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Ridgewood NJ, Coronavirus numbers are on the increase across the United States, and so is the debate about hydroxychloroquine as a treatment and preventative. Senator Joe Pennacchio today said the politically fueled controversy is interfering with doctors who are scrambling to save lives.
Continue reading Doctors Must Be Unshackled and Allowed to Treat with or Without HCQ
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Trenton NJ, Senator Anthony M. Bucco, Senator Kristin Corrado, and Senator Joe Pennacchio said the Murphy Administration’s massive failures in protecting nursing homes, processing unemployment claims, and reopening Motor Vehicle Commission agencies must be investigated by the Legislature to ensure that fixes can be implemented as quickly as possible.
“It’s clear to everyone in New Jersey that the Murphy Administration has failed to properly protect nursing home residents, help unemployed workers, or plan for the MVC’s reopening,” said Bucco (R-25). “What’s not clear, however, is why the governor didn’t listen to the warnings raised by so many people or why he continues to refuse to enact the common-sense solutions we’ve proposed. It’s also not clear why Senate Democrats continue to delay the bipartisan investigation we were promised to help guide our efforts to fix lingering problems and prevent a recurrence of these critical failures.”
Continue reading Murphy’s Nursing Home, Unemployment & MVC Failures Must Be Probed by NJ Senate
photos by Derek Michalski
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Ridgewood NJ, frustrated by the Governor’s refusal to loosen restrictions on restaurants for indoor dining, Senator Joe Pennacchio today proposed legislative action to address the stalemate that is suffocating the state economy.
Pennacchio implored the Senate to adopt an amendment to S-766 to allow restaurants to follow appropriate precautions and open their doors to indoor customers immediately.
Continue reading Democrats Block Attempt to Open Restaurants for Indoor Dining
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Paramus NJ, When jetliners full of passengers crashed into the twin towers of the World Trade Center and collapsed them onto crowded Manhattan streets on September 11, 2001, 2,606 people were lost. Other terrorist hijackings the same morning elevated the death toll to 2,996.
Continue reading Over 6800 COVID Deaths in New Jersey Nursing Homes Yet The Silence is Deafening
Senator Pennacchio Objects to Efforts to Remove Columbus Statue in Parsippany
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Parsippany NJ, Senator Joe Pennacchio (R-26) released the following statement in reaction to a published report of the launch of an online petition seeking the removal of the Christopher Columbus monument in Parsippany.
A bust of Columbus was installed on a granite base on Parsippany Boulevard in 1992 to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Italian explorer landing in the Americas.
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Trenton NJ, While the state is lifting some of its coronavirus restrictions today and opening restaurants for limited outdoor dining, Senator Joe Pennacchio raised concerns that the 6,000 nursing home residents who died from COVID-19 are being forgotten.
“If the state doesn’t learn from our mistakes, we will repeat them,” said Pennacchio (R-26). “We know things in our nursing homes went bad in a hurry, and we know that 6,000 vulnerable seniors died in forced isolation, unable to see their families for one last time. We know costly errors were committed, the Administration has been anything but forthcoming, and New Jersey residents have a long laundry list of questions that demand answers.”
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Trenton NJ, During times of emergency like the current COVID-19 pandemic, Senator Joe Pennacchio and Senator Steve Oroho have a plan to restore policy-making balance to the state.
Governor Phil Murphy, who today announced he was lifting the months-long stay-at-home order, has utilized his pen and executive orders to circumvent the elected Legislature and avoid public scrutiny during his time in office. He plans to sign another executive order raising limits on the size of indoor and outdoor gatherings in the state.
Continue reading Constitutional Amendment Proposed to Curtail Governor’s Emergency Powers
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Trenton NJ , Senator Joe Pennacchio criticized the passage of A-4175 in the General Assembly. This legislation would allow up to $14 billion in new borrowing to cover operating expenses.
Continue reading Murphy Administration’s Failed COVID Response Leads to Property Tax Increase
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Trenton NJ, A published report stating that as the coronavirus gained a foothold, the health commissioner was reluctant to send state inspectors into nursing homes because they didn’t have sufficiently protective masks prompted outrage from Senator Joe Pennacchio.
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Trenton NJ, Senator Steven Oroho, Senator Joe Pennacchio, Senator Declan O’Scanlon, and Senator Kristin Corrado said the evidence is mounting that thousands of deaths in New Jersey’s long-term care facilities were preventable and called on Senate President Steve Sweeney to initiate legislative hearings to prevent a repeat of the tragedy should New Jersey be hit by a second wave of COVID-19.
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Trenton NJ, Senator Joe Pennacchio has introduced legislation that would provide state income tax credits for landlords who voluntarily grant rent forgiveness to commercial tenants during the pandemic crisis.
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Trenton NJ, Senator Joe Pennacchio has obtained a letter sent by the New Jersey Department of Health dated March 31 directing hospitals and nursing care facilities not to inhibit transfer of hospital patients with COVID-19 entering post-acute care settings such as long-term nursing and rehabilitations facilities.
Continue reading New Jersey Forced Covid-infected Seniors into Nursing Homes
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Trenton NJ, Senator Joe Pennacchio (R-26) along with many other New Jersey taxpayers objected to signs appearing on state highways with the words “Don’t be a Knucklehead” posted on them.
The signs reference repeated entreaties Murphy made in his daily COVID-19 briefings, and Pennacchio was unamused.
Continue reading “Don’t be a Knucklehead” Sign Raises Ire of New Jersey Residents
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Trenton NJ, Senator Joe Pennacchio, while applauding the Governor for opening up parks, is calling on the Murphy Administration to begin reinstating “elective” surgeries in the state.
“We are finally allowing people to get out and walk in our parks and reap the physical and emotional health benefits of exercise. Now it’s time to prioritize the general health of the population and the fiscal stability of our essential hospitals,” said Senator Pennacchio (R-26). “With the emphasis on the virus, at-risk patients have not had access to important and necessary procedures. It’s time to allow people who are not infected to get the care they need from hospitals, health centers, doctors, dentists and eye doctors.”
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Trenton NJ, Governor Phil Murphy presented his budget proposal and its the biggest budget in NJ history $40.9 billion raising spending by 5.5%.
Senate Republican Leader Tom Kean said Governor Phil Murphy’s budget proposal for FY 2021 does nothing to encourage New Jersey families to stay in the Garden State.
“Anyone who’s looking for a plan to make New Jersey more affordable will be disappointed by a budget proposal from Governor Murphy that raises taxes and makes no effort to constrain costs,” said Kean (R-21). “In a year when state revenues are booming, the governor’s spending plan represents a missed opportunity to demonstrate fiscal discipline and provide real tax relief to New Jerseyans.”
