Why hasn New Jersey pay-to-play reform law resolved the problem?
The state pay-to-play law (N.J.S.A. 19:44A-20.3 through 20.25) contains major loopholes, including: • The law permits political donations from those who own less than 10 percent of a business. • The law permits candidates and political organizations to conceal contributors by “wheeling” donations through other campaign funds, which include those of any county or municipal candidate or political group and the campaign funds of state legislators. • The law allows local governments define the details of a “fair and open” bidding process, which effectively continues the no-bid contracting of professional services with little regard to merit or cost, while not restricting the contractor’s political contributions. • The law does not address developer pay-to-play. Note that a few contractors have found the new laws to be so confusing that they have decided to discontinue all political contributions.
