closure due to New Jersey’s increasingly precarious fiscal condition: Brendan T. Byrne State Forest in Burlington County, Fort Mott State Park in Salem County, High Point State Park in Sussex County, Jenny Jump State Forest in Warren County, Monmouth Battlefield State Park in Monmouth County, Parvin State Park in Salem County, Round Valley Recreation Area in Hunterdon County, and Stephens State Park and Worthington State Forest in Warren County.

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