Lobbyists would help look for funding to widen Route 1 and create an internal bus system.
By: Joseph Harvie
The Township Council will consider hiring three lobbying firms for a total of $160,000 to help push the widening of Route 1 and the creation of an internal bus system.
Township Manager Matt Watkins is proposing the township hire three firms to look for federal and state funding for the projects. He recommended it hire MBI GluckShaw of Trenton to lobby the state on Route 1 and to secure funding for both projects, and that it hire two Washington, D.C., firms Cavarocchio, Ruscio and Dennis and Austin, Copelin & Reyes to look at federal funding.
Mr. Watkins presented the proposal Tuesday at a special meeting of the council at St. Joseph’s Seminary Venetian Renewal Center in Plainsboro. The meeting was set up to discuss the Transportation Networking Plan for South Brunswick.
Mr. Watkins said hiring the lobbyists could allow the township to get Route 1 widened and an intramunicipal transit system developed without using township money.
He said it was time for the township to begin taking the offensive on traffic and transit issues.
"Most of the action this township has taken has been fighting road projects," Mr. Watkins said. "It is time we’ve done something about Route 1."
The firms being considered are headed by partners with connections to state and federal officials.
MBI GluckShaw is headed by Judy Shaw and Hazel Gluck. Ms. Gluck co-chaired Gov. Christie Whitman’s first gubernatorial campaign and then co-chaired her transition team. She was transportation commissioner and insurance commissioner under Gov. Tom Kean, served as chairwoman of NJ Transit, was executive director of the state Lottery and commissioner with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Ms. Shaw was chief of staff for Gov. Whitman and Ms. Gluck’s chief of staff at the DOT. She also was director of marketing for the lottery.
CRD’s partners are Nicholas Cavarocchi, Domenic Ruscio and Lyle Dennis. Mr. Cavarocchi was a senior staff member with the U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee. Mr. Ruscio was deputy assistant secretary for management and budget at the federal Department of Health, Education and Welfare and served on the staff of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee. Mr. Dennis directed the State of New Jersey’s Washington office and was chief of staff to former U.S. Rep. Bernard Dwyer (D-N.J.).
ACR’s partners are David Austin, Dian Copelin and Isaac Reyes. Mr. Austin was deputy chief of staff to U.S. Rep. Silvestre Reyes (D-Texas). Ms. Copelin was legislative director for Rep. Reyes and former U.S. Rep. Jim Olin (D-Va.) and served as staff director of the U.S. House of Representatives Small Business Subcommittee on Environment and Employment. Mr. Reyes was a policy advisor for the U.S. Senate Democratic Policy Committee under former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.), and Mr. Reyes was also legislative director to Congressman Reyes.
Mr. Watkins said the lobbying firms could help gather support from the federal and state governments and pressure legislators to get the two projects moving.
The lobbyists would have to report to the township manager at least once a month. After two years, the council would assess the lobbyists’ progress on the projects and determine whether the council should continue working with the firms, Mr. Watkins said.
Representatives of the firms told the council Tuesday that they could provide services the township could not manage on its own.
Ms. Copelin said her team would be able to get up-to-the-minute information from the federal government because of its location in Washington and because of its ties to Congressional leaders.
"We will just work on the projects," Ms. Copelin said. "We would be at your disposal."
She said her firm’s knowledge of Capital Hill allows it to work with Congress on a more personal level.
"A (Capital) Hill staffer’s average age is 26 and has been in the job for 18 months," Ms. Copelin said. "They turn over quite frequently and we step in and bring them up to speed."
Ms. Shaw said her team has the knowledge of local and state government to win the township support for its projects. She said her company has worked with the state to widen Route 1 in West Windsor and to complete the upgrades to the Route 130/Route 1 intersection.
"That had been on the table for 10 years and we were finally able to help keep that moving," Ms. Shaw said.
Councilman Charles Carley said that Mr. Watkins and the council should identify other companies and government agencies the lobbying groups are working with before deciding to use their services. Mr. Carley said he wants to ensure they are not working with any group that supports the proposed Monmouth-Ocean-Middlesex rail line, which would run from Ocean County to the Northeast Corridor line in Monmouth Junction, or Route 92, a proposed 6.7-mile toll road that would connect the N.J. Turnpike at Exit 8A with Route 1 at Ridge Road. South Brunswick has opposed Route 92 and a MOM line for many years.

