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Opinion
The Toms River Times, January 16, 2016, Page 7
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C ommentary
Featured Letter Public-Private Partnership Needed Fifty-three percent of NJ private-sector workers don’t have access to a workplace retirement plan. Since workers are 15 times more likely to save for ret i rement if their employer offers a plan, this means many will be unprepared for r e t i r e m e nt . T h i s i s a problem. In a recent Republican Debate, Gover nor Christie said emphasis shou ld b e on s olv i ng problem s t h roug h t he pr ivate sector rather than gover nment policies. The Secure Choice Savings Act would create a public-pr ivate partnership which will help m il l ion s of New Jer sey worker s ea sily save for retirement. Just li ke a 401K, they can choose whether or not to participate, and can select their contribution
level. This allows f lexibility to accommodate any circumstance workers may face. Employees will be able to save money for retirement, a nd sm a l l bu si ne s se s will be able to provide a benefit with very little effort. Only employees can contribute to their accounts, so neither taxpayers, nor employers fund the program, thereby not costing anything to those not involved. As a senior in college who will soon enter the job market, I join A A R P a n d t h e m a ny leg islat or s f rom bot h parties in support of this bill. Governor Christie s h o u l d s ig n t h i s b i l l which will secure a better financial future for all New Jerseyans. Atif Ahmad Princeton Junction
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Letters To The Editor Teenagers At Risk While addiction to opiate-based prescription pain killers and their illegal street cousin heroin is spreading in all demographic and age groups, teenagers are at particular risk. High school students who use prescription opioids like OxyContin, Vicodin and other pain relievers are 33 percent more likely to abuse the drug by the age of 23, according to a recent University of Michigan study. Further, New Jersey now has the sixth highest youth overdose rate in the nation. The teenage years are a “critical window of vulnerability for substance abuse disorders,” according to the National Institute of Drug Abuse, “because the brain is still developing and still malleable.” The parts of the brain that are attracted to drug use mature before the parts of the brain that are responsible for making sound, non-impulsive decisions. We must give parents the tools to prevent opiate addiction in their teenagers and children and that begins with arming them with the information they need to make an informed decision about the use of prescription painkillers. As a just released John Hopkins University School of Public Health Report on the Opiate Epidemic, which strongly recommends tightening up prescribing practices, notes, “Doctors often prescribe pain medications “in quantities and for conditions that are excessive, and in many cases, beyond the
evidence base.” 85 percent of doctors themselves say that opiate based pain medications are over-prescribed. “The bottom line is we’re not seeing consistent, effective, appropriate prescribing of painkillers across the nation, said Tom Frieden M.D., Director of the CDC, “and this is a problem because of the deaths that result.” That is why we are urging the speedy adoption of the Parent Notification Bill (A4760) recently introduced by Assemblyman Joseph A. Lagana (D-38). This legislation provides parents with the critical i n for mat ion needed to make an informed decision about whether their teenager should be prescribed an opiate by requiring that doctors and other prescribers discuss the potential risks of dependency before writing a prescription as well as where appropriate to discuss potential alternative treatments. When parents make a decision to go forward with an opiate prescription, this legislation provides the added benefit of alerting them to be on the lookout for any signs of dependence developing. If parents must give permission before their child can go on a field trip to the zoo, they sure should be asked for their sign-off, before their child is prescribed an opiate. A more expansive Patient Notification bill (S2366), put forward by Senator Loretta Weinberg (D-37) and Senator Joe Vitale (D-19), which required a conversation with adult patients as well, passed
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the State Senate overwhelmingly at the end of 2014. It has yet to receive a Committee hearing in the Assembly Health Committee, Chaired by Herb Conaway (D-7). We are confident, if this bill is given an up and down vote in the Committee, it will clear this hurdle and then easily pass both Houses of the State Legislature. More than one-in-four Americans say that either they or a family member or close friend have been addicted to prescription pain killers, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation Poll. These kind of disturbing numbers tell us we must arm parents with the information they need to protect their children, before more lives are ruined and lost. It is time for the Assembly to join the State Senate in taking action and that means the speedy passage of A4760. Elaine and Steve Pozycki Board Members Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey
Why Was Chicago Mayor Hiding Tape Of Police Shooting? I find it sad and totally politically motivated that Mayor Rahm Emanuel of Chicago, a very close friend of President Obama, is just now allowing the release of the tape of the murder of a young black man and now another tape is coming out due to the family’s constant pressure. These murders by white policemen of black kids should be known to the public. This is not to say that these kids were innocents in their behavior other than those evenings in August of 2014. It’s the timing I question and the people of Chicago should. The mayor, at that time, was up for re-election and, in my mind, was the reason the tape was not released at that time. If there was nothing to hide, why wasn’t the tape released. The purpose of this letter is not to condone the young
men’s behavior but that of their mayor. I have to hope that all politicians are not like that especially when I go to vote which I consider a privilege and a God given right in this mighty country. Bette Kooreman Whiting
Petition Drive To Reform State Property Taxes
I am reaching out to you to request your support in our efforts to organize and mobilize the residents of New Jersey to demand that our elected officials reform our property tax system. Our organization is nonprofit and run exclusively by volunteers. We have no political affiliation. Our only mission is to reform property taxes in New Jersey. Feel free to visit our website at njptr.org to learn more about our organization. On our website we have initiated a petition asking the Governor and the Legislature to reform the property taxes by December 31. If they are unable or unwilling to act by that date, we are asking to let the people of New Jersey to vote directly on the reform through referendum by June 30, 2017. Obviously, in order to be effective as a group, we need to spread the word to as many people as we can. We are hereby requesting your help and asking you to announce to your readers the existence of our organization and to direct them to our website where they can sign the petition and share their stories. By doing so, you’ll bring awareness to your readers, most of whom are struggling under the burden of heavy property taxes, that now they can join other homeowners under one organization who will fight for reform with a single and unified voice. With great numbers, we can make a difference. With your help and support, we can achieve our goal. Richard Recupero NJ Citizens for Property Tax Reform