Welcome to the New Jersey Regional Coalition
Capitol District Council
This is a shared space for NJRC Capitol District members of the New Jersey Regional Coalition. The Capitol District comprises New Jersey Legislative Districts 15, 14, and parts of District 12.
NJRC is a statewide equity coalition of religious congregations and civic organizations working as a force for social justice and change in New Jersey. For 2009-2010 we will be focused on issues of transportation affordable housing, equal rights for immigrants (including legislation to grant in-state tuition rates to undocumented NJ high school graduates at our universities), and criminal justice reform. For more information about the New Jersey Regional Coalition, please visit us online at: www.njregionalequity.org
600 Attend Building ONE America Summit in DC
Keynote Address from Valerie Jarrett
More than 150 members of the New Jersey Regional Coalition, including many from the Capitol District, attended the “Building One America” national conference in Washington, D.C., on September 17 and 18, 2009. The two-day “National Summit on Regional Opportunity” was designed to bring before the federal government successful, proven regional policies, programs, and strategies to combat concentrated poverty, residential and school segregation, and sprawl. The audience of over 600 at Lincoln Park United Methodist Church heard keynote addresses from: Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor to President Barack Obama; Deputy HUD Secretary Ron Sims and Assistant HUD Secretary John Trasvina; Congressional Representatives Elijah Cummings (D-MD), Rush Holt (D-NJ), and Earl Blumenauer (D-OR); with comprehensive policy analysis sessions by Prof. john powell, Myron Orfield, and David Rusk. Summit speakers included clergy leaders and mayors from Youngstown, Ohio, Baltimore, Marland, Norristown, and Landsdowne, Pennsylvania. NJRC President Rev. R. L. Buffalo, and NJRC leaders Rev. Robert Hargrove, Rev. Charles Stephens, Bishop John Gandy, Rev. John Scotland, Marlene Lao-Collins, Nicole Plett, and Paul Bellan-Boyer also addressed the Summit. For more information including powerpoint presentations presented by national experts powell, Rusk and Orfield, click on "resources" at www.buildingoneamerica.org.
In the pictures: Fifteen members of the NJRC “Building One America” delegation, including six clergy members, visited the offices of New Jersey ’s Senators and the New Jersey Congressional delegation on Friday, September 18. Invitations to attend future "Building One New Jersey" public summit meetings in their home state during Spring 2010 were extended to: Senator Robert Menendez, Senator Frank Lautenberg, and 11 of New Jersey ’s House Members.
Capitol District organizing group LEADERS
- Rev. Charles Stephens, pastor, Unitarian Universalist Church at Washington Crossing, Titusville, 609-737-0515. uurevchas at comcast.net
- Marlene Lao-Collins, Coordinator of Religious Education, St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Trenton, 609-989-1120. mlaocollins at njcathconf.com
- Nicole Plett, President, League of Women Voters of Lawrence Township, 609-771-1665. nbplett at yahoo.com
- Alex J. Allen, Vice President, Community Planning & Research, Isles Inc., Trenton, 609-341-4701. aallen at isles.org
The Capitol District Council of the New Jersey Regional Coalition Prayer Breakfast hosts more than 100. Congressman Rush Holt and Assemblywoman Bonnie Watson Coleman pledge follow-up meetings
NJRC Capitol District Council hosted its annual Prayer Breakfast on June 8, 2009, at Shiloh Baptist Church in Trenton. Some 115 guests attended the early-morning event including 42 members of the clergy from Trenton, Lawrenceville, Ewing, Princeton, Hightstown, New Brunswick, and Hunterdon County. Congressman Rush Holt and Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman addressed the group. The gathering was hosted by clergy leaders Rev. Darrell Armstrong of Shiloh Baptist Church, Rev. Javier Diaz, St. Joseph Catholic Church, Rev. Vincent Gartland of the Church of St. Ann in Lawrenceville, Rev. Dean René John of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Trenton, and Rev. Charles Stephens of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Washington Crossing.
View photos of NJRC leaders and honored guests here: http://www.njregionalcoalition.org/photos/capitol_june09/
The meeting centered on NJRC’s three primary social justice issues: Regional equity in housing and transportation, in-state tuition for the children of immigrants, and criminal justice reform, with a special focus on reentry programs and juvenile justice reform. Both legislators addressed these issues and pledged to meet again with leaders of the New Jersey Regional Coalition this summer in advance of the “Building One America: A National Summit on Regional Opportunity” which will take place at Lincoln Park United Methodist Church in Washington D.C. on September 17 and 18, 2009.
Area religious organizations represented included leaders from Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, Freedom Christian Worship Center, Masjidut-Taqwa Mosque, Nassau Presbyterian Church, Temple Beth Chaim, All Saints’ Episcopal Church, The Jewish Center of Princeton, Westminister Presbyterian Church, First Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Hunterdon County, Congregation Adath Israel, St. Mary Cathedral, the Lutheran Office of Governmental Ministry, String of Pearls, the Unitarian Society, New Brunswick, and Presbytery of New Brunswick.
