I was planning a quiet holiday weekend watching my alma mater getting its butt beat by the country's #3 college team. I also plan some desk cleaning up and reorganizing, a daily non accomplished job. I thought that the multiple postings the past 72 hours (including this AMs) would be of sufficient interest and I could stop "hunt and pecking", when to my dismay our Assemblyman awoke from his slumber and there was another of his postings.
AS usual JG tries to spin and shift blame, and take credit for some ethereal action.
"The issue concerning the Medical Enterprise Zone in the City of Plainfield was never brought to my attention. I checked with other Legislators in Central Jersey and also the Department of Health and the last thing they were aware of was the half-million dollars that Plainfield lost in grant money due to no one from the past administration communicating with the folks in Trenton. I would like to get that information on the Medical Enterprise Zone so I can follow-up and share this with the public." (Jerry Greens Page 8/30/2008)
Assemblyman,FYI while you have busy saving Plainfield's hospital this occured;
"New Jersey Governor McGreevey signed legislation on September 2, 2004 that offers physicians and dentists financial incentives to set up and maintain practices in state-designated medically underserved areas of the state. The act terms these areas health enterprise zones (HEZs). (see Assembly Bill 2638; Chapter 139 of the 2004 N. J. Laws)"
If you have read the 2004 Bill you would have been aware that the provisions have nothing to do with hospitals but only to give financial aid to encourage practitioners in financial distressed areas. Dentists and doctors like legislators have to make a living and support their families, don't you agree?
Furthermore there can be no "half-million" dollars in grant that Plainfield lost because the last administration didn't apply for something that did not exist.
I hope that you honestly mean "I am hoping in the future that we can talk about the present and future because talking about the past does not serve the City." I trust that the future is yet to come because you further wrote; "My question to any local or County Freeholders from Plainfield. What have you done?" Could this refer to Mr. Mapp, who the County Party did not support for reelection and did defeat your selection for ward councilman?
One more quote of interest and this requires clarification and amplification;"On the average over the last 8 years I have been able to acquire 2 – 4 million dollars in grants per year. "
Incidentally, I was happy to hear your comment at last Tuesday's Forum to the effect "that you were not interested in running Plainfield". What a relief.
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The plan was enacted in 2004. Al McWilliams was the Mayor. Al did not leave the office until Dec 2005. At least 20 months had to go by. Mr. Mapp was Freeholder until Dec of last year.
ReplyDeleteIf either of them actually made proposals for this Enterprise zone, while they were in office, then lets see the proof.
Further McWilliams had the Council under his thumb and on his side for over two years. Why did HE not do this, if this is so good?
Jason, your dates snf comments about neither McWilliams or Mapp doing anything regarding Medical enterprise zone monies is 100% correct. However,as I understand the legislation it was to encourage dentists and physicians to settle in the zone, ie: the greater Plainfield area and provided no relief for hospitals or clinics. Plainfied did not have a deficit in health professionals and had the neighborhood health center which received funding from other sources ,Federal?. If this is true then the MvWilliams dominated Council would have no possible action.
ReplyDeleteIn addition the bill limited funding to just two zones per year , and Newark and Camden were the first recipients, There were already 4 to 6 other medically distressed areas in line.
I hope this clears the waters. The charge is without merit until further information is produced.
I just want to see that McWilliams applied for this Enterprise zone, as charged by Mapp. That is all. Let us see the application with the state.
ReplyDeleteSame with Mapp. Let's see a resolution he created for Plainfield while on the Freeholder board or even the Plainfield council. Mr Mapp was on the Council in 2004, according to the City Clerk in Plainfield.
Truth is there is no application from the McWilliams administration, and there is no resolution from Mapp.
It is a useless program. McWilliams was right in not applying for this. So is SRB - it is a waste of time and energy.
I rest my case.
Olddoc, if the charge against Assemblyman Green isn't true, why repeat it? And why not, in the interests of truth and fair play, repudiate it publicly in a blog entry, instead of just confining your correction to a comment on a comment?
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