The AP is reporting that Republican legislators are asking that Gov. Jon Corzine back up his words with deeds.
Republicans will try to force the Senate on Monday to vote on a bill that would restrict campaign contributions from government contractors and make it tough for local political parties to pass money among themselves.
Corzine endorsed both ideas during his Jan. 9 State of the State address. Democrats in the Legislature have blocked the proposals from advancing for years.
Senate Minority Leader Leonard Lance said all 18 Senate Republicans will back the bid to try to force a vote. He asked Corzine to get enough Democrats on boards to pass it.
“We ask the governor for his leadership to provide a mere three votes on the Democratic side,” said Lance, R-Hunterdon.
While there is an element of political grandstanding and one-upmanship to this, the fact remains that such restrictions are good policy and necessary to help restore confidence in state government. (A system of voluntary public financing remains our best hope of cleaning up this mess in the long run, but the bans will offer short-term relief.)
The way I see it, Gov. Corzine and the Democratic leaders of both houses have two choices: Get behind the GOP pay-to-play and wheeling bans or offer a better bill with tighter restrictions.
There is no excuse for letting this thing wither on the vine.
South Brunswick Post, The Cranbury Press
The Blog of South Brunswick
Hank Kalet 