School
funding review panel remains absent
Thursday, February 23, 206 • By
TERRENCE DOPP • The
Express-Times
TRENTON | Smarting from the failure of
the Schools Construction Corp., the Legislature in June 2005
created a study commission to determine how the corporation
became rife with apparent wrongdoing, waste and
mismanagement.
Eight months later, the School
Construction Review Commission has yet to hold its first
meeting. In fact, less than half of the 19-member panel has
been appointed, and no date has been set for its inaugural
meeting.
Out of those charged with appointing
members, only former Gov. Richard Codey -- now returned to
his position as state Senate president -- has rounded out
his slate. Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts, D-5 of Camden,
refused to respond to multiple attempts to contract
him.
"This is a travesty," said Assemblywoman
Alison Littell McHose, R-Sussex/Hunterdon, the one Assembly
member appointed so far to the study panel. "Information
from this investigation is needed to determine if funds
provided to the SCC were used in a cost effective manner and
if additional funds should be allocated."
In August 2005, the SCC's board doled out
its final $1.4 billion to 25 poor and urban districts to
cover 59 projects, two years ahead of schedule. The agency
was created in 2002. More than $170 million has been sunk
into 100 projects now on hold due to lack of funding,
including an $88 million new high school for
Phillipsburg.
Under the commission's guidelines, the
Senate president and Assembly speaker each appoint two
members to the panel, while the governor appoints nine
public members; another six are members of state
government.
Corzine and Roberts both have yet to
appoint members. Debate over profligate spending, wasted tax
dollars and inflated projects comes as lawmakers enter
preliminary stages of debating a second round of SCC
founding, estimated to be as high as $13 billion.
A spokesman for Gov. Jon Corzine said in
an executive order this month the governor appointed a new
oversight officer and has shaken up personnel on the board.
Corzine is also looking to an expected March 15 report on
the matter prepared by an administration working group
instead of the appointed study commission, his office
said.
"The wheels of reform are in motion,"
spokesman Anthony Coley said. In addition, Coley said
Corzine directed Attorney General Zulima Farber to review
all contracts entered into by the SCC.
"We're looking forward to the working
group report and how they address this," Coley added.
"That's where the rubber meets the road."
Kevin McElroy, SCC spokesman, said since
the scandal first broke the agency has added a chief
financial officer, increased audits and put separate
branches in charge of land acquisition and other facets of
construction. The internal group will report on what fixes
it sees as necessary, he added. The working group's report
"is going to be a report to the governor that is going to
basically be where we are going," McElroy added.
The well of construction money was first
devised as a way to provide $6 billion for court-ordered
renovations and building in New Jersey's 31 poorest, or
Abbott, districts. Gov. Christie Whitman and the Legislature
added another $2.6 billion to fund up to 40 percent of
projects in suburban, middle-class districts to make it more
politically palatable.
The SCC, the agency that administered the
fund, soon came under fire for spending 45 percent more per
school to build six inner-city schools than richer
counterparts handling their own projects.
"I hope the new governor will review this
soon," said Senate Minority Leader Leonard Lance,
R-Hunterdon/Warren. "I don't believe any more money can be
appropriated until they have more
accountability."
Terrence Dopp is Trenton correspondent for The
Express-Times. He can be reached at 609-292-5154 or by
e-mail at tdopp@sjnewsco.com.
© 2006 The Express-Times. Used with
permission.
|