Pay-to-play ordinance question on local ballot.
By: Lea Kahn
Township voters will cast a ballot for the president
of the United States, as well as a congressman for the 12th Congressional
District and a Mercer County freeholder, when they go to the polls
Tuesday.
Two public questions one that asks Lawrence
Township voters if they want a new pay-to-play ordinance, and one that asks
all voters if they want to hike the Mercer County open space tax by 1 cent
also are on the ballot.
The voting booths in Lawrence Township’s 21 voting
districts will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
At the top of the ballot is the race for president of
the United States. Incumbent President George Bush and Vice President Dick
Cheney are running on the Republican Party ticket. The Democratic Party
standard-bearers are Sen. John Kerry and Sen. John Edwards.
Also vying for the top political office are Walter
Brown and Mary Alice Herbert of the Socialist Party USA, David Cobb and
Patricia LaMarche of the Green Party, and Michael A. Peroutka and Chuck
Baldwin of the Constitution Party.
Bill Van Auken and Jim Lawrence are running on the
Socialist Equality Party ticket, and Michael Badnarik and Richard Campagna
are on the Libertarian Party ticket. The Social Workers Party candidates are
Roger Calero and Arrin Hawkins.
Ralph Nader and Peter Miguel Camejo are running as
Independents.
The president’s term is for four years.
Democratic incumbent Rep. Rush Holt is being
challenged by Republican candidate Bill Spadea, Ken Chazotte of the
Libertarian Party and Daryl M. Brooks of the Green Party to represent the
12th Congressional District.
The term is for two years.
Incumbent Freeholders Anthony P. Carabelli and Keith
V. Hamilton, both Democrats, are seeking re-election to the Mercer County
Board of Chosen Freeholders. They are being challenged by Republican Party
candidates Joseph A. DiCara and Joseph D’Angelo.
The term is for three years.
On the public questions, township voters will decide
if they want to replace Lawrence Township’s existing pay-to-play ordinance,
adopted by Township Council earlier this year, with another one that is
being championed by a citizens’ group that is made up of township
residents.
Pay-to-play is the term used to describe contributions
to political campaigns and political organizations by professionals
such as architects, attorneys, engineers and planners to gain no-bid
contracts from governing bodies. Professional service contracts are not
subject to public bidding law, which requires competitive bids for goods and
services.
The township’s existing pay-to-
play ordinance allows contributions to be calculated on a "net value" basis.
If tickets to a fund-raiser cost $100, but it costs $60 to produce it, the
net value of the contribution is $40.
Township Council’s ordinance allows contributors to
give up to $400 "net value" to each candidate for Township Council and up to
$800 "net value" to each township political committee or club. It does not
set a limit on contributions to the Mercer County political committees.
While the proposed ordinance keeps intact the $400
maximum that can be contributed to each political candidate, it reduces to
$500 the amount that can be given to each Lawrence Township or Mercer County
party committee or club. It also sets a $2,500 limit combined
on donations to political candidates, township and county parties and
political action committees.
The proposed ordinance does not contain a "net value"
calculation. It would include the entire cost of the ticket as a campaign
contribution not the amount left over after an event’s costs are
paid.
The countywide public question asks voters to approve
a 1-cent increase in the Mercer County Open Space, Recreation, Farmland and
Historic Preservation Trust Fund tax from 2 cents per $100 of
assessed value to 3 cents.
The 1-cent increase would raise an additional $3.1
million per year for a total of $9.3 million. The money is used to
acquire land for open space, conservation and farmland preservation, and to
provide active and recreational improvements to county parks.