July 7, 2016 •
Jersey City, NJ to Consider Revising Pay-to-Play Law
Jersey City Councilman Michael Yun has proposed changes to the city’s pay-to-play laws. The changes would broaden the laws to include the city’s autonomous agencies as well as restrict some vendors from contributing to city elected officials seeking higher office. […]
Jersey City Councilman Michael Yun has proposed changes to the city’s pay-to-play laws.
The changes would broaden the laws to include the city’s autonomous agencies as well as restrict some vendors from contributing to city elected officials seeking higher office. The proposal would also extend the ban on no-bid city contracts, from one year to four years, for those who contribute more than $300 to a candidate.
Yun, a longtime critic of Mayor Steve Fulop, claims the changes are meant to close loopholes in the current law and not to target Fulop. In the past, Fulop’s donors have received large contracts with the city Municipal Utilities Authority, an autonomous agency not bound by current pay-to-play rules. Fulop is also rumored to be considering a 2017 gubernatorial run.
Yun submitted his proposal to corporation counsel for review and hopes to receive initial approval from council at its July 13 meeting.
Photo of Jersey City by David Jones on Wikimedia Commons.
December 21, 2012 •
Jersey City Passes Additional Pay-to-Play Measures
Adopted December 19, 2012
On December 19, 2012, the Jersey City, New Jersey City Council adopted a number of new pay-to-play measures while tabling another competing version of changes.
City ordinance 12-158 limits vendors winning no-bid contracts from making political contributions over $200 to committees for local state senate, local state assembly, and school board candidates, and to other entities, associations, and forms of association required to register annually with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission.
Vendors are also prohibited from participating in voter-registration drives, get-out-the-vote activities, and advertising for municipal candidates.
Once signed by the Mayor, the ordinance takes effect on January 8, 2013. City ordinance 12-157, with alternate pay-to-play measures, was tabled by the city council.
Photo of the Jersey City skyline by Gryffindor on Wikipedia.
October 25, 2012 •
Pay-to-Play to Expand in Jersey City
Board of Education Candidates
Two separate pay-to-play ordinances were proposed at yesterday’s meeting of the Jersey City Council. While one proposal was not approved by the council, the remaining ordinance will be considered for a final vote on November 14, 2012.
The surviving ordinance expands the existing pay-to-play law by placing restrictions on vendors contracting with the city from contributing to Board of Education candidates.
Aerial photo of Jersey City courtesy of Creative Commons on Wikipedia.
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