Ban Pay-to-Play Redevelopment at County Level, Too

by Yvonne Balcer, Jersey City
[letter to the editor, "The Jersey Journal," September 8, 2009, 12:01 a.m.]

While I am glad to see encouraging talks that the Jersey City Municipal Council might pass a "redevelopment pay-to-play reform" ordinance, only part of the problem is being addressed -- corruption on the county level.

Specifically, I am referring to the Panepinto building that the county wants to buy under eminent domain.

I am one of many who spoke before the freeholder's meeting more than 20 years ago, when the county entered into a 20-year agreement with Joe Panepinto, former chairman of the Hudson County Democratic Organization.

That agreement is an example of true "pay-to-play" because the terms of the agreement were above market value. While this agreement was executed under the former county executive, the former freeholders also saw no conflict with this contract.

This is just one small example why our county taxes continue to rise each year. Our tax bills essentially are used to reward political friends. The county needs to adopt a "redevelopment pay-to-play reform" ordinance.