State Feed: New Jersey

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie Gets It

Thu, 27 May 2010 11:17:28 -0400

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie gets it. He understands that the people are tired of unresponsive government and they want to have more say in what goes on.

He is proposing that a constitutional amendment be placed on the ballot to cap property taxes in the state. While it would be great if they people of New Jersey themselves could put measures on the ballot for a vote, this is a step in the right direction. Here’s a video of him discussing the ballot measure at a townhall.

Do New Jersey Voters Have the Right to Recall Their U.S. Senator?

Wed, 26 May 2010 07:17:52 -0400

That question will be decided by New Jersey’s highest court - which heard oral arguments in the case Tuesday - and many think the issue will eventually go to the United States Supreme Court.

Citizens' Rights Safe in Many States as State Legislatures End Sessions

Tue, 18 May 2010 14:23:59 -0400

Of the 45 states whose legislatures hold sessions in 2010, 27 of them have adjourned for the year, and 5 more will wrap up before the end of the month. Of the more than 80 bills dealing with the initiative and referendum process in various states, 51 of them would have reduced citizens’ initiative rights. Thanks to the work of activists in our coalitions, only 3 bills reducing citizen’s rights have passed and become law.

The Power of a Prolific Local Petitioning Process

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 11:59:46 -0400

Last week Trevor Ford talked about New Jersey voters taking charge of their state using local initiative and referendum processes. What happened in New Jersey underscores how much power can be given to citizens when they have an accessible local process to initiate legislation and bring government matters to a vote.

The following states recognize some form of local initiative and referendum rights for more than half their citizens:

New Jersey Voters Choose to Reduce Spending

Wed, 21 Apr 2010 12:32:10 -0400

New Jersey citizens went to the polls yesterday in local elections across the state. The big items on the ballot were school budget referenda, and from the looks of things New Jersey voters made very clear their views on spending in the state:

New Jersey voters took a stand on school spending and property taxes Tuesday, rejecting 260 of 479 school budgets across 19 counties, according to unofficial results in statewide school elections.

New Jersey Voters Choose to Reduce Spending

Wed, 21 Apr 2010 12:32:10 -0400

New Jersey voters took a stand on school spending and property taxes Tuesday, rejecting 260 of 479 school budgets across 19 counties, according to unofficial results in statewide school elections.

New Jersey: Voters reject about half of school budgets on ballot

Wed, 21 Apr 2010 11:09:37 -0400

New Jersey voters took a stand on school spending and property taxes Tuesday, rejecting 260 of 479 school budgets across 19 counties, according to unofficial results in statewide school elections. In the proposed state budget he unveiled last month, Gov. Chris Christie slashed $820 million in aid to school districts and urged voters to defeat budgets if teachers in their schools did not agree to one-year wage freezes. The salvo ignited a heated debate with the state’s largest teachers union. Christie said the cuts were necessary to help plug an $11 billion state budget gap.

NJ Recall of Sen. Menendez Can Proceed – For Now

Paul — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 12:43:24 -0400

New Jersey politics is always interesting. Today a state appeals court ordered the Jersey Secretary of State to finally give petitions to citizens seeking to recall U.S. Senator Robert Menendez under a provision in the state constitution.

New Jersey: Field bond issue fails

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:26:46 -0500

Township voters seemingly rejected the $2.9 million Foley Field bond issue during a special referendum held March 9. Tuesday’s five-hour referendum unofficially tallied 1,194 votes against the initiative and 1,084 in favor as of Tuesday night. The final tally could still be impacted the inclusion of provisional ballots; those numbers were not expected until Wednesday (after this newspaper’s press time), according to school officials. Approximately eight percent of Bloomfield’s 27,964 registered voters visited the polls, according to unofficial results.

