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Jon S. Corzine, United States Senator (New Jersey)
"As Mayor of Fair Lawn, David Ganz has demonstrated his abilities to lead his community. It is with this same determination and foresight that he will bring as a Freeholder for Bergen County. This is why I believe David Ganz should be elected your next Freeholder." Jon S. Corzine, United States Senator (New Jersey)
Robert G. Torricelli, United States Senator (New Jersey)
"Mayor David Ganz's reputation is that he is an innovative individual who thinks 'outside the box'. He has excelled in the delivery of municipal services during his years as Mayor of Fair Lawn and has the right skills to be a member of the Bergen COunty Board of CHosen Freeholders. I am proud to have Mayor Ganz on the Torricelli-Rothman team." Robert G. Torricelli, United States Senator (New Jersey)
Joseph Coniglio, State Senator, 38th District (Bergen County)
Mayor Ganz can take pride in his record in Fair Lawn, and Bergen County. He is an innovative leader working with a dedicated Council. Under his leadership Fair Lawn has expanded municipal services to seniors, purchase new emergency equipment for Firefighters and The Ambulance Corps, revitalized the Municipal Pool and provided oversight for snow removal, garbage collection and maintenance. I value his friendship and I whole-heartedly support his candidacy for Bergen County Freeholder. Joseph Coniglio, State Senator, 38th District, (Bergen County)
Congressman Steve Rothman, (D) Fair Lawn
I am proud that David Ganz is my Mayor. He has been an innovative leader, maintained stable taxes in Fair Lawn, and is well-respected by his colleagues. There aren't many people who can say that their idea has returned $5 billion to the American taxpayer, but Mayor Ganz's proposal for America State Quarters has done all that and more I will be proud to cast my vote for him for Freeholder Congressman Steve Rothman, (D) Fair Lawn
Matthew Ahearn, Assemblyman, 38th Legislative District. (Bergen County)
I served with Mayor Ganz on the Fair Lawn Boro Council. He is extremely knowldgeable about our local issues, provided innovative new services for seniors, assured new and improved recreational facilities for our youth, and stands for progressive and efficient government. I voted to elect him to the Boro Council, to be mayor, and now I will proudly cast my vote for him for the Board of Chosen Freeholders. Matthew Ahearn, Assemblyman, 38th Legislative District. (Bergen County)
HON. STEVEN R. ROTHMAN
Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, today I introduced the ``September 11th, 2001 Commemorative Coin Act'' which calls for the introduction of a circulating commemorative coin that would honor the victims of the events of September 11th. A generation ago, the events of December 7th, 1941 became not only a day of infamy, but also a reference point that no one has forgotten. My father knows precisely where he was on that Sunday in December, just as I suspect nearly all Americans know what they were doing when the World Trade Center and the Pentagon were attacked. Events of cataclysmic proportion, as well as epic struggles, have long been commemorated on the coinage of various countries. Canada's tombac nickel, for example, issued in 1943, contains a new reverse design from the famous Churchill ``V'' for victory over the Nazi Axis war machine. America's circulating coinage is not so different. The heraldic eagles utilized on the reverse of our coinage has had the beak of the eagle pointed, variously, to olive branches of peace, or towards the talons holding arrows of war. Nonetheless, important historical personages, as well as historic events, have long been common on coinage. That's precisely the reason why the destruction of the World Trade Center in New York, a galvanizing event if ever there was one, deserves permanent memorialization on our nation's coinage. Striking such a coin would permanently memorialize, for all time, the event that occurred, and to offer some numismatic assurance that it will not be forgotten. It affords a permanent memorial to the more than 3,000 innocent victims--a tribute that they richly deserve. An article suggesting this was published shortly after the events of September 11 in Numismatic News, a coin collector's periodical. The author is my Mayor, my neighbor and friend, David L. Ganz , of Fair Lawn, New Jersey. David is a former member of the Citizens Commemorative Coin Advisory Committee, and a past president of the American Numismatic Association, and I would like to have the article reprinted in its entirety in the CONGRESSIONAL RECORD. Mr. Speaker, the events of September 11 call for a distinctive tribute to honor not only those who perished, but also those who remain. I believe that coinage, as it has been for thousands of years, is an appropriate response and urge prompt consideration of the bill introduced today. [From the Numismatic News, Oct. 2, 2001]
America's tragedy that is personified by the destruction of the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, through a vicious, criminal assault on its sovereignty on Sept. 11 in a suicide bombing, is deserving of a lasting tribute. Coinage, since the time of Caesar, has served the simultaneous purpose of doing the business of commerce and remembering historic events that are worthy of commemoration. In ancient times, coins of that ear were utilized to pay homage to the emperors, to celebrate victories on the battlefield. Two members of Congress, Rep Elliot Engel, D-N.Y., and J.C. Watts, R-Okla, are evidently planning to introduce legislation creating a ``Spirit of America'' coin to commemorative the victims of the attacks. Engle, from the Bronx, and Watts, from Oklahoma City, have seen their neighborhoods fall victim to terrorism. The idea of using the medium of the Caesars to mark our own catastrophe