Piscataway Republican Organization (PRO)

Campaign Signs Are Here!

noreply@blogger.com (Brian) — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 01:18:00 +0000

Quote of the Month

noreply@blogger.com (Brian) — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 18:43:00 +0000

“Glory is not a conceit. It is not a decoration for valor. Glory belongs to the act of being constant to something greater than yourself, to a cause, to your principles, to the people on whom you rely and who rely on you in return.”

Quote of the Month

noreply@blogger.com (Brian) — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 15:31:00 +0000

"To serve as vice president beside such a man would be the privilege of a lifetime, and it's fitting that this trust has been given to me 88 years almost to the day after the women of America first gained the right to vote." - Sarah Palin, Gov. of Alaska and Vice Presidential Candidate

And he wants to be your President...

noreply@blogger.com (Brian) — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 13:37:00 +0000

"My friends, we live in the greatest nation in the history of the world. I hope you'll join with me as we try to change it." - Barack Obama -

Work stalls on community center in Piscataway

noreply@blogger.com (Brian) — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 12:14:00 +0000

PISCATAWAY —Seven years after plans for a new community center first surfaced, officials have raised millions of dollars, but work on the center has yet to begin.

Since 2001, township officials have been mulling the idea of turning a township-owned lot near the John F. Kennedy Library and the township senior-citizen center on Hoes Lane into a new community center. In 2005, the township demolished its outdoor community pool to make room for the center...

[full story] from MyCentralJersey.com

Quote of the Month

noreply@blogger.com (Brian) — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 15:15:00 +0000

"We start therefore with a strong presumption that the Second Amendment right is exercised individually and belongs to all Americans." - U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia (June 26, 2008)

A Timeline of Barack Obama's Political Career

noreply@blogger.com (Brian) — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 18:47:00 +0000

Scary timeline of Barack Obama's political career. Very liberal indeed.

[full story]

"Fairways at Piscataway" Unfair to local residents, commuters and businesses

noreply@blogger.com (Brian) — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 22:44:00 +0000

The Fairways at Piscataway project, a so-called "transit village" to be built on the 33-acre Fairway Golf Center on Piscataway's southern border with Edison on Stelton Road and to include 330-plus residential units along with retail, office and restaurant space in four three-story buildings, along with unnamed number of townhouses and condominiums, will be very unfair to Piscataway and Edison residents and commuters as well as mom and pop businesses located in this area.

First, there is no need for "restoration" or "redevelopment" of this property, the supposed main reason for this project. Piscataway township, in a deal with prominent Middlesex County developer and major contributor to the Middlesex County Democratic organization, Jack Morris, whose sister owns the property and who happened donate $1 million in 2004 to a sham foundation headed by Piscataway Mayor Brian Wahler, rezoned this site in 2006 specifically to allow for this previously prohibited high-density use. What a coincidence!

Next, this "transit village" doesn't even meet the state-certified criteria for being a transit village to be located within half a mile of a township-located rail station. This is being built in Piscataway, a mile away from the Edison Train Station it supposed to be centered around. Though providing a train station shuttle, (and who knows how this gimmick will be financed with ever-increasing gas prices), at least one or two vehicles per unit will find their way here, clogging township roads and nearby parking facilities. Admitting to eventual "increased capacity of vehicular traffic long Stelton Road," Wahler said Piscataway has "acquired property" and Middlesex County is likewise ready to "go to bid" for "improvements" including jughandles, walkways and bike paths - all of which would not otherwise be needed - and paid for at public expense for what is strictly Morris' private gain.

Further, Wahler has said he expects the project to generate $1.2 million in revenue for the township "and board of education" as it would "bring in much-needed tax revenue without burdening the school system." But as this is not age-restricted housing, and as it is illegal to discriminate against potential renters with children, these new residents, and their children, will be entering the township and using its already overcrowded school system. These new additional residents and commercial businesses will also place more of a strain on everything from trash collection to volunteer emergency services.

Lastly, currently existing "mom and pop" businesses on Stelton Road will also face stiff competition from new upscale, luxury shops, possibly stealing their customer base rather than adding to their bottom line. This could cause widespread business failure and abandonment of property, causing a real need for "restoration and redevelopment" - and the taking of property not by eminent domain, but by backdoor, end-result political eminent dominance run amok, further filling the coffers of the Middlesex County Democratic organization.

In short, the "Fairways at Piscataway" will be very unfair to Piscataway and Edison residents and commuters as well as mom and pop businesses located in this area. The only groups getting more than a "Fair Deal" out this scam will be the Piscataway and Middlesex County Democratic organizations with local taxpayers and small-business owners, as usual, footing the bill for a "transit village" that will ironically drive the area down the wrong road.

Editorial by Cheryl Orson, Piscataway

PRO Member Meets Sen. McCain

noreply@blogger.com (Brian) — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 14:35:00 +0000

Vic Griguoli of Piscataway shakes hands with Sen. John McCain during his appearance at Burlington County College in Pemberton, NJ on June 13, 2008.

