Stephen M. Sweeney
Encyclopedia
Stephen M. Sweeney is an American
Democratic Party
politician
, who has served in the New Jersey
State Senate
since 2002, where he represents the 3rd Legislative District. Sweeney also serves on the Gloucester County
Board of Chosen Freeholders
, a post he has held since 1997, and has been the Freeholder Director since January 6, 2006. On November 23, 2009, Sweeney was selected as Senate President-designate, replacing Richard Codey
. Sweeney took office on January 12, 2010.
Sweeney attended Pennsauken High School
.
In 2001, Senator Sweeney defeated eight-term incumbent State Senator
Raymond Zane
, a former Democrat
turned Republican
. The race was the most expensive legislative race in New Jersey history at the time, totaling $2.4 million dollars, with Sweeney's $1.8 million tripling up Zane's $600,000. The record stood until 2003, when $4 million was spent in Fred H. Madden
's successful race to unseat George Geist
.
He simultaneously holds a seat in the New Jersey Senate and as Freeholder. This dual position, often called double dipping, is allowed under a grandfather clause in the state law enacted by the New Jersey Legislature
and signed into law by Governor of New Jersey
Jon Corzine
in September 2007 that prevents dual-office-holding but allows those who had held both positions as of February 1, 2008, to retain both posts.
On the afternoon of November 23, 2009, the New Jersey Senate Democrats chose Sweeney as State Senate President over the incumbent, former governor Richard Codey. He took office on January 12, 2010.
In the absence of the governor and lieutenant governor, Sweeney served as acting governor of New Jersey during the eastern seaboard storm of December 2010.
Following Governor Chris Christie's liberal use of the line item veto on the states 2011 budget, Sweeny was quoted by The Star-Ledger
as being incensed. The Star-Ledger, New Jersey's paper of record, openly speculated on July 3, 2011 that the political alliance between Sweeney and Christie was in jeopardy, that the state budget battle is personal, and that it could have a "seismic impact" on state politics. Two days later, Sweeney was unapologetic about what The Star-Ledger described as a "tirade" against Christie. Saying "[...] I don't apologize for it. The governor was wrong to hurt people." in response to further questions about the earlier reports which quoted him as describing Christie as a "rotten bastard," a "punk" and "Mr. Potter from It's a Wonderful Life." Sweeney went on to say that he plans on scheduling a Senate
vote in order to override the Governor's vetoes.
Senator Sweeney also sponsored a law authorizing the Delaware River and Bay Authority
to establish an ethanol
plant in Southern New Jersey
, the first of its kind in any of the Mid-Atlantic States
. Ethanol, a gasoline additive, is the product of the distillation of corn and other plant material. The plant is expected to generate jobs for South Jersey and supply a new market for farmers in the region.
In response to heightened security warnings around potential targets such as nuclear plants since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks that destroyed the World Trade Center
, Senator Sweeney pushed to allow security guards at these plants to carry assault weapons and high-powered ammunition to better protect the security of New Jersey residents. The bill, which was signed into law in September 2003, also requires guards to undergo mandated training in the use of the firearms before getting access to the weapons.
The Senator has worked to make sure that family members of police, firefighters and emergency response workers killed in the line of duty are fairly compensated for their loss. He sponsored the law which provides state pensions to surviving family members of volunteer firefighters and emergency services workers who die in the line of duty, as well as the law that removes the remarriage prohibition to receive death benefits for spouses of police officers and firefighters killed while serving the public good. Senator Sweeney also sponsored the law providing health benefits to New Jersey National Guard
members who serve for 30 days or more on state active duty.
Senator Sweeney received national attention for his sponsorship of "Maggie's Law," which establishes driving while seriously fatigued as a form of driver recklessness. The first law of its kind in the United States, "Maggie's Law" was signed by Governor of New Jersey
Jim McGreevey
in August 2003. It requires sleep-deprived drivers, who have been up for 24 hours or more, face up to 20 years in jail and fines up to $150,000 if they get into fatal car accidents caused by their lack of sleep. Senator Sweeney first pursued the legislation when he was contacted by the mother of Maggie McDonnell, a Washington Township resident who was killed in a car accident by a driver who had been up for over 30 hours without sleeping.
(D, 4th legislative district) and Jerry Green (D, 22nd legislative district), held a press conference to announce their support for significant cuts (on the order of 15%) to New Jersey state worker salaries and benefits. This effort appears to have been put forth to avoid a one-point increase in the state's sales tax, which had been proposed by Governor of New Jersey
Jon Corzine
to fill in a multi-billion dollar budget gap. Significant negative reaction from the state's labor unions resulted primarily because of Sweeney's position as an Ironworkers business agent and treasurer from Gloucester County for Ironworker's Local 399, and also due to his position as the chairman of the Senate Labor committee, which controls most labor-related bills.
He also advocated that those workers affected by the state shutdown in July 2006 should not be able to collect pay for the time they were furloughed. Gloucester County workers are paid in the event of an emergency that closes county services, and this is approved by Sweeney as the Freeholder Director.
State unions have pointed out that Sweeney's multiple public and private sector jobs add up to much more than the salaries of the vast majority of their members. Sweeney makes $123,000 at Local 399, according to its federal disclosure form, as well as $49,000 as a state senator. Sweeney told the Philadelphia Inquirer that he donates his $18,000 salary as Freeholder Director of Gloucester County to charity and would like to take only one public pension, but can't. All told, Sweeney's income from these multiple sources appears to place him at an almost 4 to 1 advantage over the typical state worker's compensation (amounting to about $50,000) which he seeks to cut.
In spite of Sweeney's vocal opposition to the one-percent increase in the state sales tax rate, an overall increase in the state budget and pay for furloughed state workers affected by the state shutdown, Sweeney ultimately voted to approve all three. After adoption of the fiscal 2007 budget by lawmakers, State Republicans listed several "pork" projects earmarked for funding in the new budget, including $200,000 for a diesel-powered electric generator in West Deptford, Sweeney's hometown. According to The Gloucester County Times on July 11, 2006, "State Sen. Stephen Sweeney admitted he was "shocked" to find his projects funded, since he refused to support the one-cent sales tax increase". Sweeney could not be reached for comment by The Express Times, according to an article on July 8, 2006, concerning the Republican's aforementioned disclosure of the list of projects included in the new budget.
Shortly after Sweeney was elected President, he continued to attract controversy. On January 7, 2010, Senate President-elect Sweeney abstained when the New Jersey Senate voted on the question of allowing same-sex couples to marry. Under the rules of the New Jersey Senate, an abstention is equal to a "no" vote.
Sweeney's abstention earned him widespread criticism from both the media and grassroots organizations allied with Sweeney's own Democratic party. News organizations took Sweeney to task for shirking his responsibility as a legislator to vote. They said it was particularly disturbing that the new leader of the Senate showed the opposite of leadership in abstaining, especially on such a major issue. The firestorm prompted Sweeney to apologize within a day for his abstention. He said he was wrong to abstain and that had he voted, he would have voted yes on the bill to allow same-sex couples to marry.
Progressive organizations, including Garden State Equality, the state's largest LGBT
civil rights organization, and Blue Jersey, the state's leading progressive blog, heavily criticized Sweeney for his abstention, particularly since he had indicated before the vote that he would vote yes on the bill.
Senate President Stephen Sweeney’s outburst came after Christie vetoed $900 million in spending added to the budget by Democrats, the New York Post reported.
“This is all about him being a bully and a punk,” Sweeney told the Newark Star-Ledger. “I wanted to punch him in the head.
“He is a cruel man. He’s mean-spirited. He’s angry. If you don’t do what he says, I liken it to being spoiled.”
Sweeney also called Christie a “rotten prick”
Sweeney's outburst has been likened to a "childish, spoiled brat who didn't get his way"
Togerther with Republican Thomas Kean, Jr. and fellow Democrat Raymond Lesniak
, Sweeney has sponsored Senate Bill S2664, the "Market Competition and Consumer Choice Act" in 2011, which Verizon says will encourage the firm to create additional jobs in the state, freeing the firm from regulations established when it was the landline monopoly requiring it to pay for service outages and to provide Government-access television (GATV) channels for municipalities on cable TV. The New Jersey State League of Municipalities
has opposed the provisions on elimination of Public-access television
channels and on rules requiring free Internet accessed for municipal and school facilities. Consumer groups argue that the bill would lead to lower-quality service and increased rates, though Verizon promised in a letter sent to the bill's sponsors that committed the company to keeping rates level for basic service in the first two years following approval into law.
