AARP believes that taxes should be based on an individual’s income and that property taxes should be affordable. New Jersey’s proposed state budget will eliminate Homestead Property Tax Rebates this year causing hardship for many of our most vulnerable citizens.

The loss of this rebate will affect hundreds of thousands of New Jersey residents, and many of them make less than $10,000 per year. These people rely on their rebate check to help make ends meet and the state is turning to them to help balance the budget. The people who should be responsible to pay taxes are those that can afford it.

Low-income New Jerseyans use their rebates to help pay for necessities such as food, medications, clothes, and rent. How can they be expected to pay taxes when they are struggling to get by? They need the rebate program.

AARP supports legislation to reinstate Homestead Property Tax Rebates. Low-income seniors have no alternative means to make ends meet, but the state can look elsewhere to balance its budget. It is important that we urge our state legislators to support this measure immediately.

My “good day” became a great day when I attended the African-American Heritage Parade and Festival in Weequahic Park in Newark. It was great to see the wonderfully diverse and multi-generation communities come out to celebrate and enjoy all the festivities and entertainment. I was privileged to be there as a representative of AARP New Jersey and our partnership with other local organizations made this four-day event truly special.

This parade and festival was a great example of organizations and volunteers coming together to create a forum for consumer education and cultural celebration that was truly memorable. AARP sponsored its AARP-Walgreens Wellness Tour Bus and met many new friends and potential volunteers through Create the Good, a wonderful reminder that it takes just a little to give back a lot to any community. I think every person was reminded of that all weekend long. I know we helped a lot of festival revelers find ways to connect with volunteer opportunities that will make a great difference.

Thanks to everyone for such a great event. I am already looking forward to next year’s! In the meantime, please join me and go to createthegood.org and learn about all the ways, big and small, we can continue to stay connected and make a difference in each other’s lives.

by Suad Al-Rabai [jmargesson@aarp.org]

I am writing about the proposed elimination of the New Jersey Homestead property tax rebate program that is in jeopardy under the current state budget. My monthly income is very low. It is already a struggle to make ends meet and there are many in the state far worse off than me. I know that AARP and other organizations are speaking up about this issue and that is what we all need to be doing.

The proposal to eliminate the property tax rebate is going to be devastating for me. I honestly do not know what I will do. My house needs a lot of upkeep this year. All our costs are going up and it has been so helpful to have the tax rebate check each year to help make ends meet. Without it, I will lose that extra safety net.

I am hoping that the legislature will listen to people like me before the final decisions are made. Please understand that taking away the property tax rebate checks is not the only way to balance the state budget. People like me don’t have anything extra to give! We do not have financial alternatives, but the State does.

May 27, 2010
Dear Editor,

I read the news today and it hurts. It hurts like the crash of the economy and the ensuing bailouts. I am in pain 24/7, under doctor’s care since the 80’s and the doctor still winces when he views my condition. My doctor is a man of compassion who will do what ever he can to alleviate my condition.
The only compassion I see from Mr. Christie is for the millionaires who don’t pay a fair share of the taxes. The rich pay a pittance in taxes. Why doesn’t it hurt in a real and meaningful painful way like the pain sufferers in New Jersey?
We pain sufferers have waited years for medical marijuana. Enduring last minute stalling and delays during the January 2010 NJ sessions.
New Jersey has the most restrictive law of the fourteen states, because opposition deemed it necessary. Mr. Christie stalled and delayed the bill from the inception. Now his administration has not accomplished the necessary WORK to implement the law as outlined in the bill.
Delaying implementation is a bad example of upholding and enforcing the law. The only defense by Gov. Christie is, “There has been no foot dragging”.
Yet, even the application form allowing the use of medical marijuana has not been issued. Either use the knowledge gained by the legislature sessions or use the knowledge from the other states that have allowed medical marijuana. Nothing has been done to implement the law, except to request a formal delay.
I am disappointed in the bully pulpit hypocrisy being used by Mr. Christie. Any person aquatinted with addictions knows what is addictive and marijuana is not addictive. Marijuana doesn’t cause the physical and mental problems associated with excessive drinking, overeating or other indulgences.
California is in the process of legalizing Marijuana in November it is time for New Jersey to move forward. The pain I will have to suffer during this proposed delay is not worth the inertia of this administration.

Gerald Foss
Merchantville, NJ

 To The Editor:

   I wrote this poem to you around 1961 and you printed it, Thank you.
It will explain itself.  The next one I started about a week ago and ended 
the day after an accident happened there, the other day.  Hope you print 
the next poem in your paper too.  Thanks ahead of time.

                                          

              CENTURY-FARVIEW

C ars to the left of you, car to the right,
E arly last evening, it was an awful fright.
N obody around till after the crash,
T hen all the good people came to help in a flash!
U p on the sidewalk, the car came with a bound,
R ight out of his car, and down to the ground.
Y ou see the other car, you see the lady cry.

F uture accidents will happen there, ask yourself, why?
A nswer to that question is clear as can be,
R ide there yourself and you will surely see!
V ery dangerous intersection,
I'  d like a light for protection.
E ven when some lives are taken,
W ill that help make them awaken? 

