A large but relatively obscure agency in North Jersey is set to become Gov. Christopher Christie’s poster child for all that is wrong with New Jersey’s independent authorities. 

The Christie administration plans to delve into the payroll and outside consultant contracts of the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission (PVSC) – a 108-year-old agency with a $164 million budget.

Christie already got the ball rolling on his criticism of the agency, singling out Executive Director Bryan Christiansen’s $313,000 salary as over-the-top.  And his transition team’s report called for a “thorough review” of its overhead expenditures and hiring of outside consultants – including attorneys and engineers.

The authority, which employees about 600 people -- 86 of whom earn six figure salaries – has a payroll of roughly $48 million.  It treats water for 1.3 million North Jersey residents.

“It’s something that I don’t think any New Jersey taxpayer can get their arms around,   somebody making a $313,000 salary.  It’s not just that – it’s the way they handle their professional services contracts.  In-house versus outside contracts,” said Christie spokesman Michael Drewniak.  “It’s outrageous in every way, and it’s remarkable what some of these authorities have grown into over the decades.  So this is just the sort of thing that we have to get a handle on.  Yes, there will be scrutiny.”

Deborah Gramiccioni, the former criminal justice director in the Attorney General’s Office, will head up the Governor’s Authorities Unit – which will review the PVSC and other quasi-independent authorities. 

The PVSC, which long ago developed a reputation as a patronage pit for both Democrats and Republicans, has drawn scrutiny before.

SPEAKER OLIVER ANNOUNCES ASSEMBLY DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP POSTS

(TRENTON) – Assembly Speaker Sheila Y. Oliver on Monday announced the Assembly Democratic leadership team for the 2010-11 legislative session.

“I’m confident this leadership team will be a tremendous asset as the Assembly Democratic caucus works to make New Jersey more affordable,” said Oliver (D-Essex). “This leadership group has the expertise and skills to help push our agenda of creating jobs, boosting our economy and tackling property taxes and I look forward to working with them.”

VAINIERI HUTTLE & JOHNSON CONTINUE TO SEEK STRICTER OVERSIGHT OF PASSAIC VALLEY SEWERAGE COMMISSION

(ENGLEWOOD) – Assembly members Valerie Vainieri Huttle and Gordon Johnson on Friday announced they’ve re-introduced legislation to increase oversight and control of the troubled Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission.

The bill (A-952) comes amid continued questions about the commission’s spending. Its executive director makes $313,000 per year, making him the highest-paid employee in the state pension system. Questions have also been raised about the commission’s hiring of consultants even though it has a professional staff.

Vainieri Huttle and Johnson (both D-Bergen) have long sought more controls over the commission and said their bill would shine more light on its activities. They first introduced the bill together in January 2006.

“Taxpayers have rightfully had it with wasteful government spending, and this authority has long been making itself the poster child for that complaint,” Vainieri Huttle said. “It’s getting tiresome, and quite simply it isn’t too much to ask for this commission to do basic things like maintain meeting minutes and subject itself to stricter oversight.”

ALBANO, DIEGNAN & JOHNSON BILL REQUIRING IGNITION BREATHALYZER FOR DUI CONVICTIONS NOW LAW

‘Ricci’s Law’ Named for Egg Harbor Teen Killed by a Drunk Driving Hit-and-Run

(TRENTON) – Legislation Assemblymen Nelson T. Albano, Patrick J. Diegnan and Gordon M. Johnson sponsored to make ignition interlocks mandatory for all drunk driving offenses in New Jersey was signed into law Thursday by acting Gov. Stephen M. Sweeney.

"We need to send a message loud and clear to both habitual and would-be drunk drivers: the party's over," said Albano (D-Cumberland/Atlantic/Cape May), whose son was killed in 2001 by a repeat drunk driver. "If you get caught driving drunk you will face severe penalties and, through the interlocks, will only be able to operate your car when sober."

