N E W J E R S E Y G E N E R A L A SSEMBLY, DISTRICT 19
The Coughlin Report
Volume 1, Issue 3
Reminders:
1-800-POTHOLE
New Jersey Department of
Transportation telephone
number for people to report
potholes, litter, and tall grass.
Get Your Flu Shot!
Middlesex County is offering
the flu shot for all county
residents 18 years of age and
older. There will be a charge
of $10 per vaccination.
Please call the Middlesex
County Public Health Hotline
at 732-745-4344 for more
information on the flu vacci-
nation clinic schedule.
Special Election
Woodbridge Board of
Education Bond Referendum
Election on Tuesday,
December 14. The polls are
open from 2:00—9:00 PM
Inside this issue:
Letter from Assemblyman
Coughlin
Legislative Portfolio
Bowling for Hunger
Recap
Around the 19th
Legislative District
Outstanding High School
Artist Recognition Project
Youth Athletic Concussion
Bill Report
November 9, 2010
First Things First
Assemblyman Coughlin’s number one priority
has been and will continue to be creating a
governmental and business environment that is
conducive to job growth. While the government
cannot force the private sector to create or retain
jobs, it can help to foster an environment that is
advantageous to creating and retaining jobs.
During his first ten months, Assemblyman
Coughlin has been meeting with the business
and labor community to discuss what is needed
to get people back to work.
Assemblyman Coughlin will do
Assemblyman Coughlin has narrowed his focus
everything possible to usher this
to encouraging growth in the manufacturing
bill to enactment.
sector, promoting the remediation of New
Jersey’s brownfields, and preparing our higher Brownfield Remediation &
education students for the workforce. This
Redevelopment:
column is dedicated to illustrating those efforts.
As many of you know, New Jersey
Manufacturers: is spotted with suspected or
New Jersey is no longer simply competing with confirmed brownfields. A brown-
New York and Pennsylvania for manufacturing field, for those unfamiliar, is land
jobs, but foreign industrial powers like China previously used for industrial
and Mexico. New Jersey needs another edge to purposes or certain commercial
attract and retain our manufacturing base. uses and today is abandoned or
Assemblyman Coughlin has sponsored underused due to suspected or
Assembly Bill 2474, which provides a confirmed contamination, but has
corporation business tax credit for certain invest- the potential of being redeveloped
ment in manufacturing equipment and manufac- for use again. Due to sound
2 turing facility renovation, modernization and environmental regulations, reme-
expansion. The Assemblyman stresses the need diation to some degree is needed
for New Jersey’s manufacturers to not only keep prior to any future development.
2 their businesses in New Jersey, but to expand Municipalities in the 19th District
and modernize their operations. This bill will not and throughout New Jersey have
only expand and modernize our manufacturing hundreds of brownfields sitting idle
3
facilities, but it will also create jobs in two ways for action. Assemblyman Coughlin
— first for workers who do the construction or has introduced two bills to encour-
3 renovation and second, the workers who will fill age the redevelopment and reuse of
the newly created positions. these lands.
4 Assembly Bill 2474 was released from the Assembly Bill 3167 authorizes
Assembly Commerce and Economic Development zero-interest loans to local govern-
Committee on September 13 and referred to ments for certain brownfield reme-
4 Assembly Appropriations Committee to review diations. Simply put, this bill
the bill’s fiscal impact on State revenue. Continued on Page 2
PAGE 2
Read All About It!
Friends,
While job creation and
retention has been a
priority of mine,
property tax reform
has remained at the forefront of my
mission in Trenton.
In ten short months, the
Democratically-controlled Legislature
has enacted a series of reforms that
will directly and indirectly slow or
curtail the growth of property taxes.
Assembly Bill 2844 will increase
public knowledge of local spending by
requiring local government budgets
to be posted on the internet for
purposes of accountability and
transparency. A-3392 will limit
unused sick leave payouts for all cur-
rent and future public employees to
Legislative Portfolio/Committee Report
Continued from Page 1
provides certain municipalities an
opportunity to borrow money from
the State at a zero percent interest
rate in order to expedite the clean
up of certain brownfields that are
already entitled to State grants.
The Office of Legislative Services
estimates that the bill will have no
fiscal impact on State funds because
it does not affect the total amount of
annual funds that are
constitutionally dedicated for this
program. Assemblyman Coughlin
successfully guided the bill to
passage in the General Assembly on
October 25. The bill now heads to
the Senate for consideration.
Another bill, Assembly Bill 3179,
revises the standard of value for the
purposes of real property
assessment where the property
owner is responsible for environ-
mental damage to the property.
This bill ensures brownfield
property owners who are responsi-
ble for the contamination to pay
their assessed property tax. It is
THE COUGHLIN REPORT
no more than $15,000. Both bills
have passed the General Assembly.
Assembly Bills 207 and 2031, passed
by both Houses, will help
municipalities save on training costs
by allowing them to hire laid-off
police and firefighters without
utilizing Civil Services lists.
Assembly Bill 2459 will eliminate
future part-timers from entering into
the pension system, among other
pension reforms. A2460 will require
new employees to play a minimum of
1.5% of their salary for health insur-
ance benefits, among other reforms.
Both bills were signed into law.
Senator Joe Vitale, Assemblyman
John Wisniewski and myself ushered
A-2950 into law in August. The law
streamlines requirements for the
hoped that this bill will encourage
brownfield property owners to clean up
their properties or sell to others who
will. Presently, brownfield property
owners are able to appeal their
property tax assessment on the basis
that the property is worth less because
of the contamination, even if they were
responsible for the condition. As a
result, the tax burden is shifted onto
other businesses and residents. If
enacted, municipalities would reap
their due taxes and stabilize, if not
lower, the tax burden on our taxpayers.
Higher Education:
More recently, Assemblyman Coughlin
and Senator Vitale introduced a bill
that would incentivize businesses to
hire post-secondary students for
internships. Assembly Bill 3418
would provide Corporate Business and
Gross Income tax credits to businesses
who pay their interns. This bill will
accomplish two goals. With unemploy-
ment at 25% for young people between
the ages 18 and 25, this bill would put
money into the pockets of our young
students. Secondly, the bill would
VOLUME 1, ISSUE 3
local government when budgeting
the Reserve for Uncollected Taxes
for the annual budget. The new
calculation will responsibly reduce
the reserve which in turn will
reduce the tax levy previously
needed.
Despite the Governor’s insistence to
rushing reform and accusing the
Legislature of “vacationing,” we
have prudently moved legislation
that will provide real tax relief now
and in the long-run. We thank you
for your patience and understand-
ing during these difficult times.
I wish everybody a healthy, safe,
and joyous holiday season.
Best personal regards,
Craig J. Coughlin
provide students the opportunity to
learn firsthand the field in which
they are studying so they will be
prepared for the workforce upon
graduation. Study after study
concludes that internships are the
number one recruiting tool for
employers when hiring a job
applicant. The Assemblyman
cannot stress enough the need for a
trained workforce.
Assemblyman Coughlin knows that
there is no magic bullet that will
energize our economy, but there are
steps to stimulate growth.
Collectively, these bills add a piece
to our massive and never-ending
economic puzzle.
Your Chance to Help:
Assemblyman Coughlin wants to
remind all of his constituents that
all laws come from people of all
walks of life and if you have an idea
for legislation, please do not
hesitate to contact one of your state
legislators.
 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 3 THE COUGHLIN REPORT PAGE 3