                            By
                                  Sandra Cianci

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New Jersey is the Titanic. State government is sinking in debt and deficit and Governor Christie has quite rightly sounded the alarm. It isn’t his fault that we’ve hit the recession iceberg, but unfortunately the lifeboat situation is perilous with few spots for all the passengers. As Captain of the ship, his responsibility is to ensure fairness. Some will be hurt more than others. Unfortunately, some cuts hurt our most vulnerable populations—low-income seniors and disabled.

Low-income seniors and disabled are getting hit hard by the cuts to the pharmaceutical assistance programs, restrictions put on the Senior Property Tax Freeze and the elimination of the homestead rebates. These financial hits will be exacerbated by the expected property tax increases resulting from drastic cuts in state aid to municipalities and school districts.

What are people living on Social Security or Social Security disability supposed to do? Stop taking medications? Not eat as much? Stop paying rent? “Shared sacrifice” must be fairly shared. If the State insists on squeezing low-income seniors and disabled for millions of dollars in “savings”, they may very well stop taking their medications, get sicker and end up in already-overcrowded hospital emergency rooms. How does that help anyone?

Marilyn Askin
AARP New Jersey Chief Legislative Advocate
Plainsboro

The health care reform package recently signed into law addresses a very important nursing shortage that exists in America right now. This is another way the health care laws will improve the care received in the United States. The package encourages more nurses and more physicians to enter primary care by providing an extra bonus in Medicare. The health care reform package also raises payments for primary care practitioners who treat patients in Medicaid, the government-run program for lower-income citizens.

AARP New Jersey commends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act which will result in the education of greater numbers of advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs). This law creates a vital program to educate more APRNs to provide primary care, preventive care and chronic care management which is vital to consumers of all ages and is especially important for Medicare beneficiaries. Our thanks to all the members of Congress who voted in favor of health care reform and who thereby helped to highlight this much-needed nursing program.

Gail Daly, RN, APRN
AARP Outreach Volunteer
Somerset, NJ

I am outraged to learn that Governor Christie is proposing a huge deductible for the 125,000 individuals who are the beneficiaries of PAAD, the state’s prescription drug program. People on PAAD qualify for the program because they are either seniors with lower incomes or are individuals suffering from disabilities. Turning to them in an effort to balance a troubled state budget seems unconscionable.

Is imposing unaffordable fees on the state’s most vulnerable citizens really the only solution? The Christie administration has proposed more than doubling the co-pays for each prescription these individuals take. In addition, for the first time ever, PAAD beneficiaries will be subject to a sizeable deductible of $310 each.

Come January 2011, these individuals and families will be forced into making impossible choices. Should they take the drugs they need? Pay the rent? Put food on the table? Again, are the poorest of the state’s poor the ones who should be targeted by this Administration?

I encourage anyone who disagrees with this state budget proposal to voice your opinion. Call your state legislator and urge them to stop this proposal. Our state budget may be problematic, but surely we can work towards a better, more responsible solution.

Ravindra Kumar
AARP Outreach Volunteer
Kendall Park

Getting Americans back to work is one of the most pressing priorities for our nation. People who are unemployed are less likely to have health insurance coverage. Our nation needs to find ways to fix our broken health care system.

It can take a worker over the age of 50 twice as long as someone younger to find work. We cannot turn our back on those who have hit hard times and are now struggling to afford health care. On average, seniors spend 30 percent of their income on health care costs. This is six times greater than the percentage those with employer-sponsored health coverage spend.

We must move forward with health care reform. We are a nation crippled by record unemployment, and with that come millions of Americans who have lost employer-based health care coverage. Even people with insurance are not secure. Many have experienced personal bankruptcies due to the misfortune of becoming sick.

We cannot let Washington gridlock jeopardize health care reform. I am one of millions of Americans who is counting on our elected officials to keep their promises to solve this problem. We need leadership from our elected officials, not bickering and stonewalling.

Gail Daly
AARP Outreach Volunteer
Millstone

For confirmation, please contact:

Jane H. Margesson
Communications Director
AARP New Jersey
101 Rockingham Row - Forrestal Village
Princeton, NJ 08540
(609) 452-3908 office
(609) 571-0526 cell
(609) 987-4634 fax
jmargesson@aarp.org

Letter to the Editor:

“The Obama Way: Bluster, Bully, Bribe” (Mar. 7) spreads baseless rumors and blames victims of a smear. Michelle Malkin details vicious, unfounded suggestions that Scott Matheson’s announced appellate court nomination was somehow tied to a potential health care vote by his brother, Utah Democratic Rep. Jim Matheson.

She admits that “perception of a judgeship-for-Obamacare-vote deal is, of course, horribly unfair to Matheson, who seems more than qualified for the position.” But Malkin then lays “full blame” on the White House for underestimating how irresponsible critics would create this “horribly unfair” perception.

Her column hinges on the claim that “for nearly a year,” while this judgeship was vacant, “there was no action.” But, every judicial nominee selection triggers months of FBI and American Bar Association vetting before a public announcement.

