GOP senators obtained additional funds for N.B.
Sinagra, DiFrancesco provided $350K
to make up for shortfall
By alison Granito
Staff Writer
NORTH BRUNSWICK — When the 2000-2001 municipal budget was adopted earlier this month, the township was on the receiving end of a grant from state legislators in Trenton.
State Sens. Jack Sinagra (R-18) and Donald T. DiFrancesco (R-22), who were honored by the Republican mayor and all-Republican Township Council in September, worked to obtain additional state funds on behalf of the township, said Township Administrator Robert Lombard.
The township had anticipated $750,000 in extraordinary state aid in next year’s budget to offset the tax levy, but only received $250,000.
According to Lombard, Sinagra and DiFrancesco made a commitment to seek additional funds from the governor’s office on behalf of the township when the extraordinary aid came up shorter than expected.
The additional funds came in the form of a $350,000 legislator grant, which is released through the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) at the request of the legislator upon approval of the governor.
A legislator grant allows a representative to identify municipal needs in his or her particular district and provide direct funding to meet those needs, DCA spokesman E.J. Miranda said Tuesday.
According to Miranda, it is up to the legislators which municipalities receive the grants and in what amounts.
"The Department of Community Affairs does not choose who gets these grants or how much is given," he said.
According to Miranda, the grant money is released once a town approves its budget.
Information was not immediately available about other towns which have received legislative grants.
Miranda said that legislator grants are typically awarded to be used for a specific purpose, but that funds my occasionally be granted on a discretionary basis, as was the case with North Brunswick.
North Brunswick is located in District 18, which is represented by Sinagra. DiFrancesco represents District 22, which includes parts of Union, Somerset, Morris and Middlesex counties.
DiFrancesco, the current Senate president, is expected to seek the Republican nomination for governor next year.