Could the blueberry muffin be the official state muffin of New Jersey?

NEW JERSEY (WTXF) - The honeybee, the horse and the blueberry. They all share one thing in common--they're state symbols of New Jersey. So what's one more, right?

It's a blueberry muffin party for these kids with Jack and Jill of America, which is a black leadership organization focused on child development and civic duty.

So when 12-year-old Delize Patterson thought up the idea of the blueberry muffin as the official state muffin of New Jersey, she began to research.

"Only six states have had a state muffin and other states had state foods and everything like that, but New Jersey didn't," Patterson told FOX 29.

Learning that New Jersey is the fifth largest blueberry producer, she teamed up with New Jersey Assemblywoman Carol Murphy, who introduce a bill this week to make the blueberry muffin official and help a little girl's hard work pay off.

"It stands for our kids. It stands for our future, getting involved in civic engagement early enough in life," Murphy said.

But having our state lawmakers focus on a muffin didn't exactly go over well on Chasing News Host Bill Spadea's radio program on 101.5 FM. Both he and his guest, businessman Steve Kalafer, say the legislature's focus should be on critical economic issues and not baked goods.

"It's ridiculous if this is what the legislature and the government is focusing on? We don't have a chance," Kalafer said.

Spadea on his blog writing, "So in an attempt to relate a civics lesson to preschoolers, we get a bill to advance a state muffin."

But Delize's mother defends the assemblywoman.

"It's more than just a muffin. People are saying is this all that she has to spend her time on getting a state muffin? Well, they didn't know the story behind it," Dr. Donee Patterson said.

FOX 29's Brad Sattin spoke to that radio guest Thursday, who says he supports 12-year-old Delize, but not the lawmaker's priority.

"I don't think that a child's dream of bringing something to government should be derailed. I think it should be endorsed," Kalafer said. "My disdain is for legislators who use this as an issue of importance rather than dealing with the important issues."

The assemblywoman's response?

"I can do more than one thing at a time. I can walk and chew gum," Murphy said.