Report cards are in on state legislators

Published in the September 1, 2005 issue of The Courier.

Report cards are in on state legislators

By JACKIE CORLEY

How big of an advocate is your legislator for you?

The New Jersey Public Interest Research Group (NJPIRG) released its election-year scorecard on New Jersey legislators on Tuesday.

NJPIRG is a state advocacy organization that lobbies on behalf of public interest issues such as the environment, consumer rights and campaign finance reform, among others.

According to NJPIRG’s website, the 2005 scorecard rated senators on 12 votes and members of the assembly on 13 specific votes or stated positions relating to public interest issues.

In the 11th District, Assemblymen Steve Corodemus and Sean T. Kean, both R-Monmouth, received a rating of 76.9 percent. Corodemus lost points with NJPIRG for voting against the Clean Elections Pilot Program, the Energy Efficiency Act, and reestablishment of the Office of the Public Advocate. Kean lost points for voting against the Clean Elections Pilot Program and the reestablishment of the Office of the Public Advocate, as well as for voting in favor of the Developer’s Fast Track Law. Notably, Corodemus and Kean introduced an alternate Clean Elections Pilot Program bill correcting perceived inadequacies in the legislation that was eventually passed.

State Sen. Joseph Palaia, R-Monmouth, received a score of 66.7 percent. The 11th District senator lost points with NJPIRG for voting against the Clean Elections Pilot Program and the reestablishment of the Office of the Public Advocate, and for voting in favor of the Developer’s Fast Track Law. Palaia was absent for three of the votes marked on the NJPIRG scored.

In the 12th District, Assemblymen Robert Morgan and Michael Panter, D-Monmouth, received perfect scores under NJPIRG’s checklist. State Sen. Ellen Karcher, D-Monmouth, received a score of 90.9 percent from the organization. Karcher lost points with the group for not supporting NJPIRG’s designated public interest position to bring to the senate floor a pay-to-play vote enabling local governments to keep statutes stronger than the state’s pay-to-play regulations.

In the 13th District, Assemblyman Joseph Azzolina received a score of 76.9 percent from NJPIRG, and Assemblyman Samuel Thompson received a score of 61.5 percent. Azzolina lost points with the group for voting against the Clean Elections Pilot Program, and the reestablishment of the Office of the Public Advocate and the NJ Clean Cars Act requiring carmakers to sell a portion of cars that use advanced pollution technology. Thompson lost points for voting against the NJ Clean Cars Act, the Clean Elections Pilot Program and the reestablishment of the Office of the Public Advocate; for supporting the Developer’s Fast Track Law; and for not co-sponsoring Fast Track Repeal Law legislation.

State Sen. Joe Kyrillos, R-Monmouth, received a score of 58.3 percent from NJPIRG. Kyrillos lost points with the organization for voting against the Clean Elections Pilot Program, the Energy Efficiency Act and the reestablishment of the Office of the Public Advocate; for supporting the Developer’s Fast Track Law; and for not co-sponsoring the Fast Track Repeal Law.

Abigail Caplovitz, legislative advocate for NJPIRG, said that the organization was pleased with the overall scores of the state legislature. She noted that a third of the members of the state’s governing body received a score of over 90 percent, which they counted as an “A.” Legislators who scored under 60 percent were noted by the organization as having particularly low scores on public interest issues, Caplovitz said.

“This scorecard shows that NJ in general has a large number of legislators acting in the public interest,” Caplovitz said.

Visit http://www.njpirg.org for more information on the organization.

SIDEBAR:

Courtesy NJPIRG, the organization’s explanation of the
votes it scored. Visit www.njpirg.org for more information.

