Assemblywoman Amy Handlin

HANDLIN: ANOTHER CALL FOR STRONGER ETHICS LAWS
BY AN ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL
ASSISTANT DOE COMMISSIONER WELCOMES BAN
ON PAY-TO-PLAY AND NEPOTISMJuly 19, 2006

Assemblywoman Amy Handlin/732-787-1170
Assembly Republican Office/609-292-5339

Assemblywoman Amy Handlin today praised a high-ranking official in the Department of Education (DOE) for recognizing the need to ban nepotism and pay-to-play in the School Construction Corporation (SCC).

During today's meeting of the Joint Committee on Public Schools, Assistant Commissioner of the Department of Education Gordon MacInnes stated that while he was unaware of any restrictions on the pay-to-play and nepotism with regard to the SCC, he welcomed the adoption of such ethics provisions.

"We now have an administration official that recognizes the need to strictly ban nepotism and pay-to-play in the SCC," said Handlin, R-Monmouth and Middlesex. "My hope is that the Legislature will take this recommendation and, in a bi-partisan fashion, will work towards enacting these meaningful ethics reforms. Now that everyone is aboard, this is the perfect time to act."

In recent years, the School Construction Corporation has been severely criticized for cost overruns and charges of corruption. In the spring of 2005, administration officials issued a 15-page report that found that the SCC is "vulnerable to mismanagement, fiscal malfeasance, conflicts of interest and waste, fraud and abuse of taxpayer dollars." The investigation concluded that the SCC had even selected environmentally contaminated building sites.

"For far too long, this program has been suspected of being misused to rewarded politically connected individuals with desirable construction contracts," Handlin declared. "The SCC can only truly be reformed when all the existing loopholes are eliminated."

Handlin noted that MacInnes is the second administration official to concede that there is a need to enact a ban on nepotism and stronger pay-to-play provisions. During spring hearings on eminent domain, Public Advocate Ronald Chen stated, "pay-to-play reform is essential to eliminate even the appearance of impropriety."

"The very candid testimony of these administration officials further highlights the need to unequivocally ban pay-to-play and nepotism," said Handlin. "I encourage both Assistant Commissioner MacInnes and Public Advocate Chen to give me their suggestions as I work to draft comprehensive legislation that would address these very serious concerns."

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