Star-Ledger
By Chris Megerian
April 19, 2010

Mayors, education officials and activists sat side by side in hard wooden chairs for their chance to testify about how looming budget cuts will damage their town, their classroom or their cause.

"It's the largest single turnout we've ever had," Committee Chairman Lou Greenwald (D-Camden) said.

Four sessions were scheduled, stretching from 9:30 p.m. until after 6:30 p.m. Although most budget hearings involve specific state departments, a few like today's allow various interest groups and members of the public to address lawmakers.

The Legislature will be debating and parsing Gov. Chris Christie's $29.3 billion budget proposal for the next two months.

Early in today's hearing, a group of mayors complained about how policy mandates were requiring more local spending even as the state cuts aid payments to municipalities.

John Bencivengo, mayor of Hamilton Township in Mercer County, said the Department of Environmental Protections is making him buy $300,000 of equipment to clean the undercarriage of town trucks.

"That is the dumbest thing I've ever heard in my life," he said. "Let's look through the mandates. Let's take a look at what we're burdening the people of New Jersey with."

Fanwood Mayor Colleen Mahr said property taxes in her borough average $9,000 per homeowner and are poised to go up at least $650. But she said she can control only about one-sixth of that -- the rest is controlled by the county and school district.

(TRENTON) – Assembly Budget Chairman Lou Greenwald (D-Camden) released the following statement Monday as the Assembly Budget Committee convened a public hearing on Gov. Chris Christie’s budget proposal.

More than 150 people have signed up to testify at the hearing, which is being streamed live at http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/media/live_audio.asp:

“The testimony we’re hearing today once again emphasizes this plain fact - Gov. Christie’s budget plan directly targets senior citizens, students and the middle-class with painful tax and fee increases that would make it more difficult to live in New Jersey.

“This much is also becoming very clear – no one is buying Gov. Christie’s claim that this budget plan is based on shared sacrifice.

“A budget that hits senior citizens, the middle-class, poor and college students with tax increase after tax increase and fee increase after fee increase is not shared sacrifice.”

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For Release: April 19, 2010
Contact: Assemblyman Greenwald, (856) 435-1247

Tuesday, April 20th is the date for School Budget/School Board elections in towns across the 6th District. To find your polling place or view a sample ballot, click here.

For Immediate Release:

Route 295 traffic shift scheduled for this weekend

(Trenton)-- The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) today announced a traffic shift on Route 295 from Route 168 in Mount Ephraim to Route 561 in Cherry Hill, Camden County for the ongoing resurfacing project.

Starting Friday, April 16 ...at 9 p.m., I-295 northbound will be reduced to two lanes, with motorists using the northbound express lane on the southbound side of the roadway and one local lane shifted to the right side of I-295 northbound. This pattern will remain over the weekend until Monday, April 19 at 6 a.m. There will also be periodic, temporary closures of the ramps to I-295 northbound to implement the shift.

Once the traffic is shifted, I-295 northbound will maintain three lanes of traffic using the existing northbound express lane on the southbound side of the roadway and the right lane and shoulder. The new work zone will be located in the left and center local lanes.

NJDOT is rehabilitating I-295 in Barrington, Bellmawr, Cherry Hill, Haddon Heights, Haddonfield, Lawnside and Tavistock in Camden County and West Deptford and Westville in Gloucester County. The project also includes replacing five I-295 bridge decks. Construction is scheduled for completion in summer 2012. Real-time traffic information is available at www.511nj.org

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Here is a list of some Earth Day festivities in the 6th District, for you and your family:

Cherry Hill
Earth Day Festival
Saturday, April 24
10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Free Admission
Croft Farm (100 Borton’s Mill Rd)
www.sustainablecherryhill.org

Collingswood
Second Annual Green Festival
Saturday, April 24
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Free Admission
Along Irvin Ave, between Haddon Ave and PATCO high speed line
http://www.collingswood.com/parks/going-green

Haddon Township
Earth Day Clean Up
Saturday, April 17
9:30 am to 1 pm
Saddler’s Woods Conservation Association will host an Earth Day volunteer event, rain or shine. If you are interested in signing up for the event, please email Donna at donna@saddlerswoods.org or call (856) 869-7372.

Second Annual Green Event
Saturday, April 24
10 am and 2 pm
Free Admission
Westmont Theatre parking lot
http://www.haddontwp.com/?page_id=124

Haddonfield
“Celebrate Earth Day!” Benefit Sale
Thursday, April 22
3:00 to 7:00 pm
Haddonfield Home, 132 Warwick Rd
http://www.haddonfieldnj.org/pdf/EARTHDAYjewelry.pdf

Come Celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day
Saturday, April 24
Starting at 10:00 am
Crows Woods
http://www.haddonfieldnj.org/pdf/2010earthday.pdf

Winslow Township
Winslow Township Environmental Awareness Day
Sunday, May 16
10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
125 S. Route 73, Braddock, NJ
http://www.state.nj.us/dep//seeds/earthday/april.htm#m16