BRAMNICK SAYS UMDNJ MONITORS SHOULD AUDIT PRESCHOOL AND SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION FUNDS

Calls on Corzine to Retain Herb Stern's Forensic SWAT Team When Its Mission for U.S. Attorney is Complete
April 12, 2006
Assemblyman Jon Bramnick/908-232-3673

BRAMNICK SAYS UMDNJ MONITORS SHOULD AUDIT PRESCHOOL AND SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION FUNDS

Calls on Corzine to Retain Herb Stern's Forensic SWAT Team When Its Mission for U.S. Attorney is Complete

Assemblyman Jon Bramnick today urged Governor Jon Corzine to do "whatever it takes" to keep former federal judge Herbert Stern's investigative team intact when its monitoring mission on behalf of U.S. Attorney Chris Christie at the University of Medicine and Dentistry is completed.

Stern, himself a former U.S. Attorney, was appointed by Christie to monitor the finances of UMDNJ in the wake of disclosures the medical school engaged in Medicaid fraud, double billing, blatant political patronage and fiscal irregularities involving millions of dollars.

"The audits undertaken by Herb Stern's team are documenting the extraordinary amount of waste, spoils and possible fraud that has cost taxpayers millions of dollars and sullied the reputation of what was once a prestigious medical school," said Bramnick, R-Essex, Morris, Somerset and Union. "We need to focus that type of spotlight on other state programs that appear to be wasting taxpayer dollars so we can prevent any further waste in those programs."

Bramnick is the sponsor of a bill, A-2332, that would require the Office of the State Auditor, at the request of a member of the Legislature, to conduct an unannounced performance audit of any program of a state or state-supported agency. However, he said that appointing Stern's team to audit these agencies would be quicker than waiting for legislative action.

"I hope that appointing Stern's team to look into the state Department of Education and the School Construction Corporation will restore the public's confidence that this state can manage their tax dollars wisely," Bramnick said. "These audits could be conducted as these programs go forward to make sure no more tax dollars are wasted or misspent."

There are serious questions about the management of the state's $8.6 billion school construction program that need to be resolved. Even as investigations into that mismanagement continue, a newspaper story this week highlighted the findings of an audit of state funded preschools that uncovered millions of dollars in waste and abuse of taxpayer dollars.

"In the short time Stern's forensic SWAT team has been at work, it has produced positive results," said Bramnick, a member of the Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee. "I am confident it would have the same results if the governor gives it permission to get to the bottom of the questions surrounding the state's school construction and pre-school education programs."

Bramnick said there needs to be an individual with a successful track record of combating corruption who can look into these programs and that Herbert Stern is that person.

"The public is understandably suspicious about what has been going on with the taxpayer dollars used to fund these programs," the Assemblyman said. "I believe that having someone with the reputation and integrity of Herbert Stern look into these matters will restore the credibility of these programs."

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