to discuss, learn about legislators
Forums allow citizens
to discuss, learn about legislators’ proposals
BY LAYLI WHYTE
Staff Writer
As an audience member at a recent forum on government ethics put it, having the state legislature make the rules that control how it hands out contracts and spends tax revenue is a bit like having the fox install the hen house security system.
It’s not unreasonable to expect they might leave a window or two without an alarm.
State assemblymen Michael Panter and Robert Morgan, M.D. (both D-12), who sponsored the forum, said that despite the inherent conflict, its an effort that needs to be made.
Panter and Morgan are advocating several different types of reform, all directed at restoring the faith New Jersey citizens may have lost in their government.
As Carl Calendar, the moderator for the event, said, "This is the top issue, not just in Monmouth County, but all of New Jersey."
The assemblymen are holding the forums as a way to hear from the public on ethics issues and their recent ethics reform proposals, as well as the Assembly Democratic majority’s comprehensive 25-point ethics reform package, known as "Restoring the Public’s Trust."
The assemblymen unveiled their comprehensive "good government" reform package during their first hundred days in office. The reform package consists of ten ethics reform proposals that would call for banning no-bid contracts at all levels of government and improving monitoring of the Open Public Meetings Act.
Among the proposed policies are acts that prohibit any member of the legislature from holding other elected public offices, certain relatives of employees in the executive branch from being employed in certain positions, and prohibiting state elected officials from lobbying activities for two years after leaving office.
The policy that is most directly linked to the much discussed "pay-to-play" reform is the requirement of legislators, the governor and department heads to file statements of financial affairs annually with the Joint Legislative Committee on Ethical Standards or Executive Commission on Ethical Standards.
Out of all the reform issues, Morgan said, "It is the pay-to-play issue that is the most contentious."
Reform of the pay-to-play policy would mean the end of contracts being awarded to businesses who donate money to political campaigns or specific parties. This is hoped to, in effect, give peace of mind to New Jersey citizens that their tax dollars are being spent only on the best quality, or least expensive contracts.
Giving the public peace of mind is what these assemblymen said they are trying to achieve by hosting these public forums.
Panter said he and his colleague want to "foster an open dialogue" between them and the public with "intensive constituent outreach."
The sentiments of the importance of this kind of face to face discussion between the voting public and representatives in Trenton was echoed by the audience at the forum.
"I just want to acknowledge and thank you for putting together meetings on ethics reform," said Robert Kelly, Oceanport. Every audience member who spoke prefaced their question or comment with a "thank you" to the assemblymen.
The issues of discussion ranged from the fact that New Jersey has one of the highest property tax rates in the nation, to questions about what citizens can do to support the assemblymen in their fight for "good government."
Both assemblymen acknowledged that pay-to-play affects the property taxes in the state in general and Monmouth County specifically, and hope that reform in this area will curb what seems to be an ever-rising cost.
As far as individual citizens doing their part, Panter and Morgan encouraged concerned members of the public to write letters to local newspapers and to other state, even local and federal, representatives expressing the need for ethics reform.
"That carries one hundred times the weight of one of us elected officials saying the same thing," Panter said.
"We’ve spoken to several thousand residents during our first hundred days in office and this is a continuation of our efforts to ensure that everyone has a voice in their government," Panter stated in a press release.
"These meetings," Morgan stated in the release, "allow us to update those who gave us their trust and support in November’s election, and to seek their input on the road ahead. State government represents all of the citizen’s of New Jersey. Their views, not those of the most politically connected, should guide our decisions."
Panter closed the forum by saying, "I hope you take this as an invitation to keep an open line of communication."
Another Citizens’ Ethics Forum is being scheduled for the third week of June at Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School.