Steve Lonegan - Political Activism

Political Activism

Since 2007 Lonegan has been state director for Americans for Prosperity, a conservative public policy organization. In 2009 he took a hiatus to run for Governor and resumed his post as director after the election.

The organization fought three ballot questions in the state's 2007 election as well as paid family leave, Low Income Housing mandates and new mandates for sprinklers in fireproof high rise buildings and Gov. Corzine's proposed budget.

In 2003 Lonegan and the group "stopthedebt.com" filed lawsuits against the State of New Jersey in New Jersey's Supreme Court, challenging state debt sold without voter approval in violation of the state constitution's "debt limitation clause". In its finding against Lonegan and the group, the court stated two reasons for not requiring voter approval of that debt. First, that the debt was issued to finance a constitutional mandate: the requirement that "The Legislature shall provide for the maintenance and support of a thorough and efficient system of free public schools for the instruction of all children in the State between the ages of five and eighteen years" (Article VIII Section IV). Second, that the debt was technically not backed by the full faith and credit of New Jersey, and future lawmakers could refuse to honor that contract at any time.

Lonegan was active in the opposition to a proposed 2003 fifteen-cent per gallon gasoline tax increase and developed the website www.nogastaxhike.com to oppose the increase.

On July 28, 2008, Lonegan filed a third lawsuit in New Jersey Superior Court in Bergen County against Governor Jon Corzine and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority challenging the sale of $3.9 billion in additional state debt, purportedly for school construction, without voter approval. That suit was dismissed.