April
15, 2004
DeCROCE
AND GREGG: McGREEVEY SHOULD REIMBURSE STATE TREASURY
FOR PROMOTIONAL POSTCARDS
GOVERNOR
SHOULD NOT FORCE TAXPAYERS TO FUND POLITICAL MAILERS
Assembly Republican Leader Alex DeCroce and
Republican Conference Leader Guy Gregg today expressed
their disappointment that Governor McGreevey had
squandered more than $100,000 in taxpayer money on
postcards touting his property tax
"accomplishments" and asked that he
reimburse the state treasury for that expense.
"These postcards clearly crossed the line from
public service announcement to political
rhetoric," said DeCroce, R-Morris and Passaic.
"The taxpayers should not have to pay for the
Governor to send out what looked an awful lot like a
campaign mail piece."
"Governor McGreevey’s expenditure of tax
dollars on personal promotion has crossed an ethical
line and it is time for him to take responsibility for
his actions," Gregg, R-Sussex, Morris and
Hunterdon, noted. "The Governor should
immediately reimburse taxpayers for the cost of these
promotional postcards."
The Treasury Department last week sent out
postcards to 450,000 New Jersey taxpayers featuring a
picture of the Governor and a very glowing account of
his budget and property tax record and claiming
"New Jersey is back on the right track."
The postcards cost $105,000 and were supposedly
designed to remind residents to claim a property tax
deduction on their income taxes.
"This is just the type of political maneuver
that infuriates taxpayers," Gregg said.
"Instead of delivering on his promise to provide
tax relief for homeowners, he is using taxpayer money
to mislead those homeowners into believing he has
provided that relief."
"If he wants to spend $100,000 to promote
himself, he should take the money out of his own
pocket," DeCroce said.
#####
April
14, 2004
DeCROCE:
DEMOCRATS JUST DON’T GET IT ON TAX HIKES
INCOME
TAX HIKES DO NOT EQUAL PROPERTY TAX REFORM
Assembly Republican Leader Alex DeCroce today
issued the following statement in response to news
that Assembly Speaker Albio Sires and Governor Jim
McGreevey appear to have reached an agreement to
increase New Jersey’s income tax:
"While disappointing, today’s news
isn’t a complete surprise since it is an established
fact that the Democrat Party in New Jersey is addicted
to spending and tax hikes.
"If hiking income taxes is the Democrat
idea of substantive property tax reform, this state is
in big trouble. At best this is a short-term fiscal
shell game that offers no spending cuts, no
restructuring of educational funding, no incentive for
controlling local spending and certainly no long-term
solution.
"New Jersey residents are already overtaxed
and this will only add to that burden. To raise taxes
while increasing state spending by nine percent
displays an utter lack of fiscal responsibility. To do
so the day before tax day seems to be just an added
insult to taxpayers.
"Finally, it appears that once again, Governor
McGreevey has broken a promise to the taxpayers of
this state. When he said no income tax hike, he never
said that this promise was only good for some
residents.
"This tax will hit tens of thousands of
taxpayers who already pay one third of the state’s
tax burden. Many of these individuals are also small
business owners who create jobs in our state. If the
Governor is looking to drive these folks, and the jobs
they create, out of the state, this is a good
start."
#####
April
12, 2004
GREGG:
DEMOCRATS CONTINUE TO DRAG FEET ON
PAY-TO-PLAY AND ETHICS REFORM
Assembly
Republican Conference Leader Guy Gregg today said that
stories about pay-to-play activity in Assembly Speaker
Albio Sires’ hometown should serve as added
motivation for Assembly Democrats to finally embrace
comprehensive pay-to-play reform.
"The Speaker could erase much of
the concern created by the news stories that appeared
this weekend by publicly embracing pay-to-play reform
at all levels of government," said Gregg,
R-Sussex, Morris and Hunterdon. "Rightly or
wrongly, the public will now believe the Speaker is
blocking comprehensive pay-to-play reform because he
has been successful at raising money through that
system.
"The Speaker could erase those doubts by
joining in a bipartisan effort to pass pay-to-play
campaign finance reform at all levels of
government," Gregg added. "We will need
support from both sides of the aisle to get this
done."
Gregg said he is also concerned that the Democrats
have not taken any action on ethics reform since
announcing their ethics reform package at a splashy
mid-March press conference.
"The Democrats got the headlines they wanted
from their press event, but it is mid-April and we
still haven’t had a single hearing or seen actual
copies of these bills," Gregg said. "It is
time to end the delays and move forward with a
discussion about these proposals."
