\ THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2011 LOCALSOURCE.COM VOL. 94 NO. 38

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STATUS UPDATECranford residents flocked by thehundreds to liear the current statusof ongoing flood remediation,which may involve the controver-sial Birchwood site.

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A call for ethics reform in New JerseyGov. Christie visits Union County, holds town hail meeting on Joe Ciyan's home turf

By Cheryl H«WStaff Writer

UNION — Gov. Chris Christiecame to Democratic AssemblymanJoe Ciyan's home turf to call for pas-sage of an ethics reform package andlook it swipe at Ciyan's double dip-ping public salaries.

"This is the county where themajority leader of the assembly livesand is also the undersheriff." Christiesaid, alluding to the fact that Cryanreceives two public salaries, some-thing the governor wants to abolishunder his proposed ethics reform billpackage that has been stalled in thelegislature since last year.

"One elected position should beenough in our state," the governorsaid, noting that there should be aban on the number of public salariestaken by elected officials.

"There is no reason to take twopublic salaries," he said, quicklysegueing to Democratic Assembly-man and Legislative Majority LeaderJoe Cryan, whose stomping groundis Union.

"1 don't know where he finds thetime," the governor quipped, gener-ating thunderous laughter andapplause from those gathered at theBoys and Girls Club on JeanetteAvenue.

Although Cryan did not attendthe town hall meeting, he wasted no

Gov. Chris Christie held aon Monday.

time expressing his sentiments aboutthe governor treading on his home-town turf.

"Assembly Democrats who haveadopted numerous ethics reformsthroughout the years will not be lec-tured by a governor who misuses

Photo By Chen I H«hl

town hall meeting at the Boys and Girls Club in Union

taxpayer paid property for personaland political use, travels covertlyaround the country raising moneyand fails to stand up to supporterswho form secretive fundraisinggroups," Cryan said Monday in apress release.

Christie kicked off his fall townhall meetings tour Monday by blast-ing Democratic legislators forstonewalling seven ethic reform billsthat would make legislators moreaccountable for their actions.

Christie opened the packed town

hall meeting by criticizing legislatorsfor not moving on the ethics reformbills for 376 days.

"In this limited area we've donenothing," the governor .said, adding"we look like Washington."

Christie wants lawmakers inTrenton to vote on the seven hillsthat outline a rigorous and far-reach-ing reform agenda to overhaul ethic-laws in the state and provide highstandards of integrity and transparen-cy. The bills would close holes incurrent pay-to-play laws, duel officeholding, legislature disclosure ofconflicts of interest, and pension col-lection from elected officials whoabuse the public trust.

"New Jersey's ethics laws remaina patchwork of ineffective half meas-ures and loopholes that fail to applya uniform standard of rules of con-duct for all levels of government inour state," Christie said, mentioningthat only 13 votes are needed lor thispackage to pass. "That's 13 out of71."

Lacing hard statements withhumor, the governor had the roomfilled with residents, politicians andmedia erupting into rousing laughterand thunderous applause.

"1 know its hard to believe thatwe have any ethics problems in NeeJersey," Christie said before moving

See CHRISTIE, Page 11

Three are arrested forstealing lunch money

By Cheryl HehlStaff Writer

ELIZABETH - This week school admin-istrators in Elizabeth learned a hard lessonabout taking someone else's lunch money.

Early monday morning three peopleworking for or connected to the school dis-trict were arrested in their homes by statepolice and charged with defrauding the

school district's free lunch program."We allege that the three individuals

charged today exploited the federally subsi-dized school lunch program by lying abouttheir family incomes to obtain free lunchesfor their children," said Division of CriminalJustice Director Stephen J. Taylor.

Arrested was Marie L. Munn, 46, of Eliz-See SCHOOL, Page 6

Drama unfolds duringRahway council meeting

By Patrick BuberRegional Editor

RAHWAY - The mayor and city coun-cil are at odds in Rahway, to say the least.And like a dramatic piece for the stage, theconflict unfolded in front of a live audience.The crowd, however, did not applaud theirpublic officials when all was said and done.

The plot thickened at the Sept. 12 meet-

Experience theYOUR NEWS, YOUR WAY!Whether you km moved out of Me, gone off tocollege or just want pur hometown nmpaperavailable whenever and wherever \w choose.

ing as party infighting between the whollyDemocratic council and mayor broke outonto the public scene when the mayor firstattempted to have a resolution added to theagenda at the last minute, and then againwhen he took to the microphone to defendhis actions.

Previously during the ongoing politicalSee COUNCIL, Page 2

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