Pennacchio and Karrow: Another Empty Promise by Corzine Administration

Senators Say Governor Isn't Telling Taxpayers Where He's Spending $17.5 Billion in Federal Stimulus Funds

Senators Joe Pennacchio (R-26) and Marcia Karrow (R-23), both members of the Senate Budget Committee, criticized Governor Corzine today for a lack of transparency and accountability in regard to how New Jersey is spending $17.5 billion of federal stimulus funds. In an editorial today, the Asbury Park Press noted that New Jersey's Web site -- www.recovery.nj.gov -- provides almost no detail about where billions of dollars have been and will be spent, especially when compared to Web sites now operated by Michigan and Florida.

"Governor Corzine promised to show how billions of federal stimulus dollars are being spent, " Pennacchio stated. "Just like his other empty vows of ethical reform, transparency and openness, this promise to the voters and taxpayers has been broken."

Senator Karrow points out that Corzine has often released public information to taxpayers only after being sued or threatened with lawsuits. He protected Wall Street bankers who put forward proposals for his 800 percent toll hike until sued. He suspended grants from a secret Democrat legislative slush fund cynically named the "Property Tax Assistance and Community Development" program only after a concerned citizen filed suit to block the payments. The governor didn't release the details of where the money was spent until the corruption trial of a former state senator pushed the slush fund back into the limelight.

"The governor isn't providing the transparency needed to prevent waste, fraud and abuse in the spending of stimulus money," Karrow said. "Democrats are using the same standards of transparency as they did with the secret slush fund that led to the convictions of Senators Wayne Bryant and Joseph Coniglio."

Pennacchio said the governor has voiced support for the senator's "Transparency in Government Act, " which would require all New Jersey government spending to be made available and searchable on an easy-to-use Web site, but has not used the governor's office to help the legislation advance through committees.