"Each day that goes by without ethics reform
action, reinforces the public’s belief that Trenton
does not take this issue seriously," Gregg said.
"And passing pay-to-play reform that is full of
loopholes will not be any more successful at restoring
the public’s trust."
#####
April
7, 2004
O’TOOLE
INVITES DEMOCRAT COLLEAGUES TO TAKE ACTION AND JOIN
BIPARTISAN EFFORT TO END PAY-TO-PLAY
Assemblyman Kevin O’Toole said
today that he welcomes Democrat colleagues Assemblymen
Michael Panter and Robert Morgan support for a
comprehensive ethics reform package which includes a
proposal that would ban the practice of pay-to-play at
all levels of government.
"Assembly Republicans are
committed to forging a bipartisan consensus born of
cooperation," said O’Toole, R-Essex, Passaic,
and Bergen. "Assemblymen Panter and Morgan’s
dedication to a comprehensive ban on the practice of
pay-to-play is encouraging."
Assemblyman O’Toole is aspiring
to build a bipartisan coalition that is willing to
enact a bill that would ban pay-to-play at all levels
of government, such as Assembly Bill 1660.
"I am eager to have my
Democrat colleagues reach across the aisle and unite
with the Assembly Republicans in our effort to force a
vote on a measure that would end the exploitive
practice of pay-to-play," added O’Toole.
O’Toole noted that only a handful
of Democrat legislators need join with Assembly
Republicans to support a motion to have a strong bill
that bans pay-to-play released from committee and
placed before the full General Assembly for
consideration.
"If Republicans are going to
be successful in our struggle to end pay-to-play, we
must embrace our fellow Democrat legislators,"
O’Toole said. "A few bold individuals willing
to put partisan politics aside with the aim of
eliminating pay-to-play at all levels of government
could very well make the difference.
"This type of bipartisan
support would not only end pay-to-play, but would
restore public faith in the integrity of our
government and the ability of both parties to work
toward the common good."
#####
April
7, 2004
GREGG:
SO WHAT PROMISES HAS McGREEVEY KEPT?
SAYS
GIVEN McGREEVEY’S RECORD ON KEEPING PROMISES, IT’S
A SHAME HE HASN’T YET PROMISED TO SEEK A SECOND TERM
Assembly Republican Conference
Leader Guy Gregg today said that with his actions in
the last week Governor James McGreevey is well on his
way to setting a new land-speed record for broken
promises at Drumthwacket.
"Jim McGreevey did such a good job of not
talking about specifics on the issues during the 2001
campaign that he didn’t have to make many
promises," said Gregg, R-Sussex, Morris and
Hunterdon. "Therefore, it is quite amazing how
large a percentage of those promises he has managed to
break."
In today’s edition of The Record of Hackensack,
columnist Herb Jackson points out that one of the few
specific promises McGreevey did make about property
taxes was that he would replace the NJSAVER rebate
checks with a direct income tax write-off.
McGreevey has not followed through on that promise
and is now talking about focusing revenues from a
possible income tax hike toward those rebate checks.
In his column Jackson writes, "Now that his
signature is on those checks, however, those rebates
aren’t so silly after all."
"This latest proposal could turn out to be a
three-for-one deal on broken McGreevey promises,"
said Gregg. "If this plan goes through, he will
have broken his promise not to raise income taxes, to
replace the rebate program with a direct income tax
write-off, and to oppose a constitutional convention
on property taxes that doesn’t address revenue
issues."
Gregg said that surprisingly for a candidate who
made few promises, Governor McGreevey has set about
breaking most of the ones he did make.
In addition to broken promises on income taxes and
property taxes, Gregg pointed out that McGreevey has
already broken promises, or made clear his intention
to break promises, on issues such as appearing in
taxpayer funded promotional ads, removing tolls from
the Garden State Parkway, curbing state borrowing, and
changing the way Trenton does business.
"It appears that the greatest challenge
Governor McGreevey may encounter during this term is
trying to find a promise that he can actually
keep," Gregg concluded. "Given his record on
breaking promises, it’s a shame he hasn’t yet
promised to seek a second term."
#####
April
6, 2004
O’TOOLE
SAYS GOVERNOR’S DOT BUDGET RELIES ON FINANCIAL
GIMMICKS AND HARMS MIDDLE INCOME FAMILIES
Assemblyman Kevin O’Toole said
today that the FY 2005 budget for the Department of
Transportation (DOT) now under consideration by the
Assembly Budget Committee is fiscally irresponsible
and raises transportation related fees and taxes to
account for a 9 percent increase in state spending.
