VIDEO: Testa Calls Purchase of SUVs with Pandemic Funds to Chauffeur Democrat Leaders Disturbing
Senator Michael Testa issued the following statement after it was revealed that Governor Phil Murphy and Democrat legislative leaders spent $522,783 of federal pandemic relief funds on a fleet of new Chevy Suburbans for the State Police’s Executive Protection Unit:
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“It’s disturbing that Governor Murphy and Democrat leaders chose to spend pandemic relief funds to buy new SUVs for the State Police to chauffeur them around the state. Instead of putting the billions in unspent relief funds that have sat idle in state accounts for two years to effective use, Democrats prioritized their own comfort and convenience over helping people. It’s despicable.”
Testa/O’Scanlon: You Know Murphy’s Mismanagement of SHBP Rate Hikes Is Bad When Dysfunctional Trenton Looks Smart for Jumping Ship
Say Exodus of Local Governments Could Be Disastrous for State Benefits Health Plan
Senator Michael Testa and Senator Declan O’Scanlon said a decision by the City of Trenton to leave the State Health Benefits Plan (SHBP) for a private insurer to avoid millions in health care premium increases could signal a coming exodus of local governments from the state plan.
Sen. Michael Testa and Sen. Declan O’Scanlon said a decision by the City of Trenton to leave the SHBP for a private insurer to avoid a 23% premium increase could signal a coming exodus of local governments from the state plan. (©iStock.com)
The senators said a 22.8% rate hike this year for local governments in the SHBP was driven by the Murphy administration’s failure to achieve promised savings that had been highly trumpeted and its refusal to consider cost-saving proposals offered by public employee unions, towns, and counties.
“You know Governor Murphy’s mismanagement of SHBP rate hikes is really bad when the often dysfunctional city government in Trenton looks smart for jumping ship from the state plan,” said Testa (R-1). “More local governments are likely to realize they can achieve significant savings for both their workers and property taxpayers by shopping for health insurance in the private market. Nobody who can avoid it will pay the 23% premium increase pushed through by the Murphy administration.”
Republican Budget Members Blast Murphy Administration Plans to Tax Cloud Computing & Software Subscription Services
Report from NJ Division of Taxation Comes Just Weeks After Gov. Murphy Pledged “Absolutely No New Taxes”
The Republican members of the Senate Budget & Appropriations Committee blasted a new report issued by the New Jersey Division of Taxation that calls for the taxation of cloud computing and software subscription services.
“The latest report from Taxation makes it clear that the Murphy administration is looking at new taxes on many Internet-based services,” said Senator Declan O’Scanlon (R-13), the Republican Budget Officer. “So much for Governor Murphy’s recent statements that there would be ‘no new taxes.’ That certainly didn’t last long.”
Southern Shore Lawmakers Say Unprecedented Whale Deaths Warrant Suspension of Offshore Wind Projects
Sen. Michael Testa and Assemblymen Erik Simonsen and Antwan McClellan are intensifying calls to suspend offshore wind projects following an unprecedented number of whale deaths along the coasts of New Jersey and New York. They join a chorus of concerned elected officials and environmental and commercial fishing groups who are worried the push for more offshore wind development has contributed to the death of seven whales in a little over a month, including two on the endangered species list.
Sen. Michael Testa, Asm. Erik Simonsen, and Asm. Antwan McClellan are intensifying calls to suspend offshore wind projects following an unprecedented number of whale deaths along the coasts of New Jersey and New York. (Pixabay)
Despite the opposition, Gov. Phil Murphy continues his aggressive green energy goals, which calls for increasing offshore electric wind generation to 11,000 megawatts by 2040. To date, three offshore wind projects have been approved by the state Board of Public Utilities. One would add 98 wind turbines in Ocean and Cape May counties and others could produce as many as 350 along Atlantic County’s shoreline.
Testa Remembers Victims of Tragic Seton Hall Dormitory Fire on 23rd Anniversary
Senator Michael Testa (R-1) remembered the victims of the Boland Hall dormitory fire at Seton Hall University on the 23rd anniversary of the tragic event. Three students lost their lives and 58 were injured in the fire that occurred in the early morning hours of January 19, 2000, when most residents were sleeping.