S2351: NJ Clean Cars Act: Would clean up smog and cancer causing air pollution by requiring carmakers to sell a small portion of cars that use advanced pollution control technology. The pollution reduction is equal to taking 2 million cars off New Jersey’s roads. Voted January 12, 2004: S2351 (A3393)

S1: Highlands Water Planning and Preservation Act: Preserves 400,000 acres in the State’s northern region, which holds almost half our water resources. Limits development of another 400,000 acres in a surrounding region. Voted June 10, 2004: S1 (A2635)

A1: Clean Elections: Establishes a pilot project to test the efficacy of public financed elections in New Jersey. The pilot will include two districts in 2005 and four in 2007. Voted June 10, 2004: A1 (S3)

S1368: Developer’s Fast Track Law: This law requires New Jersey’s Department of Environmental Protection to evaluate and decide on permit applications within 45 days. If the DEP does not deny the permit in that time, the permit automatically issues. This short review timeframe means that complex projects will not receive the kind of thoughtful review necessary, risking “rubber-stamp” permits. Equally bad, this timeframe makes meaningful public participation in the review process nearly impossible. Scheduling, publicizing, holding and responding to a public hearing can take 45 days, notwithstanding all of the other pieces of evaluating a permit. Voted June 17, 2004: S1368 (A3008)

S2157 / A3650: Co-Sponsors Fast Track Repeal Law: Unlike the other components of the score, this one is not a vote because this bill did not come up for vote. Instead, we’re tracking the legislators who have indicated support for repealing the developer’s fast track law by sponsoring the repeal legislation. (S2157 / A3650)

A516: Energy Efficiency Act: Reduces energy use in the state by about 1% by setting minimum energy efficiency standards on eight common household and commercial electronics such as exit signs, standing lamps, commercial washers and more. Voted January 24, 2005: A516 (S332)

A1500: Pay to Play I: Then-Governor McGreevy issued an executive order banning pay to play at the county and state level. The legislature then codified this executive order by passing A1500. Codifying this legislation took two votes; the original version of A1500 was not clearly constitutional, so Acting Governor Codey conditionally vetoed it, and then the Legislature passed it including Codey’s conditions. Votes in favor of passage in both situations were counted as the public interest position in this situation. A1500 (S2052)

A3013: Pay to Play II (Assembly Version): The statewide pay to play standards, when they take effect, will invalidate all existing local pay to play standards. They will also prevent localities from passing stronger standards even if they previously had stronger standards. This “enabling” bill would remedy this problem, and allow localities to protect their stronger standards. Voted November 15, 2004: A3013

S1698/A3013: Pay to Play II (Senate Version): The statewide pay to play standards, when they take effect, will invalidate all existing local pay to play standards, and prevent localities from passing stronger standards even if they previously had stronger standards. This “enabling” bill would remedy this problem, and allow localities to protect their stronger standards. The bill was not moving in the Senate. Supporters used an unusual parliamentary move to try to force the Senate to act. The Senate responded by voting to prevent the bill from being voted upon, ensuring that it would continue not to move without forcing Senators to vote against it. Vote to table: June 27, 2005: S1698/A3013

A1424: Public Advocate: Reestablishes the Office of Public Advocate which assists state residents with problems and concerns and acts to remedy problems on their behalf. Voted June 23, 2005: A1424 (S541)

A4001: Identity Theft Prevention: Provides comprehensive identity theft protection. Voted June 23, 2005: A4001 (S1914)

SCR113: Reduce Diesel Air Pollution: Gives $160 million to clean the buses and trucks as mandated by A3182. Voters must ratify this funding by passing a ballot issue in 2005. Voted June 20, 2005: SCR113 (ACR228).

A3182: Reduce Diesel Air Pollution: Cleans up 30,000 school buses, commuter and transit buses and publicly owned trucks. Voted June 27, 2005: A3182 (S1759).

A1077: Anti-SLAPP Suit: Protects citizen activists who speak out against corporations, developers or any other powerful entity that would hope to intimidate them for speaking out. SLAPP suits, or Strategic Litigation against Public Participation, are not uncommon in NJ. This legislation was not acted upon by the Senate. We will be working to pass it this session. Voted July 2, 2005: A1077