State of New Jersey
Executive Order #23

Acting Governor Richard J. Codey

WHEREAS, Senator Joseph Suliga, Jr. spent his entire adult life committed to public service and New Jersey is a better place today because of that commitment; and

WHEREAS, Senator Suliga started his career in elected office at age 19 as the youngest person ever elected to the Linden Board of Education; and

WHEREAS, Senator Suliga graduated from Kean University and subsequently earned Master's degrees from Kean and Rutgers universities; and

WHEREAS, Senator Suliga subsequently served as a Councilman in Linden, as a Union County Freeholder, as a member of the General Assembly and as a State Senator; and

WHEREAS, Senator Suliga was a thoughtful and respected legislator, sponsoring legislation compelling insurance coverage for mammograms for women over 35, co-chairing the Senate Environmental Committee and serving as the second ranking Democrat on the Appropriations Committee; and

WHEREAS, Senator Suliga most recently was serving as chief financial officer for the City of Linden, and was known as a man who valued his faith, his family and friendship; and

WHEREAS, it is with deep sadness that we mourn the loss of Senator Suliga and extend our sincere sympathy to his family and friends; and

WHEREAS, it is fitting and appropriate to honor the memory and the passing of Senator Suliga;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, RICHARD J. CODEY, Acting Governor of the State of New Jersey, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and by the Statutes of this State, do hereby ORDER and DIRECT:

  1. The flag of the United States of America and the flag of the State of New Jersey shall be flown at half-staff at all State departments, offices, agencies and instrumentalities during appropriate hours on Wednesday, February 23, 2005, in recognition and mourning of the passing of Senator Suliga.

  2. This Order shall take effect immediately.

GIVEN, under my hand and seal this 22nd day
of February in the Year of Our Lord, Two Thousand
and Five, and of the Independence of the United States,
the Two Hundred and Twenty-Ninth.

/s/ Richard J. Codey

Acting Governor

[seal]

Attest:

/s/ Mark J. Fleming

Deputy Chief Counsel to the Governor