Encap reforms? Relax, they’re working on it!

Posted on June 16, 2008 by

The Bergen Record reported Sunday that the Legislature – despite rubber stamping proposed legislation to renew the ability of the NJ Environmental Infrastructure Trust to issue another $500 million in bonds – is diligently working on reforms to prevent a recurence of that debacle See: State taking steps to prevent another EnCap http://www.northjersey.com/environment/State_taking_steps_to_prevent_another_EnCap.html?c=y&page=2.
That story responds to our criticism – see: $500 Million Clean Water Fund subsidizes new development – ENCAP DEBACLE LOOMS OVER LATEST NEW JERSEY WATER FUND PLAN — Impending Legislative Approval Fails to Address Root Causes of Smoldering Scandal
NJ has a $16 Billion Unmet Clean Water Infrastructure Need – So Why are Clean Water loans subsidizing new development? http://www.nj.com/njvoices/index.ssf/2008/06/500_million_clean_water_fund_s.html
Yet, in addition to blindly rubber stamping reathorization of funding authority, the proposed reform legislation does not even address the causes of the Encap debacle. According to excellent reporting by the Record:
“But other key safeguards, including one to protect taxpayers from eating bad loans to developers, remain on the drawing board….. Hart acknowledged, though, that state officials are still working on plans to tighten up credit and collateral standards for borrowers like EnCap. New procedures for releasing loan money and checking up on projects in progress are also being drawn up, he said.”
We have made very specific reform recommendations that have been completely ignored.
Trenton is not serious about reforms –
Not another penny should be appropriated to the NJEIT and DEP until reforms are put in place that prevent new Encaps – the legislature can start with prohibiting the use of clean water money to subsidize new development and provide private benefits of public funds.

This entry was posted in Hot topics, Policy watch, Politics. Bookmark the permalink.

5 Responses to Encap reforms? Relax, they’re working on it!

  1. unprovincial says:
    June 16, 2008 at 11:20 AM

    You’re right Bill. But I don’t see it happening any sooner than reforms to the Abbott Schools problem of money going to pay superintendent’s salaries and golden parachutes instead of toward school supplies. The NJ electorate appears to be brain dead. Maybe that is a result of the lousy school systems! A vicious cycle!

  2. unprovincial says:
    June 16, 2008 at 11:20 AM

    You’re right Bill. But I don’t see it happening any sooner than reforms to the Abbott Schools problem of money going to pay superintendent’s salaries and golden parachutes instead of toward school supplies. The NJ electorate appears to be brain dead. Maybe that is a result of the lousy school systems! A vicious cycle!

  3. unprovincial says:
    June 16, 2008 at 11:42 AM

    Anyone wondering what the legislature is really up to should do an Advanced Google search on the words “Lou Greenwald conflict of interest”. There are over 100,000 articles to explain it.

  4. ferdek says:
    June 16, 2008 at 12:25 PM

    How do you prevent future Encaps? By threatening legal Kneecaps! The criminal justice system in NJ is pathetic and as a result no one fears “the long arm of the law.” The current AG is just the latest in a long string of political hacks/appointees who have no independent power to pursue criminals without a note from the Guv&friends allowing it. It is an insult to all of us that we have to essentially beg to have the law enforced. For the poor and powerless the system comes down hard all the time! For the rich and connected the system is forgiving and flexible; nolo contendere and deferred prosecution are two examples and there are many other outs for the in’s. All the major players in the scandal are players who know how to deal with these problems without getting their hands dirty or getting cuffed. We all should pray that all of these miscreants will all someday be told, “you have the right to remain silent, you have a right to an attorney…and could be used against you in a court of law”

  5. Pingback: WolfeNotes.com » Christie Has No Problem With Teaching Creationism in Public Schools

Leave a Reply