1st Annual Bowling for Hunger was a STRIKE!!!

On Sunday, October 3, 2010,
Assemblyman Craig J. Coughlin
hosted the 1st Annual Bowling for
Hunger event at the Woodbridge
Bowling Center in Woodbridge, NJ.
The Bowl for Hunger event was
designed to bring our five district
communities together to help raise
funds, awareness, and food for our
twenty-nine local food banks of the
19th Legislative District.
The event was a great success!
Over 200 people participated and
bowled. Teams from Carteret, Perth
Amboy, Sayreville, South Amboy,
and Woodbridge came out in full
force to help strike out
hunger!
Thank you to our two
sponsors Raritan Bay
Medical Center and
Middlesex Water Company,
Woodbridge Bowling Center,
all of our 54 lane sponsors,
thank you to all five mayors
for their towns support, and
raised will help them to fill their
shelves for the upcoming fall and
winter months.
Assemblyman Coughlin asks his
readers to remember those families
in need of food banks, especially
during the upcoming holiday season.
Bowling for Hunger press conference with
Dennis Doll, Middlesex Water Company;
Joan Harewood, Raritan Bay Medical
Center; Assemblyman Coughlin, and
Peter Barcellona, “We Feed” Committee
a special thank you to everyone who
came out to bowl and support this
cause. Above: Over 200 participants pose after the event
Without all of our com- Below: 19th District Mayors with Assemblyman
Coughlin & Senator Vitale
bined efforts, we would not
have been able to raise
over $11,000 for our
twenty-seven local food
banks of the 19th
Legislative District.
These food banks need our
donations and the monies