and two members in the New Jersey General Assembly
. The other representatives from the 3rd Legislative District for the 2008-2009 Legislative Session are:
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, who has served in the New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
State Senate
New Jersey Senate
The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. From 1844 until 1965 New Jersey's counties elected one Senator, each. Under the 1844 Constitution the term of office was three years. The 1947...
since 2002, where he represents the 3rd Legislative District. Sweeney also serves on the Gloucester County
Gloucester County, New Jersey
Gloucester County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 288,288. Its county seat is Woodbury....
Board of Chosen Freeholders
Board of Chosen Freeholders
In New Jersey, the Boards of Chosen Freeholders are the county legislatures in each of that state's 21 counties.- Origin :New Jersey's system of naming county legislators "freeholders" is unique in the United States...
, a post he has held since 1997, and has been the Freeholder Director since January 6, 2006. On November 23, 2009, Sweeney was selected as Senate President-designate, replacing Richard Codey
Richard Codey
Richard James Codey is an American Democratic Party politician who served as the 53rd Governor of New Jersey from November 2004 to January 2006. He has served in the New Jersey Senate since 1981 and served as the President of the Senate from 2002 to January 2010. He represents the 27th Legislative...
. Sweeney took office on January 12, 2010.
Sweeney attended Pennsauken High School
Pennsauken High School
Pennsauken High School is a four-year comprehensive regional public high school that serves students Pennsauken Township, in Camden County, New Jersey, United States, as part of the Pennsauken Public Schools....
.
Senate career
Sweeney serves in the Senate on the Joint Budget Oversight Committee and the Budget and Appropriations Committee. He is the Senate's Democratic Majority Leader and Conference Chair.In 2001, Senator Sweeney defeated eight-term incumbent State Senator
State Senator
A state senator is a member of a state's Senate, the upper house in the bicameral legislature of 49 U.S. states, or a legislator in Nebraska's one house State Legislature.There are typically fewer state senators than there are members of a state's lower house...
Raymond Zane
Raymond Zane
Raymond J. Zane is an American Republican Party politician, who served in the New Jersey State Senate from 1974 to 2002, where he represented the 3rd Legislative District....
, a former Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
turned Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
. The race was the most expensive legislative race in New Jersey history at the time, totaling $2.4 million dollars, with Sweeney's $1.8 million tripling up Zane's $600,000. The record stood until 2003, when $4 million was spent in Fred H. Madden
Fred H. Madden
Fred H. Madden, Jr. is an American Democratic Party politician, who has served in the New Jersey State Senate since 2004, where he represents the 4th Legislative District....
's successful race to unseat George Geist
George Geist
George F. Geist is an American Republican Party politician, who served in the New Jersey State Senate from 2003 to 2004, where he represented the 4th Legislative District. He had earlier served six terms in the General Assembly, from 1992 to 2003.Geist was appointed in May 2003 to fill the Senate...
.
He simultaneously holds a seat in the New Jersey Senate and as Freeholder. This dual position, often called double dipping, is allowed under a grandfather clause in the state law enacted by the New Jersey Legislature
New Jersey Legislature
The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and the Senate...
and signed into law by Governor of New Jersey
Governor of New Jersey
The Office of the Governor of New Jersey is the executive branch for the U.S. state of New Jersey. The office of Governor is an elected position, for which elected officials serve four year terms. While individual politicians may serve as many terms as they can be elected to, Governors cannot be...
Jon Corzine
Jon Corzine
Jon Stevens Corzine is the former CEO of Goldman Sachs and of MF Global, and a one time American politician, who served as the 54th Governor of New Jersey from 2006 to 2010. A Democrat, Corzine served five years of a six-year U.S. Senate term representing New Jersey before being elected Governor...
in September 2007 that prevents dual-office-holding but allows those who had held both positions as of February 1, 2008, to retain both posts.
On the afternoon of November 23, 2009, the New Jersey Senate Democrats chose Sweeney as State Senate President over the incumbent, former governor Richard Codey. He took office on January 12, 2010.
