Princeton Democratic organization pushes pay-to-play regulations

An effort to persuade Borough Council and Township Committee to introduce ordinances

By: Courtney Gross
   A year after the state enacted its own sweeping "pay to play" regulations, the Princeton Community Democratic Organization is attempting to persuade both the Borough Council and the Township Committee to take the measure one step further.
   Against a backdrop of government scandal throughout the state, members from the Democratic organization appeared before both governing bodies with drafts of ordinances this week. They urged elected officials to adopt the ordinances regulating municipal dealings with those making political contributions to elected officials and related matters.
   "In a way this is preventative medicine," former borough mayor and member of the PCDO Government Ethics Committee Marvin Reed said. "This comes at a time when we least need it, but it needs to be aired in Princeton."
   Although the scandal gripping the state has acted as a catalyst for reform, Mr. Reed, and other members of the PCDO that appeared before the governing bodies this week, said Princeton should be encouraged to adopt more stringent regulations that create a more thorough reporting system.
   And unlike other areas of the state, it is a political organization that is introducing and lobbying for the reform here in Princeton, Mr. Reed pointed out.
   The state regulation bans awarding any professional service agreements of more than $17,500 by any governmental entity if the service provider contributed to any officials’ campaign fund within the last year who could influence or reward the contract. In the PCDO’s proposal, that restriction would include any banking or insurance contracts as well.
   The state’s statute also requires an affidavit be filed with the municipal clerk as proof that contributions were not made to any public official. The PCDO ordinance would require any company vying for a professional service agreement to submit a "campaign disclosure statement" listing amounts, dates and recipients for any campaign contributions it made.
   That disclosure statement would also apply to professionals providing testimony, owners of property or developers seeking variance relief from the Zoning Boards of Adjustment for the borough and the township as well as the Regional Planning Board of Princeton.
   On Monday, Township Committee members passed along the drafted ordinances to its township attorney, and said they intend to introduce the ordinances next month.
   "Now is the time you feel like you don’t need an ordinance like this," Committeeman Chad Goerner said. "But I feel like it’s a crucial piece of the framework. I would welcome this ordinance."
   In the borough, Mayor Mildred Trotman said the ordinances would be put on the Borough Council’s agenda at a later date.
   In addition to a $300 limit on campaign contributions, the ordinance proposed by the PCDO would place a cap of $2,500 on any group of principals for a "professional business entity." The contributions and cap also applies to in-kind contributions, beyond the funding pledges regulated by the state.
   The proposal would also apply to contributions to any political action committee that might support a candidate, as opposed to candidate or joint candidate committees that are regulated by the state.