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Corzine Looks to Help Homeowners in Distress

With the economic troubles of the housing market and Wall Street slowly seeping into the lives of more and more local residents, state officials are stepping up efforts to help as many people in distress as possible. Gov. Jon S. Corzine signed into law the allocation of $12.5 million in state funds and $51.4 million in federal funds for foreclosure prevention assistance. “During these unsettling economic times, we must remain committed to meeting the basic needs of New Jersey residents,” Corzine said. “By addressing the foreclosure issue head-on, we will keep families safe, keep communities strong and preserve local economies throughout the Garden State.” Read more

CNN: Democratic Governors Elect Schweitzer O’Malley. The Democratic Governors Association announced Wednesday that Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer will take over as the group’s chairman, replacing West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin. Schweitzer, a bolo tie-wearing moderate who handily won a second term as governor in November, was elected at the DGA’s annual winter meeting, with Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley winning the post of vice-chair. Both men have taken active roles in the DGA, and each said they look forward to working with President-elect Obama as a partner. Read more

CO – Ritter: Trip to Asia Creates Business Foundation. Those returning from a 10-day economic trade mission to Asia with Gov. Bill Ritter came home with big ideas and optimism for the future, despite the state of the global economy. Japan, one stop on the trip, is important to Colorado as it is the state’s fourth-largest export market. A key focus of the trip was highlighting Colorado’s bioscience and clean energy advancements. “While the U.S. economy continues to struggle, it is more important than ever for Colorado to be aggressive when it comes to marketing, promoting and developing our economy,” Gov. Ritter said. “We must keep looking for ways to create new jobs, new investments and new opportunities. That’s what this mission was about.” Read more

DE – Markell Begins to Fill Cabinet. Gov.-elect Jack Markell begins his cabinet appointments by naming two people to help tackle the state’s budget shortfall. Markell nominated former DuPont CFO Gary Pfeiffer as Secretary of Finance, and Deputy State Treasurer Ann Visalli as Director of the Office of Management and Budget. Markell says both nominees bring decades of experience to the table, and will help him get the state’s economy moving in a new direction. Read more

WV – Editorial: Manchin is Correct to Focus on Courts. Gov. Joe Manchin is seeking legislative support to change the way West Virginia selects judges. He appears to be building a case for shifting away from the partisan election of judges to nonpartisan elections. It’s a step in the right direction. Many West Virginians recognize that our state’s judiciary appears to be out of sync with courts in other states, most of which employ other means of judicial selection. Such a reputation hurts West Virginians who long for economic growth that can sustain families and strengthen communities. Manchin is taking a practical approach to address a longstanding problem. Read more

WI – Doyle Welcomes Google to Madison. Internet giant Google has opened an office in Madison. Gov. Jim Doyle attended the company’s open house and welcomed it to Wisconsin. Doyle says the state must continue to attract companies like Google to provide good jobs for its educated work force—particularly in tough economic times. Read more

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