In the absence of the governor and lieutenant governor, Sweeney served as acting governor of New Jersey during the eastern seaboard storm of December 2010.
Following Governor Chris Christie's liberal use of the line item veto on the states 2011 budget, Sweeny was quoted by The Star-Ledger
The Star-Ledger
The Star-Ledger is the largest circulated newspaper in the U.S. state of New Jersey and is based in Newark. It is a sister paper to The Jersey Journal of Jersey City, The Times of Trenton and the Staten Island Advance, all of which are owned by Advance Publications.The Newark Star-Ledgers daily...
as being incensed. The Star-Ledger, New Jersey's paper of record, openly speculated on July 3, 2011 that the political alliance between Sweeney and Christie was in jeopardy, that the state budget battle is personal, and that it could have a "seismic impact" on state politics. Two days later, Sweeney was unapologetic about what The Star-Ledger described as a "tirade" against Christie. Saying "[...] I don't apologize for it. The governor was wrong to hurt people." in response to further questions about the earlier reports which quoted him as describing Christie as a "rotten bastard," a "punk" and "Mr. Potter from It's a Wonderful Life." Sweeney went on to say that he plans on scheduling a Senate
New Jersey Senate
The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. From 1844 until 1965 New Jersey's counties elected one Senator, each. Under the 1844 Constitution the term of office was three years. The 1947...
vote in order to override the Governor's vetoes.
Accomplishments
Senator Sweeney sponsored the new law allowing municipalities and other public entities to enter into project labor agreements (PLAs) when beginning a construction project. PLAs are agreements that have been adopted by private industry which allow the contractor and the employer to enter into a contract prior to the beginning of construction which establishes the terms and conditions of employment and prohibits the use of strikes and lockouts. PLAs save money in the long run because they lessen the chance of cost overruns and work stoppages, and contribute to decreased labor unrest, which can sometimes cause shoddy workmanship on a project.Senator Sweeney also sponsored a law authorizing the Delaware River and Bay Authority
Delaware River and Bay Authority
The Delaware River and Bay Authority or DRBA is a bi-state government agency of the U.S. states of New Jersey and Delaware established by interstate compact in 1961....
to establish an ethanol
Ethanol
Ethanol, also called ethyl alcohol, pure alcohol, grain alcohol, or drinking alcohol, is a volatile, flammable, colorless liquid. It is a psychoactive drug and one of the oldest recreational drugs. Best known as the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, it is also used in thermometers, as a...
plant in Southern New Jersey
South Jersey
South Jersey comprises the southern portions of the U.S. state of New Jersey between the lower Delaware River and the Atlantic Ocean. The designation is a colloquial one, reflecting not only geographical but perceived cultural differences from the northern part of the state, with no official...
, the first of its kind in any of the Mid-Atlantic States
Mid-Atlantic States
The Mid-Atlantic states, also called middle Atlantic states or simply the mid Atlantic, form a region of the United States generally located between New England and the South...
. Ethanol, a gasoline additive, is the product of the distillation of corn and other plant material. The plant is expected to generate jobs for South Jersey and supply a new market for farmers in the region.
In response to heightened security warnings around potential targets such as nuclear plants since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks that destroyed the World Trade Center
World Trade Center
The original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new...
, Senator Sweeney pushed to allow security guards at these plants to carry assault weapons and high-powered ammunition to better protect the security of New Jersey residents. The bill, which was signed into law in September 2003, also requires guards to undergo mandated training in the use of the firearms before getting access to the weapons.
The Senator has worked to make sure that family members of police, firefighters and emergency response workers killed in the line of duty are fairly compensated for their loss. He sponsored the law which provides state pensions to surviving family members of volunteer firefighters and emergency services workers who die in the line of duty, as well as the law that removes the remarriage prohibition to receive death benefits for spouses of police officers and firefighters killed while serving the public good. Senator Sweeney also sponsored the law providing health benefits to New Jersey National Guard
New Jersey National Guard
The New Jersey Army National Guard consists of over 9000 Guardsmen. The Guard is currently engaged in several worldwide and homeland missions. Units have deployed to Iraq, Guantanamo Bay, Afghanistan, Germany and Egypt...
members who serve for 30 days or more on state active duty.
