“Less than one week after the U.S. national debt surged past the $13 trillion mark, the Reuters headline warned ‘U.S debt to rise to $19.6 trillion by 2015.’

“This unsustainable mountain of borrowed money will quickly bring the ratio of debt to the gross domestic product (GDP) to 102 percent by 2015 from 93 percent this year. Which means the amount of money owed to our creditors such as China and Japan – will exceed the total value of the goods and services we produce.

“Of course, we must pay interest on that debt. And that is money we cannot use to provide one small business loan, close our borders to illegal aliens, provide security sensors at our ports, or train, equip and better protect one soldier or Marine.

For More from Congressman Frelinghuysen Click Here

Read the Reuters story “U.S debt to rise to $19.6 trillion by 2015 Click Here.

Recommended Reading II: Please read an insightful article from the June 8 edition of Forbes: “The Dark Side Of Stimulus.”

Christie on a roll

Gov. Christie’s continues to draw attention from across the nation. His “this is who I am” remarks to a Star Ledger editorial page editor when asked if his tone is hindering negotiations only added to his aura.

The video of the news conference went viral on Youtube and was played on radio stations across the nation. The video was pulled from Youtube after the Star Ledger, embarrassed by the spanking of their reporter by the Governor claimed copyright infringement. 

That claim was just that, and the video is back online.

To read more from Bob Ingle click here

To view the video click here and scroll to the bottom of the page

BPU Moves Forward With Prevailing-Wage Regulations

The Board of Public Utilities is moving forward with proposed regulations to comply with legislation enacted last summer requiring prevailing wages on Green Energy Projects Including Energy efficient lighting, HVAC and even Insulation projects receiving financial assistance from the agency.

Unions claim it levels the playing field for Contractors using union labor. The Democrat controled Senate and Assemby backed by union money and controlled by Legislators who themselves are union members railroaded the legislation through in the lame duck session after the November election of Governor Chris Christie.

The reality is that excesive union wages and egregious union benefits are responsible for a union contractors inability to compete. An average Merit Shop Solar Installer earns $25 to $30 per hour, but with prevailing wage it could run as high as $94+ per hour including the mandated $36+ per hour benefit portion of the wage. Find Prevailing Wage Rates in your area Here

The requirement does not apply to projects that rely on developer funding and solar energy renewable certificates. 

Given the opposition from business interests, it remains to be seen whether the rule, promoted by the failed Corzine administration, will survive the 90-day review period for all pending state regulations Gov. Chris Christie promised during the campaign.

OSHA Announces Proposed Revisions To Fall Protection Standards

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced proposed revisions to the rule governing fall protection standards in the Federal Register on May 24, 2010.

OSHA intends the revised rule to reduce the number of fall-related employee deaths and injuries by updating the rule to include new technology, such as personal fall protection systems.

According to OSHA, the revised rule “reorganizes the rule in a clearer, more logical, manner and provides greater compliance flexibility.” OSHA also drafted the rule in simpler language in order to make it easier to understand.

Read More

To View the Proposed Rule Click Here

DOL Publishes Final Rules On Labor Law Posting For Federal Contractors

Any Contractors that do Federal Work such as Post Offices, Military Facilities etc., or may do any Federal work in the future, should take note of these new rules.

On May 20, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued its final regulations describing how contractors and subcontractors working on federal projects will provide notice of employee rights under the federal labor laws.

Read More

Click Here To View Employee Notice Contractors Must Post In Their Workplace 

Bill Limiting Utility Placement of Capacitor Banks Clears Committee

Legislation sponsored by Senator Christopher “Kip” Bateman (R-Somerset) that would prohibit electric public utilities from expanding a switching station by installing one or more 500-kilovolt capacitor banks within 300 feet of the property line of any area zoned for residential use was unanimously passed by the Senate Environment and Energy Committee. View Senate Bill S1995

“People who purchase a home to live, raise a family, or retire in should be protected from having a large energy facility expanded right next door,” Bateman stated. “This is a common-sense bill that will protect the value, privacy and quality of life in homes across the state.”

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Solar Photovoltaic Installations: The Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors Explains.

It seems there is considerable confusion about whether an electrical contractor's license is required for solar-photovoltaic (SPV) installations.

Substantially, the question is: are SPV installations, including the SPV panels themselves, electrical work within the meaning of the regulations, so as to require an applicant for a construction permit to obtain an electrical contractor's license to perform such work? 

The short answer is yes; except that owners of single-family homes doing work on their own dwellings are exempt.

Recently the Board considered this issue and concluded that SPV systems, including the SPV panels themselves, to the extent that they are used for the generation, transmission, or utilization of electrical energy, constitute electrical work within the meaning of the Act.

Therefore, unless work was exempted by statute (e.g. operates at less than 10 volts, etc.), a contractor is required to obtain a license and business permit issued by the Board to install, erect, and repair, etc., SPV systems including SPV panels themselves.

To read the Excerpt on SPV Systems from the Spring 2010 Construction Code Communicator click Here.

To view the Spring 2010 Issue of The Construction Code Communicator click Here

1099 Rule Buried In Health Care Reform Law Draws Criticism

Rep. Dan Lungren, R-Calif., has introduced a bill that would roll back the provision buried on page 737 of H.R. 3590 The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, that will require businesses to file 1099 forms to any vendor from which they purchase $600 or more of goods and services.

The provision is expected to be especially hard on small-business owners who could be faced with a drastic increase in paperwork.

Given the current Senate and House Majority that passed HR 3590, we do not have high hopes for this bill to ever see the light of day. The best advise we can give to our members is to start preparing to comply now so you do not get caught by surprise when the provision takes effect on January 1st, 2012.
Read More, Bloomberg Business Week

Governor Christie Creates "Choose New Jersey" Program

Senator Steve Oroho (R-Sussex, Morris, Hunterdon), commended Governor Christie on establishing “Choose New Jersey,” a new privately funded nonprofit corporation that has been created to bring businesses and jobs back to New Jersey.

“Over the past ten years New Jersey has established a reputation for being one of the most anti-business states in the country. Our penchant for raising taxes, increasing debt and enacting unnecessary regulations have forced many businesses to close down or leave the state and cost many people their jobs.

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Governor Christie Leading By Changing The Course in N.J.

Governor Chris Christie continues to receive National attention for his management of New Jersey’s budget crisis. As painful as it is, the bold steps he is taking are necessary if we are to recover from the worst economy in generations.

Frankly, Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Reid and yes even the President of the United States could learn several lessons if they were to read his opinion piece.

Almost daily, I receive correspondence from across the Country from people that wish they had a Governor like Chris Christie in their State.

“The Reform Agenda: Changing Course in N.J.”

By Governor Chris Christie

As you all know, we have a fiscal crisis in New Jersey: a $10.9 billion deficit on a $29.3 billion budget. At 37 percent, it's the worst budget deficit percentage in America, worse than California, worse than New York, worse than Illinois, and bold steps must be taken to deal with it.

On March 16, we put forward a budget with $10.9 billion in reductions against proposed spending of the Corzine administration.

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