NJ Governor names new ombudsman for people with disabilities
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has named Paul Aronsohn to lead the newly created Office of the Ombudsman for Individuals with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities and Their Families.
The office, created in January, is in, but not of, the New Jersey Department of the Treasury. As the ombudsman, Aronsohn will lead the office responsible for serving as a source of information for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities and their families. The office will coordinate with the State Council on Developmental Disabilities to provide information and support on navigating and understanding the process for obtaining services from the state’s Division of Children’s System of Care and Division of Developmental Disabilities.
“New Jersey remains committed to enhancing opportunities for individuals with disabilities,” Murphy said. “With Paul’s leadership, I am confident that New Jersey will continue to protect the rights of people with disabilities and ensure every person has access to the American Dream.”
Aronsohn previously worked for the administration of President Bill Clinton and Gov. Jim McGreevey. He also served 8 years on the Ridgewood Village Council, including four years as mayor. Recently, he served as a member of the Human and Children Services Committee for Murphy’s transition team. He is a founding member of the Ridgewood Community Access Network and a board member of two other organizations that provide disability resources and advocacy — Heightened Independence & Progress and the Adler Aphasia Center.
“Paul has been a long-time advocate for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families, and we welcome his appointment to the Ombudsman role where he will continue this important work,” said Department of Human Services Commissioner Carole Johnson. “The Department is excited to have a strong partner in our efforts to improve the information and resources available to support individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.”
Great hire… a disgraced politician who was found to be violation of NJ Ethics Laws!
Former mayor and manager of Ridgewood to be fined for ethics violation
Paul Arohnson, the former mayor, and Roberta Sonenfeld, the former village manager, used village funds to produce a video that promoted the building of a parking deck, which was the subject of a town-wide referendum in 2016, according to notices of the board’s findings.
The board determined that Aronsohn and Sonenfeld violated local ethics law when they “appeared in a video urging citizens to vote ‘yes’ on the referendum for the parking garage,” and promoted the video through the village website and “via electronic mail,” according to the notice.
Seems like everyday I read on these pages about some new department or executive order that Governor Murphy proposed to cure a societal ill. As if there are not already laws on the books to address these issues. There are. Plenty.
Governor Murphy must have done some nasty stuff as a partner of Greedman Sachs. I have no problem with mending a guilty conscience. But why must the NJ taxpayers foot the bill to rehabilitate a robber baron?