GOP Ready To Sue Corzine Over Toll Roads Monetization Report (NJ)

The State Treasurer's Office has denied an Open Public Records Act (OPRA) request filed Republican members of the Assembly Transportation and Public Works Committee. Yesterday, the trio sent a joint, second letter to Governor Jon Corzine asking him to compel Treasury to release an $800,000 consulting report on the proposed sale of New Jersey toll road assets for public review.

"Late Friday, we received word from treasury that this report would not be made public," says Assemblyman Sean Kean. He warns, "We are prepared to take legal action against the Administration if they refuse to turn over the results of this report."

In an August 8th letter to Governor Jon Corzine, Republican Assembly Transportation Committee members Jennifer Beck, Kean and Kevin O'Toole wrote, "Hopefully, you will trust members of the Legislature and the public to review the consultant's final reports and recommendations which we have all paid $800,000 to produce……we understand your administration may be working with the vendor to make additional changes to the final reports they submitted. But for the uncensored advice from vendors to be hidden from the public hardly seems to be in the spirit of encouraging decision-making based on sound information."

Yesterday, Beck, Kean and O'Toole fired off the second letter. It reads, in part, "In the spirit of transparency, you must trust members of the Legislature and the public to review the consultant's final reports and recommendations which we have all paid $800,000 to produce….we are asking you to intervene and direct the Department of Treasury to provide the document and to let you know that we intend to file a complaint with the Superior Court or the Records Council next week if we have not received the report.."

The lawmakers say the both letters are in response to the administration's refusal to release an $800,000 report prepared by the private consulting company, Steer Davies, and Gleave, Ltd. They insist, the $800,000 payment was made only after the contractor delivered four final reports detailing toll increases and traffic impacts associated with "monetizing" the Garden State Parkway, the New Jersey Turnpike, and two other roads.

"Let's open up the records," says Kean, "let's find out what those experts, those consultants have come up with…..all we're saying (to the Corzine Administration) is if you have that information, let's share it because that will help the dialogue and help provide information for the debate."

Corzine has blasted legislators for being critical of a plan before knowing the details. Kean responds, "You have the details, share them with us so we can have an open and honest debate….what we hear from the administration is; well, don't comment on it because the plan hasn't been finalized yet. What we're afraid of is, when the plan is finalized, it'll be too late to comment on it." He adds, "When people hear, 'monetize the toll roads,' they think that will mean toll increases and the fact is no entity will take over the roads without a plan to make money and the obvious way would be to raise tolls and get a return on your investment." Kean insists people have the right to know how much more they'll be asked to pay.

After the first letter a State Treasury official said, "The Governor has repeatedly stated that upon completion of work related to this topic there will be an opportunity for a full and frank discussion of all the data and facts available. More important, however, is that we all focus on how the State will find the necessary resources to pay the bills that are coming due to rebuild our crumbling infrastructure without adding to the state's already crippling debt load."

In response to the latest letter, Treasury sent the same response, but included an addition, "New Jersey's fiscal problems are rooted in bad decisions by Republican and Democratic administrations and legislatures of the past. While this administration had no part in creating the problem, we are seeking ways to solve it. Politically motivated threats concerning decisions that have not been made and on proposals that are not yet complete only move New Jersey deeper into political gridlock over how to put the state's fiscal house in order."

Interesting! Sean Kean is a good guy.

I was the first person Sean Kean thanked during his acceptance speech upon becoming an Assemblyman. He was elected in a special election and I turned out my whole township committee to vote for him. He won a first ballot majority in a 4 way race.

Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)
LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)

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