Saturday, August 22, 2009

STATEMENT ON STATE’S USE OF PUBLIC RESOURCES TO RESOLVE CONTRACT DISPUTE BETWEEN HORIZON AND CAPITAL HEALTH SYSTEMS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Lawrence Township, NJ – Responding to the State’s involvement in the attempted resolution of the contract dispute between Horizon and Capital Health, 15th District assembly candidate Kim Taylor (R-Lawrence) issued the following statement:

“While I am concerned for the well-being and health of the 3,500 local residents covered by Horizon and treated by Capital Health who are impacted by the de-designation of the Fuld Campus as an in-network provider, I am also very concerned by the State’s involvement in the attempted resolution of a contract dispute between two private businesses and the use of public resources for private business interests.

Why is the State interfering in the business of the private sector? Why is the State using taxpayer resources to resolve this particular dispute? Are these same services readily available to all companies in contract disputes with other businesses? Are these ‘conflict resolution services’ available to private taxpaying citizens? Even if Capital Health and Horizon were to reimburse the State ‘for services rendered,’ there is still a problem because it appears that the State including Assemblywoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Ewing) and Assemblyman Reed Gusciora (D-Princeton), both of whom support the State’s involvement in resolving this matter, has a vested interest in the outcome.

What is the agenda here? Where were Watson Coleman and Gusciora on the recent increases in health insurance premiums for state worker benefits? Are they really concerned now or are they just grandstanding? While it would in my view be tragic for residents insured by Horizon to lose access to in-network coverage at Capital Health-Fuld, it is not the place of the State to force private parties to the table to forge an agreement between them. The State can’t effectively manage its own financial affairs, why would anyone trust the State to correctly resolve a private business conflict such as this one? For the sake of the residents most directly affected by the impasse, I encourage Horizon and Capital Health to continue their own efforts to reach an appropriate solution, one that preserves the principles of quality health care and responsive health services. The residents insured by Horizon and treated by Capital Health-Fuld professionals deserve to have the focus zoom in on what matters most to them - access to quality healthcare at costs they can reasonably afford - while the taxpayers of New Jersey deserve to see an end to the use of public resources for selected private interests.”

For more information on the Taylor and Graf plan to restore prosperity to the 15th legislative district and across the state, visit www.taylorandgraf.net.

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Thursday, August 13, 2009

Kim's Birthday Baseball Bash at the Trenton Thunder

Here are some photos from the event. It was a fun-filled success and a good opportunity to make voters aware of the campaign's efforts as well as to talk directly with voters about issues and concerns. The Yankee Club at Waterfront Park was an excellent venue for the event.

Assembly Candidate Kim Taylor throws out the first pitch of the game.




A group photo of supporters donning "Taylor and Graf for Assembly" t-shirts
Pictured in the NY Yankees t-shirt is Freeholder Candidate Russ Wojtenko, Jr.




Sharing a moment of levity with supporters


Thank you to all who helped to make the fun(d)raising event a success!

Saturday, August 1, 2009

In the Community: July 2009

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

July 4th Patriotic Parade, Ewing, NJ
Fourth of July Picnic, VFW, Ewing, NJ
Holiday Fireworks, Lawrence Township, NJ
Congressional Town Hall Meeting, Ewing, NJ
Building the New Majority Event, Hackensack, NJ
Mercer County Educational Association, Lawrence Township, NJ
Loaves and Fishes, Trenton, NJ
Eggerts Crossing Civic Association Community Fish Fry, Lawrence Township, NJ
Community Roundtable with Chris Christie and Kim Guadagno, Hamilton Township, NJ
League of Women Voters, Lawrence Township, NJ
Meet and Greet, Lawrence Township, NJ
Meeting with Small Business Owners, Ewing, Lawrence, and Pennington, NJ

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