is a good one. Events of cataclysmic proportion, as well as epic struggles, have long been commemorated on the coinage of various countries. Canada's tombac nickel, for example, issued in 1943, contains a new reverse design from the famous Churchill ``V'' for victory over the Nazi Axis war machine. America's circulating coinage is not so different. The heraldic eagles utilized on the reverse of our coinage has had the beak of the eagle pointed, variously, to olive branches of peace, or towards the talons holding arrows of war. The heraldic eagle on the reverse of the silver dollar (1798-1804) is one example of this (pointed toward arrows of war), while the Seated Liberty dollar of 1840-1873 had the eagle's head pointed toward olive branches, as does the Morgan dollar (1878-1921). In the 20th century, the first circulating commemorative was struck for the centennial of the birth of Abraham Lincoln, in 1909. The Annual Report of the Director of the Mint simply noted that, ``With the approval of the Secretary of the Treasury the new design for the bronze one-cent coin was adopted in April 1909. On the obverse the head of Lincoln appears instead of the Indian head which this piece had borne since 1864. The engraver of the mint at Philadelphia was instructed to prepare dies and coinage of this piece was commenced in May.....'' In March 1931, Congress enacted legislation overturning a portion of the Act of Sept. 26, 1890 (limiting design changes to no more frequently than once in 25 years on circulating coinage) and specifically authorized and directed the Secretary of the Treasury ``for the purpose of commemorating the 200th anniversary of the birth of George Washington, to change the design of the 25-cent piece so that the portrait of George Washington shall appear on the obverse, with appropriate devices on the reverse.....'' Following President Roosevelt's death in 1945, the Mint produced a Roosevelt memorial medal, and also introduced a new circulating commemorative coin design for the dime (dated 1946). Vermeule terms the coin ``the logical memorial for Franklin Roosevelt in the regular coinage.'' After the assassination of John F. Kennedy, Congress enacted the law of Dec. 30, 1963, directing that the Franklin half be replaced with a design ``which shall bear on one side the likeness of the late president of the United States John Fitzgerald Kennedy,'' a motif which Vermeule terms a ``hasty; emotional advent'' even though the design is ``a tolerable, staidly handsome coin.'' The One Bank Holding Company Act of 1970 required a coin to ``bear the likeness of the late President of the United States, Dwight David Eisenhower, and on the other side thereof a design which is emblematic of the symbolic eagle of Apollo 11 landing on the moon.'' In 1973, Congress passed Public Law 93-127 which directed the Treasury Secretary to commemorate the Bicentennial of the American Revolution with a reverse design change for the quarter dollar, half dollar and dollar coin, all of which were intended for circulation, but of which only the quarter dollar really achieved circulation. The colonial drummer boy on the quarter, dated 1776-1976 (and produced in 1975 and 1976 by the Mint) still can be found occasionally in circulation today, a reminder of our Bicentennial celebration a generation ago. The half dollar (bearing Independence Hall on the reverse), and the dollar (Liberty Bell imposed on the lunar surface) never really achieved circulation. Occasionally, examples of the half are found in circulation. The dollar coin never really entered circulation in the first instance. Collector versions of the coins were struck in silver-clad material, as required by law. More recently, in 1979, a dollar coin commemorating Susan B. Anthony was produced by the Mint. The reverse was directed to have ``a design which is emblematic of the symbolic eagle of Apollo 11 landing on the moon.'' Its design was identical to that of the Eisenhower dollar authorized in 1970. The coin did achieve partial circulation in some areas of the country, and in that sense is a circulating commemorative coin, but never archieved general circulation success. Nonetheless, important historical personages, as well as historical events, have long been common on coinage. That's precisely the reason why the destruction of the World Trade Center in New York, a galvanizing event if ever there was one, deserves permanent memorialization on our coinage. There is a danger, from the close proximity of headlines, to suggest what will become history. But in the same sense that President Roosevelt termed the attack on Pearl Harbor a day of infamy, so, too, the attack on the twin towers of the World Trade Center marks the start of a 21st century war that is unlikely to be over quickly, or events that will be quickly forgotten. The very metal that the coins are made of is the reason that they should be struck--to permanently memorialize, for all time, the event that occurred, and to offer some numismatic assurance that it will not be forgotten. It affords a permanent memorial to more than 5,000 innocent victims, a tribute that they richly deserve. Unlike other issues, this one should have no surcharge at all. Even if numismatic versions are authorized, they should be available to the public on the basis of cost plus a modest profit for the Mint. What should be considered, however, is directing the use of the seigniorage, which, if a half dollar is chosen, would constitute about 46 cents for every coin. If the Mint were to produce 750 million of such coins in a year's time, the seigniorage would be a remarkable down payment on the rebuilding of the World Trade Center, which cost an estimated $350 million per tower to construct when completed in 1973. To accomplish this, a bill would have to be introduced in the Senate and House, passed by both chambers, and approved by the President.
