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SOUTH BRUNSWICK: Legislators learn new district

By Charles W. Kim, Managing Editor
   SOUTH BRUNSWICK — The two Republican state Assembly members of the new 16th legislative district helped local party members celebrate Abraham Lincoln’s birthday Sunday and said they were looking forward to serving their constituents.
   ”We are going to represent this town and district with energy,” Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli told the crowd of about 80 people assembled in a banquet room at Pierre’s Restaurant in Monmouth Junction. “This is what we are supposed to do.”
   South Brunswick, the most populated town in the newly configured district, and the Princetons were added to 13 other communities in Somerset and Hunterdon counties following the 2010 census.
   A former Republican stronghold, the new 16th district contains about 5,000 more Democrats than the old configuration, according to Mr. Ciattarelli.
   ”It is no longer a safe district (for Republicans),” Mr. Ciattarelli said.
   The pair attended the South Brunswick Republican organization’s fourth annual Lincoln Tea and Dance.
   In addition to the new state legislators and local GOP members, township resident and U.S. congressional candidate Eric Beck and State Sen. Sam Thompson, R-12 attended the event.
   Both legislators are in their first terms in Trenton.
   Mr. Ciattarelli won his seat in November with the late Peter Biondi of Hillsborough and state Sen. Christopher “Kip” Bateman.
   Mr. Biondi died just two days after the election and Ms. Simon was selected to fill his un-expired term during a special Republican convention last month. She will run again this November for the rest of the term.
   Ms. Simon said that she and Mr. Ciattarelli would be working on legislation to help fund municipal governments throughout the state and looking at ways for the state to save money.
   Ms. Simon said the delegation from the district would be working with Gov. Chris Christie to make the state more inviting to businesses and to try and keep more businesses in the state so that they do not move and take jobs with them.
   ”We want to help small businesses thrive so that they don’t leave New Jersey,” Ms. Simon said. “Jack (Ciattarelli) and I will be a presence in South Brunswick.”
   Ms. Simon said that she attended a recent meeting in Princeton regarding eliminating some of the Route 1 jughandles and, with the support of all those from the public attending, helped get the Department of Transportation to wait to do a study on the issue until August.
   ”We will be here for South Brunswick,” Ms. Simon said.