New law lets a little more sun shine on government

Over 30 years in the news business, and much of that in New Jersey, I learned firsthand how hard it is to find out how some branches of government are spending your tax dollars. When state governments or local municipalities released their annual lineitem budgets for public inspection, the numbers were often presented broadly, and it was difficult, and often impossible, to dig down into the expenditures of some of the arms of government, like agencies, and commissions, even though they were getting a substantial portion of the governing body’s financial resources.

When I first came to New Jersey, in 1993, it was maddening because the state’s open records law was a toothless wonder, and when a member of the public or a representative of the media asked for specific information about things like expenditures and policy, they were most often told to get lost. The keepers of power, and information, did this secure in the knowledge that there was almost nothing that would force them into the sunshine, with the possible exception of a lawsuit, which few on the other side could afford.

When the New Jersey Open Public Records Act was passed into law in 2001, it became much easier for the public to access government information, because the act spelled out what kind of information is deemed “public” information, and established an appeals process for folks who felt they had been wrongly denied access. But everyone knew that while OPRA was a giant step forward, the state’s approach to making information available to the public would have to be tweaked as time went on.

That has certainly been the case, but a law sponsored by Republican state Sen. Jennifer Beck and Democratic state Sen. Barbara Buono, and signed Jan. 9 by Gov. Chris Christie, moves the ball down the field substantially. It is known as the “Transparency Law,” and its details were reported last week by Greater Media Newspapers by reporter Kristen Dalton. Among other things, it requires state, regional and local authorities — including fire districts, housing authorities, soil conservation districts, county park commissions and many others— to post information about their financial operations and activities on a website that will be easily accessible to the public. These websites can be attached to a municipality or regional website, or they can be independent — but they must be operational within two years.

Formore details about the law, take another look at the story, which is available at www.gmnews.com. But some of the facts presented were particularly pertinent. For example, there are close to 600 local authorities and commissions in this state, which spend $5 billion a year in taxpayer money. Even so, a report by state Comptroller Matthew Boxer said that only 3 percent of independent local authorities and commissions post their financial reports on the Internet. The public ostensibly had access to some of that “shadow government” information, but the effort to obtain it was difficult, daunting and often fruitless.

“Too often the public never hears about these local agencies until scandals unfold, but we pay for these agencies every day when we pay tolls, when we pay our water bills and when we pay our property taxes,” Boxer wrote. “When you have so many government units spending public dollars, it becomes difficult for even the most attentive members of the public to monitor how their money is being spent.”

Beck echoed that theme when she noted to the News Transcript that only “Seven out of 587 (government entities) have basic information online. That is a pretty paltry number when you recognize these local agencies are spending $5 billion a year.”

This is a big win for New Jersey taxpayers as the state continues to wrestle with huge shortfalls, and taxpayers are called on to pony up more every year to pay the tab. I believe this law will go far in making those agencies and commissions accountable.

Good job, senators. With this new transparency law, you have served your constituents well.

• • •

Iwas intrigued by the recent announcement in Middletown by Republican state Sen. Joe Kyrillos (R-13) that he will run for the U.S. Senate seat held by Democratic incumbent Robert Menendez in the 2012 election. He’s got his work cut out for him, considering that, among other things:

• Very few people outside of Central Jersey have ever heard of Joe Kyrillos.

• The last time Jersey sent a Republican to the U.S. Senate was 40 years ago in 1972.

• Hemight face a primary fight with former Monmouth County Freeholder and former Highlands Mayor Anna Little — who has not declared her candidacy, although she already has a campaign manager. Kyrillos would probably win that battle, but he’d darned sure know he’d been in a scrap. Little — who was a darling of the Tea Party in 2010 when she won a congressional primary, but got shellacked by Frank Pallone in the general — is one tough lady, and knows how to black an eye.

• So far, Menendez has raised more than $10 million for his campaign. Kyrillos has raised less than $1 million.

Will Kyrillos prevail against such daunting odds? Remember the scene in the great movie “The Princess Bride,” where Miracle Max sends Inigo Montoya and Wesley off to assault Prince Humperdinck’s (apparently) impenetrable fortress?

“Think it’ll work?” asks Valerie (“I’m not a witch, I’m your wife, but after what you just said, I’m not even sure I want to be that anymore).”

“It’ll take a miracle,” Max replies doubtfully.

Max might have been less pessimistic about the possibility of a miraculous outcome if he’d only had a Magic 8 Ball to consult in advance. I do, at least the online version (http://8ball.tridelphia.net), which I asked, “Will Joe Kyrillos win the U.S. Senate race?”

The answer: “As I see it, yes.”

So have fun stormin’ da castle, Joe — and don’t worry about the money. The online Magic 8Ball says an anonymous donor will leave a $9 million campaign donation on your doorstep sometime in the next couple of months. In a huge Hello Kitty bag.

Gregory Bean is the former executive editor of Greater Media Newspapers. You can reach him at gbean@gmnews.com.