ADDITIONAL BURZICHELLI & JOHNSON BILL TO CLARIFY 1-GUN-PER-MONTH LAW SIGNED INTO LAW

Law Stems from Task Force Proposal to Improve Law While Keeping Protections

(TRENTON) – Additional legislation Assemblymen John Burzichelli and Gordon Johnson sponsored to revise New Jersey’s one-gun-per-month law while continuing to protect law-abiding residents and businesses has been signed into law.

ALBANO, DIEGNAN & JOHNSON BILL REQUIRING IGNITION BREATHALYZER FOR DUI CONVICTIONS APPROVED BY ASSEMBLY

‘Ricci’s Law’ Named for Egg Harbor Teen Killed by a Drunk Driving Hit-and-Run

(TRENTON) – Legislation Assemblymen Nelson T. Albano, Patrick J. Diegnan and Gordon M. Johnson sponsored to make ignition interlocks mandatory for all drunk driving offenses in New Jersey was approved 67-3 Monday by the Assembly.

"We need to send a message loud and clear to both habitual and would-be drunk drivers: the party's over," said Albano (D-Cumberland/Atlantic/Cape May), whose son was killed in 2001 by a repeat drunk driver. "If you get caught driving drunk you will face severe penalties and, through the interlocks, will only be able to operate your car when sober."

WATSON COLEMAN & JOHNSON BILL RESTORING JUDICIAL DISCRETION IN DRUG-FREE SCHOOL ZONES GETS FINAL LEGISLATIVE APPROVAL

Measure Would Allow Judges to Consider Mitigating Circumstances During Sentencing; Help End Geographic Discrimination

(TRENTON) – Legislation Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman and Assemblyman Gordon M. Johnson sponsored to restore judicial discretion in certain drug cases prosecuted through the state’s Drug-Free School Zone received final legislative approval Thursday from the Assembly. The bill was approved 46-30 and now goes to the governor.

ADDITIONAL BURZICHELLI & JOHNSON BILL TO CLARIFY 1-GUN-PER-MONTH LAW GETS FINAL LEGISLATIVE OK

Bill Stems from Task Force Proposal to Improve Law While Keeping Protections

(TRENTON) – Additional legislation Assemblymen John Burzichelli and Gordon Johnson sponsored to revise New Jersey’s one-gun-per-month law while continuing to protect law-abiding residents and businesses was approved 73-0 Thursday by the Assembly.

JOHNSON/VAINIERI HUTTLE/CRUZ-PEREZ BILL TO CHARGE IN-STATE TUITION TO UNDOCUMENTED RESIDENTS ADVANCES

(TRENTON) - The Assembly Appropriations Committee today released legislation Assembly members Gordon Johnson, Valerie Vainieri Huttle, and Nilsa Cruz-Perez sponsored to permit some undocumented residents to pay in-state tuition at New Jersey's public colleges and universities.

ADDITIONAL BURZICHELLI & JOHNSON BILLS TO CLARIFY 1-GUN-PER-MONTH LAW ADVANCED BY ASSEMBLY PANEL

Bills Stem from Task Force Proposal to Improve Law While Keeping Protections

(TRENTON) – Additional legislation Assemblymen John Burzichelli and Gordon Johnson sponsored to revise New Jersey’s one-gun-per-month law while continuing to protect law-abiding residents and businesses was advanced Monday by an Assembly committee. The legislation stems from recommendations from a special task force that reviewed the law.

The law took effect Jan. 1 and is designed to restrict deter straw purchases and illegal handgun trafficking, but Burzichelli and Johnson - both Firearms Task Force members - said also penalizes many law-abiding gun owners unless changed.

“This is a common sense compromise that does nothing to impair the goal of protecting public safety by keeping criminals from obtaining multiple weapons at once,” said Burzichelli (D-Gloucester/Cumberland/Salem). “These changes would correct some unintended consequences while also protecting law-abiding citizens and legitimate businesses.”