"I was disheartened to hear
that Governor McGreevey has proposed a budget that
raises revenue on the backs of hardworking middle
class families," said O’Toole, R-Essex,
Passaic, and Bergen. "Requiring new car owners to
pay increased registration fees is one of the most
egregious fees hikes proposed by the
Administration."
Governor McGreevey’s budget
proposal requires that all new car owners pay for
their registration four years at a time rather than
the conventional yearly registration fee. If enacted,
this proposal will provide the Administration with an
additional $90 million in revenue in FY 2005 rather
than collecting the fees through the next three years.
"Despite Governor
McGreevey’s claim that this step is being taken to
make things more convenient for motorists, this is
really just another means of quickly raising revenue
in order to fill a hole in his budget,"added
O’Toole. "Failing to specifically dedicate
these funds is a clear indication that the additional
revenue is being used to solve the budget
shortfall."
During the Assembly Budget
Committee meeting, DOT officials also testified that
the four-year registration plan does not contain a
mechanism which would allow a person who sold their
car before the four-year period was through to obtain
a refund.
"It will be financially
difficult for a lot of families to pay the entire
registration fee up-front and it is offensive to think
that the State will simply pocket that money if they
choose to sell their car before their registration has
expired," O’Toole said.
Administration officials also made
statements today which appeared to suggest that
families who are unable to pay the increased fee
consider financing their registration fees through a
financial institution or car dealership.
"It is no surprise that an
Administration that relies heavily on bonding to pay
for programs they cannot afford suggested that
families who are unable to meet their financial
obligations borrow the money to pay for their
registration," said O’Toole. "It is absurd
that the Legislature would ask over-burdened taxpayers
to assume more debt so that the Governor can continue
to recklessly spend."
#####
April
2, 2004
DeCROCE
ASKS SPEAKER TO HOLD JOINT HEARINGS TO
INVESTIGATE CONDUCT IN ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE
Assembly Republican Leader Alex
DeCroce today sent a letter to Assembly Speaker Albio
Sires requesting that Sires convene a joint hearing of
the Assembly Judiciary and Assembly State Government
committees to look into ethical questions surrounding
conduct in the attorney general’s office.
According to news stories, a complaint
filed by a Deputy Attorney General Stephen Resnick, a
25-year career state official, accuses Attorney
General Peter Harvey’s chief of staff, Mariellen
Dugan, of personally intervening in a state case
against Harvey’s personal lawayer and her former
employer, Kevin Marino.
The complaint alleges that when progress toward a
settlement slowed, Marino ‘threatened’ a deputy
attorney general that Harvey’s chief of staff would
get personally involved in the matter. The complaint
states that Dugan did subsequently intervene and
ordered a quick resolution to the case. Published
reports claim Marino pushed through a settlement with
terms that were opposed by the two deputies working on
the case and outside counsel. The complaint further
alleges that the Attorney General’s Office delayed
the delivery of Resnick’s formal complaint to the
Executive Commission on Ethical Standards.
"These allegations go beyond a mere lapse in
judgment," DeCroce writes. They represent a
potential criminal violation, and they need to be
investigated by an independent body. Attorney General
Harvey and his staff must answer questions about this
allegation and they must be prepared to hand over any
documentation related to this settlement.
"If true, these charges could undermine the
entire credibility of the Attorney General’s
Office," DeCroce writes. "It would send a
message to the public that the justice system in New
Jersey is being manipulated to help those with close
personal relationships to top state officials.
"That is why I am requesting that you convene
joint hearings to be conducted by the members of the
Assembly Judiciary and Assembly State Government
committees to investigate these charges. This joint
committee should be given subpoena power so that they
can conduct a thorough investigation of this
matter."
#####
March
30, 2004
DeCROCE
SAYS BUDGET FOCUS SHOULD BE ON SAVINGS, NOT
TAX INCREASES
Higher Income
Taxes for Families Will Not Produce Meaningful
Property Tax Reform
Assembly Republican Leader Alex DeCroce says
Democrats should stop talking about raising income
taxes for hard working families and concentrate on
ways to reduce state spending and avoid the issuance
of deficit bonds.
"Our economy is just beginning to
recover," said DeCroce, R-Morris, Passaic.
"Tax collections took a precipitous drop after
9-11. Businesses and entrepreneurs saw their earnings
evaporate. Only now is our revenue stream regaining
strength.
