So Where's the Audit?

by: Senator Loretta Weinberg

Sun Sep 18, 2011 at 10:31:46 PM EDT

Bergen Dems had a press conference within site of the GW bridge yesterday to express our outrage about the bridge and tunnel toll increases. During the 1/2 hour we were there, we watched literally hundreds of cars who were now paying an additional $1.50 when using e-z pass and a whopping $4 for cash payers. Truckers are now paying $4 more per axle. Think we'll see an increase in the prices of the bread and milk they deliver?

Make no mistake this is a Christie tax increase on working folks and their families who have to cross the river for their jobs! The way it was done is just as outrageous, and it is Bergen County residents who will pay a disproportionate share of these increases.

I wrote to my (our) good friend, former Senator Bill Baroni, now Deputy Executive Director of the PA, back in August concerning the lack of public input on the increase. I also wrote to former Republican Bergen County Executive, William "Pat" Schuber reminding him that I supported his nomination as a commissioner on the PA, because I knew how well he would represent Bergen County! The Bergen County hearing was held in an old bus garage without a single Commissioner in attendance. No reply from Commissioner Schuber or from Deputy Exec Bill Baroni. I'm disappointed in both, but I guess they couldn't think of anything to say to me or to our residents.

Senator Loretta Weinberg :: So Where's the Audit?

Just after the toll increase was rammed through by the PA, a report came out outlining their excessive and wasteful overtime costs. So what does our "Governor I will do away with waste" do? He first increased the taxes (tolls), and then there will be an audit.

So where's the audit?

If it shows excessive waste (would anybody be surprised?), then will we get a roll back of the increase?

Senate Health & Human Services Committee meets this afternoon at 2 p.m. to examine issues surrounding the growth of private, for profit hospitals in New Jersey. We've seen some peculiar business plans coming out of these hospitals. To add to the complexity, according to a news report, Donald Scarinci, Esq. resigned as attorney to the Hoboken Hospital Authority alleging fraud in their bankruptcy proceedings. The state is currently reviewing the sale of this hospital to a for profit company. There's also some $11 million in our state budget to pay off the bonds held by that city. I've asked the U.S. Attorney and the Attorney General's office to carefully review this take-over before allowing it to go ahead.

Today, I'm introducing a bill to require "Governor I don't have to tell you where I am" to inform legislative leadership whenever he leaves the state. So what was it about that Vail, Colorado meeting with the "infamous" Koch Brothers that the Governor felt it necessary to keep a secret? He sure seemed to have a good time spinning tales.

So this is the "new normal" in Christie's New Jersey: Increased tolls, tax credits for the Jersey Shore TV show; secret trips to bow before the Koch Bros. We have a lot of work to do!