Dear New Jersey Young Democrats,

Despite these dark and woeful economic times, we must stand and applaud those leaders who are still fighting the good fight and standing up for the interests of NJ most vulnerable citizens. Speaker Shelia Oliver and Senate President Steve Sweeney have rescued millions of dollars from being taken out of the budget by Gov. Christie. Fighting together, Speaker Oliver and Senate President Sweeney have rescued almost $170 million dollars from the draconian and thoughtless hand of Gov. Christie. These funds will  help programs like NJ After3, Personal Home Assistance, Adult Day Cares, and restore much needed funding for Educational scholarships and grants including, NJ STARS and Educational Opportunity Fund.

Nevertheless, the fight must go on. Even as our Legislators have managed to protect more NJ citizens from imminent despair, Gov. Christie has continued his needless assault on the working and middle class families of NJ.  Assemblymembers Greenstein, Stender, Huttle & Riley have proposed a supplemental budget bill demanding $7.5 million for family planning be restored. Gov. Christie has stated that he will not support a restoration of this funding.

We all know that balancing the budget on the back of the working NJ families is not the way. I think Assemblywoman Greenstein said it best “The health needs of poor and working-class families – especially women, mothers and newborns – cannot simply be written off to balance the state’s book.”
That is why I am asking you rock the ground beneath the Governor's feet and call him and tell him that the working and middle class families won't take this kind of callous neglect anymore. Call the Governor's Office and demand that he signs the proposed supplement to the budget and restore the $7.5 million in funding for family planning programs.
Call the Governor’s office at 609-292-6000 and ask him to restore funding for family planning.

Democratically yours,
Chris James
President, New Jersey Young Democrats