The release, citing stats complied by "Americans for Tax Reform," claims the region's taxpayers "do not get to keep a single penny of their earnings until July 21."

"Steve Sweeney has never voted against a tax or fee increase," Zane said. "During my 28 years in the state Senate I never voted for a tax increase and, in fact, voted for 52 tax cuts that returned $20 billion to the taxpayers."

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Pickin' ain't easy. Don't expect former East Greenwich Township Councilman Jody Wagner's replacement to be decided easily.

Wagner, who faces an assault charge in a domestic incident in June, resigned last week, leaving the committee with two Republicans and two Democrats, which could account for a hairy debate on who will get the nod. The Republicans are currently looking for Wagner's successor but some township officials feel the selection process could be held up while the two parties debate.

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He's not going quietly. Word is Swedesboro Mayor Edavide Azzari, who is being pushed out of office by his fellow Republicans, is not giving up his seat without a fight.

Azzari, who lost the Republican primary against Council President Gerald Michael in June, will try to hold onto his seat by conducting a write-in campaign.

GOP officials said Azzari has been mayor long enough and some new -- and younger blood -- will do the town good.

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Green versus the Machine. Charles Woodrow is in for the fight of his life and he knows it.

The 54-year-old Barnsboro native and Green Party member is running for Assembly in the Third District against the financially stacked Republican and Democratic candidates, standing on a platform of campaign finance reform like his party's most visible member, Ralph Nader.

Woodrow and his running mate, Peggie Murphy of Mantua Township, hope to draw attention to the way "special interest groups are spending money on campaigns and influencing the candidates."

"We feel that the fact that the major parties get a lot of money from corporations would tend to have them support legislation that would benefit corporations which would be (against) a lot of environmental issues the Green Party stands for."

The first-time political candidate and computer programmer analyst for Electric Mobility is part of the party's statewide initiative to get as many Green Party candidates in the November race as possible

Woodrow said he and Murphy have "way less" than $1,000 to run the campaign and are hoping contributions from the general public will carry them into office.

"We really have almost no money," he said. "Maybe in this election we won't go very far, but maybe we can help people to get to the know the party."

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We're all forum. The 2004 Democratic presidential candidates will be in town -- sort of -- next week at a town meeting in Philadelphia sponsored by the Sheet Metal Workers' International Association.

The forum will include candidates Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun, former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, U.S. Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina, U.S. Rep. Richard Gephardt of Missouri, U.S. Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, U.S. Rep. Dennis Kuinich of Ohio, U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut and The Rev. Al Sharpton.

The event will be hosted by Bill Press of MSNBC's "Buchanan and Press" and will be held at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 11 at the National Constitutional Center's Grand Hall.