New Jersey Gov. Christie: "I have always favored Initiative & Referendum"

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 17:03:00 -0500

In the “Initiative & Referendum Almanac”, the principle reference text for those of us in the world of initiative and referendum, the section on New Jersey history starts out noting that “It is ironic that New Jersey, the state where the national initiative and referendum movement originated, never adopted provisions for I&R.” It’s not only ironic, but sad, because like citizens in the other 25 states that don’t recognize initiative and referendum rights, New Jersey citizens could ce

New Jersey: Republican Governor supports initiative process in state

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 10:26:18 -0500

Gov. Chris Christie says initiative and referendum is something that could benefit New Jersey. During today’s “Ask the Governor” radio call-in show on New Jersey 101.5 FM, Christie said he thought the state could be a better place if it had I&R. Initiative and referendum allows citizens to use petitions to put issues on the ballot to be decided directly by voters.

Read the story from The Associated Press

Activists Gear Up For Restrictions On Petitioning Rights in the New Year

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 20:28:03 -0500

As initiative proponents collect signatures for next year’s ballot, and the Citizens in Charge Foundation staff continues to dig out from last weekend’s snow storm, petition rights activists around the country are getting ready for the restrictions on the initiative and referendum process that will be proposed in upcoming state legislative sessions.

NJ Governor signs bill to allow open space measure on ballot

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 10:44:16 -0400

Chilly relations between the Sierra Club, Environment N.J., and N.J. Environmental Federation; and Gov. Jon Corzine virtually frosted over today in Newark where the governor signed legislation creating an open space bond question on the November ballot without the attendant onstage presence of reps from those environmental activists. “Unlike other similar signings, like in 2007, 2005, 1999, 1996, when members of the environmental community spoke, this signing looked more like a pep rally for Corzine,” said Sierra Club spokeswoman Kara Seymour. “This year, only one environmentalist spoke.

Recall effort thrown out due to circulator error, law on this isn't specific

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 17:58:03 -0400

The Point Pleasant Beach borough clerk nullified the effort to recall Mayor Vincent Barrella after she determined one of the petition circulators failed to sign the petition. Clerk Maryann Ellsworth initially decided the recall committee had met the required number of signatures to put the issue on this November’s ballot, but a subsequent decision released today said a procedural error by one of the petition circulators forced her to invalidate the entire petition.

Bringing Initiative & Referendum Back to Where It Started

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 19:01:05 -0400

The Citizens in Charge Foundation page on the history of ballot initiative & referendum in New Jersey begins:

It is ironic that New Jersey, the state where the national initiative and
referendum movement originated, never adopted provisions for I&R.
Certainly it was not for lack of enthusiasm among New Jersey’s I&R
supporters…

Recall Signatures Being Revewed in Cape May Court House, NJ

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 06:34:38 -0400

Signatures on petitions to recall the city mayor and one council member are being reviewed by elections officials today in Cap May Court House. Recall supporters are targeting the officials in response recent and proposed tax increases.

Read the story from the Press of Atlantic City

Citizens Push Recall of New Jersey Mayor

Sat, 11 Jul 2009 06:07:19 -0400

Residents of Medford Lakes, NJ are pushing ahead with plans to recall the borough mayor. The recall effort comes in response to consideration of a plan to eliminate the local police force. Recall supporters need to collect the signatures of about 750 registered voters to trigger a recall election.

Read the story from the Medford Sun

New Jersey Farm Bureau pushes for vote on continuing open space program

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 16:58:43 -0400

The New Jersey Farm Bureau is advocating that the State Legislature approve the placement of a public question in November to continue New Jersey’s open space program, established in 1981. The bureau, which represents the state’s farming community, strongly supports authorizing the Garden State Preservation Trust bond issue of $600 million over a three-year period, under its current terms.

Read the story from NJ.com

Calls for term-limit decision to be put to the voters

Tue, 02 Jun 2009 12:05:08 -0400

“The referendum would be on the ballot this coming November,” Mr. Vernotico said, as a “yes” or “no” question. At one time, he said, the theory of the at-large position was a swing vote that would not favor either ward.

Read the story from Independent Press

New Jersey open-space bond issue clears first hurdle

Thu, 14 May 2009 12:08:04 -0400

A bill that would ask New Jersey voters to approve in a referendum a $600 million bond to support open space and farmland and historic preservation cleared its first hurlde in the Assembly yesterday.

Read the story from The Philadelphia Inquirer