Senator Sweeney received national attention for his sponsorship of "Maggie's Law," which establishes driving while seriously fatigued as a form of driver recklessness. The first law of its kind in the United States, "Maggie's Law" was signed by Governor of New Jersey
Governor of New Jersey
The Office of the Governor of New Jersey is the executive branch for the U.S. state of New Jersey. The office of Governor is an elected position, for which elected officials serve four year terms. While individual politicians may serve as many terms as they can be elected to, Governors cannot be...
Jim McGreevey
Jim McGreevey
James Edward "Jim" McGreevey is an American Democratic politician. He served as the 52nd Governor of New Jersey from January 15, 2002, until he resigned from office at 11:59 pm on November 15, 2004. His term was set to expire on January 17, 2006...
in August 2003. It requires sleep-deprived drivers, who have been up for 24 hours or more, face up to 20 years in jail and fines up to $150,000 if they get into fatal car accidents caused by their lack of sleep. Senator Sweeney first pursued the legislation when he was contacted by the mother of Maggie McDonnell, a Washington Township resident who was killed in a car accident by a driver who had been up for over 30 hours without sleeping.
Controversies
On June 1, 2006, Senator Sweeney and two Assembly Democrats, Paul MoriartyPaul Moriarty
Paul Moriarty is an American Democratic Party politician, who serves in the New Jersey General Assembly where he represents the 4th Legislative District, having taken office on January 10, 2006....
(D, 4th legislative district) and Jerry Green (D, 22nd legislative district), held a press conference to announce their support for significant cuts (on the order of 15%) to New Jersey state worker salaries and benefits. This effort appears to have been put forth to avoid a one-point increase in the state's sales tax, which had been proposed by Governor of New Jersey
Governor of New Jersey
The Office of the Governor of New Jersey is the executive branch for the U.S. state of New Jersey. The office of Governor is an elected position, for which elected officials serve four year terms. While individual politicians may serve as many terms as they can be elected to, Governors cannot be...
Jon Corzine
Jon Corzine
Jon Stevens Corzine is the former CEO of Goldman Sachs and of MF Global, and a one time American politician, who served as the 54th Governor of New Jersey from 2006 to 2010. A Democrat, Corzine served five years of a six-year U.S. Senate term representing New Jersey before being elected Governor...
to fill in a multi-billion dollar budget gap. Significant negative reaction from the state's labor unions resulted primarily because of Sweeney's position as an Ironworkers business agent and treasurer from Gloucester County for Ironworker's Local 399, and also due to his position as the chairman of the Senate Labor committee, which controls most labor-related bills.
He also advocated that those workers affected by the state shutdown in July 2006 should not be able to collect pay for the time they were furloughed. Gloucester County workers are paid in the event of an emergency that closes county services, and this is approved by Sweeney as the Freeholder Director.
State unions have pointed out that Sweeney's multiple public and private sector jobs add up to much more than the salaries of the vast majority of their members. Sweeney makes $123,000 at Local 399, according to its federal disclosure form, as well as $49,000 as a state senator. Sweeney told the Philadelphia Inquirer that he donates his $18,000 salary as Freeholder Director of Gloucester County to charity and would like to take only one public pension, but can't. All told, Sweeney's income from these multiple sources appears to place him at an almost 4 to 1 advantage over the typical state worker's compensation (amounting to about $50,000) which he seeks to cut.
In spite of Sweeney's vocal opposition to the one-percent increase in the state sales tax rate, an overall increase in the state budget and pay for furloughed state workers affected by the state shutdown, Sweeney ultimately voted to approve all three. After adoption of the fiscal 2007 budget by lawmakers, State Republicans listed several "pork" projects earmarked for funding in the new budget, including $200,000 for a diesel-powered electric generator in West Deptford, Sweeney's hometown. According to The Gloucester County Times on July 11, 2006, "State Sen. Stephen Sweeney admitted he was "shocked" to find his projects funded, since he refused to support the one-cent sales tax increase". Sweeney could not be reached for comment by The Express Times, according to an article on July 8, 2006, concerning the Republican's aforementioned disclosure of the list of projects included in the new budget.
