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Concerns About New Election Laws

PERTH AMBOY – Resident Stanley Sierakowski was again beside himself at the 8/10/16 Council Meeting. He was concerned about Senate Bill NJ S-2431.

Sharon Hubberman

Sharon Hubberman

Ordinance No. 2 An Ordinance to amend an Ordinance entitled “Public Contracting” (Ordinance No. 1427 and Amendments) adopted June 25, 2008 also known as Chapter 98 of the Code of the City of Perth Amboy. Re: Redeveloper Contributions.

He told the Council that Vitale (State Senator 19th District) wants to pass another bill to make this ordinance null and void. (NJ S-2431) and Assembly Bill A-3903.

The synopsis of the two bills is: “Increases disclosure of political contributions by business entities with public contracts; creates uniform law for contributions by such entities; repeals local option to set contribution limits for business entities.”

Sierakowski also had concerns about NJ Senate bill S-3132 sponsored by Ray Lesniak (State Senator 20th District): “Provides that two members of board of education of Type II school district will be appointed by mayor or other chief executive officer of municipality constituting district.”

Stanley Sierakowski

Stanley Sierakowski

Sierakowski advised the Council to ask the Mayor, the Business Administrator or the Law Director if they knew about this law (S-2431) being initiated by Vitale and Weinberg and A-3903 and S-3132  (sponsored by Ray Lesniak)   Sierakowski also spoke about this and the bill S-2099/A-3728 at the 8/18/16 Board of Education Meeting.

Resident David Caba came up to speak about Ordinance No. 2. He wanted to know who is going to benefit.

Council President Lisa Nanton answered, “This Ordinance was amended to remove the $3000 cap and make it a $300 cap for political contributions. This is to have the redevelopment and City Ordinance the same.”

When Resident Alan Silber came up to speak, he was a little bit confused. He asked Lisa Nanton to repeat what was just said.

She repeated, “The redevelopment and City ordinances were different (when it came to a cap for political contributions).”

Silber answered back, “All you had to do was get rid of the one ordinance that had the higher amount.”

When Resident Sharon Hubberman came up to speak, she said, “There is a lot of double speak and no contributions should be allowed. I would just keep it to no contributions to make it transparent. This doesn’t send a clear message. There’s a lot going on pertaining to Pay to Play. Everything’s related to campaigns currently going on. You should curb the Pay to Play. As a Municipality you can go to no contributions at all.”

The Ordinance was moved by Councilman Bill Petrick and Seconded by Councilman Fernando Gonzalez.

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