BERGEN COUNTY REPUBLICANS

CALABRESE  HELLER & DUGGAN

REPUBLICANS SAY DEMOCRATS’ ENCAP BILL

 IS “TOO LITTLE TOO LATE”

Legislation Is A Cover up Of Democrats Failures on EnCap

 Calabrese Calls it Coverup for McPherson

Contact Matt Mowers

201-880-1646                                            May 6, 2008

HACKENSACK --Bergen County Republican Freeholder candidate Chris Calabrese says the so- called “EnCap” bill that proposes to hold developers to stricter scrutiny is “too little too late” to help thousands of Bergen County residents and millions of New Jersey taxpayers.

The bill, originally sponsored by EnCap enabler Sen. Paul Sarlo in a watered down version and then tightened by Assemblyman Gary Schaer --   would require developers to open their books to an independent auditor if they are working on projects backed by at least $25 million in public financing.

Calabrese called the bill “deceptive” and labeled it “The Democrat Political Reputation Rehabilitation Act.”

“The bill is years too late and does not begin to make up for the failure of Democrats like Sen. Sarlo to properly oversee the EnCap disaster and protect the state and county taxpayers, who are at risk of losing millions,² said Calabrese.

Calabrese, a Rutherford business owner, said former Borough Mayor Bernadette McPherson was complicit in the EnCap boondoggle, squandering millions of up-front town money from the ill-fated project and never bothering to hold EnCap responsible for its failures.

“This bill will not help the residents of Rutherford or Lyndhurst or North Arlington, all of whom have suffered at the hands of EnCap and politicians like Mayor McPherson who supported the project,” said Calabrese.

“The legislation is part of the ongoing EnCap cover-up, a thinly-veiled attempt to protect vulnerable politicians like McPherson," he added.

"Instead of sponsoring bills that are designed for public relations value, Assemblyman Schaer should be pressing for a federal investigation into EnCap and the role of political enablers like McPherson.,” added Calabrese

Calabrese’s running mate Paul Duggan said the fact that the bill concerns itself only with public financing of $25 million or more is testament to the Democrats lack of concern for taxpayer money

“Why in the world aren’t the Democrats worried about the first dollar of taxpayer money misused by developers? asked Duggan, a Bogota resident. “Are we to assume that according to the Democrats it’s okay to squander up to $25 million of taxpayer money?”

The third Republican freeholder candidate, Jeff Heller of Ramsey, said a full accounting of the EnCap development mess should be done now.

“We are all taxpayers and we have a right to know what happened to our money and how the EnCap disaster got this far,” said Heller. “Taxpayers should know, before Election Day, what role Bernadette McPherson played in the EnCap boondoggle,” said Heller.

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