Pennacchio: Who Gets the Stimulus Money? Governor Corzine STILL Isn't Transparent

New Jersey's taxpayers deserve the ability to see for themselves exactly how their money is being spent. Beyond that, they deserve a clear, accurate and timely explanation of how Recovery Act funds will produce positive results in the effort to restore New Jersey's economy.

The unfulfilled promise of transparency on Governor Corzine's federal stimulus Web site, http://www.recovery.nj.gov/

Senator Joe Pennacchio, prime sponsor of the Transparency in Government Act, issued the following statement about the governor's unmet promise of transparency in the spending of $17 billion in federal stimulus funds, and urged the governor immediately to show county-by-county, community-by-community and project-by-project how he expects stimulus money to be allocated and spent in New Jersey:

"Governor Corzine's federal stimulus Web site is very attractive, but almost useless to busy taxpayers," Senator Pennacchio said. "Messages remind us that taxpayers have every right to know on a timely basis how their stimulus money is being spent, but where's the beef?

"The site should direct taxpayers to a search tool that allows the user to know quickly which communities and counties will get money, where it will be spent and which projects are funded or up for approval. This is far from an impossible feat. In Wisconsin, taxpayers can click on a state map and find out what is expected to be spent on projects, county by county, city by city and project by project. (See http://www.recovery.wisconsin.gov )

"Governor Corzine's budget spends more than $2.2 billion of stimulus money," Pennacchio continued. "Why aren't the details of that spending on New Jersey's federal Recovery and Reinvestment Act Web site? Surely the state Treasurer can start down the road to real transparency by posting where and how he's planning to spend that $2.2 billion plus.

"If some of the $10 billion dedicated to New Jersey (not counting $7 billion in tax relief) hasn't been allocated, then certainly the governor can provide a list of which communities or agencies have applied and where they are in the application process. Some projects are mentioned in confusing documents scattered around the Web site, but if information isn't easy for average taxpayers to find, then the governor is being opaque, not transparent.

"Again, this isn't an impossible task. An easy to follow Web site called www.stimuluswatch.org run by volunteers reports that Newark, Orange, and eight other New Jersey cities are seeking $2.7 billion in stimulus aid for projects that include a new, 'Port of Trenton' historical museum for $4 million, a contemporary science museum in Trenton for $30 million, a $5 million animal shelter in Elizabeth, a $7 million Newark parking garage, and a $16 million Piscataway community center. Taxpayers deserve to know if these projects are under serious consideration for grants and weigh in about whether these initiatives are the best ones to generate jobs in our state.

"Instead, the Corzine administration has dribbled out reports on awards of stimulus spending, often as part of announcements connected to his re-election campaign. Piecemeal release of this information does nothing to show whether the stimulus money will be distributed fairly across the state, let alone whether it will finance the projects that will give New Jersey the biggest bang for the buck in job creation.

"It is disappointing that the governor again has vowed transparency, then shown little or no commitment to following through. I will introduce legislation at the earliest possible moment requiring that the state show county by county, community by community, and project by project where there stimulus tax dollars are requested, allocated and spent. In the meantime, I urge the governor's so-called 'Transparency and Accountability Task Force' to demand the Web site be modified to allow easy tracking of stimulus spending."

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