Sen. Michael Testa remembered the victims of the Boland Hall dormitory fire at Seton Hall University on the 23rd anniversary of the tragic event. (Pixabay)
“As a young attorney, I had the sad duty of representing the family of John Guinta, one of the three students who died in the fire. Today, I remember John, the other victims, Aaron Karol and Frank Caltabilota, and their families and loved ones who will never stop mourning their loss.
Testa Urges Governor to Support Effort to Reallocate $300 Million of Rutgers Pork Fairly
Senator Michael Testa (R-1) sent a letter to Governor Murphy today (click here for PDF) urging the administration to support his legislation that would redirect a $300 million pork grant to a fair, merit-based grant program open for all higher education institutions, and called out that the reported intent of the grant violates American Rescue Plan Act rules.
Sen. Michael Testa sent a letter to Governor Murphy today urging the administration to support his legislation that would redirect a $300 million pork grant to a fair, merit-based grant program open for all higher education institutions. (Pixabay)
The full text of the letter is below:
Dear Governor Murphy,
It is my understanding that your administration has struggled for the past six months with how to give $300 million of New Jersey’s share of American Rescue Plan Act block grants to Rutgers University pursuant to a special line item snuck into the State budget without any discussion and just four days before the budget became law. That $300 million grant was ensconced into law to the exclusion of all other higher education institutions without any open, competitive, and merit-based process. Reasonable people understand this to be an unfair and foolish allocation of taxpayer dollars. I am requesting that your administration end its efforts to back into ways to give this money to Rutgers and support my legislation to reallocate the funding to a transparent, fair, and merit-based program that is open to all two- and four-year public and private universities and colleges, as well as vo-tech schools and recognized career training institutions.
Testa Sets the Record Straight on New Information Literacy Law
Senator Michael Testa (R-1) responded to false claims being made about a newly signed law that requires students to be taught about information literacy:
Sen. Michael Testa responded to false claims being made about a newly signed law that requires students to be taught about information literacy. (Pixabay)
“Sadly, some people are suggesting that our new information literacy law is somehow an attempt to control what our kids think. That’s the exact opposite of what this law will do.
“We must acknowledge that today’s children are being hit with a firehose of information unlike anything experienced by previous generations, with much of it coming from potentially unreliable sources such as TikTok, YouTube, and Wikipedia.
Testa Slams NJ Pork Spending; Offers Legislation to Level the Playing Field
Following a report that found New Jersey to have the worst fiscal health of any state in the nation, Senator Michael Testa offered solutions to stop reckless spending and get the Garden State back on the right track.
Following a report that found New Jersey to have the worst fiscal health of any state in the nation, Sen. Michael Testa offered solutions to stop reckless spending. (Pixabay)
A recent report issued by Truth in Accounting gave New Jersey’s financial condition an “F” grade due to excessive spending and the pension and healthcare debt that must be paid in the future. This translates to an individual taxpayer burden of nearly $59,000, the highest total for any state in the nation. The organization noted that the money that is needed by New Jersey to pay outstanding bills has increased by more than $12.5 billion.
VIDEO: Testa Opposing Concealed Carry Gun Restrictions Proposed by NJ Democrats During Senate Debate
Senator Michael Testa (R-1) spoke in opposition to new and likely unconstitutional restrictions on the concealed carry of firearms proposed by New Jersey Democrats.
Click here to watch the video.
Testa voted “NO” on the legislation (A-4769/S-3214) after speaking against the bill during a floor debate on December 19, 2022.
Testa Bill Encouraging Crucial Investment in Research Clears Panel
Legislation sponsored by Senator Michael Testa that would spur beneficial advancements in transportation, manufacturing and clean energy was advanced today by the Senate Commerce Committee.
Legislation sponsored by Sen. Michael Testa that would spur research in transportation, manufacturing and clean energy was advanced by the Senate Commerce Committee. (Pixabay)
Testa’s bill, S-2707, would fuel innovation by increasing the tax credits available through an existing program supporting ground-breaking research.