On June 5, 2001, The Bergen Record editorialized about Fair Lawn Mayor David L. Ganz. Rep. Steve Rothman (D-Fair Lawn) reprinted the editorial in The Congressional Record, which since 1873 has been the Official Journal of the United States Congress. The editorial and Congressman Rothman's comments appear below, reprinted from The Congressional Record. REGARDING FAIR LAWN MAYOR DAVID GANZ -- HON. STEVEN R. ROTHMAN (from the Congressional Record -Extensions of Remarks - June 26, 2001, p. E-1206)
HON. STEVEN R. ROTHMAN
Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as the U.S. Mint is poised to issue the 14th in a series of State Quarters that started in 1999 and which will continue through at least the year 2008. On June 4, 2001, 1 read an interesting article in the The Record, the largest newspaper in my Congressional District, about the origins of the state quarter, which came about because of the legislative vision of my colleague from Delaware, Representative MICHAEL CASTLE and the tenacity of the Mayor of my hometown, the Borough of Fair Lawn, David Ganz . Mayor Ganz is not a stranger to the congressional legislative process. In 1973, while still a student at Georgetown University here in Washington, he was admitted to the Periodical Press Gallery of the United States Senate as a Special Correspondent for Numismatic News Weekly, a hobby publication based in Wisconsin. He went on to become a member of the Board of Governors of the American Numismatic Association, a Congressionally-chartered group sometimes referred to as the National Coin Club. In 1993, U.S. Treasury Secretary Lloyd Bentsen, named him among the first six members of the newly-created Citizens Commemorative Coin Advisory Committee. Both as President of the American Numismatic Association, and as a columnist for various coin collecting hobby publications, David had long advocated for a return to commemorative coinage [for which there had been a hiatus from 1954 until 1981], but also for truly circulating commemorative coins. He testified before the House & Senate Banking Committees on numerous occasions in the quarter century following his first appearance in March of 1974. Mr. Speaker, bureaucracy is often afraid of change for no reason beyond the fact that it is not familiar, not predictable, or not safe. Mayor Ganz had a vision that circulating commemorative coinage would be good for our nation's coin collectors, good for our nation's coffers, and ultimately, educational to all Americans. From the time that he joined the Citizens Commemorative Coin Advisory Committee in 1993 until he departed in January of 1996, he began a drum beat for what eventually became the American's State Quarters Program. That singular drum beat, initially opposed by the U.S. Mint and certain federal bureaucrats, eventually became an orchestra playing the same tune--and as a result of the efforts of my colleague from Delaware, Representative Castle, and others, the state quarter program was born. Mayor Ganz recently wrote a book entitled The Official Guide to America's State Quarters, published by Random House, as a mass-market paperback which tells the compelling story of initially being a voice in the wilderness, and later finding that if defeat is an orphan, victory has a thousand fathers. The story about Mayor Ganz which appeared in the June 4, 2001, edition of The Record is a fascinating and interesting one, and I ask that it be reprinted in the CONGRESSIONAL RECORD. Mr. Speaker, The Record editorial about Mayor Ganz that was printed on June 5, 2001, says that one man can make a difference, and he certainly has. I am proud to call this man my Mayor, and proud to have him as a friend. I ask that this editorial be reprinted in the CONGRESSIONAL RECORD as well. A GREAT TWO-BIT IDEA It would be an exaggeration to say that David Ganz's achievement reflects the power of one man to change history. But it would not be overstated to say that Fair Lawn's mayor has brightened everyone's life a little--not to mention the not inconsequential achievement of adding roughly $5 billion a year to the nation's Treasury. Mr. Ganz , a 49-year-old lawyer and lifelong numismatist, was the engine behind all those fascinating, new quarters we've been finding in our pockets over the last two years--the ones celebrating the nation's 50 states. The commemorative coins have been issued at the rate of five a year since 1999, and the U.S. Mint will continue issuing new coins through 2008, when there will be one for each state. The achievement has added a little adventure to the otherwise unremarkable task of handling change, and it has regenerated interest in coin collecting. By setting the Mint's presses into overtime in production of five times more quarters than usual to meet demand, the new coins have added $5 billion a year to the Treasury's coffers. Each quarter costs 3 cents to produce, leaving 22 cents as profit for the Mint. Mr. Ganz's idea wasn't unusual. A lot of people have over the years recommended that the Mint spice up the nation's stodgy coin and currency by putting commemorative issues into general circulation. But the bureaucrats resisted, content to issue the occasional limited-production commemorative that only collectors would buy and save, Mr. Ganz's prominence, energy, and perseverance as a member of former Treasury Secretary Lloyd Bentsen's Citizens Commemorative Coin Advisory Committee dismantled those bureaucratic hurdles. By doing so, the Fair Lawn mayor has added this sort of color to our lives: Trips to change makers at the laundromat now have possibilities of becoming serendipitous encounters with pieces of history instead of hurried chores to feed the dryer. Bravo, Mr. Ganz.
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