Editorials Praise Christie's Move On Commissions

The state's newspapers are solidly behind New Jersey Governor Chris Christie's efforts to rein in the unbridled power of independent, quasi-governmental boards, commissions and authorities throughout the state.

Here's a sampling of excerpts from leading editorials:

The Star-Ledger, Legislative Democrats need to stop putting “their interests over ratepayer protection” and give the governor expanded power over independent boards and commissions: 

“State Senate Democrats don’t want to give Gov. Chris Christie the veto power he wants over independent boards and commissions that continue to waste millions of dollars on exorbitant salaries and perks, patronage, nepotism and fat legal and lobbying contracts for politically connected firms. Their reasoning? Christie is doing just fine. … In the meantime, unguarded taxpayer and ratepayer money continues to burn. The governor has veto power over several boards and commissions, but that authority does not extend to most of the state’s water and sewerage commissions. And the Senate Democrats, in the majority, won’t give it. It’s petty politics, really. … Democrats are putting politics ahead of accountability, their interests over ratepayer protection. That’s wrong. Christie recently sent recommendations to the Legislature seeking more authority than he originally desired. …the governor should be given that power.” (“By denying Gov, Democrats are party to waste and corruption,” Star-Ledger Editorial Board, 4/3/2011)

The Courier-Post, “We implore the Legislature to take up Christie's proposals and make them law”: 

“It's time for the state's authorities to be held accountable to the citizens who foot the bill. New Jersey's independent authorities and commissions have become everyone's punching bag these days -- and for good reason. … Guess who wants to slam on the brakes? No surprise, that would be Gov. Chris Christie. Christie has proposed legislation that would hand the Governor's Office -- himself -- veto power over more than two dozen independent authorities and commissions. … the best part of Christie's proposal is that regional authorities across the state would be subjected to audits by the state comptroller. Members of the authorities' governing boards would be subject to State Ethics Commission oversight -- meaning they would have to file annual financial disclosure reports, just as legislators do. And the governor would be able to remove board members for cause. We're fully on board with what the governor is proposing. … We implore the Legislature to take up Christie's proposals and make them law.” (Editorial, “Added oversight needed for boards,” Courier-Post, 4/4/2011)

The Press of Atlantic City, “[Christie’s] right on target here, and the Legislature should enact this legislation”: “Here's something that the Democratic state Legislature should be able to agree with Republican Gov. Chris Christie on - and quickly: Expanding the governor's veto authority over New Jersey's so-called "shadow government" - the authorities, boards and commissions that spend untold sums of public money, often well out of sight of the general public. New Jersey's governor already has wide-ranging veto power over the minutes of many such groups, and Christie has exercised that veto 21 times so far. … But some of these authorities, board and commissions - including the notorious Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission - are not currently subject to a governor's veto. Hence, the "Shadow Government Reform Legislation" that the Governor's Office proposed last week. … he's right on target here, and the Legislature should enact this legislation. …New Jersey's independent authorities should have been reined in long ago. They haven't been because both political parties find them to be quite useful - they provide jobs and contracts to political supporters. But this fleecing of the public must end - and this legislation will eliminate much of it.” (Editorial, “N.J.'s shadow government / A worthy target,” Press of Atlantic City, 4/4/2011)