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MEETING MINUTES

Central Jersey Regional Equity Coalition

Legislative District 15 Public Meeting Planning

June 6, 2006, 7 p.m., Lawrence Public Library

Present: Edith Pike, Lois Riskin, Karen Siracusa, Joan Tomlin, Adele Vexler, Marian Telerski, Mayor of Talent, Oregon (guest), Edward Woods, Nicole Plett.

I. Nicole Plett welcomed attendees and reviewed the purpose of the meeting which is to continue to plan a CJREC Legislative District 15 Public Meeting for July or August 2006.

District 15 comprises: Ewing Township, Hopewell Borough, Hopewell Township, Lawrence Township, Pennington Borough, Princeton Borough, Princeton Township, Trenton City. District 15 legislators are: Senator SHIRLEY K. TURNER, Democrat; Assemblyman REED GUSCIORA, Democrat; Assemblywoman BONNIE WATSON COLEMAN, Democrat.

II. Plett gave a brief history of the New Jersey Regional Coalition (NJRC) and its three regional groups: Jubilee (North), CJREC (Central), & SJREOP (South).

A. Over the past three years, the Equity Coalition has grown in influence with State legislators and officials. In October 2005, CJREC brought 900 people together with elected representatives and leaders to promote its social justice agenda. In order to maximize its influence and access to legislative leaders, NJRC’s three member groups have agreed to develop a closer working relationship and a statewide identity.

B. The plan for 2006 is for NJRC to hold one mass public issues event on the evening of Thursday, November 16, in Atlantic City, concurrent with the League of Municipalities meetings that will be taking place there. Target turnout for the meeting is 3,000 people.

C. In addition, coalition groups will organize and conduct smaller Legislative District meetings across the state, bringing elected representatives together with our leadership.

D. CJREC Member organizations (partial list):

Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA); Isles Inc.; Lawrence League of Women Voters; Lawrenceville Presbyterian Church; Mercer Alliance to End Homelessness; New Jersey Catholic Conference; Our Lady of Sorrows R.C. Church; Presbytery of New Brunswick; Shiloh Baptist Church; St. Barnabus R.C. Church; St. Joseph R.C. Church; Temple Beth Chaim, West Windsor; Washington Crossing Unitarian Universalist Church; Westminster Presbyterian Church, Princeton.

III. CJREC Issues & Priorities

At the CJREC meeting on May 3, 2006, Rev. Bruce Davidson described the three issues, developed by NJRC member leaders and their organizations which will be the focus of the Legislative meetings and the November mass meeting:

1. Affordable Housing

End Regional Contribution Agreements and develop alternate funding source for poorest cities currently accepting RCAs (esp. Trenton, Camden, and Newark).

2. Immigration

a. End out-of-state college tuition charged for undocumented NJ high school graduates.

b. Support driver certificate program for undocumented workers.

3. Property Tax Reform

At our October 2005 Public Assembly we asked legislators to:

Change property tax structure through citizen’s convention or special legislative session; make NJRC participant in the reform process. Support tax revenue sharing for regional equity (endorsed by Bonnie Watson Coleman at 2005 meeting).

IV. The group then worked on the Action Work Sheet begun at our previous meeting on May 24 at the Diocese of Trenton Pastoral Center in Lawrence.

1. When do you propose your district meeting?

Our dates remain tentative, July or August. News of a Special Legislative Session for this summer has just been released. Date of meeting will depend on availability of three District 15 legislators. Marlene Lao-Collins is working to develop mutually agreeable date with the legislators.

2. Where will it be?

Plett has written to Dr. William Ball, TCNJ, to inquire about using TCNJ facility for the meeting. Our members know how to find it and parking should be ample during summer months. Plett has also asked Dr. Ball to discuss meeting format with the organizing group.

3. What is your turnout goal?

At May 24 meeting we set turnout goal at 100, to allow some give and take between legislators and audience. However after estimating potential turnout from just four member organizations (70 people), we raised our meeting turnout goal to 200.

Preliminary turnout estimates: Shiloh Baptist Church 25 (Woods); Lawrence LWV 15 (Plett & Siracusa); Washington Crossing Unitarian 10 (Rev. Charles Stephens); St. Joseph R.C. Church 20 (Lao-Collins).

4. Who will be the point person for the meeting?

No one is keen to take sole responsibility. It seems that Ed Woods, Alex Allen, and Nicole Plett will share responsibility.

5. What influential allies will you secure for this meeting?

The group proposes to invite:

A. All District 15 mayors and township councils. Ewing (Woods); Trenton (Woods); Lawrence (Plett); Princeton Borough (Joan Tomlin); Princeton Township (?); Hopewell (Stephens); Pennington (Stephens).

B. Mercer County Executive Brian Hughes and all Mercer County Freeholders.

C. Regional clergy organization (Edith Pike)

D. Eggerts Crossing Civic League (Edith Pike)

E. Princeton League of Women Voters (Adele Vexler & Plett)

F. Jewish Community Center of Princeton (Joan Tomlin)

G. News media (Plett)

H. Marian Telerski (who is Mayor of Talent, Oregon) recommended inviting representatives from region’s largest employers (such as hospitals) for discussion of workforce housing.

Joan Tomlin challenged the group to consider a format for the meeting, especially in relation to the large public assemblies of 2005 & 2004. All agreed that participants should feel some ownership of the meeting and the issues discussed. Working on format and developing position statement on issues will be focus of group’s next meeting. Such a meeting requires MORE participation from more CJREC leadership and member organizations.

V. Conclusion: Next meeting date was set for: Wednesday, June 28, location TBA.

Minutes submitted by Nicole Plett