Guest Column
John E. Ekdahl
State needs a plan for succession
Only Argentina has had more presidents (five) than New Jersey had governors during a two week period last month. Absurd? Of course. A matter of concern? Apparently not among New Jersey legislators.
For nearly a year, New Jerseyans have endured an appointed governor that was forced to withdraw from a primary election for dubious legal practices. "Acting Gov." Donald T. DiFrancesco has arguably been the most powerful governor in all 50 states. He controlled both the legislative branch as president of the Senate and the executive branch as governor. So much for separation of powers, oversight and voter representation.
Without a lieutenant governor or some other statewide elected official, it is often possible to have the acting governor be of a different political stripe than the elected one. This can make out-of-state travel by the elected governor a dicey proposition during partisan legislative battles, as the acting governor could work at cross-purposes to the agenda. In the case of the Christine Whitman/DiFrancesco succession, at least both were Republicans, sparing the state a contentious one-year imbroglio.
Recently, Garden State residents have listened to one of the acting governors prattle on about engagement and dinner parties at Drumthwacket while actually moving into the governor’s mansion in Princeton for three-and-a-half days! There is talk of business cards and stationery being printed, presumably at taxpayer expense, even with a $1.5 billion budget deficit looming.
This should be serious business. There are currently more than 100 bills that await the signature, veto or most likely pocket veto of some New Jersey governor. It is high time a New Jersey legislator proposes a constitutional convention or legislative relief that would bring New Jersey in line with 48 of the 50 states and into the 21st century.
John E. Ekdahl is a resident of Rumson