CIG Insider – Winter Edition 2017
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Senate Majority Staffer Thomas Scotton was promoted to serve as an aide to the Senate Transportation Committee. He recently returned to the Senate Majority Office after working on the Hillary for America campaign.
Earlier this week, Governor Chris Christie nominated the widely-respected Lou Goetting, his former senior advisor, to the board of the New Jersey Turnpike Authority. His nomination is subject to the advice and consent of the State Senate.


After over two decades in state government, Deputy Treasurer Thomas Neff announced his resignation this week. He had previously served in two prior administrations and was deputy executive director of the Senate Republican Office.
State House Happenings ![]() Happening Now…Governor Christie delivers his final Budget Address for FY 2018. At his last budget address, Governor Christie outlined his successes over the past eight years, and his spending plan which proposes a $35.5 billion state budget. Healthcare Due to the increased amount of insured under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the administration proposes to cut charity care by $50 million. However with the uncertain fate of the ACA under the Trump Administration, many fear that the plan to “repeal and replace” the ACA may leave many New Jersey residents uninsured. Governor Christie indicated that an increase of $30 million towards Graduate Medical Education programs will help address the shortage of doctors and nurses in NJ and that he wants Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey surplus revenue to annually fund the state’s most vulnerable populations, who access Charity Care and Medicaid. The ongoing campaign against substance addiction was also highlighted, allocating funds to the Department of Children and Families to expand residential services for 18 and 19 year olds, and the Department of Health to increase the number of hospital beds used for recovering residents. Education Another highly anticipated issue was addressed by the governor – how the state’s broken school funding formula should be fixed. The most recent iteration of the education formula, the School Funding Reform Act (SFRA), was fast-tracked through the legislature in 2008, and promised to deliver help to some of the state’s poorest districts. What resulted, however, was inequity across the state and severe underfunding in many school districts. Now the governor has called on the legislature for serious reform, with 39% of the state’s entire FY 2018 budget to be dedicated to education spending. Within 100 days, the Governor has directed leaders in both parties to agree on a way to amend the funding formula, stressing the importance that this issue should be resolved by summer. Though the governor proposed his own draconian “Fairness Formula,” which would have severely impacted state aid to some of the poorest school districts in the state, he is now seeking to find a solution through the legislature, and promises to work with them in finding a successful agreement. |
In Memoriam Jamie Fox, an adored and respected New Jersey public servant for the last 40 years, died late last month at the age of 62. Jamie was the state’s commissioner of transportation under Governors Christie and McGreevey. He was also chief of staff for Governor McGreevey and former U.S. Senator Bob Torricelli and served as an advisor to Governors Codey and Corzine. Jamie had an affable demeanor, infectious laugh and self-deprecating sense of humor that was downright disarming. But when it came to politics, he was a shrewd strategist who was usually three steps ahead of his opponents and unafraid to make tough decisions. He was a mentor to so many, helping countless former aides and candidates to succeed. He was a longtime friend to the principals at CIG and will be dearly missed. Eric Shuffler and the Fox Family are hosting a service in celebration of Jamie’s life on Monday, March 6 at 3:00 at the Grounds for Sculpture, 80 Sculptors Way, Hamilton, NJ.
Former Economic Development Authority CEO Caren Franzini recently died after a courageous battle with breast cancer. She was 57. Caren served as chief executive of the EDA from 1994 to 2012, under seven New Jersey governors of both parties. CIG Principal Gerry Gibbs knew Caren personally and professionally, having both served as a members of the EDA Board and the Camden Recovery Board during Governor McGreevy’s administration. A friend of CIG’s, we extend our heartfelt condolences to Caren’s children and husband. John White, a longtime education and budget analyst for the Office of Legislative Services, and later a school business administrator and advocate for teens dealing with drug addiction, passed away on February 4, 2017. The father of Assembly Majority senior staffer Keith White, John was a friend and colleague to many in Trenton and will be dearly missed. |
CIG Client Spotlight ![]() Best Friends Animal Society, is a national, non-profit organization, that advocates for animal welfare. Best Friends focuses on ending the killing of dogs and cats throughout the country’s shelters, and runs the largest no-kill sanctuary for companion animals in the country. Their goal is to advance no-kill legislation throughout the U.S. |
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Proximity to Power… CIG Live on State Street! |
In Our Thoughts ![]() Former legislative staffer and insurance lobbyist John Leyman recently suffered a catastrophic fall while on vacation in St. Lucia. To help support John and his family during his recovery, please visit his Go Fund Me page. |
Out & About ![]()
![]() CIG’s PaulCrupi with Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadagno, at Bayada’s groundbreaking ceremony for its new global headquarters located in Pennsauken. ![]()
![]() Earlier this week the Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP) hosted their annual “Women of Power” reception at Marsilio’s Kitchen. The popular event was packed and bursting at the seams this year as CAWP and women lawmakers paid tribute to retiring Senator Diane Allen. She will be missed!
![]() Assemblywoman Nancy Munoz, a licensed nurse, delivered an inspired keynote address at the Annual Awards Meeting of ONL NJ – Organization of Nurse Leaders, New Jersey. ![]() Shantè Palmer at NJBIC’s reception in DC with Congressman Payne, Congresswoman Watson-Coleman and Senator Booker for the Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference. ![]() |
*SAVE THE DATE* ![]() Tuesday, April 18th at 1pm Capital Impact Group will be hosting a luncheon reception at their Trenton office in honor of former Ambassador and gubernatorial candidate Phil Murphy. More details to follow…. |
![]() ODM Client Spotlight ![]() ODM has been working closely with Home Towne Rx, a Lawrence Township based pharmacy services company, over the last several months to expand their base of operations, improve their social media footprint and create new strategic partnerships Statewide. In anticipation of their soon to be expansion into the City of Newark, ODM helped facilitate the inclusion of a full page article about Home Towne RX in the last issue of Newark Bound Magazine. ODM and Home Towne Rx will have much more exciting news to share in the weeks ahead. |
Who We Are ![]() Capital Impact Group is a bipartisan, full-service public affairs and business development firm based in Trenton, NJ, 37 steps from the front door of the State House. We offer a wide range of services to help our clients manage the realities of today’s political, economic and regulatory environment and the ever-changing dynamics in the State of New Jersey and Washington, D.C. ![]() Open Door Media is a fast-growing public affairs and communications firm focused on delivering results for our corporate, government and non-profit clients. |