Dual office ban on public officials stalls in Senate

Jersey Journal - Thursday, February 15, 2007

TRENTON - A state Senate proposal to ban newly elected public officials from holding more than one elected office simultaneously was stalled last week with lawmakers grappling over when the proposal should go into effect and its outcome on November elections.

The Assembly included a ban on dual office holders as part of a bill passed on Jan. 29 to reform taxpayer-paid benefits for newly elected and appointed officials. The Assembly measure, if signed into law, would take effect Feb. 1, 2008.

That would allow Assembly members who currently hold more than one elected office - such as Assemblyman Brian Stack, who is also Union City mayor - to run for Senate this year and keep the other office.

But an amendment in the Senate to allow the ban to take effect immediately after being approved had the ban bogged down Feb. 5.

That would force Stack, who plans to run for the Senate against Majority Leader Bernard F. Kenny, D-Hoboken, to step down from his mayoral post if he were to win. Kenny hasn't announced his intentions.

Freshman Assemblyman Silverio "Sal" Vega was the lone lawmaker to vote against the Assembly version of the bill. Vega was appointed to both the Assembly and as mayor of West New York following his predecessor Albio Sires' successful bid for U.S. Congress. Sires previously held both titles.

"I have always been an advocate of bringing local experience to the state Legislature, and although the bill wouldn't prevent me from holding two positions, it would hurt others down the road, so I voted no," said Vega. "It should be the voters' choice."

A ban forcing newly elected officials from holding more than one office was good news to legislative incumbents looking to thwart challenges from local public officials.

The Senate amendment is being sponsored by longtime dual office holder Sharpe James, who less than a year ago was also mayor of Newark - the state's largest city - in addition to serving as a state senator.

"New Jersey, the Garden State, the second wealthiest state in America, is not brain-damaged to the point that we need one person to hold two elected offices. Hello!" James said.

Republicans want those who hold more than one elected office to choose one by January and resign from the other.

To do otherwise "will allow dual officeholders to maintain their grip on power into perpetuity," said Sen. Tom Kean Jr., R-Union.

Gov. Jon S. Corzine said he'd rather have some reform of dual-office holding than none at all.

"I don't think you have the votes to do it immediately," Corzine said. "I would rather have three-quarters of a loaf or 90 percent of the loaf than no addressing of the issue."

If the Senate adopted an immediate ban for newly elected officials, the Assembly would have to reconsider the change.

While 19 state legislators hold more than one elected office, a report last year by New Jersey Policy Perspective found 19 other public officials who hold both county and municipal office. The proposed bans would not affect them.

Staff writer Jarrett Renshaw contributed to this report.

Dual-office measure blasted

Jersey Journal - Friday, February 09, 2007

TRENTON - A Senate bill that would change the effective date of a proposed ban on dual-office holding and which some say targeted Assemblyman Brian P. Stack, D-Union City, may instead kill any chance of a dual-office measure being approved by the Legislature, Assemblyman Reed Gusciora, D-Mercer, said yesterday.

Gusciora called the Senate's amended version of an Assembly-approved dual-office holding ban a "glorified incumbency protection maneuver" to discourage challenges to sitting legislators. Reflecting the Assembly majority sentiment, he said the result "is that a dual office holding ban will be a candidate for last rites ."

The Assembly version of the bill would enact the ban in February 2008 and the amended Senate version immediately.

Gusciora suggested, " . that if the Senate were serious about wanting a ban against dual-office holding, then they should do away with grandfathering in its entirety."

AGUSTIN C. TORRES

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Dual office ban stalls in Senate

Tuesday, February 06, 2007

TRENTON - A state Senate proposal to ban newly elected public officials from holding more than one elected office simultaneously was stalled last night with lawmakers grappling over when the proposal should go into effect and its outcome on November elections.

