Invitation: Assembly Candidate Kim Taylor's Birthday Baseball Fun(d)raiser

YOU ARE INVITED!

Join the Taylor and Graf for Assembly campaign

for a fun evening of baseball, BBQ, and birthday cake.

Click here to access your e-invite.

To make a general contribution to the campaign,

click here to access the online donation feature.

TAYLOR AND GRAF COMMIT TO TAXPAYER PROTECTION PLEDGE

Trenton, NJ – 15th District legislative candidates Kim Taylor (R-Lawrence) and Werner Graf (R-Hopewell) today accepted the invitation of Americans for Tax Reform to sign the Taxpayer Protection Pledge. By signing the pledge, both Taylor and Graf commit themselves to “oppose and vote against any and all efforts to increase taxes.” Upon signing the pledge, Taylor and Graf issued the following joint statement:

“One of the legislature’s most fundamental responsibilities is to administer the state’s tax revenues through the annual budget process. Since 2002 when the Democrats became the majority in the New Jersey State Assembly, Assemblywoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Ewing) and Assemblyman Reed Gusciora (D-Princeton) have both voted for over $8.5 billion in additional taxes and fees. Watson Coleman and Gusciora have voted for things such as payroll tax increases at a cost of $400 million, income tax rate increases at a cost of $903 million, and sales tax increases at a cost of $1.2 billion to New Jersey taxpayers. This list of new taxes goes on as do the fee increases which they have supported. In addition, at this time of national economic crisis, the current state budget, for which both Watson Coleman and Gusciora voted, contains seven new taxes with a price tag of over $1 billion and almost $5 billion in ‘one-shot’ revenue gimmicks.

There are alternatives to the current taxation scheme. The Taxpayer Protection Pledge allows signers to take an active role in tax reform by requiring that any new tax be offset by at least an equal cut. Imagine if Watson Coleman and Gusciora had committed to the Taxpayer Protection Pledge and instead of raising taxes and fees $8.5 billion had worked to cut taxes and spending by $8.5 billion.

On Independence Day people across this country joined in celebrating the founding of this great nation which put an end to taxation without representation. For residents of the 15th legislative district, for the people of Ewing, Hopewell, Lawrence, Pennington, Princeton, and Trenton, however, it’s becoming clear that when it comes to taxes the incumbents – Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman and Deputy Majority Leader Reed Gusciora – are representing someone’s interests but not the interests of 15th district taxpayers.”

By signing the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, Taylor and Graf join 172 members of the U.S. House of Representatives, 34 U.S. Senators, and over 1100 state legislators across the country including 8 members of the New Jersey Senate and 20 members of the New Jersey State Assembly who have made this commitment to the people they are sworn to serve. For more information on the pledge and to access the list of New Jersey legislators who have signed it, visit http://www.atr.org.

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July 12, 2009 Statement on Bigotry

Trenton, NJ – 15th District Assembly candidate Kim Taylor (R-Lawrence) today offered the following statement upon learning of reports of third district Assembly candidate Lee Lucas’ having defended his use of “the n word”:

Use of the “N” word and other racially insensitive language reflects a mindset, attitude, and set of values that have no place in public office. Despite the progress that has been realized through the civil rights movements of past decades, bigotry and racism unfortunately still exist today and can be found in all shapes, sizes, and political persuasions of people. While Mr. Lucas claims a first amendment right to free speech, one thing is clear to me: The use of language such as the words attributed to him in politickernj.com Wally Edge’s July 10, 2009 report reflect a total disconnect from the longstanding values of the Republican Party in this state.

As an African American, a woman, a Republican, and a New Jerseyan, I am proud that Republican elected officials continue to play a leadership role in demonstrating that inclusivity, opportunity, and integrity are core Republican values, in fact are core American values. The list is long so consider, for example, the appointments by (then) Governor Christine Todd Whitman of the first African American justice to the New Jersey Supreme Court and the first African American as Secretary of State. New Jersey Republicans continue to work to ensure that the fundamental civil rights of racial and ethnic minorities are safeguarded as they should be.

Standing up to racism and bigotry requires conviction and an unflappable sense of what is morally and ethically correct. I applaud Assembly Republican Leader Alex DeCroce for having called on Lee Lucas to drop out of the Assembly race.

The Change that New Jersey Needs

Our gubernatorial candidate Chris Christie has proven with his "Energy as Industry Plan" that good environmental policy is not exclusive to the Democratic Party. Read a few of the positive comments from newspaper and industry leaders around New Jersey at http://www.christiefornj.com/blog/2009/07/08/green-bloggers-and-media-agree-/. Spread the word - Chris Christie is the governor that NJ needs! For complete details of the plan that promotes jobs and safeguards New Jersey's precious natural resources, visit http://www.christiefornj.com/energy.

To help realize the changes that New Jersey needs for the sake of our and our children's futures, we need to elect Chris Christie as our next Governor and to make his job easier, we need to elect the Republican Assembly candidates in our local legislative districts. In Legislative District 15 - New Jersey's capital district - elect Kim Taylor and Werner Graf for State Assembly.

The Importance of Checking the Facts

This year voters have a very critical decision to make. The future of New Jersey and the prosperity and well-being of its residents are clearly at stake. Recently Governor Jon Corzine launched a misleading attack ad directed at Gubernatorial Candidate Chris Christie. As the New York Times has revealed, Corzine's television ad is filled with misleading information that mischaracterizes Chris Christie.

The future of New Jersey is at stake. Voters have reason to expect a focus on the facts, a focus on records, a focus on credentials, a focus on integrity. The Corzine ad, however, underscores the reality that voters will need to explore the facts for themselves and not rely solely on campaign media.

To help sort out fact from fiction, check out this YouTube video that sets the record straight and reveals the untruths of Corzine's campaign against Christie:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Pe9qjGKU6o&feature=email

In the Community: June 2009

With the start of July, I thought it would be a good time to give you some idea of the places, spaces, and people I have visited during the month of June to give you a sense of my involvement in and for the community.

Community Event at Eggerts Crossing Village, Lawrence Township, NJ

Heritage Day, Trenton, NJ

Scholarship Gala, Garden State Bar Association, New Brunswick, NJ

New Jersey Pride, Asbury Park, NJ

Community Event in Princeton Township, NJ

New Jersey Regional Coalition Prayer Breakfast, Trenton, NJ

Taylor and Graf Statehouse Press Conference

Freeholder Candidates Event, Trenton, NJ

Central Jersey Gubernatorial Event with Chris Christie, Holmdel, NJ

Assembly Republican Victory Event, Tinton Falls, NJ

Capital Club Spring Gala, Trenton, NJ

Lawrence League of Women Voters Scholarship Dinner, Lawrence Township, NJ

Patriots Forum, Princeton, NJ

State Senate FY 2010 Budget Vote, Statehouse, Trenton, NJ

Family Pride Gathering, Englewood, NJ

Murthi Sthapana, Hindu Temple, Lawrence Township, NJ

Hamilton Township Republican Club Family Picnic, Hamilton, NJ

That's just a sampling of some of where I've been during the month of June.