Christie Vetoed Sandy Oversight Bill, Created Gulliani Inspired "Integrity Monitors" - Star/Ledger
By Jenna Portnoy/The Star-Ledger
on April 25, 2013 at 6:25 PM, updated April 26, 2013 at 7:51 AM
How many slightly smoking guns does it take before he resigns or is impeached? Check out the Integrity Monitors that Christie established instead!
_______________
http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2013/04/christie_vetoes_sandy_oversigh_1.html
"Chris Christie today vetoed a bill that he said would have created redundant oversight in state spending of billions of dollars federal Sandy relief funding.
Aristide Econompoulos/The Star-Ledger
TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie today vetoed a bill requiring oversight of billions of dollars in federal aid for Hurricane Sandy, despite Democratic objections, calling the measure redundant and wasteful.
“While I thank the sponsors for their efforts, and for sharing in my commitment to the transparent and efficient administration of Sandy recovery funding, this bill would produce unnecessary redundancies and waste government resources,” Christie said in the two-page veto message.
The bill (A61) would have required the treasurer to set up a website to track contracts by county and municipality, issue quarterly reports on recovery dollars and put out “expedited priority reports” explaining any problems the administration encounters.
Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver (D-Essex) said the bill would have written oversight into state law, rather than taking the Republican governor’s word for it.
“Residents devastated by this storm deserve the peace of mind that the billions in federal funds slated for the recovery will be administered efficiently and appropriately,” Oliver said. “This bill would have done that. Now all they have is a stated goal from the governor that can be broken or rescinded without the power of law. With his veto, the governor has weakened oversight and transparency of Hurricane Sandy relief funding.”
_____________
The next month (after the veto), Christie signed an executive order promising that state Comptroller Matthew Boxer would review the awarding of all Sandy-related contracts and set up a public website to track state spending of federal funds. Usually, Boxer’s office only clears contracts in excess of $10 million before they are granted. In addition, the governor said the state would hire “accountability officers” to oversee projects in every department that deals with rebuilding.
Christie also signed bills establishing a separate network of “integrity monitors” to review the procurement process for state contracts using federal reconstruction money and reiterated the need for regular reporting on the contracts as well as online posting of spending information.
As envisioned by the Legislature, the integrity monitors would protect against fraud and abuse, using as a model the monitors installed by Mayor Rudolph Giuliani in the rebuilding effort after the Sept. 11, 2001.
_____________
“Today, when presented with an opportunity to ensure that taxpayers' money was going to the families trying to rebuild their lives, he vetoed legislation that would do just that,” Buono said in a statement. “If the governor supports transparency, I find it incomprehensible as to why he would not make it law."
The state is waiting for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to approve its plan for spending $1.8 billion block grant – the first money to flow into the state for rebuilding. Christie said last week that he hoped the money would come through this week.
= new reply since forum marked as read