The Assembly included a ban on dual office holders as part of a bill passed on Jan. 29 to reform taxpayer-paid benefits for newly elected and appointed officials. The Assembly measure, if signed into law, would take effect Feb. 1, 2008.

That would allow Assembly members who currently hold more than one elected office - such as Assemblyman Brian Stack, who is also Union City mayor - to run for Senate this year and keep the other office.

But an amendment in the Senate to allow the ban to take effect immediately after being approved had the ban bogged down last night.

That would force Stack, who plans to run for the Senate against Majority Leader Bernard F. Kenny, D-Hoboken, to step down as mayor if he were to win.

Freshman Assemblyman Silverio "Sal" Vega was the lone lawmaker to vote against the Assembly version of the bill. Vega was appointed to both the Assembly and as mayor of West New York following his predecessor Albio Sires' successful bid for U.S. Congress. Sires previously held both titles.

"I have always been an advocate of bringing local experience to the state Legislature, and although the bill wouldn't prevent me from holding two positions, it would hurt others down the road, so I voted no," said Vega. "It should be the voters' choice."

The Associated Press and staff writer Jarrett Renshaw contributed to this report.

New Jersey Senate may seek tighter dual office holding ban

Associated Press - Feb 3

The Senate will try Monday to pass legislation that would make it illegal for newly elected officials to hold more than one elected office, which would be a step toward ending a New Jersey tradition deemed unethical by critics.

The ban wouldn't affect the 19 of 120 state legislators who now hold more than one elected office, as long as they continually hold those offices.

The Assembly included a similar ban on Jan. 29 as part of a bill to reform taxpayer-paid benefits for newly elected and appointed officials, but that ban would take effect Feb. 1, 2008.

That would allow Assembly members who hold more than one elected office -- such as Assemblyman Brian Stack, who is also Union City mayor -- to run for Senate this year and keep the other office.

Stack plans to run for Senate, challenging Senate Majority Leader Bernard F. Kenny, D-Hoboken, in a primary if Kenny seeks re-election. Kenny hasn't announced his plans.

Senate President Richard J. Codey said an immediate ban is preferred.

"I think that's how the Senate feels," said Codey, D-West Orange.

Republicans want those who hold more than one elected office to choose one by January and resign from the other.

"Dual officeholding is either wrong or it's not," said Sen. Tom Kean Jr., R-Westfield. "If it is wrong, it should be stopped now."

The proposal is among several tax and ethics reform measures scheduled for Senate consideration Monday, including the Assembly-approved plan to cut property taxes by 20 percent for most homeowners and cap annual property tax increases at 4 percent.

If the Senate adopts an immediate ban for newly elected officials, the Assembly would have to reconsider the change. Assembly leaders expressed their frustration, releasing a joint statement late Friday afternoon that alleged senators were trying to entirely kill a ban.

"They know the Legislature can't pass this ban with the language they are inserting," said Assembly Speaker Joe Roberts Jr., D-Camden, and Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman,D-Ewing. "Instead, they are raising the prospects of a ping-pong match, jeopardizing the chances of the state having any kind of dual-office holding ban."

Gov. Jon S. Corzine has called for ending dual officeholding.

Eleven states ban multiple officeholding. Holding two elected offices is a felony in Indiana, for instance, that carries up to three years in prison.

While 19 state legislators hold more than one elected office, a report last year by New Jersey Policy Perspective found 19 other public officials who hold both county and municipal office.

The liberal policy study group said dual officeholding disturbs checks and balances, amplifies pork-barrel spending, puts officials in conflicts, divides the time and attention of public officials and helps officials build large pensions paid for by taxpayers.

But some dual officeholders argue the multiple jobs strengthen their ability to understand public policy and advocate for constituents.

Democratic Sen. Nicholas Sacco, who is also North Bergen mayor and an assistant superintendent in that city's schools, recently cited his multiple jobs when explaining his concerns about property tax reform legislation that would impose salary reporting requirements on schools, arguing that his other roles provided him insight others lacked.