For Immediate Release: Contact: Michael Drewniak

Date: Friday, July 30, 2010 609-777-2600

Directs Government To Do More With Less Rather Than Raise Costs On New Jersey Families

Trenton, NJ – Stressing the need for increased efficiency in delivering services rather than continually raising costs on New Jersey families, Governor Chris Christie today vetoed A-2921.  The bill would have eliminated the August 1, 2010 sunset provision under a 2007 law that provides funds for the New Jersey Electronic Death Registration System (EDRS). The bill would have allowed the State registrar to charge an enhanced $15 fee on a permanent basis for each human burial, removal, or transit permit issued, rather than reverting back to $5 as current law provides.

“The economic crisis affects every citizen of the State.  I reject the mindset that renewing, prolonging, or extending temporary fees is the way to solve our problems,” said Governor Christie. “Although I fully support the maintenance of the EDRS, I will not sign this bill into law. It is not fair to make the citizens of New Jersey continue to pay increased fees for the burial of their loved ones.”

The Governor added that the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) has sufficient resources to maintain the EDRS without further burdening citizens with an enhanced fee.

“State government must live within its means,” the Governor continued.  “We must increase efficiency, and find ways to deliver essential services without raising costs.  By declining to sign Assembly Bill No. 2921, I am affirming my Administration’s commitment to these principles.”

The New Jersey Electronic Death Registration Support  Fund was created in 2004 to meet the developmental and operational costs of the New Jersey EDRS and to reimburse local registrars involved in the process. In 2007, the Legislature passed a law increasing the fee from $5 to $15 until August 1, 2010, at which time it will revert back to $5.

A copy of the Governor’s veto is attached.

PDF Version of the Governo’s veto [pdf 49kB]

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via Office of the Governor | Newsroom.

http://www.courierpostonline.com/article/20100805/OPINION/8050307/1046/opinion03/City-with-outrageous-pay-offers-a-lesson

August 5, 2010

City with outrageous pay offers a lesson

When citizens are in the dark, those in government will exploit opportunities to steal.

Bell, Calif., was just another anonymous American suburb until late last month, when the Los Angeles Times broke the lid on a government scandal that’s made news across the globe.

What happened in Bell, a working-class community of about 40,000 southeast of downtown Los Angeles, offers a lesson in how important it is for people in every community to keep watch over their government. Otherwise, a few unscrupulous politicians can easily rip off taxpayers.

In Bell, the Times revealed shocking salaries late last month for the city’s elected and appointed leaders. Four of the five part-time city council members were making about $97,000 a year.

The city manager was getting $787,000 a year — nearly twice the salary of President Barack Obama. His salary was $72,000 when he started the job in 1993.

The assistant city manager was earning $376,000 a year. And the police chief was earning $457,000.

All three of these administrators have resigned in the wake of the Times reports and the public fury that erupted. The mayor, who at first tried to defend the high salaries, has since given up his pay and pledged not to run for re-election.

In California, state law didn’t require the city to make its elected officials’ and administrators’ salaries public information.

Luckily, that’s not the case in New Jersey. The salary of every public employee that your tax dollars pay for at the state, county and local level is public. Our newspaper and the other Gannett New Jersey newspapers help readers access that information through our website.

Just go to:

www.courierpostonline.com/datauniverse

and to access several databases of salary and pension information for all public employees in New Jersey.

But just having access to the information isn’t all it takes to prevent the public from getting robbed. There must be watchdogs over government. We, as the newspaper of record here in Camden, Burlington and Gloucester counties, are certainly among the watchdogs helping citizens know what their elected officials are up to. But there must be citizen watchdogs in each community, as well.

Of course, when the people spending the money are appointed and not elected like, say, the Delaware River Port Authority commissioners, it becomes a little harder for the public to directly hold those guilty of mismanaging the money accountable. But perhaps that’s one reason why New Jerseyans finally elected a governor who has shown a willingness to shake things up and institute reforms at cash-cow, patronage-pit agencies like the DRPA.

People watching over their government is the first and best line of defense against something like what went on in Bell happening here. We encourage South Jerseyans in every town to take the time to ask questions, learn the facts and pay attention to what your local elected officials are doing with your money.