October 7, 2010
Flow of grants to local groups reassures flow of votes
to Assembly incumbents
Misused taxpayer dollars help selected incumbents stay in power
Recent “legislative grants” given by legislators to local community groups are unethical. These are taxpayer dollars being misused to promote election of challenged incumbents who are supported by General Assembly leaders. Senate grants have already reached half a million dollars since June 30. Most went through the Senators listed below who all face opponents in the November election. According to OCG President Marie Sorman: “The resulting ‘money-go-round’ keeps chosen legislators in power and freezes out lawmakers with fiscal responsibility in mind. It’s an outrageous waste of tax money, especially in the Senate.”
Sen. Perry: $52,500; 18 grants
Sen Ruggerio: $47,000; 6 grants
Sen. Pres Paiva-Weed: $45,500; 15 grants
Sen. Ciccone: $37,200; 14 grants
Sen. DaPonte: $30,500; 10 grants
Sen. Bates: $26,000; 5 grants
Sen. Goodwin: $22,000; 8 grants
Sen. Crowley: $20,000; 8 grants
Sen. DeVall: $15,500; 7 grants
Sen. Felag: $15,500; 11 grants
Sen. Pichardo: $15,100; 10 grants
Sen. Tassoni: $15,000; 9 grants
Sen. Walaska: $15,000; 13 grants
Sen. Lanzi: $14,750; 13 grants
Sen. Sosnowski: $13,500; 9 grants
Sen. Sheehan: $12,700; 10 grants
Sen. Miller: $12,000; 5 grants
Sen. Fogarty: $12,000; 11 grants
A few senators received less than $10,000. Six Senators who do not have opponents received no grants.
OCG congratulates Senators Edward O’Neill and Michael Pinga for not taking taxpayer dollars to promote themselves. Both have challengers in November. Senator O’Neill was recently quoted in the Valley Breeze, “Since being elected, said O'Neill, he has taken “zero” legislative grant money “because the money belongs to the taxpayers and not the politicians.”
The House has doled out grants on a much smaller scale, a total of $49,000, with the largest grant total going to Rep. Amy Rice ($15,000).
Sorman states, “Indeed, we feel that the awarding of these grants in the first quarter during the current election season, is particularly inappropriate, as it is clearly being done by the leadership, especially on the senate side, to help favored incumbents. In the same way, some key leadership favorites have recently been provided time on Capitol TV. Taxpayer dollars should not be used to provide free television exposure to favored incumbents during an election season.
OCG has analyzed and reported on “legislative and community grants” over the past several years. See our newsletters, pages 1 & 4, with charts of monies received: March 08 & September 10. Also see the list of grants sorted by legislator for the House and Senate.
View FY 2011 Community Services Grants HERE.
OCG recommends:
