S762 Passes NJ Senate Committee

Good news out of Trenton this afternoon...the Senate's Community and Urban Affairs Committee, now headed by District 1 Senator Jeff Van Drew, PASSED a proposed Laurelwood housing cost-benefits analysis study by the N.J. Treasurer 4-0 (with 1 abstention), known as Bill No. 762. (The companion Assembly measure is A2014.)

NOPE legislative liaison Elaine Mann, who testified at this morning's hearing along with business case analyst...and Army veteran...Fulton Wilcox (communications director Diana Piotrowski also attended), informs us that she has already reached out to new Senate President Steven Sweeney (District 3) to "post" (a procedural move) the bill for full Senate approval, which we hope for sooner rather than later. We are still looking into whether the Assembly will have to rehear the measure, but we'll keep everyone posted.

Again, S762-A2014 is a practical, common sense measure that, along with the U.S. congressional (i.e., Government Accountability Office, or GAO) study underway, will validate NOPE's concerns about civilian housing at NWS Earle as a serious security compromise and about a half-billion-dollar unfunded mandate to New Jersey. NOPE will continue to press the community's objections as we approach the Department of Navy's "out-lease" (i.e. civilian rental) phase of an antiquated 52-year housing contract with Laurelwood Homes LLC.

Listen, too, to "The Breeze" (107.1 and 99.7 FM), to catch their reporting of today's events, and featuring commentary from Fulton about NOPE's objection to civilian housing at NWS Earle.