Bipartisanship works; let's see it more often

Many of our state leaders crossed the aisle and put aside their partisanship to aid so many citizens in distress. As much as we would like to attack our opponents on many issues, there comes a moment in time to give credit for their ability to work in sync.

Republican and Democrat alike, Gov. Chris Christie, Assemblyman Patrick Diegnan, Assemblyman Peter Barnes, Senator Sam Thompson, Senator Jon Bramnick, our newly elected President Barack Obama, mayors, and council people, along with so many of our politicians throughout the state, came together during Hurricane Sandy without regard to party affiliation.

There was no one particular official thumping a chest grandstanding to say “Hey, look at me.” And speaking of chests, Gov. Christie went without sleep, along with having a chest cold during the crisis without complaint.

Politicians during a time of need took the time to put aside their bickering, their platform agendas, and differences. For once leadership, compassion, and innovation came through for the people of New Jersey. The proverbial “red tape” was put aside to do what had to be done, and showed what could be done when necessary.

Let’s continue to show New Jersey’s citizens our legislators can work together to benefit all and not just in a time of crisis.

~ Joe Sinagra
http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20121123/NJOPINION0201/311230006/Bipartisanship-works-let-s-see-more-often

Dark Night for Colorado

Twelve people died, with fifty-nine out of seventy-one injured at a Colorado movie theater. People who for no other reason other than taking in a movie for some enjoyment out of their busy, hectic, chaotic lives.

This was premeditated murder, by a sick individual who had the presence of mind to purchase a ticket, walk through a theater, exit through a fire door, propping the door open as he went to his car which contained two 40-caliber Glock handguns, a Remington 870 single-barrel pump shotgun and a Smith & Wesson AR-15 assault-style rifle; taking the time to grab a helmet, gas mask, two gas canisters, a tactical vest, throat and groin protectors, black tactical gloves and a Glock pistol.

Because a handgun was used, it now gives a pulpit for a feeding frenzy to all those anti-gun activists, due to this tragic and sad event. Is it possible, that had there been anyone in the theater with a permit to carry, or a right to carry they could have put a stop to a mad man? Could a simple thing such the activation of an alarm when the Fire Door was opened have prevented this from happening at all?

Banning guns from responsible gun-owners because of the actions of a depraved mortal, I believe is wrong. Eliminating guns will not stop those with minds like James Eagan Holmes. Taking the time and the forethought to plan out a heinous crime such as this would not hinder those like Holmes. Banning guns would not stop someone like Holmes, individuals that are so intent on harming innocent citizens would look for another alternative to obtain the end result. James Holmes would have found a way to acquire the weapons he needed for his calculated purpose, even if that meant obtaining them illegally. Taking guns away from responsible individuals will prevent them from impeding the actions of those like Holmes to further their unrealities.

There are those who now blame the Tea Party, Rush Limbaugh, those who are looking to take away gun owners rights citing this as an example of what happens when people have guns. Any sane person would not have done this, and anyone of sound mind with a gun would not have walked into a crowded movie theater opening fire at unarmed innocent people.

Let’s not use this tragedy as a reason to pursue a political agenda, for throwing accusations at those such as the Tea Party, blaming Rush Limbaugh, or saying that the Bane personality in the movie was a reason for what happened as a protest in reference to Romney’s Bain Capital, or any other impetus as a catapult for stupidity.

Even for arguments sake, with all guns being eliminated, if Holmes took such pains to plan out such a crime, and his intentions were to hurt as many people as possible; he could have done the same thing, using the same method without a gun. Perhaps he would have used another method such as homemade pipe bombs, zip guns, plastic explosives, and Molotov cocktails to carry out his mission. It remains to be seen, but it may have not have been beyond his capabilities as it has been reported that he placed sophisticated explosive booby traps in his apartment that would have detonated upon entry. Authorities stated they saw trip wires, bottles of liquid and containers of ammunition, fireworks and powders through a window camera.

Fifty-nine movie goers were wounded, twelve were killed, and while the ‘Dark Knight’ may rise again, there are 12 innocent people who will not.

Let’s give them the respect and attention that they deserve, and let their families grieve without the rhetoric, 2nd amendment oratories, or to allow the intrusion of politics to interfere with the reality of what took place.

This was a tragedy; the cause of ‘why’ it happened had nothing to do with guns.

