Morris GOP attend Americans for Prosperity opening

BOONTON Offering to "help every American, no matter their walk of life, to live a truly prosperous life," Americans for Prosperity Foundation President Tim Phillips joined several Morris County Republican leaders for the official opening of its first New Jersey community center.

The center, located at 550 W. Main St. at the crossroads of Mountain Lakes and Boonton Township, will serve as the headquarters for the foundation, frequently described as the educational arm of the AFP, a grassroots political organization known for advocating economic freedom and individual liberty.

"We seek to put forward policies that will bring those two foundational aspects of a prosperous life into being," Philipps said. "That's what we do, literally from Arizona to New Jersey and from Florida to Wisconsin, and everywhere in between. Here in New Jersey, we're committed to those goals as well, and we're going to be active here for a long time."

The center will be part of the influential conservative  organization with 34 state chapters and affiliates, and reporting to have 2.3 million members, with more than 100,000 in New Jersey making contributions either to the AFP or its foundation.

Erica Jedynak, New Jersey director of the foundation, will be based at the center, as will AFP Communications Director Mike Proto. The foundation also is in the process of hiring staff, according to Jedynak.

The new center will be offered to community groups or individuals in need of a meeting space.

"It's been a project in the works here to open up the community center," Jedynak said. "We're opening up for Girls Scouts, Boy Scouts, support groups, all types of community groups here. We're also going to be doing classes like 'Dinner on a Dime,' saving for retirement, paying down your student loan, things we really need here in New Jersey. We're the No. 1 state for people moving out, we have the highest property taxes in the country on average and I could go on, but one of the things that we all love here in New Jersey is our families are here in New Jersey, we want to stay here, we want to have a state full of opportunity."

The event drew some of the highest profile Republicans in Morris County, including Sens. Joseph Pennacchio and Anthony R. Bucco, Assemblymen Anthony M. Bucco, Michael Patrick Carroll and Jay Webber, Freeholders John Krickus and Douglas Cabana and Morris County Clerk Ann Grossi. Boonton Mayor Cyril Wekilsky and Mountain Lakes Mayor Doug McWilliams also attended.

"AFP has been around for nine years now," Carroll said. "I went to the very first organizational meeting. I was the only elected official there, with Steve Lonegan. It's good to have its presence in New Jersey and sure as hell good to have it in Morris County."

"I think it's a great idea, with a lot of excellent services they plan on providing," Webber said. "Just a center for folks to use, meet and talk about important things like how to pay for college, how to save on your family budget, all positive and productive things."

"Hopefully it will just grow, being right in the center of Morris County," Cabana said. "It will be a good resource for the community."

Members of the Morris County Young Republicans also joined the gathering, which included an open house and refreshments, as did at least one Democrat — Freeholder candidate Brendan Keating.

"We invited everybody," Jedynak said.

"We think its a great opportunity to have something in Morris County to help all folks of all political stripes get involved in the political process," said Morris County Young Republicans Vice Chairman Jordan T.Chester. "A lot of us are young professionals who believe that it's important to advocate for free markets, limited government. We think the Americans for Prosperity is the premier organization in advancing those principles."

Staff Writer William Westhoven: 973-917-9242; wwesthoven@GannettNJ.com.