TOO FAT FOR CORZINE: Assembly Candidate Kim Taylor Speaks Out Against Anti-Fat Bigotry

Trenton, NJ – In response to ongoing bigotry against fat New Jerseyans and reports that State Democratic Chairman Joe Cryan asked Corzine supporters in Essex County to imagine "... what it would be like to have a 350 lb. governor" and ordered the Essex troops to deliver Jon Corzine's victory in order to prevent having an overweight governor, 15th district assembly candidate Kim Taylor (R-Lawrence) issued the following statement:

“Corzine’s and Cryan’s focus on Chris Christie’s body weight isn't just a campaign strategy against Christie; it is a clear articulation of their shared disregard for overweight New Jerseyans.

Camp Corzine is saying that overweight/fat citizens have no place in government service. The ongoing and almost obsessive references by Democratic operatives to Christie’s weight have gone too far and must be stopped.

Tens of thousands of people struggle daily with their body weight, and many at great personal price confront eating disorders in an effort to maintain the perfectly underweight body. Yet my Democratic opponents, longtime incumbents Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Ewing) and Reed Gusciora (D-Princeton), have been silent on Camp Corzine’s and the New Jersey Democratic State Party’s anti-fat campaign.

It's time for New Jerseyans of all parties and all body shapes and sizes to speak out and tell Governor Corzine and the Democratic State Committee that they will not tolerate the verbal abuse of overweight New Jerseyans and the perpetuation of the dangerous myth that body size has anything to do with intelligence, capacity to lead, or a person’s worth.

New Jersey has a strong law against bullying. If Cryan’s remarks were made by a child on the school playground, New Jersey’s antibullying law would require swift and definitive action to stop the bullying, but once again, Camp Corzine and the Democratic leadership are showing that they are above the law.

With the national epidemic of eating disorders and other body image issues that women and girls in particular face across the country and in this state, this anti-fat campaign must stop, and the focus must return to the crisis of inaffordability and real life issues that continue to face New Jerseyans today. If New Jerseyans of all sizes don't stand up against this blatant bigotry and somehow Corzine happens to win, I wouldn’t be surprised if overweight state employees would be first on Corzine's layoff list.”

###

ASSEMBLY CANDIDATE KIM TAYLOR QUESTIONS WATSON COLEMAN ON CLAIM OF STANDING FOR CHILDREN IN FACE OF UNEMPLOYMENT CRISIS

Trenton, NJ – In response to self-congratulatory statements made earlier this week by Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Ewing) about the increased number of New Jersey children now covered by health insurance, assembly candidate Kim Taylor (R-Lawrence) issued the following statement:

“Earlier this week Assemblywoman Watson Coleman applauded the Corzine administration and congratulated herself for the increased number of New Jersey children now covered by health insurance.

Children’s health and access to quality affordable healthcare are issues of paramount concern to me, and the absence of access to healthcare greatly affects a notable segment of the population here in our district.

With the unemployment rate now increased to 9.7%, families continue to suffer the failed leadership of Governor Corzine and Bonnie Watson Coleman and Reed Gusciora.

This week over 30,000 unemployed New Jerseyans will lose their unemployment benefits, a significant portion of whom have children. So I ask, What about the children? Who’s standing for them? It’s time to set a new direction, put unemployed New Jerseyans back to work, and ensure an appropriate quality of life for all children.”

###

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.

###