 Yes, a gun was used in the process, which just gives cause for more anti-gun stump speeches. But if a gun were not used, it would have been carried out by another method, and the ‘why’ at this time is known only to a deranged character that goes by a self-named moniker of the ‘The Joker."


~ Joe Sinagra

Name-calling unnecessary in county freeholder race

This article was from 2005 in my run for Middlesex County Clerk.  We were questioning  no-bid contracts in that the by-laws stated no money shall be taken from anyone doing business with the county, and why campaign contributors such as the auditors, county engineers, county attorneys etc., received cushy contracts.   Stumbling blocks were thrown in our path every inch of the way, all the way up to our appeal with the State DCA.  It shows how politics are run in Middlesex County and the extent of how those in control will do anything to keep from relinquishing their hold of the coveted seats of power.


 

It’s not easy being a Republican candidate for a Middlesex County office. At least that appears to be the case for a slate of GOP candidates who last week tried to file an ethics complaint against the Democratic incumbents.



Not only did freeholder candidates Andrew Tidd and Jay Boxwell Jr. and county clerk hopeful Joe Sinagra show up with their complaint at a county ethics board meeting that did not take place (whether it had ever been scheduled is disputed), but their argument was quickly dismissed as “bogus” by the county counsel, who then tagged the candidates themselves with the same label. Granted, this was not the first shot fired by either side of the county campaign, but it seems downright inappropriate, especially coming from an attorney employed by the county.


County Counsel Thomas F. Kelso issued the statement after the GOP filed a complaint that incumbents David B. Crabiel, Camille Fernicola and County Clerk Elaine Flynn had violated an ethics code that prohibits candidates from accepting campaign contributions from those who receive county contracts. While Kelso explained there was no violation due to what appears to be a loophole distinguishing candidates from campaign committees, he went so far as to state that the complaint was lodged “by a bogus team of candidates who have no government experience and no public support.”


Needless to say, the Republicans, who do have government experience, did not appreciate the description. And they have a right to be ticked. The issue of pay-to-play has long been the norm in New Jersey politics, but it has seen massive public opposition and calls for reform. For a candidate to request a probe into whether a code has been violated doesn’t seem that unreasonable.


And despite the fact that they, like the Democrats, have been discussing many issues facing the county, the candidates are described as “bogus” in an official statement from none other than the county’s top lawyer. Kelso had no place making the comment. It’s one thing to see a candidate for office doing the name-calling; it’s another when the person in charge of county legal matters stoops to that level.


Just as the Democrats in Middlesex County have the ability to discuss a record of achievement, their opponents can and should be asking questions of those in office. Regardless of anyone’s political affiliation, we should all respect those who step up to the plate and take part in a democratic system that seeks to provide checks and balances.

 

http://ns.gmnews.com/news/2005-09-29/Editorials/015.html

 

 

 

 

 

Taxpayers, again, are up against the boards

Times of Trenton Letters to the Editor - July 10

Taxpayers, again, are up against the boards

Gov. Jon Corzine raised the sales tax from 6 percent to 7 percent, supposedly with half of the additional 1 percent going to tax relief and the other half toward the state budget. So, the state had more money to fund new programs, raising the budget higher, which meant having to raise taxes again on the working class to balance the budget. Once again, it took disposable income out of the pockets of the working class.


Jon Corzine required state union employees, as well as certain other non-union employees, to contribute 1.5 percent of their salary to offset health-care costs, raised their contributions to their pension and increased the retirement benefit age for new public employees from 55 to 60.


In 2008, Corzine approved a law increasing the retirement age from 60 to 62, eliminated Lincoln’s Birthday as a state worker holiday and required municipal employees to work 20 hours per week to get health benefits.


He also decreased funding to most programs, including state universities and colleges. Rutgers University and other New Jersey state universities have raised tuition and cut hundreds of sections of classes and several sports teams.


Democrats had no problem approving all the above, but had it been a Republican governor who wanted to make those changes, it would have been an uphill battle for purely political reasons.


We have members of the Legislature who posture when it is convenient to their party and politicians who come up with sound bites that sound good in the newspapers.

But in the final analysis, the citizens are the ones who like a hockey puck getting smacked back and forth; constantly get hurt in the political arena.


The hypocrisy of government continues at the expense of those who pay the bill.