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Senate Approves Major NJ Housing Reform
June 23, 2008 
TRENTON, N.J. - Today marks an historic victory for community organizing in New Jersey. After stubbornly waging a four-year battle to abolish RCAs, the New Jersey Regional Coalition and YOU were on hand today to witness the New Jersey Senate vote 21-16 to approve the housing bill and END RCAs in New Jersey.
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We did it! We abolished RCAs - Senate passes housing bill 21 to 16!
See Governor Jon Corzine and NJRC Clergy and Statewide Leaders
February 25, 2008
NJRC had a very productive Statewide Leadership Meeting on Sunday, February 24 that included a very challenging training on "Building a Power Organization" by Greg Galluzzo, director of the Gamaliel Foundation in Chicago. We are all going to be working this year to increase the number of members in our District Council and take more responsibility for collecting dues from these member congregations and organizations.
At the NJRC Statewide Leadership meeting on Sunday, February 24, we voted to expand the boundaries of our currently active "NJRC District Councils" to take in some neighboring legislative districts that are not currently organized. It has been proposed that our current DISTRICT 15 council be expanded to include District 14 and parts of District 12 (Hightstown & East Windsor). Our leadership welcomed the proposal because, as the group that formerly represented all of Central New Jersey, we already have relationships in these neighboring districts. Thus, for 2008 NJRC will operate with seven named district councils -- At yesterday's meeting we proposed naming our new group the Capitol District Council. We count our dues-paying members as: Isles, Shiloh Baptist Church, The Unitarian Universalist Church at Washington Crossing, the League of Women Voters of Lawrence Township, and St. Joseph's Parish.
Greetings! We have accomplished great things in the past year as NJRC leaders: a powerful statewide public meeting in November; orchestration of a powerful December 10 hearing on RCAs and comprehensive housing reform in collaboration with Speaker Joseph Roberts and Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman; significant progress on higher educational opportunity for immigrants; and passage of a more fair and just state school funding formula that increases state funding for education by $530 million and reduces pressure on property taxes. On behalf of all NJ residents – congratulations!
Training has been critical for these victories and the development of leaders for participation in the public arena. Fifty leaders from throughout New Jersey have attended the Gamaliel Foundation’s National Weeklong Leadership Training since 2004 and these leaders have been instrumental in advancing our work. In order to further advance and sustain our work, and help us all reach our own professional and personal goals, we are committed to sending more Central Jersey leaders to weeklong training.
New Jersey Regional Coalition
PRESENTED A SUCCESSFUL STATEWIDE PUBLIC MEETING
Sunday, November 4, 2007, 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens
Hosted by Rev. Dr. DeForest B. Soaries Jr., Senior Pastor
Read about us in the Star-Ledger:
Activists call for social justice
1,500 fill Somerset church for event
Monday, November 05, 2007
BY JULIE O'CONNOR
Star-Ledger Staff
As an undocumented immigrant, Mirasol Conde-Hernandez wasn't eligible for financial aid and had to turn down the offer to attend Rutgers University.
Instead, the 20-year-old from Mexico now works 40 to 50 hours a week while attending Middlesex Community College in Edison full-time, but still dreams of a future when New Jersey will offer undocumented immigrants the kind of financial assistance other students receive.
Yesterday, Conde-Hernandez was one of nearly 1,500 housing and social justice activists from across the Garden State to fill a Somerset church and demand action from legislators on a common reform agenda.
Speakers called for more school funding for at-risk districts, elimination of Regional Contribution Agreements and a chance for higher education opportunities for undocumented immigrants.
"Because I am Mexican by birth, and because my parents had the courage to leave their homes at only 20 years old in pursuit of a better future for me, I am stuck," Conde-Hernandez told the crowd. "I refuse to allow this to be a shattered dream."
Clapping and at times rising from their seats at the First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens were members of the New Jersey Regional Coalition, an alliance of congregations, community development and social justice organizations.
The coalition also wants undocumented immigrants who live in New Jersey to be allowed to pay in-state tuition to attend its state colleges and universities. This affects about 600 undocumented New Jersey students every year, said Marlene Lao-Collins, director of a public policy organization for Catholic Bishops in New Jersey.
"In order for them to go to college, they have to pay double -- in some cases triple -- tuition," she added. "It's a dream that they want to accomplish. This is the way not to lose that intellectual capital in our state."
When it comes to school funding, coalition speakers stressed they don't think state funds should be withdrawn from New Jersey's most impoverished Abbott districts, but they also want additional money channeled to at-risk suburbs which don't receive Abbott money. They argue funding should be based on the demographics of a school district and its ability to pay.
In the area of affordable housing, the coalition wants to abolish Regional Contribution Agreements, or RCAs, which suburbs use to transfer their housing obligations to cities.
"RCAs promote segregation," said Rohn Hein, the coalition's legislative liaison, speaking before the event. "Rich communities are selling their obligations to poorer communities."
