South Jersey Progressive Leaders Criticize Addiego for Breaking Ranks on Anti-Borrowing Vote

Leaders of South Jersey’s growing grassroots progressive movement expressed concern that LD8 Senator Dawn Addiego (D- Burlington) broke ranks and voted with the Republicans against the critical $10 billion emergency state borrowing plan. 

The plan has been held up for weeks by Senate President Sweeney, even as Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin and Governor Murphy lauded the plan. This week, Sweeney came on board, but the usually lockstep South Jersey caucus was splintered. In her statement explaining why she sided with the Republicans, Addiego called the plan the “absolutely wrong way to approach the crisis.” Advocates were not entirely surprised, however; Addiego was a Republican until 2019. 

The bill permits the state to borrow an amount that’s about a quarter of its annual budget. The Senate passed the bill with a 22-15 vote, and the Assembly approved it 46-26. 

“Senator Addiego argued in January 2019 when she was in the process of switching parties that New Jersey’s fiscal problems could not be “fixed by putting our heads in the sand,” yet when she had the chance to vote for the bonding bill, with her former Republican colleagues Ryan Peters and others, she voted lock-step with Republicans,” said attorney and constituent, Carolyn Chang.

“We are in the midst of a global pandemic,” said Kate Delany, president of South Jersey Progressive Democrats. “How does Senator Addiego expect to cover the expenses of this recovery without borrowing? Is she supporting the yacht tax? The millionaires tax? Or is she willing to let the working people in this state bear the brunt of the pain of this recovery. South Jersey has had enough with Christie-era austerity measures.”

“The pandemic is a crisis for those in poverty and those in the working class. We must borrow or else this state will fall off of a financial cliff. The rest of New Jersey understands this,” said Meredith Meiseinheimer, board member of South Jersey Women for Progressive Change. “The rest of the Democratic Party sees this. Burlington County understands this– this is not a vote based on the feelings of her constituents. This is Senator Addiego returning to her Republican roots.” 

“South Jersey is tired of Democrats who act like Republicans,” said Sue Altman, Director of New Jersey Working Families. “Jeff Van Drew switched parties, who’s next?”