DiMaio Pushes ‘Snooki Bill’ to Cap N.J. College Speaking Fees

Snooki and JWoww’s summers at the Jersey Shore are ancient history, Save Jerseyans, but one New Jersey legislator wants to make sure the former never gets another giant payday from one of the Garden State’s institutions of higher education.

On Monday,  A714/S2355 sponsored by Assemblyman John DiMaio (R-Warren) advanced on a 6-0 vote to the General Assembly; if adopted by both chambers and signed into law, it would bar in-state colleges from using more than $10,000 in state funds for speakers and commencement speakers.

“At a time when tuitions are being increased because state funding is being reduced, colleges should not be using taxpayer money to pay exorbitant speaker fees,” “said DiMaio. “This is an added expense that taxpayers and students simply cannot afford. Rutgers used hard earned taxpayer money to pay Snooki $32,000 to tell graduates to ‘Study hard, but party harder.’ That’s ludicrous and wasteful. Taxpayers and students deserve better.”

Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi’s $32,000 windfall came in 2011 when Rutgers paid out of its student activity fee fund. Rutgers in particular has been notoriously ideologically lopsided in its invites as evidenced by the time faculty and students forced former Secretary of State Condi Rice to withdraw as a commencement speaker.

If DiMaio’s bill becomes law? Trenton will debit a dollar amount equal to the amount paid – which would be any money above $10,000 – for any violations from the institution’s state operating aid. The Assemblyman’s original bill prohibited ANY state funds from being used for speakers but the bill was amended in committee to its current form.

“I oppose using any taxpayer funds to pay speaker fees,” added DiMaio. “If colleges want to pay speakers they should raise the money from private sources. However, I agreed to the amendment because checks and balances are necessary. I’d rather have the $10,000 cap than no cap at all.”

President Obama’s 2016 commencement address at Rutgers cost the university nearly $1.5 million but the former Commander-in-Chief declined a speaking fee.

Tuition at Rutgers is among the most expensive for in-state students in the nation notwithstanding (or because of!) the millions of dollars in taxpayer subsidies received by the university on an annual basis.

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Matt Rooney
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MATT ROONEY is SaveJersey.com's founder and editor-in-chief, a practicing New Jersey attorney, and the host of 'The Matt Rooney Show' on 1210 WPHT every Sunday evening from 7-10PM EST.