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TagsCalls ‘Employee Service Award' gifts inappropriate
BY TOM HESTER SR.
NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
It appears the annual opportunity for employees of the New Jersey Redevelopment Authority to select "Employee Service Award" gifts from a catalog is history.
Gov. Chris Christie Tuesday put an end to the gifting — and planned three percent discretionary raises for staff — when he vetoed the minutes of the authority's Jan. 19 meeting.
The free gifts and raises were included in the authority's 2011 budget and the governor called them inappropriate.
The veto is the 18th Christie has made against actions by state agencies since taking office 13 months ago. Aides said it demonstrates the impact and effectiveness of executive branch oversight when the Legislature provides the necessary veto power over the actions of the many authorities, boards and commissions across state government.
Christie wants veto authority over the troubled Passaic Valley Sewerage Commissioners and the North Jersey District Water Supply Commission in an effort to better police the activities of those bodies.
The Trenton-based Redevelopment Authority attempts to help redevelopment in 69 cities and towns.
In vetoing the Redevelopment Authority meeting minutes, Christie cited the "inappropriate" nature of the budget allocations for discretionary raises and employee gift program, which he said contradict his goal of maintaining fiscal prudence in the board, commission and authority spending practices.
The governor also noted that, "the approved administrative budget did not reflect line items for these inappropriate expenditures; rather, information concerning these expenditures was provided only after repeated requests for additional details. Such expenditures contradict my stated goal of fiscal prudence. For these reasons, I am compelled to veto the resolution which approved the 2011 administrative budget."
The meeting minutes of state agencies are scrutinized by the governor's Authorities Unit to flag potentially troublesome issues.
