School Construction Corporation

WWW.CASHAFORASSEMBLY.ORG

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Gregory Andres
February 6, 2007 973-909-4490

"Going Once..."
With the Turnpike nearing the auction block,
the Governor is now studying the sale of the lottery

(MONTVILLE, NJ) - As public furor continues to build over the idea of leasing the state's toll roads, most prominently the New Jersey Turnpike, the Governor's office has begun exploring the idea of auctioning off the New Jersey Lottery.

26th District Assembly Candidate Larry Casha responded to this news with the following statement:

"Before the Governor begins dumping off state resources to private firms for one time cash infusions, perhaps he should consider cutting spending to close the budget gap. Treasurer Bradley Abelow states the case for the sale of the Turnpike and the Lottery by claiming that 'we simply cannot allow New Jersey to slip into fiscal paralysis, hamstrung by debt from making capital improvements that are so critical to our state's long-term financial prosperity'.

"I'd like to remind Treasurer Abelow, and the Governor, of the fiscal paralysis we experienced during the government shutdown last summer. I'd also like to remind our Democratic leadership of the extreme waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayer money by the School Construction Corporation. Need I continue?

"Our state is in a fiscal crisis. We are paralyzed by our debts, skyrocketing taxes, and the culture of, at best, greed, and, at worst, criminal negligence that exists in Trenton. Can we trust those from within this culture of ineptitude to sell, or lease, these significant resources? And, furthermore, can we run the risk of letting a private entity control major pieces of New Jersey's infrastructure?

"Enough is enough! It's time for the Governor and the Democratic leadership in Trenton to stop hiding behind gimmicks to save our state. We need real reform, and we need it now! As an Assemblyman, I will lead the fight to cut the out of control state spending that has led New Jersey down this path to ruin by promoting an independent state auditor to scour every financial transaction at every level of government."

The 26th District includes fifteen municipalities in Morris and Passaic Counties including: Bloomingdale Borough, Butler Borough, Chatham Borough, East Hanover Township, Florham Park Borough, Hanover Township, Kinnelon Borough, Lincoln Park Borough, Montville Township, Morris Plains Borough, Parsippany-Troy Hills Township, Pequannock Township, Pompton Lakes Borough, Riverdale Borough, and West Milford Township.

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Paid for by Casha for Assembly, Richard Clawson, Treasurer

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BARONI, MALONE AND WOLFE CONDEMN SCC's CALL FOR MORE SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION FUNDS

NO MORE SCC FUNDS UNTIL SOMEONE IS HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR WASTE

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REPUBLICAN LEGISLATORS EXPRESS OUTRAGE AT PROPOSED EXPANSION OF SCC STAFF, SPENDING

BLOATED PROGRAM THAT WASTED A BILLION IN TAXPAYER MONEY GEARS UP TO SPEND EVEN MORE IN THE NEW YEAR

Republican legislators today expressed outrage at a report in The Star-Ledger that the School Construction Corporation (SCC) -- a program that wasted a billion dollars in taxpayer money and spent most of the past two years under investigation for gross mismanagement -- is planning to adopt an operating budget that will expand its staff by 20 percent and increase overall administrative spending by almost 50 percent in 2007.

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McHOSE: CHEAP LAND DEALS IN NEWARK ARE IRONIC

CITY WHERE MILLIONS WERE SPENT ON LAND TO BUILD SCHOOLS WAS GIVING LAND AT A DISCOUNT TO THE POLITICALLY CONNECTED

Assemblywomen Alison Littell McHose today said she is disgusted by reports that in the final days of the administration of former Mayor Sharpe James the city engaged in a flurry of real estate deals to sell municipal property at as little as a one-seventh of its market value to politically-connected developers.

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McHOSE SAYS UNCHECKED GOVERNMENT SPENDING
IS DRIVING UP PROPERTY TAXES
SAYS COMMISSION REVIEW SHOULD BE CONDUCTED
BEFORE SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION GETS ANOTHER DIME

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McHOSE SAYS THAT SCC REPORT SHOULD SEND UP RED FLAGS FOR SUBURBAN AND RURAL TAXPAYERS

REPORT FOR GOVERNOR WOULD SLASH FUNDING TO SUBURBAN SCHOOLS WHILE GRABBING BILLIONS FROM SUBURBAN TAXPAYERS

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INTERAGENCY WORKING GROUP SUBMITS THIRD REPORT ON SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION

TRENTON

– The Interagency Working Group on School Construction today presented its third report on the state’s school construction program to Governor Jon S. Corzine. The report includes recommendations for a project prioritization methodology as well as $2.5 billion in new funding for Abbott Districts and $750 million in new funding for Regular Operating Districts. Read More >

HANDLIN: ANOTHER CALL FOR STRONGER ETHICS LAWS
BY AN ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL
ASSISTANT DOE COMMISSIONER WELCOMES BAN
ON PAY-TO-PLAY AND NEPOTISM

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GUSCIORA: ENVIRONMENTAL BILLS WOULD ADDRESS MLK/JEFFERSON SCHOOL DEBACLE

(TRENTON) - On Thursday, the Assembly Judiciary Committee released a package of bills, co-sponsored by Assemblyman Reed Gusciora (D-Princeton), which aims to crack down on those who violate environmental measures, specifically land contamination laws. The four bills would enhance criminal and civil penalties for giving false information pertaining to violations of environmental laws, require that municipalities be given a written notice by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) that their land may be contaminated and require that the persons performing the remediation of a contaminated site submit a work plan to the municipality. Gusciora co-sponsored this legislation to avoid situations such as the incident that occurred at the Martin Luther King/Jefferson School site in Trenton last year.

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O'TOOLE URGES ATTORNEY GENERAL TO MAKE CORRUPTION INVESTIGATIONS A TOP PRIORITY

FOCUSES ON TAXPAYER WASTE IN STATE PRE-SCHOOL PROGRAM, AMONG SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS AND IN THE SCC

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