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Category: Jeff Van Drew

Serving Party? Or New Jersey?

May. 20 Atlantic City, Atlantic County, Cape May County, Election 2013, Frank Balles, Hurricane Sandy, Jeff Van Drew, Jersey Shore, Jim Whelan, South Jersey, State Senate, Steve Sweeney 3 comments

OPINION: Van Drew And Whelan Need To Call Out Sweeney Over Holding Up Sandy Recovery

By Irwin M. Fletcher | The Save Jersey Blog

Democratic State Senator Jim Whelan (D-Atlantic City)

Democratic State Senator Jim Whelan (D-Atlantic City)

Folks, as you may’ve picked up by now, I am not of fan of how Steve Sweeney threw Sandy recovery under the bus for political reasons.

And as ticked as I am at Sen. Sweeney for kicking hurricane victims while they are down, I’m getting just as annoyed with the Jersey Shore’s Democratic state senators, two men who’ve had fantastic access to Sweeney’s ear yet haven’t said a word in their constituents’ defense.

Jeff Van Drew and Jim Whelan represent two districts that got hit very hard by Superstorm Sandy. Their districts are still rebuilding. Businesses are still working on opening their doors, hopefully in time for Memorial Day Weekend but in many cases that’s an unrealistic aspiration. Damaged houses are waiting to become homes again once. People are scared that the summer season will be a total bust, and that their livelihoods will go bust, too.

Yet both Whelan and Van Drew haven’t made a single peep, criticism, or call for action. I guess you can compliment Van Drew and Whelan for their party loyalty if you value such a thing since they’ve put the Democratic Party ahead of their constituents trying to rebuild.

CONTINUE READING….

Talk is Cheap; Tax History Matters!

Apr. 19 Barack Obama, Cape May County, Chris Christie, Election 2013, Jeff Van Drew, ObamaCare, South Jersey, State Senate, Taxes 2 comments

Opinion: Christie Wrong to Thank Insincere Van Drew for Tax Cut Support

By Irwin M. Fletcher | The Save Jersey Blog

Van Drew TV AdSorry for the delayed absence, Save Jerseyans, but the private sector called!

As you’ve already read on Save Jersey, Governor Chris Christie’s proposed tax cut is now an issue in LD1. Republican challenger Susan Adelizzi-Schmidt has endorsed Christie’s plan. On April 16, one day AFTER roughly half of us paid our taxes, State Sen. Jeff Van Drew, who had been backing the party of tax hikes for his entire career, suddenly broke ranks and endorsed the Christie approach.

And Van Drew got himself all in a tizzy when Chris Christie thanked him for supporting the plan while other Democrats rained down criticism.

In my opinion, Chris Christie was wrong to thank Van Drew. Jeff Van Drew doesn’t want tax cuts; he just wants the votes of people in Cape May County who want tax cuts. And I think the Governor is aware of this, and he only thanked Van Drew to needle other Democrats, not out of sincerity.

Want to know why?

CONTINUE READING….

Balles to Whelan: Copy Van Drew

Apr. 17 Election 2013, Frank Balles, Jeff Van Drew, Jim Whelan, Property Taxes, State Senate 3 comments

New Christie Administration Tax Cut Plan Blurs Messaging Battle Lines in Some Key Swing Districts

By Matt Rooney | The Save Jersey Blog

Frank BallesGovernor Chris Christie’s “divide and conquer” policies continue to produce strange bedfellows at both ends of the GS Parkway, Save Jerseyans.

The latest example: LD1 GOP hopeful Susan Adelizzi-Schmidt called out incumbent Dem Sen. Jeff Van Drew on Tuesday for backing Governor Christie’s tax cut proposal after having supported numerous tax increases during his tenure. Today, Frank Balles of neighboring LD2 called out his own Democrat opponent, Sen. Jim Whelan, suggesting that the former AC mayor should take a page from Van Drew’s book…

Governor Christie’s property tax proposal is a commonsense plan that will ease the tax burden on our hard working families, give them a little more room in their monthly budgets, and encourage economic growth,” Republican Senate candidate Frank X. Balles said. “I fully support Governor Christie’s proposal and I call on Jim Whelan to make the right choice for New Jerseyans and join his Democrat and Republican colleagues in easing the tax burden on our hard working families instead of taxing the miles we drive and the bags we bring our groceries home in.”

Both districts are considered top Senate pick up opportunities for the GOP. 

Tax Battle Moves to LD1

Apr. 17 Atlantic County, Cape May County, Cumberland County, Jeff Van Drew, South Jersey, State Senate 2 comments

GOP Senate Challenger Accuses Incumbent of Tax Hypocrisy

By Matt Rooney | The Save Jersey Blog

Adelizzi-SchmidtAs predicted, Save Jerseyans, some endangered legislative Dems are trying to use Governor Christie’s revived tax cut proposal for political cover.

Jeff Van Drew (D-Cape May) is once again considered among the most vulnerable, but his Republican opponent Susan Adelizzi-Schmidt is disinclined to let him get away with it.

“Senator Van Drew knows his endorsement of Senator Barbara Buono’s campaign for Governor is going over like a lead balloon with middle-class families and seniors in this district,” said Adelizzi-Schmidt by way of a press release:

CONTINUE READING….