-- Joe Sinagra

  http://www.nj.com/times-opinion/index.ssf/2012/07/times_of_trenton_letters_to_th_395.html


Published: Tuesday, July 10, 2012, 6:53 AM

ObamaCare . . . The Rising Cost of Pork

For all Americans who love Freedom lost a battle against the Welfare State. In a mammoth decision, the Supreme Court decided to support ObamaCare, extending the destructive path of health care policy in The United States of America.



The effects of ObamaCare will represent higher costs, less competition, less innovation, more bureaucracy, decreased quality, and in the long run, a complete destruction of American health care.


It will be significantly cheaper for an employer to pay the $2,000 fine and pay for the employee to enroll in a government health exchange program, putting more of the cost on the taxpayer.


Many uninsured individuals will choose to pay the tax as an alternative of signing up for insurance through a government exchange. If so, the government-exchange premiums will become so expensive, individuals won’t be able to afford to buy insurance.



Child-only policies will stop being issued due to the required annual benefit levels being increased along with the new requirements that at least 85% of all insurance premiums be used on health-care providers. Meaning higher-cost child-only coverage plans will fail to meet the limits and will be discontinued; causing children to lose their own cheap coverage and either have to move to their parents’ employer plans or access care through the government exchanges.


Employer-sponsored retiree medical plans may be dropped due to repeal of the Medicare part D pharmacy subsidy. Although the subsidy isn’t cancelled until 2013, the SEC requires accounting recognition of any changes as soon as they are known. Over 43% of employers with retiree plans indicated they would likely eliminate retiree medical programs due to the additional requirements under ObamaCare.


Over 670,000 jobs could be eliminated due to the added $760 billion in taxes, penalties, and fees on investors and businesses.


The federal deficit increases at least an additional $115 billion over original projections.


By the year 2020, ObamaCare will have increased the interest on the national debt by $23.1 billion per year, raising the national debt by more than $753 billion, and increase annual budget deficits by an average of $75 billion.


For employer-sponsored plans, starting in 2014, employers who provide health-care plans for their employees will be required to ensure that the level of health-care benefits they provide their employees meet new government standards or face fines and penalties equal to $2,000 per year for each full-time employee. Even then, if their employees would have to pay more than 9.5% of their adjusted gross income for the health plan, or if the employee chooses to purchase from a government exchange, the employer will still have to pay a $2,000 penalty.


You as an individual will be required to have coverage, either from your employer or from a government-sponsored health-care exchange. If you don’t purchase it, the IRS will assess you with tax of $695 per year per family member (capped at three) or 2.5% of your income, whichever is greater, starting in 2014.



There would definitely be an increase in new patients who now have coverage seeking doctors’ care. Creating an immediate shortage of 150,000 doctors. Patients will have to wait longer just to get an appointment to see the doctor.


In addition to a reduction in Medicaid reimbursements, it is estimated that 18 to 20 million new Medicaid patients will seek a doctor’s care. Medicaid coverage pays doctors 56% of the private payment amounts. Federal funding will pay for parity to Medicare for 2013 and 2014, and then it will leave it up to the states to figure out how to pay the Medicaid doctors.


59% of doctors think the quality of medicine will decline in the next five years and 79% are less optimistic about the future of medicine. 69% are think they may drop out of government health programs, 53% would consider opting out of treating insurance-covered patients, and 45% have considered leaving the profession altogether.


For taxpayers, new 40% excise tax on health insurance plans, known as the “Cadillac Tax” if a health plan is valued in excess of $10,200 for employee-only coverage [and $27,500 for family coverage. 43% of all plans are expected to incur this tax by 2018, when it becomes effective.



There will be an increase in hospital insurance portion of payroll tax: The Medicare tax will be increased from 1.45% to 2.35% for families making more than $250,000. The new rate will be 3.8%, effective in 2013. The health insurance rate increase will not be used to fund Social Security and Medicare, but rather as a separate entitlement.



A new 3.8% health insurance tax applies to investment income, including capital gains, dividends, rents, royalties, and yes, even the sale of your home.

Affordable Health Care, I think not. Things are about to get a whole lot worse. America was sold a bill of goods for a cash grab by legislators who lined their pockets for a few pounds of pork.

~ Joe Sinagra

Finding Work . . . End of an Era

The definition of unemployment includes only jobless workers who report that they are actively seeking work, the unemployment rate overlooks those who are “underemployed”: jobless workers who want a job but have given up looking, and workers who have a job but cannot get the hours they want or need.