"Raising income taxes at this time will only
stunt economic growth," DeCroce added, "and
the plan being floated by Democrats and some
organizations is a fraud because it will not result in
meaningful property tax reform."
The Republican leader’s comments came on the
heels of a poll by a group calling itself the Fairness
Alliance that supposedly shows widespread popular
support for what has been called a
"millionaires’ tax." DeCroce said the term
is a misnomer because the tax could adversely impact
families with joint incomes as low as $200,000 or
$300,000 a year, depending on the version of the plan
being advanced on any given day.
"Try telling parents who are working
professionals, trying to raise children, pay a
mortgage and deal with ever-rising property taxes that
they are ‘millionaires’ and should pay 7-to-10
percent more in income taxes because their joint
earnings are $200,000 or $300,000. I think a lot of
families in places like Bergen County would take
strong exception to the notion."
DeCroce has called for a special session of the
Legislature to address the issue of property tax
reform. Although more than enough members of both
political parties are sponsoring a legislative
initiative that would authorize such a session,
Democratic leaders in the Assembly have turned a deaf
ear to bipartisan pleas for action.
"The taxpayers demand, and are entitled to, an
enduring solution to rising property taxes," the
Republican Leader said. "In the short-term, we
can provide additional property tax relief. I am
confident that a judicious and comprehensive review of
Governor McGreevey’s proposed budget can identify
savings that could be used to increase state aid for
schools trying to cope with rising enrollments.
"The budget review process began in earnest
today as the state Treasurer talked about the growth
in tax revenue and the non-partisan Office of
Legislative Services reported the surplus could rise
by $300 million over the next 15 months. The
Republican members of the Assembly Budget Committee
are prepared to take a hard look at the revenue
projections and the budget. We believe we can do
better without raising income taxes. It would be
easier if the Democrats express an interest in looking
at ways to save money instead of spending it."
DeCroce said poll by McLaughlin & Associates
conducted for Assembly Republicans in December found a
starkly different public attitude regarding a
"millionaires’ tax" than that in the
Fairness Alliance’s survey. A total of 400 likely
voters were surveyed statewide between December 2 and
3, 2003 and public opinion on the issue was split –
46 percent in favor and 47 percent in opposition –
and that, DeCroce emphasized, was on the question of a
true millionaires’ tax.
Voters were asked the following: On the issue of
raising taxes on millionaires, which one of the
following statements comes closest to you own personal
opinion? Some people say we need to raise taxes on
millionaires and use the money to lower property taxes
on middle and low income families. They say
millionaires are wealthy and can afford to pay more in
state taxes. Other people say New Jersey taxes are
already too high and that raising taxes on
millionaires is just another excuse for the
politicians to raise taxes. They say this increase in
taxes will actually take money out of the pockets of
middle class and suburban taxpayers and in the end,
not just millionaires will have their taxes go up.
Forty-seven percent said it was an excuse to raise
taxes. Only Democratic respondents favored raising
taxes, by a 57%-34% margin. Republican respondents, by
a 59%-35% margin, said it would be an excuse to raise
taxes. A majority of independents agreed with
Republicans by a 50%-43% margin.
"Taxpayers just aren’t buying it,"
DeCroce said. "They think it’s a shell game.
Most are extremely skeptical of claims that raising
one tax will lead to lower property taxes. They
believe that, in the end, they will get stuck with
higher income taxes and higher property taxes. We need
to regain the public’s trust by debating means to
achieve true property tax reform, and then we must
follow through. But this talk of a ‘millionaires’
tax is not the way to go."
DeCroce also called on Governor McGreevey to
clarify where he stands on this issue. He noted the
governor has changed his statements over time from
opposing any tax increases, to opposing any increase
in the sales or income tax, to opposing any increase
in the sales or income tax "to balance the
budget."
"It’s time for the governor to level with
the taxpayers," the Republican Leader said.
"Is this the property tax plan that the governor
has been promising for seven years? Is the governor so
afraid of this plan that he’s hiding behind Jon
Shure to float it and see how the public responds?
"If the governor is prepared to support any
increase in the income tax for any purpose then it is
time for him to finally say what he means. If he
isn’t going to sign any income tax hike, then
let’s pop this trial balloon and get down to the
real issue of property tax reform."
#####
March
30, 2004
GREGG:
HARVEY’S FAILURE TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY CALLS INTO
QUESTION HIS ABILITY TO SERVE
Assembly Republican Conference Leader Guy Gregg
today said that Attorney General Peter Harvey’s
actions as the state’s top law enforcement officer
– from accepting free boxing tickets to having plea
agreement rejected by a Superior Court judge on
conflict of interest grounds – suggests he may not
be the one to restore public trust in government.
