Last Friday, June 26, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) ruled that the U.S. Constitution provides a guarantee for the right of same-sex marriage. The 5-to-4 vote ends the decades-old battle to afford everyone the right to marry whomever they want regardless of gender.

I supported the Courts decision and issued the following statement after it was made public:

"This Supreme Court decision is a historic moment in our never-ending fight for civil rights and justice. I'm proud that the court extended nationwide the same protection for marriage equality that New Jersey has enjoyed for the past few years in their recognition that love is love."

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The recent senseless violence we all witnessed in South Carolina gives us all cause for feeling emotionally drained and physically unsettled . Once again, a racial incident, this one of epic proportions and committed in shocking cold blood, rises to the forefront in the wake of a church shooting in Charleston, leaving nine innocent citizens dead. And, the clamor for every facet and nugget surrounding this dreadful incident becomes the fodder with which the media now bombards us.

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The topic of education is one that won’t go away, whether it’s a local media report or the headline story on a major network.  A major reason for this, even if the media doesn’t quite describe it in this context, is that educational opportunity is the civil rights issue of our time. For decades now, those in and around our educational system have tried to shrink the education achievement gap amongst races and socioeconomic classes through a variety of means. However, almost all these efforts have operated solely within the educational sphere. This in itself is a problem, as oftentimes we are reticent to accept the fact that other non-school factors play a significant contributing role in failing to close these gaps.

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Friends,

Due to the passing of my father, Elijah Singleton Jr., there will not be a normal blog post this week. I want to thank all those who have reached out to share their condolences and offer support for my family during this difficult time. Our fathers teach us a lot in life and my father was truly my hero. I will miss him dearly, but will lean on the lessons that he instilled in me to live my remaining days as a tribute to him. Again, thank you all for thoughts and prayers. I am sincerely grateful.

Troy

These expenditures are special or selective tax-relief benefits authorized by law to encourage investment, create jobs and facilitate economic development, or to relieve the tax on products, services or financial decisions in order to boost businesses.

These are laudable goals that I have supported and even sponsored. With that said, a component of that authorization should be our ability to critically analyze the economic benefits of those expenditures.

Given New Jersey's lagging recovery from the recession and our sluggish job growth rate, we need to do a better job of determining whether these incentives are achieving their goals and working in the taxpayers' best interests.

That is where the governor's veto misses the mark.

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We rightfully celebrate Memorial Day annually. Whether it was a march down your main street, a head bowed at a religious service, or a conversation with a family member who served in the military, this day belongs to all of us. I can think of few other occasions when differences of opinion are placed on pause as we remember those Americans who served on our behalf. And if we owe tribute to all of them, then those who have made the supreme sacrifice require an even higher standard of gratitude.

You are reading this on Thursday, three days after Memorial Day. While what I have written holds true for this Memorial Day, and I hope many more to come, there is an urgency about Memorial Day that transcends the past.

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