New Jersey
Opening a new front in the battle over same-sex marriage, Gov. Christie called Tuesday for the issue to be put to voters in November as a proposed amendment to the state constitution.
The Republican governor’s proposal, which would need three-fifths approval in the Legislature to be implemented, could for the first time in U.S. history ask voters to legalize same-sex marriage via a ballot question.
One of New Jersey’s most popular shore towns may ask residents if they’re willing to pay to get on the beach.
Wildwood is considering a referendum in which voters would be asked whether the city should start charging for beach badges. Wildwood is one of a handful of Jersey shore towns that don’t charge for beach access.
The Fort Lee Board of Education and school district officials are “hitting the ground running in 2012 with a focus on passing the referendum,” according to information released by Acting Superintendent of Schools Steven Engravalle Monday.
The Board of Education’s recently unveiled “Bond Referendum 2012” website now includes a section devoted specifically to science lab renovations—complete with downloadable plans and “before and after” images—at Lewis F. Cole Middle School and Fort Lee High School “to provide students with a 21st Century learning environment that will support their success in an increasingly competitive world.”
A group of restaurant owners wants voters to decide if Ocean City should remain a completely dry town, and their bid enters a new stage today with the start of a petition drive. A five-member committee of Ocean City residents will begin seeking signatures on a petition that asks for a public vote in November on an ordinance that would allow restaurant patrons to bring their own alcoholic beverages to certain restaurants — a practice commonly known as “Bring Your Own Bottle,” or BYOB.
With school elections less than two weeks away, borough officials are holding an information session tonight on the special ballot question to change the River Dell Regional School District’s funding formula. “It’s a get-out-the-vote effort to get the residents aware of the issue,” Mayor Dianne Camelo Didio said. At the same time, a group of River Edge residents has launched a campaign urging people to defeat the question, and a large sign telling voters to do just that was vandalized this weekend.
Members of the group Concerned Citizens of Margate have filed a motion with Judge Valerie Armstrong asking for a stay of the Dec. 21 decision in which she determined that the city does not have to abide by a petition to place a spending initiative on a ballot referendum. City Solicitor Mary Siracusa said Monday that the city was notified that the group is planning to appeal the decision rendered in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Law Division.
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie gets it. He understands that the people are tired of unresponsive government and they want to have more say in what goes on.
He is proposing that a constitutional amendment be placed on the ballot to cap property taxes in the state. While it would be great if they people of New Jersey themselves could put measures on the ballot for a vote, this is a step in the right direction. Here’s a video of him discussing the ballot measure at a townhall.
That question will be decided by New Jersey’s highest court - which heard oral arguments in the case Tuesday - and many think the issue will eventually go to the United States Supreme Court.
Of the 45 states whose legislatures hold sessions in 2010, 27 of them have adjourned for the year, and 5 more will wrap up before the end of the month. Of the more than 80 bills dealing with the initiative and referendum process in various states, 51 of them would have reduced citizens’ initiative rights. Thanks to the work of activists in our coalitions, only 3 bills reducing citizen’s rights have passed and become law.
Last week Trevor Ford talked about New Jersey voters taking charge of their state using local initiative and referendum processes. What happened in New Jersey underscores how much power can be given to citizens when they have an accessible local process to initiate legislation and bring government matters to a vote.
The following states recognize some form of local initiative and referendum rights for more than half their citizens:
New Jersey citizens went to the polls yesterday in local elections across the state. The big items on the ballot were school budget referenda, and from the looks of things New Jersey voters made very clear their views on spending in the state:
New Jersey voters took a stand on school spending and property taxes Tuesday, rejecting 260 of 479 school budgets across 19 counties, according to unofficial results in statewide school elections.
New Jersey voters took a stand on school spending and property taxes Tuesday, rejecting 260 of 479 school budgets across 19 counties, according to unofficial results in statewide school elections. In the proposed state budget he unveiled last month, Gov. Chris Christie slashed $820 million in aid to school districts and urged voters to defeat budgets if teachers in their schools did not agree to one-year wage freezes. The salvo ignited a heated debate with the state’s largest teachers union. Christie said the cuts were necessary to help plug an $11 billion state budget gap.
New Jersey politics is always interesting. Today a state appeals court ordered the Jersey Secretary of State to finally give petitions to citizens seeking to recall U.S. Senator Robert Menendez under a provision in the state constitution.
Township voters seemingly rejected the $2.9 million Foley Field bond issue during a special referendum held March 9. Tuesday’s five-hour referendum unofficially tallied 1,194 votes against the initiative and 1,084 in favor as of Tuesday night. The final tally could still be impacted the inclusion of provisional ballots; those numbers were not expected until Wednesday (after this newspaper’s press time), according to school officials. Approximately eight percent of Bloomfield’s 27,964 registered voters visited the polls, according to unofficial results.
In the “Initiative & Referendum Almanac”, the principle reference text for those of us in the world of initiative and referendum, the section on New Jersey history starts out noting that “It is ironic that New Jersey, the state where the national initiative and referendum movement originated, never adopted provisions for I&R.” It’s not only ironic, but sad, because like citizens in the other 25 states that don’t recognize initiative and referendum rights, New Jersey citizens could ce