the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Trenton NJ, The fifteen members of the Senate Republican caucus wrote a letter to Senate President Steve Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin calling for votes to be scheduled in both houses of the Legislature to override Governor Phil Murphy’s veto of legislation (A-4525) intended to save New Jersey’s struggling restaurant industry.
“The governor’s veto is kicking the restaurant industry while they’re down,” said O’Scanlon (R-13). “He should have come to the Legislature during the three months the bill was under consideration if he had concerns. Instead, he said nothing and waited until months after it passed the Legislature unanimously to issue a veto. If the Governor had supported the other forms of relief we had suggested over the last few months, including more aid for restaurants and small businesses through the EDA, this bill might not even be needed. Unfortunately, he hasn’t listened at all and more ‘out of business’ signs will be the result.”
O’Scanlon and Testa are sponsors of the bipartisan legislation, S-3128/A-4525, which would have allowed restaurants, bars, distilleries, and breweries to expand food and beverage service to outdoor spaces they own or lease, including patios, decks, yards, walkways, parking lots, and sidewalks.
The full text of the letter is below:
Dear President Sweeney and Speaker Coughlin,
We write to urge you to schedule votes to override Governor Murphy’s veto of legislation, A-4525, that was intended to help restaurants, bars, and breweries to survive the economic harm caused by nearly a year of indoor dining restrictions due to COVID-19.
At no time during the months the bill was under consideration did Governor Murphy express concerns with the bipartisan legislation, which passed through both houses of the Legislature without a single dissenting vote.
This legislation is a measured and temporary response to help struggling establishments in all our communities to remain viable by allowing expanded food and beverage service to outdoor spaces they own or lease, including patios, decks, yards, walkways, parking lots, and sidewalks.
We have been warned by representatives of the restaurant industry and operators of local establishments that many restaurants, bars, and breweries are on the brink of closing. They simply cannot make enough to pay their bills under current limitations.
Governor Murphy’s inaction on other fronts to support small businesses, including restaurants, makes the override of his veto of A-4525 all the more urgent. We urge you to schedule override votes in both chambers as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
Thomas Kean
Leader
Joe Pennacchio
Whip
Kristin Corrado
Conference Leader
Kip Bateman
Deputy Whip
Robert Singer
Deputy Leader
Chris Brown
Deputy Conference Leader
Steven Oroho
Budget Officer
Anthony M. Bucco
Senator – District 25
Gerald Cardinale
Senator – District 39
Christopher Connors
Senator – District 9
Michael Doherty
Senator – District 23
James Holzapfel
Senator – District 10
Declan O’Scanlon
Senator – District 13
Michael Testa
Senator – District 1
Samuel Thompson
Senator – District 12
Murphy is being a dictator and no good for Democrats or Republicans. He is especially hard on small businesses, in addition all the casualties at Veterans homes. He should NOT be re-elected dictator again. Where are all our representatives who are supposed to be fighting for us? Everyone should be voted out of office and please remember this on Election Day. Thank you.
He’s not worried.
Your Ridgewood neighbors will overwhelmingly reelect him.
It’s settled science.
We’re still in a Murphy-induced state of emergency so he thinks he doesn’t have to listen to the legislature. It takes some sack to veto legislation that passed without a dissenting vote. While Trump is sucking up all of the news coverage, none of Murphy’s shenanigans are picked up by the media.
Don’t worry. The new federal relief package next month will cover the many restaurants in New Jersey and elsewhere in the USA. This relief will be similar to the Rest Relief bill that was ready to go last July in which establishments with 1.5 million in revenue would be reimbursed for lost profit and dollars to pay the employees until Covid is done for good.
Don’t worry? Thousands of restaurants have failed due to lockdowns. Where will be the government help for them? The government considers them small fry and, for all the talk, haven’t done anything to help
Our NJ congressman from Wyckoff is attempting to increase eligible bars and restaurants to the 3 to 5 million dollar revenue range in his revisions to the Restaurant Relief Bill so that the high end establishments in New Jersey will also qualify for funds that should keep them alive and kicking during indoor closure and the winter time cold of outdoor dining only. I don’t think anyone should complain about t5hat.
Our NJ congressman from Wyckoff is attempting to increase eligible bars and restaurants to the 3 to 5 million dollar revenue range in his revisions to the Restaurant Relief Bill so that the high end establishments in New Jersey will also qualify for funds that should keep them alive and kicking during indoor closure and the winter time cold of outdoor dining only. This federal bill will pass in early February.
Why do my comments never get approved? Do you believe in free speech or not?
Our Congressman from Wyckoff is a little ass sucker that only makes believe he is here to help.
Many voters are fooled, so we are stuck with him.
F the Restaurant Relief Bill .
Just let them open.
Businesses want freedom to operate, not welfare.