Fleischner & Gurenlian for Assembly

SIXTH DISTRICT REPUBLICANS UNVEIL CONTRACT WITH VOTERS TO COMBAT BOSS- AND SPECIAL INTEREST-CONTROL IN TRENTON

Fleischner and Gurenlian Outline Pledge of Reform Measures on Property Taxes, Corruption, Healthcare, Senior Citizens, and Other Important Issues

CHERRY HILL, N.J., October 28, 2003 – Sixth District Republican Assembly candidates Marc Fleischner and JoAnn Gurenlian today released a Contract with the Voters, which pledges to put the interests of their constituents – not bosses or special interests – first.

“Unlike our Democrat opponents, Lou Greenwald and Pam Lampitt, we have a plan of action to change the politics-as-usual atmosphere in Trenton,� stated Fleischner. “We will address property tax reform, corruption, the state budget, healthcare and pension reform, and environmental protection with bold ideas and solutions that are taxpayer-friendly. We’ll put our constituents first, rather than the interests of bosses and special interests.�

“For too long, our legislators in Trenton have failed to address these important issues. Lou Greenwald and Pam Lampitt tell us they’re for rebate checks and a constitutional convention. Can’t they come up with anything better? Rebates haven’t provided enough property tax relief and their misguided convention idea hasn’t happened, despite being touted as some magic solution for five years now,� added Gurenlian.

The Contract, which will guide the Republicans during their term of office, includes their promise to fight for the following:

• Property Tax Relief, including a constitutionally guaranteed program to create a Property Taxpayers Relief Fund and to reduce property taxes 30 percent over three years. They will also identify ways to pay for the program and guarantee that Senior Citizens will receive reductions equal to or greater than the rebate checks sent to them just before Election Day;

• An End to Corruption, including a true, comprehensive ban on Pay-to-Play at all levels of government, and bans on dual-office holding, nepotism, and no-bid contracts. They also call for improved financial disclosure and conflict-of-interest reporting, an independent ethics board, and an elected Attorney General;

• Budget and Appropriations Reforms, including a more open budget process that allows taxpayers to review tax and spending plans before they are voted on, an end to illegal tactics like borrowing to balance the budget, full accountability from all state departments, an end to awarding grants based on political party affiliation, and an elected State Auditor to review all state spending, programs, grants, and contracts.

• Funding the Transportation Trust Fund Without Raising the Gas Tax, including properly allocating dedicated revenues instead of diverting these funds for other spending programs;

• Protecting the Environment, including support for smarter, environmentally-sound development, opposition to legislation that weakens environmental protection, repeal of the “Fast Track� permit law, and opposition to the current Petty’s Island development plan;

• Pension Reform, including adequate funding and no more borrowing from pension funds, and ending pension credits for part-time work, political board and commission seats, and padding several government positions at a time;

• Healthcare Reform, including support for improving affordability and accessibility, Health Savings Accounts, small business tax credits and incentives, healthcare cooperatives, greater flexibility in the insurance marketplace, and real medical malpractice reform;

• Protecting Senior Citizens, including preservation of senior assistance programs that help seniors with the cost of living in New Jersey, paying for property taxes, and affording prescription drugs (such as the PAAD and Senior Gold plans), and support for legislation to create a statewide “reverse mortgage� program to help seniors that want to stay in their homes;

• Redevelopment & Eminent Domain Reform, including a moratorium on the use of redevelopment zones and eminent domain abuse by local and county governments, and support for legislation and a constitutional amendment that defines the proper uses of eminent domain in New Jersey;

• Fairer Public School Funding, including an equalized funding formula that guarantees all public school districts a minimum state aid amount based on student population and that assists economically disadvantaged districts with additional funding;

• More Consolidation and & Shared Services, including support for legislation that allows counties, municipalities, and school districts to explore ways to consolidate and share expenses, services, and contracts on a regional or statewide basis.

Copies of the Fleischner and Gurenlian Contract with the Voters of the Sixth District are available to media upon request.

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