(3rd LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT) – Assemblyman John Burzichelli (D-Gloucester/Salem/Cumberland) released the following statement Tuesday on news the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association made $30,725 in 2012-13, its first surplus since 2008-09.
Burzichelli has long pushed for reforms at the wasteful agency and fought their efforts to hike ticket prices:
“Wait a second. You mean to tell me the NJSIAA’s repeated threats of imminent demise if it had to control its spending were greatly exaggerated?
“Well, of course they were.
“No one who looked at their operation with common sense believed those threats then, and absolutely no one should believe it now.
“I’m very pleased to see this agency was able to finish with a surplus once it decided to focus on streamlining and controlling spending, rather than incessantly insisting it had to raise ticket prices on hard-working families. The world hasn’t ended for the NJSIAA, and New Jersey is better for the end result.
“Everything we did to fight their reckless spending was for the right cause, and we’re now seeing the fruits of that effort with reasonable ticket prices for families and fans and a more fiscally sound agency. Let’s hope they now find a way to return that surplus to taxpayers in some form.
“I’d like to thank Commissioner of Education Cerf for his cooperation. Without his assistance, we would never have been able to corral this agency. I look forward to continued cooperation and more common sense spending by the NJSIAA.”