Senator Sandra B. Cunningham

A bill that would incentivize banks to operate in underserved areas passed the state Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee today.

Sen. Sandra CunninghamD-Jersey City, sponsored the measure after the Bank of America shuttered its branch at the HUB on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in the Greenville section of Jersey City.

Cunningham said without a bank branch, residents of that community are forced to rely on check cashing businesses, which there are no shortage of near the HUB, which charge exorbitant fees.

“This legislation will give banks a reason to stay in underserved areas to provide the critical banking services that should be available in all communities,” she said.

The bill, S-2286, would establish the Banking Development District Program within the state Department of Banking and Insurance. The program would create districts in communities with few or no bank branches. The bill would allow banks in such districts to hold state Treasury funds and municipalities could select those branches as a deposit, via resolution, measures which would help boost profitability, Cunningham said.

“Not only should we be promoting sound financial practices among all residents, but these new banks can create new job opportunities in the communities where they locate,” she said.

The Assembly passed the “Banking Development District Act” on May 20 with a 75-3 vote.

When the bank closed the underperforming Jersey City branch, bank officials said customers could instead use the Old Bergen location, about a half-mile away from the HUB or the branch at the Hudson Mall, about a mile away.

Dec. 7-8 Seminars Are Part of Senator’s Ongoing Efforts To Reduce Recidivism Rates In New Jersey

JERSEY CITY – Senator Sandra Bolden Cunningham, a long-time champion of initiatives to rehabilitate criminal offenders, today announced she will host two back-to-back seminars next week in Jersey City to inform residents of their options for expunging their records.

The seminars, to be hosted along with Assemblyman Charles Mainor (D-Hudson) and the Rev. Robert Allen, are part of the Senator’s ongoing efforts to reduce recidivism rates in New Jersey by removing barriers to employment, educational opportunities and housing for criminal offenders and for inmates once they return home. The events come on the heels of changes to state laws that took effect this year easing the requirements for expungement.

“A large majority of people who have had run-ins with the law want to be productive citizens. But to do that, they must be given a reasonable opportunity to obtain gainful employment, to find housing and to further their education,” said Senator Cunningham (D-Hudson). “Clearing their records will improve their prospects of achieving all of these things and, ultimately, reduce the risk that they will reoffend.”

Senator Cunningham spearheaded a package of bills signed into law this year aimed at facilitating the successful re-entry of prisoners into society. One requires the state Corrections Commissioner to provide inmates, prior to their release, with written information about their criminal history as well as information on record expungement. Another law – which took effect in March – eased restrictions on the types of crimes which could be expunged, as well as the time period that must elapse before eligibility for expungement.

“Offenders can’t turn their lives around if they aren’t given the chance,” said Senator Cunningham. “These seminars will provide residents with information about how to begin the process of expunging convictions from their records, which is a major step toward ensuring they are treated the same as everyone else when applying for a job or seeking housing. The overarching goal is to ensure that once offenders have paid their debt to society, their past does not hamper their ability to succeed going forward.”

The seminars will feature two speakers on expungement, attorneys Larry Bembry and Kalima Ahmad. The first event will be held Tuesday, Dec. 7, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Mary McLeod Bethune Center, 140 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Jersey City. The second will be held Wednesday, Dec. 8, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at County Prep High School, ITV Center, 525 Montgomery Street, Jersey City.

Recreational activities at the Jersey City Armory, which had been suspended, will resume on Nov. 22 thanks to the intervention of state Sen. Sandra Cunningham of Jersey City.

Use of the Armory, which Jersey City leases from the state Department of Military and Veteran Affairs, was slashed from the city’s budget for the fiscal year 2011 because of cost concerns.

“It was a matter of pulling all the parties together and figuring out how to put the kids first,” said Cunningham, who facilitated the meetings between the city and the National Guard.

The city paid the state $165,000 to fund the facility last year, but has made a lower cost agreement of $75,000, which city spokeswoman Jennifer Morrill says will be covered by the state as a reimbursement for money the city spent to renovate portions of the building two years ago.

In addition, the Jersey City Department of Recreation will assist in custodial and staffing concerns at the Armory, which sees over 400 kids playing there daily, Morrill said.

“By working with our state senator, we have been able to develop a plan that will allow the Recreation Department to continue to offer the important recreational programs at the Armory that are so needed in a city the size of Jersey City,” said Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy, who contacted Cunningham for assistance.

Senator Cunningham

Senator Cunningham was chosen today by governor-elect Chris Christie to be a part of his transition team in Trenton. The team, which includes public and private sector leaders from both parties, will be responsible for assembling Christie’s new administration, sifting through mounds of information from the outgoing governor, and giving voice to key constituencies across the state. It will also provide guidance to Mr. Christie on a number of major policy issues. In selecting the Senator, Christie “underscored the bipartisan signals he has labored to send in the days since defeating Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine.”

The transition team will be headed by former Attorney General David Samson. The other members include: Susan Cole, president of Montclair State Univesrity; Debra DiLorenzo, president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce of Southern New Jersey; Michael DuHaime, managing director of Mercury Public Affairs; Attorney George Gilmore, a partner at Gilmore & Monahan; Jon Hanson, chairman and founder of Hampshire Real Estate Companies; Alfred Koeppe, executive director of the Newark Alliance; Sen. Joseph Kyrillos, R-13th of Middletown; and Woodbridge Mayor John McCormac, the former state treasurer.