Seventh Annual Comedy Night

noreply@blogger.com (Brian) — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 17:49:00 +0000

Save the date for our seventh annual Comedy Night, benefiting the Piscataway GOP 2008 campaign. For more details:

Quote of the Month

noreply@blogger.com (Brian) — Tue, 27 May 2008 20:51:00 +0000

“It was and sounded like an arrogant statement from an out-of-touch elitist,” LaPierre said. “Senator Obama opposes people having guns in their homes for self-defense while he and his family enjoy armed professional security around the clock. And no matter how much she tries to tell her story right now, Hillary Clinton was the most anti-gun first lady in the most anti-Second Amendment administration in American history." - NRA Executive VP Wayne LaPierre

Committee Approves Scholarship Program for Poor Kids

noreply@blogger.com (Brian) — Fri, 09 May 2008 11:44:00 +0000

By GREGORY J. VOLPE • GANNETT STATE BUREAU • May 9, 2008

TRENTON —The battle over a plan to provide scholarships in eight New Jersey cities so parents can choose their child's school had its first public skirmish on Thursday and was approved by a legislative panel before an overflow crowd that filled three rooms.

Advocates for such a program have been blocked for years until Sen. Raymond Lesniak, D-Union, recrafted the bill to focus on its possible economic benefits, which gave it a hearing before his Senate Economic Growth Committee, which approved it 3-1.
The measure, S-1607, would give $6,000 grants to 4,000 poor children to attend another public or private school. Business groups, which back the bill, would fund the scholarships through donations that count as tax credits. The five-year pilot program would be available to children in Camden, Elizabeth, Lakewood, Newark, Orange, Paterson, Trenton and Jersey City, which was added to the proposal Monday.

Proponents say the measure would extend a lifeline to the poor and minorities stuck in failing urban schools who can't afford private education, while saving taxpayers money by keeping children out of public schools, which are more costly.

Critics called it a voucher program that would take much-needed funds from public schools to educate a handful without guarantee of better education. The program would divert $24 million from state coffers in its first year, $120 million in its fifth and $360 million combined over five years, but not necessarily from money slated for education.

"This legislation doesn't take one dollar from public education," Lesniak said.

Critics weren't convinced.

"We are facing deep budget cuts in programs and deep cuts in services, and yet this proposition would take another $360 million out of the state's treasury over the next five years to send a handful of students in (eight) districts to private and religious schools," said Joyce Powell, president of the New Jersey Education Association.

"We don't give tax subsidies to someone who decides to shop at Barnes & Noble and not go to the public library to pick up a book," said Sean W. Hadley of the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association.

Walter C. Farrell Jr., a professor at the University of North Carolina who has studied similar programs in Florida, Milwaukee and Washington, D.C., said they don't improve education.

"The principal effect of these scholarship voucher programs has been to preserve existing private religious schools, primarily Catholic, in the cities and the states where they had been established," Farrell said.

Lesniak said keeping private schools afloat — when many are closing — is not a bad thing.

"If we don't do this, the cost for taxpayers would be three times as much, if not more," he said. "They've been closing and will continue to close, putting a greater burden on taxpayers and also on the need for additional school construction."

Two Republicans joined Lesniak to vote for the measure.

"To not try something different is, in fact, to make a sweeping statement that everything in our urban schools is going well," Sen. Joseph Kyrillos Jr., R-Monmouth, said. "And as we know, that is not the case."

While the battle often touched upon interjecting competition into public education, supporters said it's not about hurting public education but seeks to give educational opportunity to the disadvantaged.

"This legislation is not anti-public school," said the Rev. Reginald Jackson of the Black Ministers' Council of New Jersey. "It is pro-quality education."

The lone vote against the bill was cast by Sen. Teresa Ruiz, D-Essex, a Catholic school graduate, who cited the state's financial problems and said the program targets too few pupils.

"I believe in scholarships, but businesses should be doing this on their own accord," Ruiz said. "We shouldn't do this at the expense of tax credits at a time when the state of New Jersey is counting on every dollar."

The measure heads to the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee for consideration.

Quote of the Month

noreply@blogger.com (Brian) — Mon, 05 May 2008 17:22:00 +0000

"Tax increases for the rich don't do anything for the people in the middle and lower classes. In fact, it hurts them, but they're supposed to feel good about it because somebody else is getting soaked, and 'I want them to hurt like I hurt!'" - Rush Limbaugh

Tax Comparison

noreply@blogger.com (Brian) — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 16:31:00 +0000

Taxes under Clinton 1999
Single making 30K - tax $8,400
Single making 50K - tax $14,000
Single making 75K - tax $23,250
Married making 60K - tax $16,800
Married making 75K - tax $21,000
Married making 125K - tax $38,750

Taxes under Bush 2008
Single making 30K - tax $4,500
Single making 50K - tax $12,500
Single making 75K - tax $18,750
Married making 60K- tax $9,000
Married making 75K - tax $18,750
Married making 125K - tax $31,250

It is amazing how many people that fall into the categories above think Bush is screwing them and Bill Clinton was the greatest President ever. If Obama or Hillary are elected, they both say they will repeal the Bush tax cuts.

