Potosnak Aide: Weak Federal Funding Proves Lance is Lacking

Democratic congressional nominee Ed Potosnak's top aide has joined the fray over federal funding for New Jersey's municipalities.

Potosnak's spokeswoman, Alicia D'Alessandro, has picked up the fight her boss picked las week when he claimed that the Garden State's last place-standing among states receiving federal funding rests squarely with his Republican opponent, U.S. Rep. Leonard Lance (R-Hunterdon County).

Lance's chief of staff, Todd Mitchell, said in an interview with Patch last week, that the Republican incumbent is trying to rectify the situation by reducing the federal tax burden on state residents, which would reduce the amount of money. Mitchell also criticized Potosnak's pledge to seek more federal appropriations – known as earmarks — if he's elected.

But D'Alessandro said it's wrong for Lance and Mitchell to blame the system.

"Ensuring that New Jersey's seventh congressional district gets its fair share is a factor in whether a congressional representative is effective," D'Alessandro said. "Leave it to a career politician to blame the system to his not doing his job. In the real world not getting the job done gets you fired."

The debate over federal funds erupted as an issue in the campaign last week when comments Lance made to Patch following his tour of the downtown business district. During the tour, Downtown Westfield Corporation Executive Director Sherry Cronin told Lance that the town needed more federal funds for infrastructure work, including downtown streetscape projects. Cronin said that, without the funding, the projects would bankrupt her agency — and could put the downtown economy at risk.

Lance explained in the interview that while he is upset with the Garden State's ranking, certain factors, including the lack of military bases, prevent the state from moving up the list as a federal funding recipient. He pledged to look into finding federal funding sources, but said those could be tough to obtain in 2011. 

Potosnak later accused Lance of flip-flopping on his views regarding earmarks, citing his support for earmark reform in his 2008 campaign and then his advocacy for the funding in early 2009 for new lighting in Cranford, a hike and bike path in Bedminster and a dental center in Hunterdon County. David Larsen, who unsuccessfully challenged Lance in June's Republican primary, also attacked Lance, citing his April 2009 designation as a "porker of the month" from the group Citizens Against Government Waste.

Mitchell denied Potosnak's claim, adding that much of the federal dollars come through grant programs, not via earmarks. The funds requested by Cronin could come through an earmark, but Mitchell said there are also federal transportation grants for streetscape work. 

Potosnak again drew criticism from Mitchell by calling for increased earmarks, particularly for pharmaceutical research and development, as well as for mass-transit upgrades. Potosnak responded to Mitchell's criticism by saying he'd rather debate these topics with Lance during a series of district-wide debates this fall.

"I look forward to discussing the budget and all of the issues facing the families and businesses at the debates in each of the four counties this fall," he said.