Updated October 07, 2003
Phil Passantino
for
NJ Assembly - District 40
(Cedar
Grove, Franklin Lakes, Little Falls, Mahwah, Midland Park, Oakland,
Ridgewood, Ringwood, Verona, Wanaque, Wayne, Wyckoff)
Phil talks about what he will do in office:
I know New Jersey is a center of commerce and a center of industry; but I see many ways in which our state can take a lead on progressive environmental ideas ahead of Vermont, California and every other state. We can live up to our title “THE GARDEN STATE”, and set an example of how sustainability and commerce can go hand in hand. Here’s what I want to do:
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I look forward to working with the Garden State's first Green Party Assemblyman, Matt Ahearn, to pass Assembly bill A3393/A2439, which implements Phase II of California's low emission program for vehicles in NJ by the year 2006. This is crucial if we want to improve NJ's air quality, which now ranks 5oth in the nation according to a September 9 report by NJPIRG.
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I will pursue legislation requiring a percentage of New Jersey's state diesel vehicles to run on the B20 blend of biodiesel, which emits less sulfur and pollutants into the atmosphere.
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Assemblyman Ahearn has introduced a whole slate of innovative bills into the Assembly this year, which I support. Foremost among them is A3833, "The New Jersey Clean and Fair Elections For Legislative Candidates Act." This bill creates a campaign-funding system similar to the one successfully being used in Maine and Arizona, where candidates become eligible for public funding if they raise a large number of $5 donations from registered voters (which are put into the public campaign fund); and if they agree to accept no contributions towards their campaign. How much public funding do they receive? Whatever it takes to win, i.e. the average spent in the previous two elections to win that seat. Under this system, those who win elections owe no favors to high-paying campaign donors. And candidates can spend time meeting voters and addressing issues instead of fundraising.
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Mr. Ahearn also has introduced A3418 and A3433, which together implement the long-overdue reform of Instant Runoff Voting (IRV) in NJ. This is a great system where voters mark candidates on the ballot in order of preference; if the voter's first choice doesn't win the election, those votes then go to the voter's second choice candidate. This marks the end of "spoiler" candidates in elections. For example, in the 2000 Presidential election, if we had had this system, all the folks voting for Ralph Nader could have ranked Al Gore as their second choice, and when Nader failed to win, all those votes for Nader would have been "given" to Gore. It's voting for whomever the people like the most without electing the one they like the least.
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Two other potent bills introduced by Ahearn include A3824, which prohibits corporations of any kind from engaging in political speech, paying to influence legislation or making campaign contributions; and A3823, which limits corporate power and concerns corporate responsibility.
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On labor issues, I am a member of CWA Local 1031 and I am against privatization, patronage, outsourcing and layoffs. I support A2425, which will stop outsourcing of state contracts to foreign corporations. I support A706, the anti-privatization bill which will require a contract assessment to make sure outsourcing is absolutely cost-effective in a given situation. I am against the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) agreement and NAFTA because of both treaties' disregard for labor rights (as well as environmental ones).
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There has been much talk in the media about gay marriage. Meanwhile, the Green Party is the only party in Trenton to do something about it: Assemblyman Ahearn introduced A3762, which establishes civil unions, in June 2003.
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I will also introduce a "wealth tax" on total net wealth for the very wealthy, to pay for public education. Local property taxes would no longer be used for the schools, cutting those skyrocketing taxes dramatically. This is real tax reform. I oppose a constitutional convention on property taxes because it would be a sham and a golden opportunity for more fundraising by the Democrats and Republicans. A convention requires delegates, who need to be elected, which means more fundraising and "filling the coffers". If you want change, vote Green!"
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If you would like to donate to Phil's campaign, please make out your check to Concerned Citizens for Passantino for Assembly, 231 Parish Drive, Wayne NJ 07470. Thanks.
Please
vote for me, Philip A. Passantino, for State Assembly in District 40, on
November 4, 2003.
My door will always be open to your concerns and perspectives. The Green Party means new ideas. Even in North Jersey.