Around the 19th District 19th District - Please donate to the

Carteret - Congratulations to Mayor
Dan Reiman and Councilmen
Vincent Bellino & Jorge Diaz for
being re-elected to continue to serve
their community.
Sayreville - Congratulations to
Sayreville’s newest Councilmen
Daniel Buchanan and Bill Henry. A
special thank you and well-wishes to
outgoing Councilwoman Paula
Siarkiewicz for her years of service.
South Amboy - Congratulations to
Fred Henry on his election as Mayor
and to Joe Connors, Mickey Gross,
and Donald Applegate on their
election to the City Council. Fred’s
victory is a civics lesson to us all that
each vote counts.
Perth Amboy - Mayor Wilda Diaz, the
Perth Amboy Police Department, and
the Office on Aging encourage seniors
to attend the Senior Citizens’ Perth
Amboy Civilian Police Academy.
Participants will gain an understand-
ing of the complexity of policing in a
modern society through classroom in-
struction and practical hands on
application. Class Dates: Tuesday, No-
vember 9th, 16th & 23rd ; Time: 12:30-
1:30 PM. This program is free and open
to Perth Amboy Senior residents of 60
years of age and older. For more
information or to register, call the Of-
fice on Aging: 732-826-1690 ext. 4307.
Woodbridge - Best wishes to Ms.
Michele Charmello for filling the void
of the 3rd Ward Council seat. And
special thanks to Greg Bedard for all of
his years of service to the community.
Eric LeGrand Believe Fund. The
fund was created to raise money for
the injured player as he undergoes
medical treatment for the devastat-
ing injury he suffered in a Rutgers
football game against Army.
All proceeds will benefit the
LeGrand family. Contributions to
the fund are not tax deductable and
can be made by sending a check
payable to the “Eric LeGrand
Believe Fund” to:
“Eric LeGrand Believe Fund”
PNC Wealth Management
Attn: Kimberly G. Kingsland,
Senior Trust Advisor
One Palmer Square, Suite 201
Princeton, NJ 08542
Our hopes and prayers go out to the
LeGrand family of Avenel in wish-
ing that Eric has a speedy recovery.
 NEW JERSEY GENERAL Outstanding High School Artist Recognition Program
October Event
ASSEMBLY, DISTRICT 19

The Honorable Craig J. Coughlin

569 Rahway Avenue
Woodbridge, NJ 07095

Phone: 732-855-7441
Fax: 732-855-7558
Carly Fazio, Senior from Mehgan Reyes, Senior from
Email: AsmCoughlin@njleg.org Colonia High School Perth Amboy High School

The fall session of the Outstanding High School Artist

Recognition Program recently was held at the legislative office.
For this session, four students participated. Those students
included: Deana Ferlanti, Carteret H.S.; Carly Fazio, Colonia H.S.;
Mehgan Reyes, Perth Amboy H.S.; and Henry Raranta,
Woodbridge H.S. This program is designed to give students an
Proudly Serving the 19th opportunity to share their artistic talents and successes with the
Legislative District entire 19th Legislative District as I proudly share and display their
artwork throughout the legislative office. If interested in our
program for our winter event, I request that each school please
Carteret contact my office staff at 732-855-7441 to confirm their
Perth Amboy participation. We look forward to proudly displaying the art work
Sayreville of our many talented students and increasing the community’s
South Amboy understanding and interest in the arts. Please feel free to drop by
Woodbridge Township our office anytime to check out the artwork!

Youth Sport Concussion Bill Passes Assembly & Senate

L e g i s l a t i o n c o-sponsored by
Assemblyman Craig J. Coughlin to
create an awareness program on
the prevention, risk and treatment
of sports-related brain injuries was
advanced by the State Senate.
The bill was approved 78-0 by the
Assembly in June and 38-0 by the
Senate this past month. It must
return to the Assembly for final
concurrence on amendments.
The bill (A-2743) would require the
state Commissioner of Education,
in consultation with the state
Commissioner of Health and Senior
Services, to develop an awareness
program concerning the prevention,
risk and treatment of sports related
concussions and other brain
injuries among student athletes.
"Concussions in sports are a lot
more common and a lot more life-
threatening than students, parents
and coaches realize," said Coughlin.
"By creating an awareness
campaign with a set policy for
treating these injuries, we will
undoubtedly help save lives."
The program would create a brain
injury fact sheet to be distributed
annually to student -athletes,
parents, coaches and athletic
trainers, which would provide
information concerning the
prevention, symptoms and dangers
of concussions and other traumatic
brain injuries and would contain
information on the appropriate
amount of time to delay a student's
return to physical activity after
sustaining such injury.
The program also would require
school districts develop a written
policy concerning the prevention
and treatment of sports related
concussions and other brain injuries
to be used when it is suspected that
a student athlete has sustained
such an injury.
Additionally, the bill would
require that any student athlete
who sustains or is suspected of
sustaining such an injury during
practice or play be immediately
removed from the game or
practice.
The student would not be able to
participate in any further sports
activity until evaluated by a
physician trained in the
evaluation and management of
concussions and given written
permission to return to physical
activity.
To learn about Assemblyman’s
extensive legislative portfolio, visit
www.njleg.state.nj.us and click
“Find Your Legislator” on the left
hand side. Each Legislator’s profile
will provide a link to their list of
legislation and their voting record.