This is good to hear:
http://www.politickernj.com/...
Today, Congressman Frank Pallone (NJ-06) announced more than $8 million federal grants for repairs and reimbursements for emergency measures performed due to Superstorm Sandy.
“Communities, cities, and counties are far from fully rebuilt from Sandy, and they are still taking financial hits due to the many unanticipated costs they continue to face,” said Congressman Pallone. “We are all in this together, and these communities shouldn’t have to bear the entire cost of the storm alone.” - Politicker NJ, 5/2/13
Here's the details about where the funding will go:
$1,257,465 to Middlesex County for repair of the boardwalk at Old Bridge Waterfront Park
$3,714,294 to Monmouth County Public Works for costs required to pump out reservoirs, clear blocked roads, set up evacuation routes, detours, and block hazardous areas
$1,291,688 to Monmouth County for costs associated with the Sheriff'’s Department supplying security at the shelters, conducting welfare checks, performing search and rescue, and to man emergency call centers
$1,734,561 to the Township of Woodridge for contractors used to load, haul, and dispose of approximately 22,000 cubic yards of debris
That's on top of the funding the EPA has earmarked for Sandy relief clean up:
http://www.nj.com/...
Recalling how Hurricane Sandy spewed sewage out of manholes and spilled it into New Jersey’s waterways last fall, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today it has earmarked $229 million for the Garden State to fortify water and sewage treatment plants that were damaged by the storm.
The funding is part of $569 million earmarked for New Jersey and New York, which comes from the nearly $60 billion in Sandy relief funds that were allocated by federal lawmakers in January, EPA officials said during a conference call yesterday.
"We need to do much more to build resiliency," said Judith Enck, administrator for the EPA’s Region 2, which covers New Jersey and New York.
EPA officials said Sandy spilled 11 billion gallons of sewage out of treatment plants from Washington, D.C., to Connecticut. In New Jersey, 94 wastewater treatment plants reported Sandy-related problems, and more than 400 water systems were damaged or lost power, according to the state Department of Environmental Protection.
As further evidence of the need, Enck pointed to the devastation seen by the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission, whose Sandy-crippled plant in Newark sent billions of gallons of sewage and sludge into the Newark Bay in the weeks after the hurricane.
Repairs are still ongoing at the plant, which serves nearly 2 million customers in 48 municipalities. - The Star-Ledger, 5/2/13
Pallone stated that he would be making a decision about running for Senator Frank Lautenberg's (D. NJ) seat after the 2013 Governors race. Pallone would be going into a tough primary with Newark Mayor Cory Booker (D). By the way, noticed that Booker's been pretty quite this past month?
http://www.buzzfeed.com/...
If you haven't heard much about Cory Booker lately, it's no accident.
The Newark mayor — typically at home in the spotlight, at the center of a crowd, or on the set of a cable news show — spent much of April behind closed doors, working to formalize the nascent stages of his bid for U.S. Senate, professionalize his campaign operation, create an early fundraising advantage, and let the people of New Jersey focus on the gubernatorial race this fall.
Aides to the mayor, who won't make his bid for Senate official until after the governor's race, say privately that Booker is laying low, and even avoiding big interviews, to buckle down on creating a foundation for his campaign and concentrate on his last 400 days in Newark City Hall.
It's a quiet but calculated effort to do what doesn't come naturally to America's favorite mayor: Stay out of the news. - BuzzFeed, 5/2/13
Expect more news from this race once the Governor's race is over. By the way, Barbara Buono (D) has been hitting Chris Christie's (R) record as Governor:
http://tv.msnbc.com/...
The Democratic gubernatorial candidate challenging Chris Christie in his re-election bid, Barbara Buono, appeared on MSNBC’s The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell to clarify Chris Christie’s record on taxes, spending cuts, massacre control and education–topics the New Jersey governor all touched on in his first TV ad of his re-election campaign.
With a substantial buy of $1.2 billion, the Republican governor’s campaign began running the ad Wednesday in New York City and Philadelphia TV markets. Christie’s ad touts bipartisanship, saying his ability to reach out to both sides of the aisle got “New Jersey back on track.”
“Working with Democrats and Republicans, believing that as long as you stick to your principles, compromise isn’t a dirty word,” the narrator says.
“It is a little surprising,” Buono told O’Donnell, questioning the early ad buy. “It shows his numbers are artificially inflated because of Hurricane Sandy.”
The New Jersey State Senator, who has been backed by Newark Mayor Cory Booker, bashed the title of Christie’s ad, “Jersey Proud,” pointing out that New Jerseyans “are not proud of the governor’s record on unemployment” with over 400,000 still jobless.
“He’s living in some alternative universe where, you know, we are at the bottom of the barrel when it comes to economic growth, and yet he’s calling it a New Jersey comeback. I beg to differ and I’m going to change that,” Buono promised.
Buono also said the governor has had a failure of leadership on gun control. On Tuesday, parents of the Newtown shooting victims visited Trenton and met with Buono to discuss gun legislation. - MSNBC, 5/2/13
Buono's campaign also received the endorsement from the AFSCME:
http://www.paramuspost.com/...
“Barbara Buono has made working families a top priority,” said Sherryl Gordon, Executive Director of AFSCME Council 1. “As Governor, she would continue this record and fight for the middle class.”
“Public employees in New Jersey are constantly under attack by the current administration,” said Mattie Harrell, Executive Director of AFSCME Council 71. “Senator Buono would ensure that these hard workers are praised and not vilified.”
“At a time when middle class families are struggling to make ends meet, New Jersey needs solutions that work,” said Gerard Meara, Executive Director of AFSCME Council 73. “Senator Buono understands the need to create good paying public sector jobs and expand access to vital services.”
“Since the beginning of her career, Senator Buono has stood with public workers,” said Rich Gollin, Executive Director of AFSCME Council 52. “She understands the importance of our fights, and, as Governor, she would be a champion of our causes.”
“With working families under attack, it’s important to have someone in the Governors’ mansion that makes sure that every New Jerseyan sees opportunity, not just the wealthy few,” said Sue Cleary, President of AFSCME 1199J. “Senator Buono will work bridge the gap and decrease our unemployment level.” - The Paramus Post, 5/1/13
If you would like to get involved with Buono's campaign, you can do so here:
http://www.buonoforgovernor.com/
The Governor's race will be Tuesday November 5th, 2013.