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TagsSays Higher Education Student Assistance Authority did not seek competitive bids
Gov. Chris Christie on Friday again used his veto power to question spending practices by state authorities.
This time he is vetoing the minutes of the state Higher Education Student Assistance Authority, which hired the Hackensack-based law firm of Pashman Stein P.C. without seeking proposals or competitive bids – after it had expended thousands of dollars for the firm's services.
Christie vetoed the minutes of HESAA Sept. 8 meeting, during which it approved a resolution engaging the services of Pashman Stein P.C, and ratified the payment of $32,374 for services the firm had rendered.
The resolution further ratified payment to Pashman Stein for future costs associated with the law firm's review of HESAA operations in response to the critical report issued by the state Office of the Inspector General regarding the authority. The same resolution set the top hourly rate of $525 per hour for legal services, and rates of other attorneys at between $247.50 and $495 per hour. In his veto letter, Christie noted that the hiring of the firm was done without soliciting proposals and bids from other firms."Instead," the governor wrote, "Pashman Stein, P.C., was handpicked by HESAA staff, and the unilateral decision to engage the firm was only presented to the board for approval over three months after the engagement, and after $32,374 had been paid for services rendered. Going forward, professional services contracts such as this should be competitively bid."
Pashman Stein was founded in 1995 by Louis Pashman and Michael Stein, the sons of former state Supreme court justices the late Morris Pashman and Gary S. Stein. Pashman Stein describes itself as one of New Jersey's leading commercial law firms with a statewide practice.
Former Justice Gary Stein is listed as a special counsel. Before joining the Supreme Court, he was director of Republican Gov. Thomas Kean's Office of Policy and planning from 1982 to 1985.
The veto is Christie's fifteenth taken against various state authorities and commissions since taking office in January. Meeting minutes are scrutinized by the Governor's Office Authorities Unit to flag potentially questionable actions.
– TOM HESTER SR., NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
