Matthew Boxer

Attorney General Anne Milgram plans to leave her post early next year, regardless of the outcome of the gubernatorial election, sources say.  If Gov. Jon Corzine wins re-election, Democratic sources say that Edward McBride, the Governor's Chief of Staff, will be on the short list to replace Milgram.  Other possible candidates include: Corzine's Chief Counsel, William Castner; Seton Hall Law School Dean Patrick Hobbs; Kris Kolluri, the Executive Director of the state Schools Development Authority; state Comptroller Matthew Boxer; Public Advocate Ronald Chen; and Glenn Grant, the Acting Administrative Director of the state courts.

The head of the Ridgefield Republican Party says that the state's extensive review of the borough's municipal development contracts that sprung from the arrest of its mayor has cost the small town about $10,000 so far.

Robert Avery said he got the figure from Borough Administrator John Baldino and Borough Attorney Doug Doyle at last night's council meeting, and that they indicated that the expenses would grow significantly.  Avery said he asked Mayor Anthony Suarez, who is charged with taking a $10,000 bribe from a federal informant, whether he would pay those expenses himself.  Suarez did not answer, which Avery took as a no.

Baldino and Doyle could not be reached for comment to confirm the figure.

After his arrest, Suarez faced pressure to step down from angry residents, political opponents and Gov. Jon Corzine.  He refused, prompting Corzine to issue an executive order freezing development in towns with a sitting mayor who has been charged with public corruption.  Corzine also called on state departments to review development-related applications.

Avery, who is launching an effort to recall Suarez, argued that the borough would not have incurred the expenses if Suarez stepped down, and could save thousands of dollars in future expenses if he stepped down now.

"If he would step down, that expense would not be required," said Avery.

But the comptroller's review is separate and farther reaching than the Governor's executive order.  In addition to Ridgefield - one of only two towns in the state where a sitting mayor is being prosecuted for alleged corruption - they are reviewing contracts in most towns that were touched by last months' bust: Hoboken, Jersey City and Secaucus.

Gov. Jon Corzine's administration is causing some angst among Mercer County Democrats who are worried about how a report detailing wasteful spending by Allies Inc. will affect their campaign.  The report, issued this week by state Comptroller Matthew Boxer, says that the New Jersey Division of Developmental Disabilities overpaid contractors by more than $1.4 million.

Allies Inc., was paid $111,851 to cover the cost of two cruises, $2,690 to pay for dinner at the Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar at the Tropicana casino in Atlantic City, and $1,345 for a trip to Lake Buena Vista, Florida.

The problem for the Democrats is that one of the Democratic candidates for Hamilton Township Council, Wendy Sturgeon, was the Director of Marketing and Public Relations at Allies during the time the wasteful spending took place.  Sturgeon's own profile posted on the LinkedIn.com website takes credit for the kind of events Boxer has criticized.  Expect Republicans to make that an issue in the fall campaign, and watch Democrats distance themselves from Sturgeon.

Gov. Jon Corzine campaigns earlier this week in Irvington with Mayor Wayne Smith.

A combustible gubernatorial campaign ignited this week with competing newsflashes that do damage in both camps - just how much damage is creating accelerated intrigue with 82 days until Election Day.

Republican GOP nominee, former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie, endured a headline and ongoing questions about conversations he had with Karl Rove, political mastermind for former President George W. Bush, still a radioactive presence in this mostly Democratic state.

But Corzine also caught newscycle flak this week.

Already trying to put distance on a bombshell from last month in which federal law enforcement officers arrested 29 mostly Democratic politicians and political operatives on corruption charges, the governor suffered his own headline headaches with news that 10 adult training programs run by the state Department of Human Service's Division of Developmental Disabilities blew $1.4 million.

In addition, Corzine fired former state PBA President Michael Madonna from his post as a Commissioner of the Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor after the New York Inspector General issued a report alleging considerable abuse, including "misusing federal Homeland Security funding, hiring unqualified cops, and allowing convicted felons to get jobs."

TRENTON – Senator Loretta Weinberg (D-Bergen) today called for changes in the laws governing the use of taxpayer dollars to lobby state government, citing the release of a report by the Office of the State Comptroller that found towns, counties, authorities and other public agencies spend millions of dollars to lobby the state.

“According to the Comptroller’s report, most of the spending goes toward lobbying the Assembly and Senate on pending legislation,” Sen. Weinberg said. “This begs the question: Why are they spending the public’s money to lobby lawmakers when they should have access to them free of charge?”

When New Jersey receives its share of the Federal Stimulus Spending that was approved by Washington in February the office of the state comptroller will be overseeing how $17 Billion will be spent. Matthew Boxer's office has been quite busy recently, for those who don't know, Boxer is the "Independent" New Jersey State Comptroller. His office, according to the website www.state.nj.us/comptroller.gov,  is an independent office created to bring greater efficiency and transparency to the operation of all levels of NJ's government.  Actually his office does audits, performance reviews and examinations of government contracts. Heaven knows we could certainly use more transparency around these parts.

New Jersey’s piece of the federal stimulus pie will be managed by Edward McBride, the Chief of Staff to the Governor, and State Comptroller Matthew Boxer.  The picks are not surprising, but it’s noteworthy that the Governor Jon Corzine picked Boxer, whose primary responsibility is to conduct audits and assure transparency, and not New Jersey’s chief financial officer, State Treasurer David Rousseu. 

ROBERTS APPLAUDS COMPTROLLER'S REPORT ON GOVERNMENTAL AUDITS

Will Introduce Legislation in September to Implement Recommended Reforms

(TRENTON) - Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts, Jr. today applauded state Comptroller Matthew Boxer on his office's release of a new report which shines a critical light on the questionable practices some state and local governmental entities have implemented with regard to their fiscal audits.

Roberts (D-Camden) released the following statement:

Sometimes you have to wonder if Bob Mulcahy realizes someone else is the Governor.  Just as Jon Corzine’s state comptroller, Matthew Boxer, launches a probe of Rutgers University’s sports spending – spurred by published reports of a seemingly secret deal to get football coach Greg Schiano an extra $250,000 -- the Rutgers Athletic Director decided to form his own investigation team.  Mulcahy has tapped two old men who seem to show up every time someone needs a blue ribbon panel: former PSE&G CEO Al Koeppe and Albert Gamper, the former CIT Chairman.  Apparently the state comptroller and the State Commission of Investigation aren’t enough for Mulcahy and Rutgers President Richard McCormick.