| Yesterday, I called Bob Ingle out for suggesting that the legislature ought to ignore the state Supreme Court when lawmakers think the court has "screwed up."
Apparently, the conservative editorial board of the Asbury Park Press—a Gannett newspaper—agrees with me:
In New Jersey, however, affordable housing is not only a social good, but a matter of law. Thanks to a series of Mount Laurel court decisions, New Jersey is the only state in the union to enshrine access to affordable housing as a constitutional right. Whether you agree with that or not, it's the reality facing lawmakers today. Those making increasingly loud noise about wanting to dismantle COAH have failed to offer a better alternative ? at least an alternative that will pass legal muster.
The APP goes on to criticize "public officials and politicians" like Republican Gubernatorial candidate Steve Lonegan, who "demagogue the issue." While Ingle may not quite match up with Lonegan when it comes to shameless demagoguery, he is certainly throwing sucker punches in the same weight class.
Indeed, Ingle's irresponsible screeching stands in stark contrast with the APP editorial, which offers a well-reasoned analysis of affordable housing issues in New Jersey. The piece identifies several real problems with current affordable housing rules that have Republican and Democratic mayors alike fighting with the state.
Sadly, we don't hear many calls for reasonable reform of COAH from Republican leaders these days. All they have to offer are images of impalement, policy pyrotechnics, and campaign promises inconsistent with the oath of office to "support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of New Jersey." |