The transition team will meet for the first time today. “What I’ve been trying to do over the last eight days – besides catch up on some sleep – is to make sure that I get some very, very good people around me,” Christie told reporters.

Sources: The Star Ledger.

As another summer comes to an end, and we resume our busy lives, it is important to reflect on this year’s events and where we are going in the year ahead.  This year, as a nation we have experienced soaring highs such as the inauguration of President Barack Obama and the confirmation of Justice Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court.

We’ve also lived through heartbreaking lows such as the loss of political legend Senator Edward Kennedy, cultural icon Michael Jackson, and countless other celebrities and public figures who have shaped a generation.

Here in Jersey City and Bayonne, we have shared in these national highs and lows, and experienced a few triumphs and tragedies of our own.  This summer, we welcomed Tiger Woods and the PGA Tour to town, along with the national exposure that comes with it.

On the other hand, we received national attention for all the wrong reasons this summer.  The unacceptable levels of gun violence we experience too often in Jersey City claimed one of our finest, Detective Marc DiNardo, and injured several others. We will keep him and his family in our hearts and prayers forever.

It has also been a particularly difficult time to be in public service as we have watched so many of our officials implicated for violating the public trust.  In all of this disappointment, it is easy to lose focus on what is right with our cities, which includes fine examples of public service in our public schools, the police and fire departments, and city and state government.

These individuals, who dedicate their time and effort to making life in our community better for all of us should be honored, and deserve as much or more attention from our television and print media as the others receive.

As for me, I continue to do the hard work of making our community safer, creating more opportunity for our young men and women looking for work; which includes providing a second chance for those who want better opportunities for themselves and their families.

My staff and I continue to supply our constituents with information and resources on state programs that offer assistance on energy bills, foreclosure prevention, employment training, and countless other topics that are important to seniors and working families.

Also, I will resume my work in Trenton, fighting for more funds for affordable housing, tuition assistance for our students, sensible gun control legislation, and better access to health care in our community.

Those are the projects that I will be focused on this fall.  With your help we will continue to strengthen our community, move our great cities forward, and make life better for our residents.

Sincerely,
SBC

Gun-control advocates won a victory by the passage of a bill that could make New Jersey the fourth state with a one-handgun-per-month buying limit.

The measure was approved in the Senate with the bare- minimum 21 votes after Sen. Fred Madden (D., Gloucester) dropped his opposition to the idea.

Madden was one of three South Jersey Democrats who previously voted against the plan, joining all 17 Senate Republicans to block it.

But the former state police superintendent changed his vote after Gov. Corzine agreed to form a task force that will examine the law’s impact and draw up recommendations that could lead to exemptions for gun collectors and competitive and recreational shooters.

-The Philadelphia Inquirer (June 27, 2009)

The Senator Will donate the late Mayor Glenn Cunningham’s clothing to Suits for Success a division of Dress for Success Hudson County. Best known for providing gently-used suits to women for job interviews, Dress for Success offers job related coaching, skills and support to economically disadvantaged women throughout the year. The comprehensive programming at Dress for Success Hudson County includes mentorships, seminars, and connections to resources throughout Hudson County for clients.

The late Mayor Cunningham inspired Dress for Success Hudon County’s Director, Lillian Hernendez to start a program for men after pointing out the need to serve men in the Hudson County area. In 2004, Dress for Success Hudson County started a program for men called “Suits for Success.” Suits for Success opened its doors sex years ago and has since suited over 2,000 men in the area. “Sandra Cunningham’s donation will allow Suits for Success to continue serving the men in Hudson County reach their employment goals.”

To learn more visit www.suitsforsuccess/com
www.dressforsuccess.org/jerseycity

-The Jersey Journal (Friday, May 15, 2009)

Illegal firearms seized by police officers from a home in Jersey City. Photo taken Tuesday, September 9, 2008 by Reena Sibayan (the Jersey Journal).

Senator Cunningham’s bill, S1774, which prohibits an individual from purchasing more than one handgun within a 30-day period, stalled in the Senate. The bill received only 20 votes, just shy of the 21 needed for passage. It was strongly opposed by gun-rights advocates like the NRA and the New Jersey Association of Firearm Retailers, as well as by Senate Republicans. Because the bill was pulled from consideration though, Senator Cunningham preserved the possibility of having another vote on the bill later this year.

If the Senate passes S1774, New Jersey would become the fourth state to put such a limit on handgun purchases, joining Virginia, Maryland, and California. The Senator and other supporters believe that the bill, along with extensive background checks and registration rules, will help assure that New Jersey residents remain safe from crime caused by illegal arms trafficking. As Senator Codey states, “This is a common sense measure to put a stop to in-state ‘straw’ purchases of large numbers of handguns that are then sold illegally and used by criminals and gang members.”

By passing this bill, supporters also hope to influence neighboring states to pass similar bills which, in turn, will help to prevent inter-state arms trafficking. The limits imposed by the bill do not apply to law enforcement officers or licensed gun collectors.