NJ A1545 Would Allow NJ Professional License Reciprocity With Other States

A bill introduced in the 2010-2011 Legislative session and carried over to the 2012-2013 Legislative session would allow NJ's Professional Licensing Boards to grant reciprocity, without taking an examination, to applicants licensed in other states that meet equal or greater licensing requirements than the State of New Jersey.  

The problem with the original version of this bill was there was no reciprocity included in the bill. The way the bill was written, there was no requirement for any other state to grant reciprocity to a NJ Licensee in return for NJ granting reciprocity to their Licensee. 

NJECPAC who represents the interests of NJ's Electrical Contractors were the only group that picked up that obvious flaw in the bill. NJECPAC was successful in having the bill amended to require that in order for reciprocity to take place the corresponding state would have to also grant the same reciprocity to NJ's Licensees. The Electrical Licensing Board currently opposes reciprocity with other states.  

  

If passed, A1545 would also grant a grace period for licensees whose license has expired to allow a period of time that the business can operate while the appropriate steps are taken to renew the license. Read the current Bill Here

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Hunterdon County Considering Shared Services

Woodbridge Township has long been an example how multiple towns can share one central Municipal and School Administration.  

It is about time that other areas of the state followed suit. 

Consolidation initiatives are finally sweeping the state, with governor and legislature adding bipartisan backing New Jersey is finally getting serious about sharing services

Hunterdon County Freeholder Rob Walton and Readington Township Committeewoman Donna Simon, who is also a NJ State Assemblywoman, discussed shared services during a taxpayers forum. 

While spending caps, rising property tax appeals, and a sluggish economy are spurring elected officials to push for police department consolidation, school district regionalization, and other shared services in a movement that promises to reshape the way government services are provided in New Jersey, Hunterdon County is debating a groundbreaking proposal to merge the county’s 30 school districts and their 30 school superintendents, administrative staffs, and school boards into a single countywide district, with potential tax savings in the tens of millions of dollars for Hunterdon’s 128,349 residents. Read More

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Obama To Release Budget Proposal In The Red By Trillions

Today, Obama is slated to release his annual budget proposal for 2013, It will also include a 10-year budget outlook. 


After talking incessantly about cutting spending, you would think that Obama would spend less money next year than this year. Yet, in the Obama-nation, a spending cut means spending less than you were slated to spend, even though it is still higher.


So contrary to the norm talk is not cheap and Obama's talk costs taxpayers Trillions. How is that for Hope and Change?


Obama’s budget request to Congress on Monday forecasts a deficit of $1.33 trillion in for 2012 and includes hundreds of billions of dollars of infrastructure spending.
The projected deficit is higher than the $1.296 trillion deficit in 2011 and also higher than a $1.15 trillion projection released by the Congressional Budget Office last week.
Read More Here.


The proposed Budget also still calls for new Taxes on the Wealthy 

Read more at the Wall Street Journal

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“DIRTY JOBS’” MIKE ROWE on Skilled Trade Shortage

“DIRTY JOBS’” MIKE ROWE

We have reported for some time that there is serious shortage of workers entering the Skilled Trades. Dirty Jobs’ host Mike Rowe testified to the U.S. Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee on the need for the U.S. to promote skilled trades as a desired job and not just those of “higher education” (7:44 minutes).  Read More 

The NJECPAC in NJ and the IEC National Association in Washington are working in various ways, including but not limited to having Legislation passed to promote Apprentice Training for all with a focus on Merit Shop Apprentices. A focus has also been placed upon skilled trades training for Journeymen, Foremen and Project Managers to produce a highly trained Workforce. 

NJECPAC has posted the Mike Rowe video on our YouTube Channel. To view Video Click Here Mike Rowe sends a very powerful message. Thanks to Jerry Thomas, IEC Dallas, for passing this Video along. 

Feel free to explore the dozens of other very informative videos posted on our NJECPAC YouTube Channel @ www.youtube.com/njecpac 

NJECPAC videos are all posted within categorized Play Lists. 

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Small Business Waiting on Mandates in Obama's Health Care Law

Faced with higher premiums again in the year ahead, many business owners have found themselves in a holding pattern over health care. 

They're increasingly concerned about the rising costs of health care plans and the impact that health care reform will have on their businesses, and unsure whether they should make any changes in their current plan until they have a better understanding of the law and their options. More

With the constitutionality of H.R.3590 The Affordable Care Act scheduled to be heard by the Supreme Court, small-business owners are taking a wait-and-see approach to changing their health plans and or plan benefits. Rising premium costs have caused small businesses to begin to choose lesser plans with reduced benefits and or increase the percentage that their employees must contribute to their health care plan in 2012. More

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Right to Work Foundation Files Suit Against Recess NLRB Appointments

The National Right-To-Work Foundation is taking the White House to court over Obama's highly controversial decision to install three new members on the National Board Relations board without Senate approval.

