City's 'pay-to-play' law being properly enforced?

Friday, November 13, 2009

An allegation that an engineering firm may have violated Jersey City's pay-to-play law has raised a larger question about enforcement.

"We passed an ordinance to do something, then nobody follows up," resident John Seborowski Sr. said at Tuesday's City Council meeting.

Seborowski asked the council to table a resolution that would have given a $125,000 contract to T&M Associates, a Middletown engineering firm.

He said that according to Councilman Mariano Vega's Election Law Enforcement Commission reports, the firm made donations to Vega this year in violation of the city's pay-to-play law.

The firm denies the contributions, but the enforcement issue could impact other holders of contracts and donations as well.

For example, Manalapan-based CMX Engineering, which works for the city, made a $2,500 contribution to a Burlington County political action committee in May. In March, that PAC donated $500 to Councilman Bill Gaughan's campaign fund and $1,500 to "Team Healy," Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy's campaign fund.

Heather Taylor, communications director for Citizen's Campaign, which drafted the pay-to-play law adopted by many municipalities in the state, said although "regularly" would have to be defined, the city should still explore CMX's donation to the New Frontier PAC.

"This very well could be a violation of the local pay-to-play law and it's something the city should look into," she said.

The city's corporation counsel William Matsikoudis said vendors are asked to fill out a form attesting to the fact that they have not donated.

Seborowski said no one verifies that vendors are being honest.

But city officials realize there needs to be some enforcement. Matsikoudis met with Ward F Councilman Steve Fulop, community members and Taylor last week.

Fulop said the city's purchasing agent, or a committee of concerned citizens, could be tasked with checking up on companies.

"I suspect by the next time we meet, we'll have a process in place," he said.

MELISSA HAYES