Ocean County Legislators Blast Murphy’s Funding of Transgender Website With Pandemic Relief Funds

TRENTON - Senator Jim Holzapfel, Assemblyman Greg McGuckin, and Assemblyman John Catalano (all R-10th) questioned Governor Phil Murphy’s use of pandemic relief funds to develop a “Transgender Information Hub” website while other critical needs that could have been funded have been ignored.

“When we have billions in unspent pandemic relief funds that Governor Murphy has failed to put to effective use, it’s shocking that building a transgender website is where he has chosen to spend American Rescue Plan Act money,” said Holzapfel. “He could have helped struggling businesses, prevented cuts to our schools, or fixed the broken unemployment system, but building a transgender website was his priority. It’s ridiculous.”

The governor announced the launch of Transgender.NJ.gov, a new “one-stop hub” to help the state’s “transgender and non-binary community in finding information about essential programs and services,” including how to change a name.

The new website was paid for with some of the $6.2 billion of pandemic relief funds New Jersey received through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARP).

“We received more than $6 billion in American Rescue Plan Act funds nearly two years ago, but barely any of the money has been spent,” said

McGuckin. “More than $5 billion continues to sit idle in state accounts while our schools are being hit with unnecessary budget cuts and New Jersey businesses continue to be hit with round after round of payroll tax increases to replenish the unemployment fund. Instead of funding those urgent needs with pandemic relief funds, paying for a transgender website was Governor Murphy’s misplaced priority.”

According to Governor Murphy’s press announcement, the website was funded as part of the Resident Experience Initiative. The Resident Experience Program received a $40 million appropriation of ARP funds in the current FY 2023 state budget.

“Governor Murphy had billions of relief funds at his disposal throughout the pandemic, but he did next to nothing when one-third of our small businesses were going out of business,” added Catalano. “He did nothing to keep our unemployment fund solvent without harmful tax increases on small businesses, and he has done nothing to prevent years of unnecessary school funding cuts while our teachers are struggling to get students caught up from the devasting impacts of his shutdowns. The critical needs that Governor Murphy has repeatedly ignored say as much about his priorities as things like the transgender website that he has chosen to fund.”

Holiday City Lakes (Upper/Lower), Yorktowne Boulevard/Mt. Carmel Boulevard, Toms River Township, Ocean County, New Jersey may have aquatic pesticides applied on or between 8 May and 7 June 2023 for aquatic vegetation control with Tribune (diquat dibromide), and/or Renovate MAXG (triclopyr+2,4-d), and/or AquaNeat (glyphosate), and/or ClipperSC (flumioxazin), and/or SonarOne (fluridone), and/or Captain (copper), and/or Cutrine Ultra (copper), and/or copper sulfate, and/or Navigate (2,4-D) by boat tank sprayer equipment by Princeton Hydro, LLC (NJDEP #97186A), 1108 Old York Road, Ringoes NJ 08551. There may be an irrigation/watering restriction 30 days. Upon request, the pesticide applicator or applicator business shall provide a resident with notification at least 12 hours prior to the application, except for Quarantine and Disease Vector Control only, when conditions necessitate pesticide applications sooner than that time. Emergency Information, contact NJ Poison Information and Education System 800222-1222, National Pesticide Information Center 800-858-7378 for routine health inquiries, information about signs/symptoms of pesticide exposure, Pesticide Control Program 609-984-6666 “This number is for pesticide regulation information, pesticide complaints and health referrals”. Other information contact Tyler, Senior Field Operations Manager, Princeton Hydro, LLC, 908-237-5660

Local Pets Available For Adoption

TOMS RIVER – Pets like this one is available at the Toms River Animal Shelter. Baby’s owner found her 11 years ago while he was working on the day before Christmas. Her mom and siblings all passed away in the cold, and he was kind enough to take Baby home. After Momma passed, dad got some bad news about his health and had to give Baby away. He said he wanted Baby to find a good home because he knew he would soon no longer be able to take care of her.

Baby is older, but the vet says she’s in really good health. Baby’s mom and dad took really great care of her.

For more information, call 732-341-1000 or visit tomsrivertownship.com/155/Animal-Control-Services.