Trenton 08625: What's New At The State House? By Todd May 21, 2010, 8:03 AM
Incoming NJSBA President Rick Steen offered opening remarks at the program welcoming attendees and indicating that government affairs would be one of his chief priorities in the coming year. Toward this end, President Steen intends for the NJSBA to host another event this fall in Trenton for NJSBA members to meet legislative leaders, gubernatorial officials, and partisan and non-partisan staff. Mr. Steen introduced program moderator, Fruqan Mouzon, vice chair of the NJSBA Legislative Committee, a former assisatnt counsel in teh Corzine Administration and a partner at Gibbons PC. The President-to-be noted that he would be keeping Legislative Committee chair Gerald H. Baker and Mr. Mouzon during his presidency. Also on the panel were two veterans of the New Jersey political scene and members of Public Strategies Impact, LLC who represent the NJSBA in Trenton. Roger Bodman, served in the Kean Administration as Commissioner of both the Department of Transportation and the Department of Labor. He most recently served as an advisor to the Governor Christie's transition team. Bill Maer is a former aide to in the Florio Administration and the Assembly Democratic Office, prior to becoming chief of staff to Congressman Bill Pascrell. He also was a senior campaign advisor to Governor Jon Corzine. Mr. Mouzon began the discussion recalling his transition from the practice of law to the Corzine Administration when he received a phone call from the NJSBA on a legislative matter. As an assistant counsel he preparing memoranda on legislation he frequently contacted the NJSBA to ascertain its position on legislative matters. When he returned to the practice of law he decided he wanted to become active in the NJSBA so he volunteered his services and secured a position on the NJSBA Legislative Committee. Turning to the panel, Mr. Mouzon asked the penultimate question, "What's new in the State House?" Mr. Bodman observed that the election of Governor Chris Christie and Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadagno has certainly shaken things up in Trenton. It is conventional wisdom in New Jersey given the state's poltical make-up that Republicans only won when Democrats "screwed up". Candidate and Governor Christie understand this. As a result, Governor Christie is committed to not "govern on the margins" as his predecessors have done with one shot revenue enhancements or other "business as usual" policies. Mr. Bodman does not see the new Governor as "just another pol" and he believes the Governor is comfortable with the possibility that he may have only one-term to work with. Mr Maer suggested that right now the Governor was enjoying public support for his approach, but that if property taxes did not go down, the Governor's behavior "would get old". The audience was asked by Mr. Bodman to remember the paradox that the governor is blamed for property tax levels, but ironically, property taxes are a creature of local and not state government spending. Understanding this, the governor is wisely going after local governments and making certain that the citizens of New Jersey know this dynamic. The panelists noted that it was far too early to determine what issues the governor might campaign for reelection. However, all agreed that the bottom-line test would be whether Governor Christie gets credit for changing the system enough to start to solve the property tax dilemma that exists in New Jersey, or he is seen as just another politican putting band-aids on a problem that demands a more substantial solution. The reality in New Jersey is that mid-term elections could pose a challenge for the Republican party because they usually only secure about a 30% turnout, and the only persons voting are those who are dissatisfied, and an anti-Chrisite fervor could hurt GOP legislators. Governor Christie's success basically hinges upon whether the Legislature will provide municipalities with the tools they need - the Governor's tool kit - to be able to solve some of the fiscal challenges they are presently saddled with. These include eliminating mandatory arbitration and somoe of the present civil service requirements. Discussion turned next to the propriety of Governor Christie's decision to not renominate Justice John Wallace to the NJ Supreme Court. Mr. Bodman suggested that this had nothing to do with the Governor's personal feelings regarding Justice Wallace and was more a recognition that time is short and he needed to act to try and change the jurisprudence regarding the Mt. Laurel, Abbott and other decisions. The Gov ernor sees the court as "activist" and as a result needs to reign in their actions simultaneously with other efforts to reform business as usual in Trenton. Audience members countered that "activist" might not be a fair characterization given that the NJ Supreme Court has only issued its decisions in those controversial cases because the Legislature and the Governor had failed to fulfill their responsibilities. Thus, the court with these decisions, has merely been correcting deficiencies that the Legislature and Governor have refused to take action on. Mr. Mouzon closed the discussion asking Mr. Maer regarding the status of two pieces of legislation the NJSBA was pursuing in the Legislature, the standardization of professional malpractice statute of limitations which is awaiting consideration in the Assembly Regulated Professions Committee, and a bill that would allow professional service corporations to use alternate names which has passed the Senate and is awaiting consideration in the General Assembly.
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