Eliminate NJ Schools Development Authority, GOP Lawmaker Says

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — A Republican state lawmaker says that a state agency accused of “creating a patronage pit” should be eliminated in the name of transparency and efficiency.

Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce, who represents New Jersey's 26th Legislative District (Essex, Morris and Passaic counties), said the state Schools Development Authority should be nixed and its responsibilities transferred to the Department of Treasury’s Division of Property Management and Construction.

According to a Friday statement from DeCroce’s office, the SDA – which manages the construction and improvement of schools in 31 of the state’s lowest-income communities – is being investigated by the attorney general’s office for its hiring practices and recent allegations of employee file tampering.

The authority has been accused of creating a “patronage pit” by hiring unqualified but personally-connected staff, DeCroce stated.

On Friday, DeCroce issued a statement about her proposal, which she pitched to Senate President Stephen Sweeney, Speaker Craig Coughlin and Assemblyman John Burzichelli.

“We have an existing branch of state government that can effectively perform the duties of the SDA with more efficiency and accountability,” DeCroce stated. “It will provide executive branch oversight and governance controls over hiring and spending practices… Placing the SDA into a department will make it more accountable to the administration and legislature while also making their budget more transparent.”

The assemblywoman said that she’s against another possible option, moving the SDA into another state authority such as the embattled NJEDA.

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“Moving the SDA to the Division of Property Management & Construction is the right strategy because it is critical that we ensure the services provided by the SDA are offered in a professional and transparent manner,” DeCroce said.

Under DeCroce’s legislation, which she plans to introduce at the next quorum, the NJEDA would retain its responsibility for financing school construction projects.

DeCroce represents parts of Essex, Morris and Passaic counties, including North Caldwell, Verona and West Caldwell.

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