If RCAs are eliminated, additional funds should be provided to urban communities so they can meet their housing needs, he said. The state also should better enforce the 1975 Mount Laurel court decision on affordable housing.
"Inequalities and injustices are causing thousands of families to flee New Jersey," said the Rev. Charles Stevens of the Unitarian Universalist Church at Washington Crossing. "The exodus will continue until only the wealthy will live here in our state."
© 2007 The Star Ledger
© 2007 NJ.com All Rights Reserved.
We are pleased to report that Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman and Assemblyman Reed Gusciora of District 15 both attended the NJRC 2007 Public Meeting.
Governor Jon Corzine was represented by spokesperson Jeanine LaRue, Deputy Chief of Staff, Office of the Governor;
Senator Robert Smith (District 17) represented and spoke for Senate President Richard J. Codey and the Senate Democratic Caucus;
Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts was represented by William Castner, Jr.
DCA Commissioner Joseph V. Doria, Jr. was represented by his Chief of Staff, Edwin Carman.
The League of Women Voters of New Jersey was represented at the meeting and distributed 1,000 voter information cards to attendees, encouraging all to Vote on Tuesday, November 6, 2007.
NEWS FROM NJRC's DISTRICT 15 CLERGY BREAKFAST EVENT, JUNE 7, 2007
At the New Jersey Regional Coalition District 15 Clergy Breakfast at Shiloh Baptist Church in Trenton on June 7, 2007, Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman told the 60 clergy and lay and civic leaders present that for years she has wanted to abolish regional contribution agreements to make New Jersey's fair housing laws more fair. She lauded the New Jersey Regional Coalition and said it was only because of our hard work and statewide organizing that we are now so close to seeing RCAs abolished in New Jersey. She encouraged all present to continue to work for fairness and equity for all New Jerseyans. Also attending the breakfast were Senator Shirley Turner (Senate President Pro Tem) and Michael DeLorto, chief of staff for Assemblyman Reed Gusciora, and Pennington's Mayor Anthony Persichilli.
These are among the 40 individual groups, represented by clergy, lay leaders, and civic leaders, that have participated in NJRC District 15 meetings:
- Adath Israel Congregation, Lawrenceville
- All Saints' Episcopal Church, Princeton
- American Baptist Churches of NJ
- Church of Blessed Sacrament and Our Lady of the Divine Shepherd
- Divine Mercy Parish, Trenton
- Eggerts Crossing Village, Lawrenceville
- Fair Share Housing Center, Cherry Hill
- First Baptist Church, Pennington
- First Baptist Church, Trenton
- Freedom Christian Fellowship, Ewing
- Grace Baptist & Perfecting Saints Church, Trenton
- Hamilton Square Baptist Church
- Hopewell Valley League of Women Voters
- Isles, Inc., Trenton
- Jewish Center of Princeton
- Lawrence League of Women Voters
- Lawrenceville Presbyterian Church
- Lawrence Road Presbyterian Church
- League of Women Voters of New Jersey
- Nassau Presbyterian Church
- New Jersey Catholic Conference
- New Salem Baptist Church
- NJ Legislative District 15
- Office of Assemblyman Reed Gusciora
- Mayor, Pennington Borough
- Our Lady of the Angels Catholic Church, Trenton
- Pennington Presbyterian Church
- Presbytery of New Brunswick
- Regional Planning Partnership
- Sacred Heart Parish, Trenton
- Saint Ann's Church, Lawrenceville
- St. Bartholomew Lutheran Church, Trenton
- Saint Joseph Parish, Trenton
- Saint Michael's Episcopal Church, Trenton
- Samaritan Baptist Church, Trenton
- Shiloh Baptist Church, Trenton
- Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, Trenton
- Unitarian Universalist Church at Washington Crossing
- Unitarian Universalist Congregation, Princeton
- Westminster Presbyterian Church
STAY IN TOUCH WITH YOUR DISTRICT 15 REPRESENTATIVES
New Jersey Legislative District 15 is made up of: Ewing Township, Hopewell Borough, Hopewell Township, Lawrence Township, Pennington Borough, Princeton Borough, Princeton Township, City of Trenton.
Senator SHIRLEY K. TURNER - Democrat (President Pro Tempore)
District Office: 1440 Pennington Rd., 1st Floor, Ewing, NJ 08618
phone: 609-530-3277; fax: 609-530-3292
Assemblywoman BONNIE WATSON COLEMAN - Democrat (Majority Leader)
District Office: 226 W. State St., Trenton, NJ 08608
phone: 609-292-0500; fax: 609-633-2179
Assemblyman REED GUSCIORA - Democrat (Assistant Majority Leader)
District Office: 226 W. State St., Trenton, NJ 08608
phone: 609-292-0500; fax: 609-633-2179
OTHER NEWS
District 15 was well represented at the NJRC's mass public meeting in Atlantic City on Thursday, November 16, 2006. read more
For more information about NJRC contact:
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