Pay-to-Play Amendments at the Forefront in Jersey City

Four years ago, Jersey City adopted one of the toughest local pay-to-play ordinances in the State of New Jersey. Indeed, the Jersey City Ordinance has become the model for the transitional aid ordinances  adopted by dozens of New Jersey municipalities in recent years. Last night, the Jersey City Council voted on introducing competing amendments to the current Jersey City Ordinance. One proposed amendment would expand the ordinance to include contributions by city vendors to Jersey City Board of Education candidates and the other proposed amendment would expand the ordinance to include contributions by city vendors to both Jersey Board of Education candidates and candidates for State Assembly and Senate representing Jersey City. The amendment expanding the scope of the ordinance to both Board of Education and Senate and Assembly candidates was voted down. The Jersey City Council is scheduled to hold a final vote on the amendment to expand the scope of the ordinance to cover contributions to Board of Education candidates on November 14, 2012. The question remains whether additional amendments will be proposed for consideration between now and then and how far those amendments may go in expanding the scope of an already stringent ordinance.