Shortly after Sweeney was elected President, he continued to attract controversy. On January 7, 2010, Senate President-elect Sweeney abstained when the New Jersey Senate voted on the question of allowing same-sex couples to marry. Under the rules of the New Jersey Senate, an abstention is equal to a "no" vote.
Sweeney's abstention earned him widespread criticism from both the media and grassroots organizations allied with Sweeney's own Democratic party. News organizations took Sweeney to task for shirking his responsibility as a legislator to vote. They said it was particularly disturbing that the new leader of the Senate showed the opposite of leadership in abstaining, especially on such a major issue. The firestorm prompted Sweeney to apologize within a day for his abstention. He said he was wrong to abstain and that had he voted, he would have voted yes on the bill to allow same-sex couples to marry.
Progressive organizations, including Garden State Equality, the state's largest LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
civil rights organization, and Blue Jersey, the state's leading progressive blog, heavily criticized Sweeney for his abstention, particularly since he had indicated before the vote that he would vote yes on the bill.
Senate President Stephen Sweeney’s outburst came after Christie vetoed $900 million in spending added to the budget by Democrats, the New York Post reported.
“This is all about him being a bully and a punk,” Sweeney told the Newark Star-Ledger. “I wanted to punch him in the head.
“He is a cruel man. He’s mean-spirited. He’s angry. If you don’t do what he says, I liken it to being spoiled.”
Sweeney also called Christie a “rotten prick”
Sweeney's outburst has been likened to a "childish, spoiled brat who didn't get his way"
Togerther with Republican Thomas Kean, Jr. and fellow Democrat Raymond Lesniak
Raymond Lesniak
Raymond J. "Ray" Lesniak is an American Democratic Party politician, who has been serving in the New Jersey State Senate since 1983, where he represents the 20th Legislative District. Before entering New Jersey's upper house, the Senate, Lesniak served in the General Assembly from 1978 to 1983...
, Sweeney has sponsored Senate Bill S2664, the "Market Competition and Consumer Choice Act" in 2011, which Verizon says will encourage the firm to create additional jobs in the state, freeing the firm from regulations established when it was the landline monopoly requiring it to pay for service outages and to provide Government-access television (GATV) channels for municipalities on cable TV. The New Jersey State League of Municipalities
New Jersey State League of Municipalities
The New Jersey State League of Municipalities is a voluntary association created by State Statute in 1915 to serve municipalities and local officials in the U.S. state of New Jersey. All 566 of New Jersey's municipalities are members of the League and all elected and appointed officials of member...
has opposed the provisions on elimination of Public-access television
Public-access television
Public-access television is a form of non-commercial mass media where ordinary people can create content television programming which is cablecast through cable TV specialty channels...
channels and on rules requiring free Internet accessed for municipal and school facilities. Consumer groups argue that the bill would lead to lower-quality service and increased rates, though Verizon promised in a letter sent to the bill's sponsors that committed the company to keeping rates level for basic service in the first two years following approval into law.
District 3
Each of the forty districts in the New Jersey Legislature has one representative in the New Jersey SenateNew Jersey Senate
The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. From 1844 until 1965 New Jersey's counties elected one Senator, each. Under the 1844 Constitution the term of office was three years. The 1947...
and two members in the New Jersey General Assembly
New Jersey General Assembly
The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.Since the election of 1967 , the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for a term of two years, each representing districts with average...
. The other representatives from the 3rd Legislative District for the 2008-2009 Legislative Session are:
- Assemblyman John J. BurzichelliJohn J. BurzichelliJohn J. Burzichelli is an American Democratic Party politician, who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since 2003, where he represents the 3rd legislative district...
, and - Assemblywoman Celeste RileyCeleste RileyCeleste M. Riley is an American Democratic Party politician who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since 2009, where she represents the 3rd legislative district. Riley is the first woman to represent this district in the New Jersey Legislature....
External links
- Senator Sweeney's legislative web page, New Jersey LegislatureNew Jersey LegislatureThe New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and the Senate...
- New Jersey Legislature financial disclosure forms
- New Jersey Senate Democrats Website Biography
- New Jersey Voter Information Website 2003
- Gloucester County Freeholder biography
- Vote Smart biography