"At a time when the taxpayers are losing
confidence in their elected officials, it does not
help to have the state attorney general dogged by
ethical concerns," said Gregg, R-Sussex, Morris
and Hunterdon. "First the attorney general is
reprimanded for accepting free boxing tickets, then a
Superior Court Judge throws out a plea agreement
because the attorney general has a conflict of
interest."
"These ongoing problems do not inspire public
confidence in Mr. Harvey," Gregg said.
Last Friday Superior Court Judge John A. Almeida
today rejected a plea agreement that Harvey had
reached with three officials of JCA Associates Inc., a
Moorestown engineering firm because Harvey had close
ties to the lawyer representing the JCA officials.
The officials had plead guilty to filing false tax
returns to hide the fact that the company paid
printing bills for the West Deptford Democratic
Campaign Committee. During that time the firm received
$6 million in fees from the township for municipal
engineering work.
In a story in today’s edition of The
Gloucester County Times, a spokesman for Harvey
states that "The judge made his determination
irregardless of the facts," and that the attorney
general had crossed no ethical or legal lines in the
process.
"If Attorney General Harvey cannot see why he
crossed a line with his involvement in this case, then
perhaps it is time for someone new to fill that
post," Gregg said. "We need an attorney
general who will set the highest standard for ethical
conduct in office."
Gregg said that with Trenton currently shrouded by
an ethical cloud, Harvey’s behavior as the state’s
top law enforcement officer is all the more troubling.
"Given recent news reports about a seemingly
endless stream of investigations, the public is having
a much more difficult time trusting its elected
officials," Gregg said. "Unfortunately, it
is becoming increasingly apparent that Peter Harvey is
not the one to restore that trust."
#####
March
16, 2004
DeCROCE
AND O’TOOLE SAY DEMOCRAT ETHICS PROPOSAL FALLS WELL
SHORT OF COMPREHENSIVE REFORM
Assembly Republican Leader Alex DeCroce and
Assemblyman Kevin O’Toole today said they are
disappointed that the ethics proposals unveiled today
by the Assembly Democrats would not provide for
much-needed comprehensive, immediate action on
pay-to-play reform.
"We were told by the Democrats to wait for
their proposal, and sadly it was not well worth the
wait," said DeCroce, R-Morris, Passaic.
"Some of these bills may be helpful, but many are
watered down versions of bills that we already had
introduced, and others skirt the issues they propose
to address. That is particularly the case with their
version of pay-to-play reform."
O’Toole, the prime sponsor of A-1660, a
comprehensive pay-to-play reform measure that has been
bottled up in the Assembly State Government Committee,
said that the Democrat pay-to-play proposal not only
fails to address the problem, but doesn’t meet the
criteria set forth last year by Governor McGreevey.
"The Democrats claimed they were blocking my
bill because they intended to propose their own
stronger version of pay-to-play reform," said
O’Toole, R-Essex, Passaic and Bergen. "Instead
we are presented with a weak bill that doesn’t
address all levels of government and would not take
effect for two years."
"According to the Governor’s previous
statements, this bill doesn’t even stand a chance of
being signed into law," O’Toole added, noting
that McGreevey has said he would only sign a bill that
address pay-to-play at all levels of government.
O’Toole said that his pay-to-play bill would have
been a clear signal to the public that government was
not for sale. His bill passed the State Senate last
year 36-0 with bipartisan support, but was blocked by
the Assembly Democrat leadership.
DeCroce said that it was peculiar that the
Democrats want to wait for these reforms to take
effect until after the 2005 election.
"We have the FBI seizing fundraising documents
today, and issuing subpoenas to the Governor’s
Office, but the Democrats want to wait two more years
for reform?" DeCroce asked. "The Democrats
are clearly turning a blind eye to the ethical mess
that has enveloped the State House in the last two
years."
DeCroce noted that his caucus has introduced more
than 50 ethics and campaign finance related reform
bills during this session and that those bills should
be given a fair hearing. He also responded to Democrat
statements regarding the Republican record on ethics
when his party was in charge.
"When Republicans were in the majority we
passed sweeping, comprehensive campaign finance reform
measures as recommended by the Rosenthal Commission
and we enacted the Open Public Records Act (OPRA),"
DeCroce said. "Those were the top
good-government, reform issues at that time, and those
reforms took effect immediately – not two years
later. The question today is, what will the Democrats
do to address today’s concerns?"