Unemployment has been above eight percent for more than three years, and 12.7 million workers remain unemployed today.

The unemployment rate for college graduates—19.1 percent . . . The jobless rate for high school graduates is near 54 percent.

17 percent of high school graduates had no job or were not enrolled in college in 2011, up from 13.7 in 2007.

The long-run wage trends for young graduates are bleak, with wages substantially lower today than they were in 2000.

For the Class of 2012, graduating in a bad economy has long-lasting economic consequences. For the next 10 to 15 years, earnings will be less than they would have had if they had graduated when job opportunities were plentiful.

For the 2011–12 school year, the total cost of attendance for an on-campus student—including in-state tuition, books, room and board, and transportation expenses at a four year public school averaged $21,447. For a four-year private school, it was $42,224. The cost of higher education has been rising faster than family incomes, making it harder for families to pay for college. A majority of students and graduates take on debt to pay for college who then can’t find employment, or find a job with enough salary to pay it back.

The cost of higher education has grown far more rapidly than median family income, leaving students with little choice but to take out loans, which, upon graduating into a labor market with limited job opportunities, they may not have the funds to repay.

In economic recessions as well as expansions, the unemployment rate for workers (those under age 25) is typically around twice as high as the overall unemployment rate.

The unemployment rate for young high school graduates is 31.1 percent; the underemployment rate of young high school graduates is 54 percent.

The Class of 2012 will be joining a significant backlog of unemployed college graduates from the Classes of 2009, 2010, and 2011 in an extremely difficult job market. There has been a dramatic deterioration in job prospects for college graduates since the start of the recession. The unemployment rate for college graduates jumped from 5.7 percent in 2007 to 10.4 percent in 2010.

Among high school graduates, the unemployment rate for racial and ethnic minorities’ particularly young black graduates—tends to be higher than that of whites, in good times and bad. But on the flip side, unemployment rate of young college graduates who are racial and ethnic minorities tends to be higher than that of young white college graduates.

The wages of high school and college graduates have fallen over the last decade. Between 2000 and 2011, the wages of young high school graduates dropped by 11.1 percent, while wages of college graduates dropped by 5.4 percent.

During economic downturns the numbers of workers quitting falls, as outside job opportunities become scarce. This results in lost opportunities for all workers, as they cannot move on to find a better fit to match their experience, leaving them unable to increase their salary to match their skill level.

Entering the labor market during a severe downturn leads to reduced earnings, greater earnings instability, and more unemployment over the next 10 to 15 years. One reason for a decline in earnings is due to the fact that workers entering the labor market in a downturn often settle for jobs at less-attractive employers or accept lower-level occupations than they otherwise would have.

It may not happen overnight, maybe not to where it was before the recession, but the job market will get better.   All in all, there are job opportunities available for the right candidate, but no matter how you slice it . . . the trend shows the unfortunate truth in that the less-skilled that will have a problem in finding work or will limit their expansion for job growth.

The days of walking into a business looking for work without any job skills or experience  and getting hired on the spot are the bygone days of another era.

Freedom comes at a cost

Freedom does not come cheap. Memorial Day is a day of gratitude to be grateful to all who have served and the veterans who have passed away to secure our liberties.

Memorial Day is a day to remember those who died fighting for our country, a sad time for families who have lost someone.

To many families, it will be a day of prayer, a day to lay out wreaths, a day to honor those who served, a day ...for those who deserve to be thanked and remembered.

Memorial Day is a day Americans honor those who risked their lives to serve our country and protect our Nation, a day set aside in respect for all who participated or have participated in the military.

Our greatest national debt is a debt we owe to those citizens who volunteered to serve, a debt that can never be repaid, but it can be honored.

We all celebrate Memorial Day in their Honor. We are able to celebrate this day in peace, with our families because of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice.

Take a little time during the holiday weekend to thank those gave their all, allowing us the good fortune to celebrate and enjoy the holiday with our families.

To those families who have current members serving overseas, may they return home safe.

I wish you all a safe holiday.

Student Debt and the Purchase of a Home

Student Loans Near $1 Trillion Hurt Young U.S. Buyers: Mortgages  http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-02-16/student-loans-approaching-1-trillion-hurting-first-time-buyers-mortgages.html

An idea I had when running for NJ State Assembly was to help  graduates carrying college debt and help them purchase a foreclosed home. It would help or eliminate the student loan, generate tax revenue, reduce the glut of foreclosures, and help stabilize the prices of existing homes.