You can go to the Tax Foundation web site and check tax rates back to about 1913.

Different Types of Taxes

noreply@blogger.com (Brian) — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 15:09:00 +0000

Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago, and our nation was the most prosperous in the world. We had absolutely no national debt, had the largest middle class in the world, and Mom stayed home to raise the kids. What happened?

Accounts Receivable Tax
Building Permit Tax
CDL License Tax
Cigarette Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Dog License Tax
Federal Income Tax
Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
Fishing License Tax
Food License Tax
Fuel Perm it Tax
Gasoline Tax
Hunting License Tax
Inheritance Tax
Inventory Tax
IRS Interest Charges (tax on top of tax)
IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)
Liquor Tax
Luxury Tax
Marriage License Tax
Medicare Tax
Property Tax
Real Estate Tax
Service charge taxes
Social Security Tax
Road Usage Tax (Truckers)
Sales Taxes
Recreational Vehicle Tax
School Tax
State Income Tax
State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)
Telephone Federal Excise Tax
Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax
Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Tax
Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax
Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax
Telephone State and Local Tax
Telephone Usage Charge Tax
Utility Tax
Vehicle License Registration Tax
Vehicle Sales Tax
Watercraft Registration Tax
Well Permit Tax
Workers Compensation Tax

How many zeros are there in a billion?

noreply@blogger.com (Brian) — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 15:08:00 +0000

The next time you hear a politician use a billion dollars in a casual manner, think about those nine zeros.

A billion is a difficult number to comprehend, but one advertising agency did a good job of putting that figure into some perspective in one of its releases.

A. A billion seconds ago it was 1959.
B. A billion minutes ago Jesus was alive.
C. A billion hours ago our ancestors were living in the Stone Age.
D. A billion days ago no human walked on the earth.
E. A billion dollars ago was only 8 hours and 20 minutes, at the rate our goverment is spending our tax dollars.

Quote of the Month

noreply@blogger.com (Brian) — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 17:21:00 +0000

"I'm older than dirt, I've got more scars than Frankenstein, but I've learned a few things along the way." - John McCain

Quote of the Month

noreply@blogger.com (Brian) — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 01:47:00 +0000

“Liberals claim to want to give a hearing to other views, but then are shocked and offended to discover that there are other views.” - William F. Buckley, Jr. (1925 - 2008)

What's Wrong With This Picture?

noreply@blogger.com (Brian) — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 21:38:00 +0000

Socialized Medicine: A Short Course in Brain Surgery

noreply@blogger.com (Brian) — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 12:31:00 +0000

Filmmaker Stuart Browning shows the callousness of "single-payer", government-run health care systems as practiced in Canada.

PRO Member Meets 2 Presidential Candidates

noreply@blogger.com (Brian) — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 12:26:00 +0000

PRO Member Vic Griguoli with Presidential Candidate John McCain and former Mayor Rudy Guiliani.

Quote of the Month

noreply@blogger.com (Brian) — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 17:03:00 +0000

I am a Republican. I'm loyal to the party of Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt. And I believe that my party, in some ways, has strayed from those principles, particularly on the issue of fiscal discipline. - John McCain

Joe Chapinna, RIP

noreply@blogger.com (Brian) — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 01:54:00 +0000

Joe Chapinna, long time member of the PRO, has passed away. Family services were held recently. Joe is remembered fondly as a loyal and helpful member of the Piscataway Republican Organization that extended from County to State to Federal. He loved and served his country.

Governor Corzine Asked for a Better Plan – Here it Is!

noreply@blogger.com (Brian) — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 15:09:00 +0000

By Steve Lonegan

Governor Corzine stated in his State of the State Address that if anyone had a better idea than his Asset Monetization scheme that will raise a 35 cent Parkway toll to nearly $2 then he wanted to hear it.

Here’s the plan.

New Jersey’s state spending has increased from $21 to $33 Billion under Governors McGreevey, Codey and Corzine. That’s a 57 percent increase in just six years – far above inflation. To start, Governor Corzine needs to shut down dozens of liberal big government spending schemes created in the last six years such as $37 million for Trenton Capitol Aid, $12 million non-competitive special arts programs and $8 million for the bogus Regional Aid Program that arbitrarily benefits five Hudson towns run by dual office holders.

New Jersey’s leaders cannot fund every costly idea politicians conjure up.

It is essential to determine just what government should be doing and return all functions feasible to the private sector. In short-downsize, prioritize and privatize.

Downsizing starts with the general appropriation budget, rampant with billions in pork barrel spending programs. The Governor needs to use his line-item veto to eliminate all of these items and a lot more.

[Full Story]

February PRO Meeting: Date Change

noreply@blogger.com (Brian) — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 16:11:00 +0000

Attention PRO members and fellow Republicans:

The next PRO meeting is scheduled for February 7th at the Spain Inn (a week earlier than our normally scheduled date of Fe. 14).

The meeting will be held at the Spain Inn.