Ballot Question 1 - It's a scam

Today, voters will go to the polls in New Jersey to elect a President, House member, Senator and various local offices. Also on the ballot are two questions. Ballot question number 2 is pretty straightforward. The current method of selecting judges for municipalities is set forth in the state constitution. However, this causes a problem when judges are appointed across multiple boundaries or multiple jurisdictions. The amendment allows that the legislature can clean this up by status, which is an inherently more flexible alternative than handling this in the constitution.

Question number 1 is more problematic. It purports to be an amendment that would force politicians to put major borrowing decisions to the voters (which last time I checked, the state constitution already mandates). But apparently, there are some major loopholes put into the legislation that would allow Corzine and others to completely circumvent the voter. Americans for prosperity detail the question here with red outline on the loophole in question.

And there is more(from Americans for Prosperity):

But here is the real kicker: "No voter approval shall be required . . . authorizing the creation of . . . debts . . . for the refinancing of all or a portion of any outstanding debts or liabilities of . . . an autonomous public corporate entity."

Our Supreme Court ruled that New Jersey voters don't have to pay a dime on any of the $29 billion previously borrowed by shell entities like the EDA-unless they vote to do it. But with a "Yes" vote on Ballot Question #1, Governor Corzine and the State Legislature could pass a simple law to refinance every dollar of the $37 billion borrowed by state authorities

So, in essence, this question pretends to put debt to the voter but really eliminates the current constitutional ban of bypassing the voter. I am voting NO on question 1.

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