Utah Republican Senators Orrin Hatch and Bob Bennett debunked this conspiratorial fantasy and The Salt Lake Tribune “laughed the … suggestion off the table.”

Paul Cassell, a very conservative former U.S. District Judge appointed by President George W. Bush wrote: “Given that the ABA was evaluating Scott in roughly January, one would expect an announcement roughly six weeks later – exactly as happened here.” He concluded: "Unfortunately for conspiracy theorists, the facts show that the Scott Matheson nomination has nothing to with the health care debate. ... Scott Matheson is precisely the kind of restrained, consensus choice that conservatives should join Senator Hatch in applauding.”

[Since 2001 I have headed the environmental community's Judging the Environment project which focuses on federal judicial nominations.]

-Glenn Sugameli
Staff Attorney
Judging the Environment
www.judgingtheenvironment.org

To the editor:

As an avid follower of health care discussions, I am happy to see that there are legislators working to improve quality and ensure access to health care benefits.

Senator Robert Menendez should be commended for his recent work with the “Puerto Rico Medicare Fairness” amendment, which allows for auto-enrollment of Puerto Ricans in Medicare Part B.

Currently, even though Puerto Ricans pay their full share of Medicare taxes, Medicare does not auto-enroll them in Part B like other Americans. As a result, many only enroll in Part B when they require doctor or other outpatient services and realize for the first time that they are not enrolled. Then, because they have missed the initial enrollment period, they must pay late enrollment fines for the rest of their lives.

One of AARP’s goals of national health care reform is to create access to quality health care for all U.S. citizens, wherever they reside. AARP believes that U.S. citizens in Puerto Rico and the territories should have access to all existing and new federal health care programs, with appropriate funding and enrollment rules to facilitate that access.

Senator Menendez is to be applauded for his leadership and support of this key issue.


Blenda Riddick
Associate State Director – Advocacy
AARP New Jersey

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

With reference to the Paramus Council race, how dare the Democrats disavow any knowledge of the false claims made in their mailings - Niland claiming to be in New Hampshire the week of the mailing and the other, Hayo, blaming the printer? How insulting is that? No intelligent candidate allows any print material to be distributed without first approving its content.

Their most recent flyer states: “Why Would We Go Back”? Why would we, indeed! The current majority is loaded with long time political characters who have done well for themselves over the many decades - either directly or through family borough employees. During the most recent Republican administration, taxes were actually lowered and/or remained static for two years. As for the big box stores; they are on the highway where they belong. Remember, the retail businesses keep our taxes acceptable and not to mention, these large corporations donate tens of thousands to our local organizations. This marriage was made 50 years ago and so be it.

On the issue of “association with known felons”, was Paramus cheated by former borough attorney, Oury? Has anyone checked the books and the paper trail of grants obtained? Paramus has always been a candy store for the Democratic party in the County and nothing has changed and there is a reason why former local officials stay in touch.

Let’s go forward with new blood who are personally dealing with today’s problems and economy and do not have the baggage that accompanies the current incumbents. We have nothing to lose and all to gain from the new generation.


Georgianna Hutter
Paramus, NJ

The Paramus municipal pool has been enjoyed by many thousands, for decades. The happy sounds of summer fun have been heard from there for many, many years. Homes, schools and libraries have been in the surrounding Paramus area for many decades. The Paramus valley region was inhabited and farmed for well over 2 centuries. Major federal and state highways transect the Borough through which vast populations of vehicles in every state of environmental repair course through town continuously day and night. In all this time of intensive use and habitation there have been no documented cases of death, poisoning, short or long term illnesses or any health anomalies acquired by human inhabitants caused by chemicals or contamination or pollution. More real contamination, is to be gotten from second hand smoke, lead paint, sugar, poor diet, abuse of alcohol tobacco and firearms and ignorance than from any chemical pollution. There are many data to support these latter. There are no data to support the former.

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Dear Editor,

I've been a vegan for more than 15 years and I wholeheartedly agree with Saimi Rote Bergmann's assessment of mock meats: They're tasty, healthy, humane, and can fool even a die-hard carnivore (Meat substitutes pass the taste test, 4/7/07).

I recommend using Morningstar Farms Burger-Style Recipe Crumbles instead of beef in chili, tacos, and sloppy Joes, and Morningstar's vegetarian Chik'n Strips and Steak Strips in stir-fries, stews, and casseroles. Boca original and roasted onion veggie burgers, Morningstar Farms Better 'n Burgers, Amy's All American Burger, and Gardenburger Flame Grilled burger are great on the grill, and you can make a delicious mock chicken-salad sandwich with Worthington's Chic-ketts and Veganaise eggless mayonnaise. Or try Worthington's Tuno in a tuna-free tuna sandwich.
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The related story

Your story about Kathleen Woith highlighted the tragic shortage of human organs for transplant operations.

Over half of the 92,000 Americans on the national transplant waiting list will die before they get a transplant. Most of these deaths are needless. Americans bury or cremate about 20,000 transplantable organs every year. Over 6,000 of our neighbors suffer and die needlessly every year as a result.
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