June 25, 2008 - 11:12am
Quigley could lose leadership post in Hudson boycott backlash
By Wally Edge
Category: LocalTags: Joan Quigley, Joan Voss, Vincent Prieto, Patrick Diegnan, Brad Abelow, Gary Rose, Grace Spencer, Nicholas Sacco
A four-hour impasse over public employee benefits reform legislation Monday night in the General Assembly left a number of top Assembly Democrats fuming after several Hudson Democrats held out their votes on the measure causing the delay. The boycott -- apparently orchestrated by State Senator Nicholas Sacco, who holds three public jobs in addition to his wife's employment with the Hudson County School of Technology, forced Democrats to rely on Republicans to pass the measure, a common occurrence in the Senate but a rarity in the lower House which infuriated veteran Democrats.
Assembly Republicans ended the impasse after Jon Corzine's Chief of Staff Bradley Abelow appeared Monday night in the Minority caucus and pledged that the Governor will impose tight restrictions for re-hiring under the State's early retirement program. Most observers give Republicans credit for gaining relevance in the process this June even though Abelow is expected to leave his post within a week. "They should have also received a commitment from Gary Rose while they were at it," quipped one insider.
But the fallout in the Assembly Democratic Caucus from the boycott could come soon according to State House sources. Sacco's running mate Joan Quigley, the Majority Conference Leader, is expected to receive a challenge to that post when the Legislature returns in September. Potential challengers include Deputy Conference Leader Joan Voss from Bergen County, Pat Diegnan from Middlesex County, and Essex freshman Assemblywoman Grace Spencer. Sacco's other running mate, Vincent Prieto, will not lose his chairmanship of the Assembly Regulated Professions Committee, although the bills from his committee have been re-assigned.
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sacco poster child
This is why the legislautre & these same "top" leaders should have had the guts to have banned dual officeholding
Hudson unity
Senators Sacco,Stack and Cunningham and all six Hudson assembly members all stood together on this one, a strong display of party unity that means last year's bloody primary is now forgotten. Maybe the Southern leadership believes that the party doesn't need Hudson County or labor union suppport ... maybe they think that taking health insurance away from cafeteria workers and school bus drivers is something Demcorats should be proud of. Maybe they're wrong.
Are we implying?
That Jersey-style Boll Weevil Democrats now run the show?
The pension scam.
There isn't a voter in NJ that thinks part-time bus drivers, cafeteria workers or other part-timers should receive pensions for life along with free health benefits.
I'm sorry, but what reality are some of you people in?
NO ONE IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR RECIEVES A PENSION.
NO ONE.
Vote Column - All the way!
real leadership
hudson legislators have their word and they are union people that will stand up for the little guy and unions can always count on them.
pensions
No one in the private sector has a pension? No one? And even if this were true, would it be right? Of course not. Whether public employees have pensions shouldn't be the issue; it's whether the private sector should be required to reinstitute the pension that were once standard for working men and women throughout the country.
Regards,
William Bryk
What about Bonnie?
Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman also voted against the bill along with her running mate Reed Gusiora. As did Joan Voss and about 18 other dems. Is Roberts going to take away their leadership posts and committee assignments? I guess Norcross didn’t tell him yet. Are Roberts and Watson just targeting Quigley and Prieto for their votes or is it because they dislike Senator Sacco? And as for Diegnan, he only votes the way his senator (Barbara Buono) tells him to.
protecting the status quo
Hudson's august legislative delegation draws the line in the sand when it comes to protecting the gravy train for themselves and other assorted lackeys.
Nice to see them stand by their principles... on the taxpayers' dime of course.
Leadership or Dictatorship!
I am very proud of my representatives Huttle and Gordon for voting their conscience and casting a "no" vote for this bill. They apparently ignored any strong-arming by the Speaker and followed the will of the citizenry of our district. I am appalled at Speaker Roberts' heavy handed response to Assemblyman Prieto and Assemblywoman Quigley's CHOICE in voting against his bill. These are the actions of a Dictator not a Leader! Since when does any duly elected representative get penalized in this manner for casting a vote that they believe to be in the best interest of the people they serve? SHAME ON YOU Speaker Roberts for making a mockery of our democratic process! I'll be watching to see what he does to the other 19 Democrats that voted no on his bill. Lord knows, we may not see any bills but the Speaker's go through any Assembly Committees. Does anyone else feel like they're reading a page straight out of a Mario Puzo book?
did somebody hurt your feelings nicky?
the funniest part about these posts are hudson dems crying about being bullied around. you remember what county you're from right?
state pension
What's lost in all this rhetoric is how dismally small state pensions are for the lower paid workers. They earned it over may years and for legislators, who enjoy pensions for their part time jobs, to take it away is a disgrace. Let the legislators give up their pensions first as an example. But don't hold your breath. Oh and by the way what world does ddemsanddonts live in. Nobody in the private secotor gets a pension. Who is he kidding. I'm retired from the private sector and I get one. As do millions of other workers.
No One? That was strange
I always admired demsandonts tenacity if not his accuracy but after this, his credibility is simply shot. Where did he come up with that one? I work for a large financial services firm and am looking forward to my employer paid pension upon retirement.
Ya sure?
Demsanddonts, My whole family works in the private sector...They all have pensions, healthcare..including dental, eyecare, and PPO type services. You must live under the proverbial rock after it landed on you.