(1st LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT) – As part of their continued effort to control government spending and protect taxpayers, Sen. Jeff Van Drew and Assemblymen Nelson Albano and Matthew Milam are sponsoring legislation to require a review of all purchasing activities by New Jersey governments.
The bill (S2735-A3853) would require the state comptroller to review and make recommendations to improve the procurement process of the state and local governments, public colleges and universities, independent authorities and school boards.
“It’s time to make sure all levels of New Jersey government are doing the right thing when it comes to spending taxpayer money on goods and services,” Van Drew said. “Taxpayers deserve to know they’re getting the utmost protection and this bill can help give them that confidence.”
“Taxpayers have had enough with tale after tale of wasted money, and while sometimes this waste is abusive, other times it may be that government officials are using outdated approaches that need improvement,” Albano said. “The goal here is to make sure every level of New Jersey government is as smart as possible and using the most modern standards to make the best decisions on behalf of taxpayers.”
“Billions of dollars are spent every years by New Jersey governments, and clearly we need to make sure that spending is more efficient,” Milam said. “Overburdened taxpayers need to know that their governments are doing the right thing when it comes to spending their money, and with this report, we’re guaranteed to see improvements that save money across our state.”
Under the bill, the comptroller is required to conduct a review of the various laws, regulations, practices and procedures governing the procurement process undertaken by state government, public institutions of higher education, independent authorities, units of local government and boards of education for purposes of making or entering into contracts, purchases or agreements for goods and services.
The bill provides that the comptroller must make a report regarding the review.
The report must, at a minimum, detail the approach utilized by the comptroller in reviewing the laws and regulations, practices and procedures governing the procurement process, and enumerate any findings or recommendations that the comptroller considers will improve the efficiency, transparency, or accountability of the process.
The report, including any findings and recommendations, must be filed with the governor and the Legislature on or before the date the Governor’s annual budget message is presented to the Legislature in 2012.
