By Scott St. Clair | The Save Jersey Blog
Only in government and on union jobs does a no-show get paid. Now, the Assembly has codified the practice, allowing members to phone in their presence in order to obtain a quorum for the transaction of business.
Caught by The Star-Ledger with their absentee hands in the cookie jar as being “present” when they were nowhere near Trenton, the Assembly unanimously passed a measure to legitimize the shady practice of being recorded as attending a session you didn’t.
Irrespective of what’s on the agenda, voters elect representatives to be physically on the job when there is business to transact, not to not be on the job. If you can’t commit 100 percent, then find a new hobby.
The practice resembles what’s done in many states where an absent legislator has his or her vote on legislation cast by another member. We’re told that doesn’t happen in New Jersey because legislators must be physically present to vote on bills, but how do we know? After all, if they phone it in to get a quorum, who’s to say they don’t do it to enact laws?
When the Assembly cooks one set of books, we can’t rely on the others.
I know – I was there.
Received this from Troy Singleton…
(He WAS there….Bonnie Watson Coleman was not.)
Dear Mr. LaVergne:
Thank you for contacting my office. Your concerns regarding Senate
Bill 22564, which extends application period for certain Urban Hope
projects, are of the utmost importance to me and I appreciate you
taking the time to bring them to my attention.
The quality of New Jersey’s schools and the education that they
provide to our children are a priority for me and for the residents of
this district. Each and every child is entitled to receive a quality
education and an experience that encourages them to reach their
greatest potential, regardless of their zip code. I firmly believe
that it is the duty of our society to provide for the proper
educational framework in which all children, and those responsible for
their instruction, have the means to successfully meet that objective.
I remain committed to advancing public education in our state through
striking the proper balance between traditional and alternative
educational delivery methods; that is why I support this bill.
Again, thank you for contacting my office regarding this important
issue. While we may disagree on this matter, I value your input on the
myriad of issues which affect our state. Please do not hesitate to
contact my office in the future if I can be of further assistance.
Sincerely,
Troy Singleton
Assemblyman, 7th District
Mr. Singleton –
WE Won’t FORGET, TROY…YOU FAILED OUR CHILDREN.
We were considering giving you a “pass” next year. Not after this.
You took your thirty pieces of silver from MASTERY and UNCOMMON…selling out the children whose future you were to look after.
160 years ago, there was a solution to this, and it included application of two sacks of chicken feathers, a barrel of tar, and a fence rail.
Shame on you, Mr. Singleton.
Shame on you.
Saw the same story last night on the news and was furious. Every legislator doing this should be thrown out of Trenton for violating the very state Constitution they swore to uphold. And one of them is a county chair! Shame, shame, shame!