State Sen. Asks Zimmer To Stand Up in Support of Women's Health

State Senator Loretta Weinberg wrote a letter to Mayor Dawn Zimmer, asking her to stand with a bipartisan group of elected officials in support of women’s health and family planning funds, and to ask her to help convince Governor Chris Christie of the value of these programs to New Jerseyans in need, according to a press release sent out by Weinberg's office.

"Access to women’s health is not about playing politics," Weinberg said in the statement. "Mayor Zimmer should recognize that the Governor’s cuts have an impact in her community."

According to Weinberg, the funds in question would be used to provide access to breast cancer screening, pap tests and gynecological exams, STD testing and treatment, HIV testing, pre- and post-natal care, and contraceptives, among other basic health services.

Weinberg's letter, which calls Zimmer "a prominent female elected leader in Hudson County," lays out the governor's cuts and cites some examples.

On Thursday afternoon, Zimmer said she had emailed Weinberg back, privately.

"Women's issues are too important to communicate through press release," she said. "I'm not going to respond to her letter to the press."

Zimmer is the first female mayor in Hudson County.

In her letter to Zimmer, Weinberg wrote that she requested the mayor's "assistance to convince the Governor to end his opposition to women’s health programs in New Jersey." The letter was sent to Zimmer on Tuesday.

In her press release, Weinberg said that "Christie cut $7.5 million in State funding for women’s health centers and family planning clinics in his FY 2010 Budget, and has refused to support multiple attempts to restore funds and direct the State to apply for federal matching funds to ensure women in need have access to basic health services."

Zimmer, a Democrat, has supported many of Christie's efforts, such as his 2 percent property tax cap and the accompanying mayor's toolkit. Christie visited Hoboken twice in 2010, and