GORDON-WEINBERG ENCAP REFORM LEGISLATION SIGNED INTO LAW

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senators Bob Gordon and Loretta Weinberg to require private entities under public contract to comply with stricter financing and transparency standards in an effort to avoid scandals like the EnCap debacle in the Meadowlands was signed into law yesterday by Governor Corzine.

“Public-private partnerships are important to create needed economic growth in New Jersey, but the people of our State deserve some guarantee for their investment,” said Senator Gordon, D-Bergen. “In the case of EnCap, hundreds of millions of dollars were funneled to an unqualified developer for one of the largest redevelopment projects ever undertaken in New Jersey. If private developers were required to invest more private capital and submit audited financial statements or risk losing public financing, the EnCap debacle might never have happened.”

Governor Corzine says we don't need new laws to fight corruption. Is it any wonder that his ethics package has gone no where in the state Legislature? Or that commonsense ethics bills aren't even being considered?

Taxpayer Advocate Wojciech Siemaszkiewicz enthusiastically signed on to the New Jersey State Republican Assembly Plan to reduce government waste.   The innovative plan will call for a constitutional amendment that will establish the Office of the Auditor General, an elected position having prosecutorial authority and the ability to recoup misappropriated taxpayer dollars.

We wonder what Senator Weinberg, Assembly members Johnson and Huttle have to say about Governor Corzine yet another example of mismanagement of State agencies reporting to him.

TRENTON –Senate Majority Leader Steve Sweeney today said he will introduce legislation when the Senate reconvenes in the Fall to create a mechanism for the State to suspend any local elected public official if he or she is indicted for a crime or offense which, if convicted, would result in forfeiture of office.

“Serving in government isn’t a fundamental right, but a privilege which is forfeited when someone crosses the line and abuses the public trust,” Sen. Sweeney (D-Gloucester, Cumberland and Salem) said. “Elected officials cannot effectively carry out the people’s business from under a black cloud of suspicion and must step aside when charges are levied against them. If these public officials will not do the right thing and step down the State needs a way to force them from office until they can clear their names.”

For the past few days, the New Jersey Democratic Party has reached a new low, which is incredible, given their pathetic and disastrous history of failing everyone who lives in New Jersey for the past eight years.

“By refusing to demand that Mayor Suarez step down, Wagner and Voss are showing their tolerance for corruption,”

Senate Republican Leader Tom Kean called on Governor Corzine to order an immediate meeting of the state's Local Finance Board. The board should consider exercising emergency control of cities in turmoil because their mayors and other key officials haven't stepped down after their arrests on corruption charges.

In the wake of the abrupt resignation of Community Affairs Commissioner Joe Doria, Senator Marcia Karrow, R-Warren/Hunterdon, urged Governor Jon Corzine to immediately freeze accounts that hold money earmarked for "Special Municipal Aid," also known as "Distressed Cities" aid.

STATEMENT OF ASSEMBLY SPEAKER ROBERTS

(TRENTON) - Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts Jr. today released the following statement:

"I wholeheartedly agree with the Governor's call for Assemblymen Smith and Van Pelt to do what is best for their constituents and the Assembly and resign from office.

"I commend the Governor's quick response, as the scope of the allegations made today are shocking and disgusting.

"I am immediately removing Assemblymen Smith and Van Pelt from their committee assignments."