The legal challenge came after the three new members approved a legal response in an existing lawsuit. The plaintiffs asked the judge on Friday to rule that their participation is invalid because President Barack Obama did not have the authority to appoint them.

“We asked [the judge] to consider the question of whether they are constitutionally seated,” said Mark Mix, president of the National Right to Work Foundation.

Without legitimate appointments, they can’t participate in the lawsuit, Mix told The Daily Caller. And without their participation the board does have the quorum needed to implement the new regulations that the foundation opposes. Read More

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Obama Blatantly Violates Constitution With Illegal Recess Appointments

On January 4, 2012, in a constitutionally questionable move, President Obama recess appointed three Members to the National Labor Relation Board (NLRB). This announcement bypasses the U.S. Senate confirmation process for presidential nominations.

“We are extremely disappointed that the President has chosen to circumvent the American people’s ability to fully vet and consider these appointments,” said Thayer Long, IEC’s Executive Vice-President/CEO. “This move robs Congress with the responsibility and obligation to provide a check to the authority of the Executive Branch.” 

These appointments have sparked outrage among the business community and Republican leaders who believe this action allows the NLRB to continue its aggressive pro-labor agenda, and will likely be challenged legally. Read More

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Obama Signs National Defense Authorization Act Into Law

President Obama signed the National Defense Appropriation Act, a law that unless the Supreme Court overturns it ends the 4th Amendment as we know it.


The National Defense Authorization Act greatly expands the power and scope of the federal government to fight the War on Terror, including codifying into law the indefinite detention of terrorism suspects without trial. Under the new law the US military has the power to carry out domestic anti-terrorism operations on US soil. 


He offered this explanation. "The fact that I support this bill as a whole does not mean I agree with everything in it. In particular, I have signed this bill despite having serious reservations with certain provisions that regulate the detention, interrogation, and prosecution of suspected terrorists". Read White House Statement Here
Read More Here

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Happy New Year from NJECPAC

NJECPAC Board of Governors Would Like To Thank

 All Of Our 2011 Members For Their Support

And Wish Everyone A Happy and Profitable New Year

Thank You To Our

2011 NJEC-PAC Member Organizations: 

BCECA ~  Bergen County Electrical Contractors Association

NJ-IEC   ~  New Jersey Independent Electrical Contractors Association

PCECA ~  Passaic County Electrical Contractors Association

ECECA ~  Essex County Electrical Contractors Association  

FCECA ~  Four County Electrical Contractors Association

HCECA ~  Hunterdon County Electrical Contractors Association

IEC         ~  Independent Electrical Contractors Association

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House Republicans Succumb to Pressure to Pass Inferior Senate Tax Bill

By Joseph Hovanec Jr.

It is truly amazing how House Republicans were forced to cave to Senate Democrat and Obama's Demands to Scrap the full year $1000 Tax Cut already passed by the House, and instead pass the inferior and inadequate 60 day $160 tax cut passed by the Senate instead. 

The entire Main Stream Media and just about every Political Pundit condemned Republicans for taking a stance on Principal for the American People, forcing the GOP's hand to settle for less. The Democrats, led by Obama and their Media Lapdogs falsely reported to the American People that if Republicans did not pass the Senate Plan they would be responsible for increasing taxes. What kind of Math is that? 

The reality is that the Senate, controlled by Democrats would have been the cause of a tax increase because the House controlled by Republicans passed a 12 month $1000 tax cut and the Senate cut that back to a 60 day $160 tax cut. 

What is worse is the Media is reporting that the Democrats and Obama have won the fight. How can giving less to the American People be viewed as a victory?

It is a sad state of affairs when the Media can successfully create the illusion that a $160 tax cut is more for the American People than a $1000 tax cut. Whats worse is the majority of Americans actually believe they are getting something. How sad is that?

This tax is also being touted as a payroll tax cut which is in itself disingenuous. Most Americans equate payroll taxes with federal tax deductions. This cut is a reduction in the FICA tax deduction which is the only thing that funds Social Security. If they want to give a tax cut then cut the Federal Tax rate by 2% and leave Social Security alone. An extension of this tax cut no matter how long it is can only result in the acceleration of Social Securities path to insolvency. 

Not only is this a bad deal for the American People in the face dollar amount alone, it is a far worse deal for Seniors who are absent on the issue. 

I would bet anything that if George W Bush or any other Republican President advocated cutting funding to Social Security they would be accused of tossing grandma over the cliff in her wheelchair and we would see TV adds visualizing that very thing, but Obama can do just that and we hear not a word from Seniors. 

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