As an example, if a foreclosed home that was worth $450000 is now valued at $200,000 and a college grad has a debt of $100,000, perhaps combining the two into a $300,000 mortgage. Most banks would look at the student debt as an obligation against qualifying for a mortgage loan. But the student could only qualify for a foreclosed home, not a new home or typical mortgage. This would possibly help eliminate empty homes in foreclosure, help stabilize home prices and give a graduate the opportunity to own a home. By this method they would be able to pay down both loans at the same time.

By the time many students pay off their loan and qualify for a home, their kids would be going to college.

If the student defaults on the mortgage it does not eliminate their student debt. Perhaps it could be set up where a percentage of the mortgage goes toward the principle of the student’s debt. Another  possible option would be able to pay off the $100,000 student loan and carry a $300,000 mortgage.

If the college graduate can show some kind of collateral or promise or a job in a certain field...like a doctor, a lawyer, engineer, etc. .....a certain income level, it would be much better to have a family in the house than for it to stay empty in the foreclosure process.

They would not be entitled to any discounts or incentives, and still have to meet the same requirements any other homebuyer would qualify under. There would be no student loan debt forgiveness.

I have heard that some banks are thinking of selling their foreclosures to investors who would rent them out. That would hurt neighborhoods substantially, as the investors really don’t care about the neighborhoods and are only looking to receive a monthly income. Perhaps an idea like this would help prevent that from happening.

Countless foreclosed homes are being stripped of their copper pipes etc. while they sit empty, or taken over by those that don’t belong there. Numerous homes are bought by investors who live out of the state and rented out, and as long as the rent is paid they investors don’t really care who lives in them. Perhaps this could be a win-win for everyone. Many banks do not want to keep the growing list of foreclosures and are thinking of selling them off to investors who have no interest in the neighborhood other than monetary gain.

This may not be a perfect plan, but I haven’t seen any other solutions or ideas. This could be a starting point to help resolve the foreclosure and student debt issue.

"My administration is committed to creating an unprecedented level of openness in government." ~ Barack Hussein Obama

• After promising transparency during his campaign, the current administration is the most secretive and corrupt, non- transparent and unconstitutional administration as there ever has been. This administration has stalled over records about its own efforts to be more transparent claiming exemptions 70,779 times just during the nine months Obama was President in the 2009 year alone.

• A U.S. District Court Judge ruled that the secret service visitor logs should be readily available upon a request under the freedom of information act. The Department of (IN) Justice, led by Mr. Holder, filed a formal notice of appeal, saying that these records belong to the White House and are not public record. In a 2009 speech Obama stated that all records would be available. The “event” description in the logs is blank for more than 205,000 visits, including many that involved small meetings with the president and his key aides. Less than 1 percent of the estimated 500,000 visits to the White House in Obama’s first eight months (a time when the new administration was bustling with activity) have been disclosed. Logs include the names of people who never showed up, more than 200,000 visits with no time of arrival, an indication that the person didn’t enter the White House, as far as the records how anyway. How’s that for accuracy?

• An administration that tried to hide information about the gun used to kill Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry was one of the several thousand that this Government had intentionally sold, illegally and unconstitutionally, to the Mexican Drug Cartels on operation fast and furious. Congressional investigators demanded answers, answers are not coming easily from this Administration or the Federal Agencies involved.

• This administration refused to release e-mails from Barrack Hussein Obama’s Blackberry, or any other White House internal messages, communications and papers etc relating to the Solyndra Loan. Information requested from the Congressional Investigation into the corrupt and illegal loan of $535 million of tax payers’ money to a so called ‘Green Energy Company’ that the previous administration had warned against. Investigators know that this entire deal was pushed through by the White House, despite warnings from several knowledgeable sources in the budget office and other financial institutions. The same transparency the progressives wanted from the Bush Administration does not pertain to them.

• 100 special force soldiers sent to North Africa to take part in a targeted killing, in an area and in a matter that has no bearing or threat on American Security. The “boots on the ground” soldiers, fully battle ready had already been in position over a day before this President decided to notify Congress.

