Officials urge ethics reform

Freehold Township

FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP - A resolution urging bipartisan action by the state Legislature on ethics reform was passed at the Nov. 8 meeting of the Township Committee.

The resolution points to the unprecedented wave of recent public corruption scandals in New Jersey. In the past five years more than 90 public officials in New Jersey have been indicted or pled guilty to crimes following action taken by the U.S. Attorney for New Jersey, according to the resolution.

The committee's resolution states that, " ... it has become commonplace in New Jersey for business entities to make substantial political contributions to the election campaigns of elected officers who are ultimately responsible for awarding professional contracts ... and the awarding of these contracts to campaign contributors, in a practice that has become known as pay to play, creates the appearance that government is for sale and that taxpayer dollars will flow to the highest campaign contributors."

Committee members said all this has led to a loss of trust in the integrity of their government by New Jersey taxpayers, and that public trust must be restored.

To this end, the Republican members of the state Assembly introduced an 11-point package of bills on Sept. 25 titled The Assembly Republican Blueprint for a Corrupt-Free New Jersey. The program is designed to crack down on corruption and "send a message to New Jersey public officials that ethical misconduct will not be tolerated."

The program is supported by Demo-cratic and Republican lawmakers.

All five members of the Township Committee in Freehold Township are Republican.