[Rabbi Menachem Genack is the CEO of the Orthodox Union Kosher Division]
Dear Friends:
I write to share with you my strong conviction that Governor Corzine is good for the Orthodox Jews. Our community should support him because it has a substantial stake in his success. I touch here on just a few issues of major concern:
Education:
• Governor Corzine supports increased funding to our schools – under his administration there is some $94 million available in 2010 state funding to nonpublic schools for such things as remedial education, home instruction, remedial services for handicapped children in nonpublic schools, supplementary instruction, transportation and nursing services and textbooks.
• The Governor stated forthrightly to the Orthodox Union that while he does not support vouchers on constitutional, policy and financial grounds – and there is a divergence of opinion on the financial benefit of vouchers even within the Orthodox community – he fully appreciates the financial burden of parents opting to send their children to parochial schools and supports both charitable donation tax deductions and the establishment of a study commission chaired by Assemblyman Gary Schaer composed of members of the broad non-public school community to fully examine ways in which their educational mission could be supported by the state to the benefit of New Jersey children enrolled in these schools.
• With regard to technology grants to non-public schools – In his meeting with the Orthodox Union, Governor Corzine committed to work to restore some $7 million in non-public school technology grants in the upcoming “lame duck” session. In the meantime, public school districts applying for the $11.4 million available in New Jersey in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds must consult with nonpublic schools, which are eligible to participate if they meet the program criteria of having high concentrations of low-income students and demonstrated educational need.
Property Tax Burden.
• Governor Corzine has been working on our property tax burden since the first day he went to Trenton. While there is more work to be done, the long-term reforms that Governor Corzine put in place have started to work – last year, the increase in property taxes across the State was the lowest in 10 years. Through increased funding for education ($1.8 billion) and more shared services and consolidations, property taxes are finally beginning to stabilize.
• In four years, Governor Corzine has delivered nearly $7 billion in property tax relief to New Jersey families. And, this year, even while he cut the budget, he preserved rebates for seniors and those who need it most – families with incomes $75,000 and below. The Governor has committed to restoring the rebates to all eligible families when our economy recovers.
• The Governor also expanded “Senior Freeze” property tax rebates and 70,000 more seniors and disabled residents are now eligible. He also extended the filing deadline so that everyone eligible had a chance to get a rebate. And, he also eliminated the 3 year residency requirement for seniors seeking eligibility for the rebate.
Charitable Tax Deduction
• The Governor went on record with the Orthodox Union in support of a state charitable tax deduction on donations made to an array of non-profit entities including religious institutions.
Religious Accommodation
• Governor Corzine demonstrated his leadership in this area by signing legislation proposed by Assemblyman Gary Schaer that puts in place key religious accommodation laws protecting the religiously observant of all faiths in the workplace, on college campuses and in hospitals and nursing homes.
• It was Governor Corzine who ensured that observant Jewish inmates in the state’s prisons have kosher (and kosher for Passover) food.
Security Issues
• This is an issue of grave concern to our Orthodox community, and to other religious communities – most recently underscored by events in Middlesex County. It is of equally grave concern to Governor Corzine, who has instructed the Attorney General to vigorously address the commission of bias crimes throughout the State.
• Further, Governor Corzine expanded the State’s Bias and Intimidation Statute – New Jersey’s hate crimes law – to add protections and strengthened the State’s bullying laws.
On a host of other issues, from energy efficiency, to demonstrated support for Israel through a revitalized and permanent NJ-Israel Commission, to divesting funds from Iran, to selecting Senator Loretta Weinberg, an experienced Jewish legislator, as his running-mate, Governor Corzine has a proven record of leadership on issues we care about as Orthodox Jews, as residents of New Jersey, and as Americans. He deserves re-election.
Sincerely,
Rabbi Menachem Genack
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
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16 Responses
corzine is a staunch supporter of toevah!
menachem genack is a democrat party activist, he was a delegate to their national convention etc..
a torah jew should not be supporting nevala
Oy l’rasha, v’Oy l’shchayno (i.e. l’chavairo) -a.k.a. > Barak Hussein Obama
Just to make sure everyone is clear on this, Rabbi Genak is endorsing the Govorner on his own in his capacity as a private citizen with no ties to the OU.
This crude political endorsement from Rabbi Genack is beneath contempt. In addition to being a die hard liberal Democrat, he is highly placed in the OU. Using that pulpit to stump for one of his own ilk is reprehensible.