I seem to remember hearing the uttering of words "We will continue to work toward an unmatched level of transparency, participation and accountability across the entire administration." We can all see how that is working out.


So much for accountability through transparency.

College says 'You're Fired!' Illegals Lose Campus jobs

California’s minimum wage went up in January, boosting the salaries of many.

As I have said and written in the past, is that when salaries increase the jobs for the uneducated become less. That’s what appears to be happening here. You have those who came here illegally working at minimum wage at jobs that paid low wages, but those jobs that no one would work, now pay substantially better.

After giving many illegal’s the opportunity to come to the US on a work or guest visa, millions decided to stay beyond the expiration date (millions more just plain ignored the legal process altogether) because the minimum was much better here than wages back home. After working for a few years they realized how much better it was here and now started complaining they weren’t making enough money to live, how they couldn’t survive on minimum wage.

It was never meant for survival but only as a means for a little extra pocket change for the extras. There are those who shout there should be a livable wage. But at $17 an hour those jobs seem more lucrative to those who didn’t want them before, and with thousands on unemployment that job is now very appealing. I’m sure at this campus alone there are thousands of students who would like to earn some money towards paying their expenses.

How many illegal’s breach existing laws, work in service industries serving and preparing food, and by bypassing the system, are hired never having had a medical exam?

For the last two years, many of the dining hall workers had been organizing to form a union, Unions like to use the term “buy American.” Then why solicit membership from non-citizens?

The article states one worker paid for her education over the years. I would think that as an employee of the campus she was getting a free education, not because she could afford to go on the $8 an hour she was getting, but in all that time she never considered getting her citizenship? How many legal citizens are not accepted because they have to compete against the fulfillment of those courses by illegals?

Government never had the manpower to follow up on immigration policies even when they were first enacted. The Federal Government ignored existing immigration laws for years, allowing this to spread beyond the scope of enforcement. Now, due to the ineptness of our government our congressional officials like to say the system is broken. The only thing broken was letting this happen on their watch and to cover up they try and push the ‘Dream Act’ on the American public in the form of Amnesty. The problem is ‘amnesty“ still does not solve the problem of the illegal crossing our borders.

Immigrant Worker Firings Unsettle a College Campus

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/02/us/after-workers-are-fired-an-immigration-debate-roils-california-campus.html?_r=1&hpw

Obamanomics Vision of Economic Prosperity

President Barack Obama is expected to lay out his vision for economic prosperity while focusing on equality of opportunity and a return to American values in his State of the Union address.

The U.S. has lost 2.2 million jobs since President Barack Obama took office.

The economy has remained weak. Unemployment is still high, consumer confidence is still low and banks are still hesitant to lend.

Of the 120,000 new jobs created in January 2012, 50,000 were in the retail sector.  Most of them minimum-wage positions, many of them temporary holiday hires. The "leisure and hospitality" sector, which includes jobs in the food service industry, accounted for 22,000 of that total.  Low paying jobs have replaced the higher paying ones at a much  faster pace, many paying even less than they used to. Low-wage occupations saw job growth of 3.2 percent from the beginning of 2010 to the beginning of 2011, while mid-wage jobs only grew by 1.2 percent.

The number of research workers for U.S.-based multinationals working overseas has more than doubled. The number of high-tech manufacturing jobs in the United States has declined by 687,000.

The Obama Administration wasted billions of taxpayer dollars without helping the vast majority of struggling homeowners through a government program that was supposed to help them, but only leaving them in a bigger financial hole.

The rest of us are taxed into nothingness, while $18 trillion dollars are stashed in offshore banks by the global elite, with the U.S. government missing out on $100 billion a year because of offshore banks.

If his future vision of economic prosperity is any indication of his past vision we are all in for a heap of trouble.

Happy 2012!

New Years is a time to celebrate, to put the past behind you and look forward to a New Year, but there are those who for one reason or another have cause to celebrate.

May we live in a world with the awareness of God's love that helps them find peace.

May the tears be left behind, and bring a New Year of cheer.

May you find the time to do something for someone.

May you remember to say "I love you" at least once a day to your loved ones.

May you find time to find a little humor in our lives and make someone smile who may not have a reason to smile.

May the New Year be one of Hope, Faith, and Love.

May you be blessed with things that matter most if life -the gift of good health, happy home and peace of mind throughout the coming year.

One more year to love, laugh and give.

Happy New Year to all.