> > Measure banning contractors' contributions expected to pass > Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 12/21/05 > BY NANCY SHIELDS > COASTAL MONMOUTH BUREAU
> "This is a very up-and-up council," Councilman John Loffredo said > Tuesday. "We don't have any qualms passing a pay-to-play ordinance." I guess they just have a problem keeping their stories straight. Where's Lenny Briscoe when you need him? > Deputy Mayor James Bruno said he's "probably going to vote for it (the > ordinance)" tonight, but expressed concerns about how developers could > be prevented in the end from making contributions. > > "Now you're going to get politicians who are going to be tempted by > cash under the table," he said. That makes a lot of sense. Don't explicitly outlaw something because you might create a black market. How is it possible people like this get elected? > According to wording in the ordinance, political contributions affect > the trust of residents and taxpayers in their elected officials who > make decisions on such matters as tax abatements, zoning densities, > eminent domain and publicly funded infrastructure improvements. > The ordinance requires a developer to give the city a sworn statement > that no political contribution was made before the city approves a > redevelopment agreement. A little late in the game for AP. > Bruno said Tuesday the city's elected officials are honest and have an > important relationship with its current redevelopers. > > "If we lose, they lose," he said. "And if they fail, we fail." That't exactly what we fear. The councils' interests are too closely intertwined. They why Asbury Partners got the better of them; they didn't realize they have competing interests. > "People automatically think that if you're on council and accept money > for a campaign that you're doing something wrong or illegal but that's > a perception thing," Bruno said. "They think all politicians are > thieves. Not all of us are." No, it is only when you constantly side with the developer at the expense of citizens. Only when you lie. Only when you threaten to slap citizens at public meetings or make faces when they speak. ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> AIDS in India: A "lurking bomb." Click and help stop AIDS now. http://us.click.yahoo.com/VpTY2A/lzNLAA/yQLSAA/Y2tolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AsburyPark/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
