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: Vas skips hearings to campaign
: Home News Tribune Online 05/26/06
: By JONATHAN TAMARI
: GANNETT STATE BUREAU
: jtamari@gannett.com
: TRENTON — Assemblyman Joseph Vas, D-Middlesex, has missed four out of every five hearings held by the legislative committees on which he serves while he has campaigned for Congress, according to a review of attendance records.


: His opponent in the 13th Legislative District Democratic primary, Assemblyman Albio Sires, D-Hudson, has altogether avoided the long drives to Trenton and hours of hearings because he is one of five lawmakers with no committee assignments. All the others — the Senate president, Assembly speaker and Assembly majority and minority leaders — hold leadership posts that traditionally carry exemptions from committee obligations.

: The winner of the Sires-Vas June 6 primary will be the strong favorite to win the vacant Congressional seat in their heavily Democratic district.

: Vas' absences include missing 21 out of 22 hearings on the influential Assembly Budget Committee, which is considering Gov. Jon S. Corzine's budget proposal, including increasing the sales tax and cutting aid to colleges and universities.

: "It shows a lack of responsibility," Sires said.

: Vas defended his record, pointing to more than 100 laws he has either sponsored or cosponsored in two and a half years in the Legislature.

: "It's understandable that over the last six weeks or so that I've asked to be excused from the preliminary budget hearings," Vas said.

: He questioned why Sires has avoided any committee assignments.

: "He takes a full salary. He has a full staff," Vas said, pointing to the $49,000 Assembly salary and the $110,000 district offices given to all lawmakers. "That's the real story. He's elected to serve."

: Sires attributes his lighter schedule to his post as speaker emeritus, a new advisory position created after he stepped down as speaker earlier this year after four years in that position.

: "I still deal with everybody," Sires said. "They still consult me on policies and everything."

: Vas skipped three recent Assembly Commerce and Economic Development Committee hearings on eminent domain, despite his role as the panel's vice chairman. He has missed three out of its six meetings this year.

: Vas also missed three of the Assembly Education Committee's five 2006 meetings.

: Both Vas and Sires have attended this year's four full Assembly voting sessions, at which lawmakers cast their final votes on bills.

: But much of the work crafting laws takes place at committee hearings, which give citizens and lobbyists the chance to testify on proposed laws. During questioning, lawmakers often bore in on parochial issues important to their district or seek information that can shape public policy.

: "This is where laws are made, this is where laws that exist are reviewed for consideration of change, and this is where you come to bring your voice," Assemblyman John Burzichelli, D-Gloucester, said as he he opened a May 13 Commerce and Economic Development Committee hearing. Vas was absent that day.

: Vas and Sires each have several public jobs on top of their Assembly seats. Vas is mayor of Perth Amboy and chairs the city's planning board and two redevelopment organizations. Sires is mayor of West New York.


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