political contributions
has mixed support
‘Pay to play’ law
may come to vote
Ordinance limiting
political contributions
has mixed support
By sue m. morgan
Staff Writer
OLD BRIDGE — An ordinance that would cap the amounts that professionals would be permitted to contribute to local political campaigns is expected to come up for a discussion and possible adoption Monday night.
"Pay to play," the colloquial term for the practice of contributing to political campaigns in the hope of receiving lucrative contracts in return, has come under scrutiny by various officials throughout the state and has been debated in newspapers and on talk radio.
If the proposed ordinance is approved by the Democrat-controlled Township Council, campaign contributions by any outside contractor would be limited to $400 for each mayoral or council candidate and to a maximum of $500 for municipal and county committee elections.
Ward 6 Councilwoman Lucille Panos first proposed the public contract reform ordinance at a Jan. 27 meeting as a means of addressing voter concerns that the township’s professional contracts are awarded only to businesses who have contributed large sums of money to political campaigns.
Taking action to cap the amounts that contractors can legally contribute to the campaign of a candidate from either political party might help to eliminate that public perception, Panos, a Republican, has said.
A guest speaker from the Metuchen-based citizen advocacy group Common Cause is expected to address the council on the legal implications of the ordinance prior to the vote.
Although the ordinance squeaked by with a 5-4 vote during its first reading March 24, a few council members have expressed doubt that, even if approved, it could actually be enforced.
Panos and her fellow Republican, Ward 5 Councilman Richard Greene, voted in favor of the ordinance along with Council President Reggie Butler, Councilman Dennis Maher, and Ward 4 Councilman G. Kevin Calogera, who are all Democrats.
Both Maher and Butler had previously suggested inviting Common Cause in to answer any questions from the other council members.
Calogera has publicly stated his support by saying that it would level the playing field for those candidates who do not receive sizable political contributions.
However, Council Vice President Lawrence Redmond, Ward 1 Councilman Joseph G. Hoff, Ward 2 Councilman William A. Baker and Councilman Edward Testino, who are also Democrats, cast dissenting votes against the measure.
Such an ordinance might look good on the books, but would be hard to enforce, Testino said prior to voting.
"[The ordinance] sounds great, but in all practicality, I see it as a political offensive, so I can’t support it," Testino said.