#####
March
15, 2004
KEAN
SHOWS COMMITMENT TO CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM BY
INTRODUCING BILL THAT REGULATES CAMPAIGN LOANS
In an effort to further
campaign finance reform measures, Assemblyman Sean
Kean today introduced legislation that will closely
regulate loans given to political campaigns.
"We need to have laws in place that closely
regulate and monitor the means in which money is
loaned to a campaign," said Kean, R-Monmouth.
"It is unethical to allow those employees, who
are already prohibited from making political
contributions, to make loans to campaigns."
The measure, A-2650, prohibits employees of
regulated industries like utility firms, financial
institutions, and railroad companies from making loans
to political campaigns. The bill also reduces the
maximum amount a lender of a non-regulated industry
can loan to a political campaign.
"The amount of money an individual can loan to
a campaign should be equivalent to the amount one can
contribute individually," Kean said.
"Certain individuals are using this loophole to
buy influence and garner political favor."
Kean is also an advocate of a measure that bans the
practice of pay-to-play. He supports comprehensive
legislation that restores public trust and limits
outside forces from having excessive influence on the
political process.
"Whether it is banning the practice of
pay-to-play or regulating loans made to campaigns,
campaign finance reform measures are in place to limit
the amount of influence an individual or group has
over government officials, " added Kean. "As
elected officials, our first commitment is to the
citizens of New Jersey and every decision we make
should benefit them rather than outside forces seeking
to advance their self-interested agendas.
Assemblyman Kean noted that this
bill is a response to excessive loans made by Commerce
Bank employees to the Camden County Democrat machine.
"We need to strengthen
existing legislation because there are certain
unethical individuals who are making loans to
political campaigns as another means of making
political contributions," Kean said. "Any
appearance of impropriety must not be tolerated and I
believe tightening campaign finance laws is the only
way in to restore integrity to state government."
#####
March
15, 2004
ASSEMBLY
REPUBLICANS EXPRESS OUTRAGE THAT DEMOCRATS, YET AGAIN,
BLOCK FOR PAY-TO-PLAY CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM
Assembly
Republican Leader Alex DeCroce and Assemblyman Kevin
O’Toole today expressed their disappointment that
the Assembly Democrats have once again voted to block
pay-to-play campaign finance reform from advancing in
the Legislature.
"What the Democrats did today is both shameful
and an insult to the public and to the integrity of
this house," said DeCroce, R-Morris, Passaic.
"The Democrats action today was an in-your face
admission that you just don’t care about what the
people want or what they think."
O’Toole, the prime sponsor of the pay-to-play
reform measure, made a motion today to release the
bill from the committee where it has been bottled up
since January, and to have it debated by the full
Assembly. O’Toole’s motion to have the bill
considered was tabled by the Democrats with not a
single Democrat joining the Republicans.
43 Democrats voted against O’Toole with three
(Assemblywoman Greenstein, Assemblyman Panter, and
Assemblyman Morgan) abstaining – essentially a vote
against O’Toole.
"The Democrats goal in delaying this bill is
transparent," DeCroce said. "They are
turning a deaf ear to the public and a blind eye to
the FBI raids and subpoenas that are an indictment of
the status quo. The Democrats are allowing the
continued erosion of public confidence in elected
representatives."
Two weeks ago DeCroce wrote to Assembly Speaker
Albio Sires requesting that Assembly Bill A-1660,
sponsored by Assemblyman Kevin O’Toole, be posted
for a vote. That bill would ban pay-to-play at all
levels of government.
Last week DeCroce sent a letter to every member of
the Democrat caucus asking them to join Republicans in
voting at today’s session to release the bill from
the Assembly State Government Committee.
"The Democrat claims that they opposed this
motion because they are prepared to introduce their
own bill ring hollow after two years of waiting,"
said O’Toole, R-Essex, Passaic and Bergen. "I
am sure that this is just another delay tactic until
the Democrats can introduce a watered-down version of
this bill that will not eliminate this problem."
O’Toole said that his pay-to-play bill would have
been a clear signal to the public that government was
not for sale.
"We have been waiting for the Democrats to
introduce a pay-to-play reform bill, while a widely
supported, all-inclusive version of pay-to-play reform
languishes in this house," O’Toole said.
"It just doesn’t make sense."
DeCroce said that he was particularly disappointed
that some Democrats who had indicated that they would
vote with Republicans failed to keep their word and
that others who had campaigned in support of
pay-to-play reform also turned their backs on this
opportunity.
