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.

###

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!

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.

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.

###

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.