LD1 GOP Files OPRA Request

Feb. 27 Cape May County, Cumberland County, Election 2013, Jeff Van Drew, Nelson Albano, South Jersey, State Assembly 1 comment

After Albano Blows Their Imposed Deadline, LD1 GOP Chairmen Take Search for Answers to Next Level

By Irwin M. Fletcher | The Save Jersey Blog

AlbanoYesterday, Save Jerseyans, you heard about Chairmen Mike Donohue and Bob Greco issuing Nelson Albano a firm 5:00 p.m. deadline to release his complaint directed at State Trooper Randy Pangborn purportedly authored on official, taxpayer-funded Assembly letterhead.

Well, Albano did not release the document. And Donohue and Greco were not just posturing.

Last night, Donohue and Greco tell Save Jersey that they filed an Open Public Records Act (OPRA) request for Albano’s letter and Trooper Pangborn’s response:

We filed our open public records requests last night because the residents of the 1st Legislative District deserve access to Assemblyman Albano’s bogus complaint so they can read for themselves how he arrogantly abused his power and threatened the job of an innocent State Trooper who ticketed him,” said Donohue and Greco in a joint statement.  “While not surprised with his continued stonewalling, we’re disappointed that Assemblyman Albano didn’t come clean – especially considering his complaint was sent on official letterhead paid for by taxpayers.”

CONTINUE READING….

Dem Tickets for LD1 and LD2

Feb. 27 Cape May County, Chris Brown, Cumberland County, Jeff Van Drew, Jim Whelan, John Amodeo, Matthew Milam, Nelson Albano, South Jersey, State Assembly, State Senate 3 comments

Rumor Mill Continues to Churn as ‘War for the Shore’ 2013 Match-Ups are (Almost) Set

By Irwin M. Fletcher | The Save Jersey Blog

South Jersey MapYou know I spent a lot of time looking at the GOP side of the ticket in LD1 and LD2, Save Jerseyans, because there was much more popular speculation as to who would be running on the GOP side. Things were settled on the Democrat side of things.

Then in LD1, the rumormill started turning that all three incumbents may not return this year. Intriguing, no?

So when the rumormill got started, I thought it prudent to take a look at the Democrat side of the ticket.

In LD2, we have no rumors. Northfield Mayor Vince Mazzeo and Longport Mayor Nick Russo announced weeks ago they were running for Assembly, challenging incumbent Republicans John Amodeo and Chris Brown. Tomorrow, incumbent Democrat Jim Whelan will be announcing his intention to seek re-election against challenger Frank Balles, Atlantic County Sheriff and a Republican. Tickets are set, the race is on. Follow along at Save Jersey (shameless plug)!

LD1 is where we have some intrigue.

CONTINUE READING….

The Ideal GOP LD1 Ticket

Feb. 05 Cape May County, Cumberland County, Election 2013, Jeff Van Drew, Matthew Milam, South Jersey no comments

If I Could Select the Ideal Ticket from the Potential Candidates, I’d Go With…

By Irwin M. Fletcher | The Save Jersey Blog

LD1For the past few weeks, folks, I have been quietly doing my research on all of the rumored GOP candidates for the 2013 LD1 GOP ticket so that I would be knowledgeable about anyone who ultimately decided to throw their hat in the ring. I like doing my homework.

But I kept my mouth shut because they were just rumors at that point, and since no one chose to step into the spotlight, I decided I wasn’t going to push someone into the spotlight.

Then someone spilled the beans, or perhaps spoke a little too loudly on the chamber trip train ride, and pushed’em all into the spotlight for me! It is now public knowledge that Troy Ferus and Susan Adelizzi-Schmidt are interested in the Senate position, while Sam Fiocchi, Mike Benson, Chris Clancy and Steve Gillian are mulling runs for the Assembly.

Which means now I can put my research to work!

Picking from the pool of those who are rumored to want to run, if I had the power to create the ideal LD1 Republican ticket from the available choices, then here’s what it would look like:

CONTINUE READING….

LD1 Dems Abandon Bipartisanship

Feb. 01 Cape May County, Cumberland County, Election 2013, Jeff Van Drew, Matthew Milam, South Jersey, State Assembly, State Senate no comments

Update: Van Drew’s First Move of 2013 Campaign is to Criticize Christie

By Irwin M. Fletcher | The Save Jersey Blog

Christie Shore PresserLoyal Save Jersey readers know that the GOP has already gone on the offensive in LD1 because of how attainable the LD1 legislative seats are in 2013.

Yesterday, the Empire struck back.

South Jersey Democrats released a letter endorsing Plan B gubernatorial candidate Barbara Buono. Among the signatories of the letter were LD1 Senator Jeff Van Drew and Assemblymen Nelson Albano & Matt Milam. The first two paragraphs were boilerplate, rah rah cheerleader BS, the kind of generic party unity statement that would generate no controversy if a politician signed on to it.

But the third paragraph…

The third paragraph was a fairly direct, fairly inaccurate and downright vicious partisan attack on Governor Chris Christie:

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