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(WEST ORANGE, OCTOBER 18) - From this morning’s New York Times:
“Mr. McGreevey’s propensity for borrowing stands in contrast to his repeated criticism of former Gov. Christie Whitman for increasing state debt during her two terms. It also raises the question of whether Mr. McGreevey, if elected, can keep his pledge to reduce state debt at a time when New Jersey is facing a deficit of perhaps $1 billion or more …
“In the decade since he took office, Woodbridge’s borrowing has nearly doubled to about $176 million. This includes $16 million in notes issued just this year to build a long-promised recreation center that was on the verge of becoming a boondoggle …
“The announcement of the [recreation center] project came less than three months after Mr. McGreevey lost his first campaign for governor and said that he would almost certainly run again. The recreation center is still not finished. The company selected to build it is bankrupt. For now, the town has picked up the $16 million tab …
“Mr. McGreevey says the center will pay for itself. But if it is not profitable, the taxpayers will be stuck with the bill …
“At the same time, his close political allies have profited from his spending and hiring decisions …
“Mr. McGreevey has also been criticized for allowing political allies to profit from town business. Until early this year, the town attorney was Paul M. Weiner, a law partner of Mr. McGreevey’s political patron, State Senator Raymond J. Lesniak …
“Not everyone is a fan. Warren Larsen, who owns an auto parts store, said Mr. McGreevey ‘calls himself a full-time mayor, but he only spends 5 percent of his time at Town Hall.’” |
