Voters keep short leash on local officials.
Local officials have probably been noticing more averted eyes and icy glares after the latest roundup of corrupt public officials in the state.
After U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie announced charges against 11 officials, perhaps residents aren’t being too cynical for believing few trustworthy officials are left east of the Delaware River.
Mr. Christie’s announcement came shortly after Gov. Jon Corzine, embroiled in his own controversy, was signing legislation to clean up the state government legislation that was guided in some measure by one of the politicians charged by Mr. Christie, Assemblyman Mims Hackett Jr., the chairman of the State Government Committee from Passaic County.
We just don’t have enough space to detail all of the other recent corruption charges that have been made around the state in recent memory let’s just say it’s been a lot.
While those charged will have their day in court, a verdict has already been rendered by the public, a verdict which we would like to say will discourage other politicians from becoming corrupt.
But we doubt it will officials become corrupt when they feel safe in their seats, a side benefit to this state’s incredible political segregation. Some analysts are predicting the indictments which are primarily against Democratic officials as helping Republicans in the fall elections, but we also have our doubts about that. Voters will likely blame the individuals charged and continue to vote their party line.
At least, that’s what we’ve done before.
So when council and committee members, mayors, freeholders and state representatives protest their innocence, too many are quick to dismiss it. Many live in the belief their local government will not respond to their needs, that officials are more concerned with their pension accounts and expense reports.
But we’ve been watchers of local officials for a long time and have never understood this attitude. While some local officials have been caught with their hands in the cookie jars, we don’t believe and have never heard any evidence to the contrary that corruption has permeated local governments.
There is one facet of our local government that helps limit temptations for the crooked: voters here keep a short leash on school and municipal spending. In fact, we’re among the lowest spending areas in New Jersey.
While that’s no guarantee of honesty in government, we say it serves us well and tends to limit the appeal of public service beyond those whose first concern really is the community.
Of course, many residents see corruption in starker terms than most politicians, and one person’s gift is another’s grift. The recent disclosures of the contracts and benefits given to some Somerset County Park Commission employees is an example of this it may not be illegal, but residents are not willing to accept overly-generous perks for government employees.
Despite the problems at the park commission, residents need to know it’s unlikely Mr. Christie will be seen in Hillsborough with a team of manacled officials behind him.