On May 21st, the Middletown Township Committee introduced Ordinance 2012-3060, which loosens the Township’s pay-to-play rules and reinstates the weaker state regulations that were in place prior to January 1, 2008. A public hearing on the Ordinance is scheduled for June 18 at 8 p.m.
The Township’s move follows the footsteps of the Monmouth County Freeholders, who voted unanimously on January 26th to adopt the state’s “fair and open” process in place of stronger pay-to-play rules that were put in place in the county after 2008 Operation Bid Rig.
The Township Ordinance, if adopted, opens the door to rewarding politically connected persons and businesses with municipal contracts, weakens competition, and may have the direct effect of increasing property taxes in line with higher contract costs.
New Jersey State Comptroller Matthew Boxer released a 20-page report in September 2011 entitled “Weaknesses in the Pay-to-Play Law’s “Fair and Open” Contracting System”. It states, “Qualifying for the fair-and-open exception returns the local government entity to the traditional, unregulated system of contracting.” “In effect, no-bid contracts may be awarded to favored local vendors much as they had been prior to the passage of the pay-to-play law, and without regard to issues such as vendor cost.”
Further, in order to receive certain categories of state aid, a municipality is required to have a strong pay-to-play ordinance in place. The state Department of Community Affairs recommends a model pay-to-play ordinance that is similar to the one currently in effect in Middletown.
”The main problem with “fair and open” is that it’s so easy to qualify, that it pretty much allows for business as usual,” said Heather Taylor, Communications Director for public advocacy organization The Citizens Campaign. She said, ”When we are reading in the paper that stealth PACs are springing up in Middlesex County and other places, now is not the time to be relaxing the rules, but rather the time to make sure we have the strongest laws possible.”
Linda Baum
Friday, June 15, 2012
Letter: Middletown Township Committee Moves to Abandon Strong Pay-to-Play Rules
This letter to the editor was written by Linda Baum, Candidate for Middletown Township Committee. It appears online at the Atlantic Highlands Herald:
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4 comments:
Maybe some more info is neccesary on some democratic towns pay to play laws, instead of just attacking the county and middletown. How does Asbury Park, Neptune, and Belmar's look in comparison? It's easy to attack Middletown cause it's home, but how can one cry foul if other democratic towns follow the same state laws??? Seems amiss to me!
Read today's opinion in the Star Ledger about the CC appointment to the bench of the former GOP chairman in Monmouth County. Interesting reading and sure deserves investigation .
Time will tell about pushing the envelope with the "good ole guy" practices of our politicians regardless of party affiliation.
About time for squeaky clean and stop the nonsense on both sides of the aisle,no matter who you are.
Anon 4:11 PM,
The issue is not about Democratic elected officials, nor is it about Republican elected officials. The issue is not about comparing towns to see which towns are 'better' at controlling pay-to-play and corruption. It is about have strong laws and ordinances at all levels of government to control and prevent corruption and to protect all the people from corrupt practices. The issue here is that Middlwetown is about to do away with a strong pay-to-play ordinance because they want to align the Township with weaker state law.
Middletown always compromises integrity and operates on the fringes of right or wrong. That is wrong no matter how you cut it.
Been a long time since the citizens in this town could trust the characters who attempt to govern here.
Pay to play is about patronage regardless of what party engages in it....at the local,at the county,the state or the federal level. It's a reflection on the character,honesty and integrity of elected officials....all of them.
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