Assemblyman Green demands investigation of PMUA

Writing on his blog a few days ago (see here), Plainfield Assemblyman Jerry Green said he has asked the State Comptroller to 'examine the entire operation of the PMUA', saying --

...It is important because of the high rate of dissatisfaction with this agency. By asking the State Comptroller for a thorough deduction of the PMUA, this asks a neutral entity to deduce its operation, allowing us to make decisions on facts...

I couldn't agree more with Assemblyman Green's stated desire to see the facts, but experience shows that he is more clever at getting the headline than he is at delivering on his promises.

So...while it is tempting to assume he has done what he says, perhaps we ought to invoke the 'trust, but verify' rule. Here are a couple of things Assemblyman Green needs to do show he is serious and not just blowing smoke --

1. To assure the public that he has really requested a 'thorough deduction' of the PMUA by the Comptroller, he needs to post a copy of the letter sent the Comptroller making the request.
   
   
2. The public needs to know NOW, not three weeks from now, or after the Primary, in which the Assemblyman is now making this an issue.
   
   
3. The Assemblyman needs to make sure the complete travel, entertainment and reimbursement records of the Commissioners, executive team and department heads as well as City Council liaisons are made public all the way back to the beginning of the PMUA.

Doing these things will help Assemblyman Green in two ways: It will show the public he is not just grandstanding, and it will show us just how much mojo he has with the State's bureaucracy.

But the Assemblyman isn't the only one who has an interest in clearing up the questions around travel and other expenses by the PMUA's Commissioners, executive team and department heads -- as well as City Council liaisons.

Ms. Carol Brokaw-Boles, as chair of the Board of Commissioners, should also want to clear the air, especially since the current trip to Oakland doesn't appear to be connected to the PMUA's mission (solid waste and sanitary sewers), and appears profligate at a time when the Authority is laying off workers.

Both Ms. Brokaw-Boles and executive director Eric Watson should want to completely open up these travel records and show the ratepayers their tax dollars have been well and wisely spent.

You may want to express your opinion in the poll on this matter at the top of the right-hand column.

Or at the Board of Commissioners meeting tomorrow at 7 PM at PMUA headquarters, 127 Roosevelt Avenue.

Or both.

P.S. Checking back on the DumpPMUA website just before publishing, there seems to be some question of a side junket to Las Vegas by an unknown number of those attending the Oakland conference. Check the website here for updates.

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• Jerry Green's Page: "Comptroller asked to investigate PMUA"
• State of NJ: "Office of the State Comptroller"
• PMUA: "Home page"
  
• DumpPMUA: "Oakland -- and Las Vegas? -- trip" | "Home page"
  

-- Dan Damon

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