He noted that upon taking control of the Assembly
in 1992, Republicans kept their promise to the voters
to implement the Rosenthal Commission campaign finance
reform recommendations.
Those reforms included establishment of campaign
contribution limits, expanded disclosure for political
and campaign committees and new reporting requirements
for candidate committees.
"The taxpayers should know that a number of
Democrats misled them last fall when they said they
supported pay-to-play reform," DeCroce said.
"If we are put in charge of this house I pledge
that we will support implementing pay-to-play
reform."
#####
March
5, 2004
ASSEMBLY
REPUBLICANS READY TO MAKE NEW PUSH FOR
PAY-TO-PLAY CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM
Assembly Republican Leader
Alex DeCroce and Assemblyman Kevin O’Toole today
announced that the Republican caucus intends to
continue its push for pay-to-play reform, and is
prepared to use the various procedural tools at its
disposal beginning next week to bring the bill to the
floor for a vote.
"The citizens of this state should not have to
wait any longer to have their trust in government
restored," said DeCroce, R-Morris, Passaic.
"How many more subpoenas need to be issued to the
Governor’s Office or the Democratic Committee before
we see action."
Earlier this week DeCroce wrote to Assembly Speaker
Albio Sires requesting that Assembly Bill A-1660,
sponsored by Assemblyman Kevin O’Toole, be posted
for a vote. That bill would ban pay-to-play at all
levels of government.
DeCroce said the Republican caucus will make a
concerted effort in the next two weeks to convince the
Democrats to join them in pushing for this reform.
"We have less than two weeks until the budget
break," said O’Toole, R-Essex, Passaic and
Bergen. "Barring Democrat approval of a special
session to deal with this issue, Monday March 15th will be the last scheduled voting session until May at
which this issue can be addressed. The practice of
pay-to-play has convinced the voters that government
in Trenton is for sale and we need to make it clear
that this type of business will no longer be
tolerated."
DeCroce and O’Toole said they will let the
Democrats and Speaker Sires know in advance of any
attempt Republicans will make next week to bring this
bill to the floor for a vote.
"There will be no surprises, or tricks,"
DeCroce said. "We will be very clear about what
we intend to do, and that we expect cooperation from
the majority."
#####
March
3, 2004
DeCROCE
AND O’TOOLE: NOW WOULD BE A GOOD TIME FOR THE
DEMOCRATS TO ADDRESS PAY-TO-PLAY
Coming on the heels of an FBI raid on the
Democratic State Committee, Assembly Republican Leader
Alex DeCroce and Assemblyman Kevin O’Toole today
called on the Assembly Democrat leadership to move
forward with Pay-to-Play campaign finance reform in
the wake of new concerns about campaign finance
practices in New Jersey.
"How many times do New Jersey taxpayers have
to wake up in the morning and see newspaper headlines
about FBI raids and federal investigations into
questionable fund-raising practices?" asked
DeCroce, R-Morris, Passaic. "How much longer will
the governor and his party allow public confidence in
the integrity of our political system to be
shaken?"
"We are tired of lame excuses, endless delays
and broken promises," said O’Toole, R-Essex,
Passaic, and Bergen. "Democratic leaders in the
Assembly keep talking about coming up with a
pay-to-play bill. The time for talking is over.
Let’s act now on the bill I have introduced."
DeCroce and O’Toole made their comments on a day
when newspapers were filled with headlines about
federal agents searching the New Jersey State
Democratic Party headquarters for documents related to
an investigation into campaign contributions made by a
former fundraiser for Governor McGreevey.
In a separate matter unrelated to this federal
investigation, The Star Ledger reported this Monday
that a top Democrat ally of Governor McGreevey had
received a record $670,000 in fees acting as a
consultant helping to land bond work in New Jersey for
a Wall Street investment bank.
O’Toole is the sponsor of A-1660, a bill that
bans campaign contributions from individuals or groups
who have contracts with public entities at any level
of government. An identical bill was approved by the
Senate last year, but died in the General Assembly.
"The pay-to-play hits keep coming from this
administration and ultimately it is the taxpayers who
are getting clobbered," O’Toole said. "My
colleagues and I have tried just about every
procedural motion in the book to get the Democrats to
act on pay-to-play reform, and they have blocked every
attempt."
"If the Democrats are in the process of
producing their own version of a Pay-to-Play bill, I
would urge them not to draft anything that falls short
of what my bill would accomplish," O’Toole
said. "If they do so, it will be clear to the
taxpayers that the Democrats are ducking this
issue."
