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TRENTON – Fulfilling promises he made in the 2005 gubernatorial campaign, Governor Jon S. Corzine today delivered on the final pieces of his commitment to a more open, honest and accountable government.
“We have an absolute responsibility to give our citizens the most we can from their tax dollars,” said Corzine. “This is about ethics in government, which is fundamental. But it’s also about fiscal responsibility, which is essential in light of today’s economic and financial crisis.”
Governor Corzine’s budget this year demonstrated fiscal responsibility by allocating more than half of its $32.9 billion total to property tax relief, reducing overall spending, cutting the size of government and dedicating money to reduce State debt. That same kind of honest and responsible approach must be taken on ethics.
“Today we are taking bold action,” said the Governor. “We are finishing what we’ve started, to end the insider deals, influence peddling and self-interest of old politics. This reform will end pay-to-play once and for all, at all levels of government.”
Governor Corzine signed two executive orders designed to close loopholes in the pay-to-play ban and impose a new and impose a new ban on pay-to-play for all state redevelopment contracts. The Governor also signed a third executive order to create a task force to recommend ways to strengthen local government ethics and improve enforcement, compliance and training.
Many of the proposed reforms require legislative action and the Governor will seek comprehensive legislation to enact those reforms. The Governor’s ethics reform package would close loopholes in the pay-to-play law that applies to county and local governments and also ban wheeling. (more)
“Earlier this year, Senate President Codey and Speaker Roberts voiced their support for banning pay-to-play at every level of government,” said Corzine. “They also included a wheeling ban on the reform agenda they announced earlier this year, and it is included in today’s package. I commend them for their efforts and anticipate they will be able to work with their Republican partners in the Legislature to get these reform measures passed. These reforms should be a bi-partisan effort.”
Governor Corzine’s proposals for legislative action also include extending pay-to-play reform to school districts and regional utility authorities; banning no-bid contracts and reforming existing government contracts law; lowering contribution limits to county committees and requiring greater disclosure for 527s and similar entities; and making the State Ethics Committee an all-public member body.
“We have reached a point where New Jerseyans have come to believe that instead of government of, by and for the people, we have a government of, by and for political contributors, lobbyists and those who at every level pay to play,” said the Governor. “Today, that era ends. Today, we set the stage for New Jersey to once again be a model for others. The great people of this state deserve nothing less.”
(reform summary information attached)###
Comprehensive Ethics Reform Plan
Ø Pay-to-play
Ø Wheeling and campaign finance reform
Ø Contracting reform
Ø Ethics enforcement, compliance, and training
Ø Financial disclosure
Ø Other issues
1. Create position of State Comptroller – completed in 2007
2. End pay-to-play at every level of government – accomplished by this plan
3. Stop “revolving door” lobbying by senior staff – completed in 2006
4. Restrict no-bid contracting – started by EO in 2006 and completed in this plan
5. Ban wheeling – accomplished by this plan
6. Ban pension padding – started in 2007 and completed in recently passed bill
7. Strengthen public financing of campaigns – completed in 2007
8. Re-establish Office of Public Advocate – completed in 2006
9. Create all-public-member State Ethics Commission – accomplished by this plan
Ø loophole-free pay-to-play reform
Ø wheeling ban
Ø overhaul of legislative ethics committee – bill signed into law April 2008
Ø modernized legislative ethics code – adopted by Legislature in March 2008
Reforms Through Executive Order Pay to Play
The above provisions would be codified in subsequent legislation
Ethics Enforcement
Financial Disclosure
Reforms Requiring Legislation Pay-to-Play
State government and authorities
County and municipal governments and authorities
School Districts
Codify current Department of Education Accountability Regulations regarding pay-to-play (which cover contributions to school board candidates) and extend the ban to cover contributions by school district contractors to county candidates, county committees, municipal candidates, and municipal committees where the school district is located
Regional Utility Authorities
Auditors
Wheeling
These reforms will help prevent party committees from being used to evade pay-to-play and regular campaign finance law limits on contributions. Except for certain restrictions on county committees, current law allows party committees to make unlimited contributions to candidates, other party committees, and PACs. Under these reforms, county-to-county contributions would be banned, as would contributions by county or municipal committees to municipal committees in other counties. Party committees would only be permitted to make unlimited contributions to candidates or constituent party committees within the intended sphere of influence of the party committee. In essence, unlimited contributions would be permitted to flow only downhill, not uphill or laterally. As to all other contributions, a party committee would be subject to the same contribution limits as PACs.
State Committees
Legislative Leadership Committees (LLCs)
County Committees
Municipal Committees
Campaign Finance Lower Contribution Limits
527s and Similar Groups
Contracting Reform
Ø prohibit audit firms from providing other services to public entity audit clients during term of audit engagement
Ø require rotation of auditors at least every 10 years, replace single-year auditing engagement with five-year engagement subject to termination for violation of professional standards or similar malfeasance, and require competitive selection process
Ethics Enforcement, Compliance, and Training
Financial Disclosure
Other Reforms
###
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Pay to Play
Funny, i don't see any restrictions on Labor Union contributions