This Modern Orthodox opinion IS NOT DAAS TORAH. HARAV AVIGDOR MILLER Zatzal stated that the Republican party is the party of Ha-shem. Vehamayvin Yavin
#4: Without the OU, Rabbi Genack is unknown outside his own little circle. Believe it not, there are Jews outside of NYC. To say his endorsement is a personal one with no ties to the OU is disingenuous.
Any of the candidates would be about the same, but I see no evidence that any one particular candidate is going to be more favorable to orthodox concerns. Frankly, this election is similar to the presidential in that Corzine for sure is no one ideal candidate versus someone who also does not light fires of hope (Christie), but has not tried out the Governors job, yet.
Further, I recommend people refrain from who is more a valid Jew. I dont believe the worst orthodox Jew is more righteous than the best modern orthodox Jew. But it is not for us to take someone’s chesbon.
Also, both parties are more in line with each other than any one party is in line with the orthodox community.
As a die hard republican (Rush Limbaugh, Michael Savage listener) I must say that I am also going democrat – ie with Corzine this time.
Christopher Christie has a record of making problems for frum Jews! The latest scandal of 44 politicians, rabbis etc was co-ordinated by him to bring down democrats and rabbis but unfortunately this is not the first time he has done this and we know of at least 2 other cases where he is trying to bring down yidden in the chassidishe world. He has hurt many frummer yidden and is not a mensch.
I know Corzine on a very personal level and while I do not agree with all of his policies, I know him to be a very good friend of Yidden, Israel and he is a complete mensch!
I guess Rabbi Genack Shlita is ok with the highest taxes in the country. The rest of us are not interested in paying more taxes to help support the Corzine/Democratic debacle.
Charlie Hall, I’ve come to expect dishonesty from you, but this takes the cake. Payments by mining companies for extracting minerals from public land are not taxes as any sane person understands the term; they are ROYALTIES, exactly the same as they would have to pay to any private landowner on whose property they were mining.
When a head rep from a non profit organization publicly endorses a political candidate he is jeprodizing the organizations non profit tax deductibile status.rabbi genack and the ou are one.
This is why ncsy or agudath israel only ask their constituents to go out and vote and they clearly state they do not endorse any specific candidate.
They are both one and the same!! Both republicans and democrats – are controled by the same rich people,
Jews will start to realize that one day I hope.
It is all very simple,why dont frumma yidden get it!?If Corzine loses it will weaken Obamas national standing.This will make it more difficult for him to pass his agenda.Currently his agenda has at least 2 items that create sakonos nefoshos.1.his mid-east agenda of pressuring E.Y and appeasing Iran 2.his attempt to socialize and destroy the US health care system.It is time to put asside petty arguments and considerations.I dont care what favors corzine did for some frum indivisuals”pikuach nefesh docheh es hakol”!!
in response to #15, a person is permitted to endorse whomever he choose personally. As long as it is not the organization itself there is no problem vis a vis their non-profit status.
#11- No one is happy about having high property taxes. This is, however, a result of the economy created by the Bush-Cheney administration’s policies. Yet even during this horrible climate, Governor Corzine launched a first-in-the-nation Economic Assistance and Recovery Plan; ensured that 80,000 more children have health insurance and took a child welfare system that was once rated among the worst in the country, and made it one of the best. Additionally, he is the first governor in 60 years to have a smaller budget this year then he did when he first came into office.
#14 – With respect, I believe you may be missing the point. NJ does NOT have the highest taxes in the country. Mr. Hall was only explaining why Alaska was ranked as number 1. The main point is the following:
Governor Corzine established major structural reforms to ease the property tax burden in New Jersey. He enacted a 4% cap on local tax levies, increased state spending on education, gave incentives to encourage shared services and consolidations between municipalities, reformed the pension system and created a new state school funding formula.
Governor Corzine also put in place more direct property Tax Relief than any other governor. He committed more direct property tax relief in four years than any other Governor in New Jersey’s history – over $7 billion put directly into the pockets of New Jersey families.
Governor Corzine also helped Seniors stay in their homes rather than being forced to sell by expanding eligibility for the “Senior Freeze” program up to the $80,000 income level, allowing an additional 70,000 seniors and disabled residents to receive state property tax relief, above and beyond the standard Homestead Rebate program. The Administration also eliminated the three-year residency requirement for seniors seeking eligibility for the senior rebate.