Barbara Faith (Kalik) Bennett (born November 8, 1936) is an American Democratic Party politician who served in the

New Jersey General Assembly The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature. Since the election of 1967 (1968 session), the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts f ...

from the 7th Legislative District from 1978 to 1992. She was born in

The Bronx The Bronx ( ) is the northernmost of the five Boroughs of New York City, boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It shares a land border with Westchester County, New York, West ...

in 1936 and attended William Howard Taft High School and the

City College of New York The City College of the City University of New York (also known as the City College of New York, or simply City College or CCNY) is a Public university, public research university within the City University of New York (CUNY) system in New York ...

. Kalik worked as a travel agent owning an agency in

Willingboro Willingboro Township (known from 1959 to 1963 as Levittown and Levittown Township) is a township in Burlington County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is a suburb of Philadelphia and part of the state's South Jersey region. The township, a ...

and served on various local and county Democratic committees. She also served on the Willingboro Township council from 1965 through 1977 and was chosen as the township's mayor in 1974 and 1977. First elected to the Assembly in 1977, she served a total of seven terms there. In 1991, Kalik and her running mate, newly appointed Assemblyman Jack Casey were defeated by

Republicans Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

Priscilla B. Anderson and José F. Sosa.

Accomplishments while in office

Kalik is responsible for helping to secure funding for South Jersey Human Services, Transportation and Higher Education; the first garnishee for areas of child support legislation in the country; the elimination of tenure for superintendents in NJ; the workers compensation legislation for fireman on duty; and the basic banking bills. Kalik was the first woman elected to Council in

, the first female Mayor in Willingboro, the first female President of the Burlington County Chamber of Commerce, the first female elected to the Legislature from Burlington County, first female to speak at the municipal manager’s session at the league of municipalities, first female to serve as chair of the Assembly Appropriations Committee, first chair of the South Jersey Legislative coalition, and first woman to serve as Deputy Speaker. Kalik is also proud to have removed the NJ Sales Tax from necessity items; secure $31 million in Federal and State funds to replace the hazardous Bridgeboro Bridge; instrumental in creating

New Jersey Institute of Technology New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) is a Public university, public research university in Newark, New Jersey, United States, with a graduate-degree-granting satellite campus in Jersey City. Founded in 1881 with the support of local indust ...

-Burlington County College, University of Medicine and Dentistry New Jersey and the Cooper Hospital-Coriell Institute for Cancer Research; allowed for direct deposit of state employees paychecks and for the Treasurer to wire funds; eliminated unconscionable delays in processing of state retirement checks; enabled more seniors to qualify for PAAD; pursued an investigation of public utility rates and costs; obtained funding for Spousal Abuse programs and Family Planning and day care centers; and eased restrictions on NJ wineries in the retail sale of their wines. Kalik also made sure all workers, fire and emergency personnel, and citizens have the Right to Know about Hazardous and Toxic substances in their workplaces and communities, setting a precedent across the country. Source:Bennett, F. (Kalik), "Accomplishments while in office," Interviewed by Emily Miller, Red Bank Public Library, 21 Sept. 2022.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kalik, Barbara 1936 births Living people Democratic Party members of the New Jersey General Assembly Women state legislators in New Jersey City College of New York alumni People from Willingboro Township, New Jersey Politicians from Burlington County, New Jersey Women mayors of places in New Jersey 20th-century American women politicians 20th-century mayors of places in New Jersey 20th-century members of the New Jersey Legislature