UPDATED: Lt. Governor: 'Call Me'

Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno addressed business owners at the Atlantic Club in Wall Friday morning during state Assemblyman Dave Rible's monthly "business breakfast'' meeting, promoting her office as a machete for governmental red tape.

Guadagno, Rible's guest speaker at the 8 a.m. event, addressed about 75 business owners assembled at the , calling small business the “lifeblood of this economy,’’ and pledging to assist business owners who find themselves stymied by bureaucracy.

“If we are in your way in any way, call me,’’ Guadagno said during a short address, after which she took a handful of questions.

"Call my cell phone,'' Guadagno said. "If I don't get you an answer, don't vote for me in two years, because you're not getting your money's worth.''

The event is held at the Atlantic Avenue health club each month as a forum for business owners to air difficulties or seek advice or ask questions of Rible.

Guadagno gave out her cell phone number at the end of the speech.

Wall Patch had originally published the number as part of this story. By afternoon, however, it was removed at the request of the lieutentant governor's office.

Fred Snowflack, Guadagno's communications chief, requested that the number be removed from the story, despite that the lieutenant governor gave a 10-minute speech about it in a public venue.

Guadagno's cell phone number "is given to people with whom she interacts professionally as a courtesy and is not meant for the public at large," Snowflack said.