reconmike

Having the great displeasure of living in the most crooked democratic controled state in the union, nothing much shocks me here.
But this just makes me sick how badly these democrats know they are in control, and nothing will be done about it.

link


A Republican congressman yesterday asked Attorney General Peter Harvey for a "full and detailed accounting" of how New Jersey is spending $300 million in federal homeland security funds it has received since 2002.

In a letter to the attorney general, Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-11th Dist.) asked for a list of which municipalities got shares of the federal funds and how that money was being used, so that he could make sure politics was not involved.

Frelinghuysen also asked why a federal audit in April found New Jersey had yet to spend $224 million of U.S. Department of Homeland Security money earmarked for the state.

The congressman wrote that he grew concerned with how Harvey has distributed the federal grants following a recent report in The Star-Ledger that found the Attorney General's Office had awarded 93 percent of state-funded homeland security equipment grants to towns in Democratically controlled legislative districts.

"The U.S. House of Representatives is doing its part by passing legislation that would send more federal homeland security resources to New Jersey and other high-threat areas where risk is greatest," Frelinghuysen noted. "Clearly, there also needs to be assurances in place that the funds New Jersey has received to date are being distributed according to risk and vulnerability, not politics."

A spokesman for Harvey denied that politics entered into the awarding of federal homeland security funds and said the Attorney General's Office bases the grant allocations on a strategic plan developed by working groups in each of the 21 counties.

He also said the attorney general regularly updates the state's congressional delegation about where federal homeland security dollars are being spent.

"We've tried to maintain an open dialogue with our congressional delegation, which has been a strong proponent for the state," Roger Shatzkin said. "And we'll continue to work with the delegation to provide additional details about the program."

But, Shatzkin said, the Attorney General's Office shares in Frelinghuysen's concern over the federal auditor's findings that New Jersey lagged behind the rest of the country in using homeland security grants expeditiously.

The problem, officials have said, is that Homeland Security releases the state or local government to buy the equipment and submit a proof of purchase. In New Jersey, that can take longer than in other states because many purchases are made at the municipal level and each town has its own procurement process.

Acting Gov. Richard Codey grew so concerned about the unspent federal money that he convened a meeting in May with representatives of every county, several state departments and the cities of Newark and Jersey City to fast- track the grant process.

Since then, New Jersey has shown marked improvement in submitting finished proposals and getting reimbursed, Shatzkin said. For example, the state has almost tripled the number of completed proposals for one 2003 grant program since the April audit and almost doubled the number of finished grants for another.

In addition to the fast-tracking process, the state has set a July 31 deadline for counties to complete one program and threatened to use the money elsewhere if receipts aren't turned in, Shatzkin said. It's a tool the state plans to use again.

"The money is being used, and being used well, but it's a long pipeline," Shatzkin said.



93% of money spent has gone to democratic controled districts.

How do those in control in Trenton get away with giving most of these funds to their cronnies in democratic controled districts?
I suppose they know best and the republican distrists are pretty much safe from any kind of attacks, or terrorists prefer to kill heavily democratic areas.

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filtherton

Well, i for one am disgusted that Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen thinks that it is acceptable to question the democratically elected leadership of our country. In a time of war no less! It is clear to me that Frelinghuysen is nothing but a republican hatchet man fighting for some sort of political relevance and visibility in a state that has largely rejected his outdated, obsolete political philosophy.

Elphaba

Washington State tends to be left leaning overall, but eastern WA is primarily Republican and western WA primarily Democrats. I'm willing to bet that the lion's share of Homeland Security funds are spent on the western half of the state, and it has nothing to do with politics.

West of the mountains are all of the seaports, bridges, ferry systems, major airports, financial districts, nuclear sub base, and one big juicy target called Seattle. East of the mountains is primarily farm land and the Hanford nuclear reactor which is no longer operating.

Seems logical to me.

martinguerre

crying corruption in Jersey seems like saying that there are clowns at a circus.

but i don't really see anything in that article that suggests that there's a more serious problem there in spending this money than in other states, or how it's distributed in the first place. Wyoming gets the highest per capita homeland security budget.

The 93% figure is meaningless unless those districts are not the security threat areas. I suspect Newark and the port coast areas, are heavily democratic due to union affiliation. Those ports should be a primary focus of security spending, IMO.

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Xazy

New Jersey, spending money, corruption… Anyone who knows the state would feel this was obvious!!

Reason I feel this way, is based on some quick observations. New Jersey, each town (which is like every 3 miles) has its own fire department, police department, dispatch, court etc... And of course each town needs its own 1 million, dispatch tower, etc.. Not to include the overlapping costs in the rest of the administration. It is a total waste of money. The town of West orange for instance, has what about 50,000 residents with 4,000 staff for the town. And 2 miles down the road in every direction you have another town that is setup the same way.

Jersey is a democratic state, another example in West Orange (I know this town personally, but it is the same in Passaic, Teaneck, etc.) has increased their real estate tax 3 times for school tax. Meanwhile they have two, 1 million dollar Astroturf fields. The truant officer is told to look the other way, while kids from other towns all go there for the better education. The school board does not care, because the democratic point of view is, education for everyone. I agree I just feel that one town should not have to necessarily subsidize the other towns, (real estate taxes from 2000 to 2005 went from 7500 to about 1500 on an average home).

And that is just the tip of the iceberg of some of the stuff I have seen.

That is why we New Yorkers are always so depressed. Since the light at the end of the tunnel is Jersey!

maleficent

HEY!!! Don't be hatin' on NJ --

A little corruption never hurt anyone-- just ask McGreevey... oh wait.. nevermind...

NJ has a long history of corruption and questionable practices... but sadly, as a longtime Republican, we've had some pretty embarassing members of my party (Christie Whitman ring a bell?)

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Xazy

LOL, sorry since my brother moved to Jersey, I auto-matically tell Jersey jokes