DeCroce joined Senate Republican Leader Leonard
Lance in calling on the Democrat leadership to act on
the pay-to-play issue.
DeCroce sent a letter to Assembly Speaker Albio
Sires urging him to post O’Toole’s bill for a vote
and warning that any Democrat proposal that falls
short of what the O’Toole bill would accomplish will
be viewed by Republicans as an attempt to avoid real
reform.
"The majority party is fond of having
‘themes’ for Assembly sessions. It’s time to
address the issues the people are most concerned
about," DeCroce said. "I call on the Speaker
to schedule sessions that focus on ethical reforms and
property taxes as soon as possible. Realistically,
until we end pay-to-play, property tax reform will be
that much more difficult to achieve."
DeCroce said that members of his caucus will be
introducing a number of ethics reform bills Thursday
that will expand public disclosure of state contracts,
strengthen the investigatory powers of the State
Commission of Investigation, strengthen the recently
passed nepotism ban, and apply the state conflict of
interest law to the Governor’s Office.
#####
March
3, 2004
MALONE
SAYS McGREEVEY SHOULD PLACE $1.5 BILLION IN BORROWING
ON BALLOT AND BAR SUCH DEBT IN THE FUTURE
Assembly Republican Budget Officer Joseph Malone
today called on Governor McGreevey to place his plan
to borrow $1.5 billion to balance this year’s budget
on the ballot for voter approval, and to also give
voters the opportunity to ban such fiscal maneuvers in
the future.
"If Governor McGreevey thinks that this
borrowing is absolutely necessary to balance the state
budget, he should be prepared to ask the voters for
their support," said Malone, R-Burlington, Ocean,
Monmouth and Mercer. "The Governor of California
proposed a similar borrowing plan, and then asked the
voters for their approval."
Malone was referring to California Governor Arnold
Schwarzenegger who used a borrowing plan to solve that
state’s fiscal crisis, but asked the voters for
approval. Voters in California approved that ballot
question as well as one that would prohibit such
borrowing in the future.
"This is not the first time that New Jersey
has borrowed without voter input, but we should take
this opportunity to put an end to the practice,"
Malone said. "I am suggesting this so that we can
rectify the sins of the present and past."
Malone proposed that McGreevey sell his $1.5
billion borrowing plan to the voters, and at the same
time, that the state pass a constitutional amendment
making it clear that ALL borrowing should go on the
ballot for voter approval.
"The ballot question on the proposed borrowing
should make clear it is a one-time only situation and
that in the future they will be able to vote on all
state borrowing," Malone said. "Borrowing to
balance the budget should not become a habit, but
giving the voters a voice in borrowing decisions
should."
####
March
3, 2004
CORODEMUS:
RUSHING MEDICAL MALPRACTICE BILL BY COMMITTEE IS A
DISSERVICE TO THE PUBLIC
Deputy Republican Leader Steve
Corodemus said today the Assembly Democrats are trying
to sidestep necessary public debate on medical
malpractice insurance legislation by rushing the
measure through three separate committees in one day.
"As legislators we need to be
responsive to the public and listen to their opinions
on important matters like the medical malpractice
insurance crisis that exists in our State," said
Corodemus, R-Monmouth. "It appears the Assembly
Democrats are rushing legislation through three
different committees in one day to avoid public
scrutiny."
Tomorrow, the Assembly Financial
Institutions and Insurance, Health and Human Services,
and Appropriations Committees are considering
legislation that attempts to reform New Jersey’s
medical malpractice insurance system.
"For two years now Democrat
leadership have stalled meaningful malpractice tort
reform and failed to address the rise in insurance
premiums," added Corodemus. "Sadly, now that
they are finally taking action, the Democrats are
taking a haphazard approach and pushing this very
important piece of legislation through committee
without the benefit of detailed analysis."
Considering the best interests of
the citizens of New Jersey, Deputy Republican Leader
Corodemus called on Assembly Democrats to provide
sufficient time to review the bill.
"I am uncomfortable voting on
a piece of legislation that I haven’t even
seen," Corodemus said. "I wish I was able to
comment on the merits of the bill but unfortunately a
copy hasn’t been made available."
I am certain though that a Band-Aid
approach to reform will not solve the health care
crisis that plagues our State," said Corodemus.
"In order for the measure to be effective it must
establish caps on non-economic damages.
"This issue has a profound
impact on the availability, quality, and cost of
health care," explained Corodemus. "It’s a
disservice to the people of New Jersey to ask three
committees to make an informed decision on a bill of
this magnitude sight unseen."
##### |
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