We have witnessed yet another act of hubris by elected officials in Trenton with the passage and signing of a state budget just before the government shutdown deadline. While missing the deadline was never likely, the real concern lies in how the budget was passed – with minimal transparency and virtually no opportunity for public input.
A record $58.8 billion budget was enacted in a way that prevented many, even some legislators, from knowing what they were voting on. This backroom process has become routine in Trenton, where Democratic leaders in both chambers rely on “safe districts” to shield them from consequences. They know any public outcry will fade, and that the real political risk lies in upsetting county and municipal party machines, not the voters.
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We don’t vote them out—so they don’t let us in.
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Need proof? How many of us will vote this year with last year’s gutting of the Open Public Records Act in mind? Yet 81% of the public opposed those changes. Lawmakers count on safe districts, short memories and a disengaged electorate.
They divert opioid settlement funds to wealthy hospitals instead of front-line organizations working directly with addicts. They quietly add tens of millions in last-minute funding for pet projects like sports complexes. They ignore looming federal cuts despite already spending at record levels. When faced with double-digit increases in the state health benefits program, they promise hearings – later.
When lawmakers sense real political danger, they suddenly get busy. Consider the public concern over rising electricity prices. For the next few months, expect a flurry of activity as state and utility funds are distributed. By the time those credits disappear in the fall and heating costs rise, they hope the election will be behind them.
While professing concern over energy affordability, lawmakers diverted $140 million from the Clean Energy Fund – paid by electricity ratepayers – to NJ Transit in the same budget.
Closer to home, the same pattern repeats. County commissioners claim transparency even as they limit public comment with a timer, hold meetings at 3 p.m. when most people are at work, and reject repeated requests for remote video access.
Try finding the resolutions they vote on via the county website. The agenda is posted only because it’s legally required. What’s not mandated, they don’t post.
A request for proposals for air-side operations at the county airport? Not listed. At a July 8 meeting, commissioners awarded a contract for those services, even as the longtime airport liaison warned the vote was premature. The public still doesn’t know why.
Commissioner Bobby Barr says he’s “chomping at the bit” for a public discussion – just not yet.
That vote commits county taxpayers to a $32 million reimbursement to the Delaware River and Bay Authority. Yet public access to the details remains elusive.
State regulatory bodies aren’t much better. The Board of Public Utilities technically complies with public notice laws by posting to its own website, but few residents know where to look. Reaching someone by phone is nearly impossible. Leave a message identifying yourself as a reporter, and you’re unlikely to hear back.
Ever wonder why public hearings are sparsely attended? The public often never sees the notice.
Now, the Legislature has passed a law requiring local governments to publish legal notices only on their websites, ending the requirement to print them in newspapers as of March 1, 2026. It’s another blow to struggling local journalism, and to government transparency.
Many towns in our county still don’t offer remote access or participation for public meetings. That includes large, spread-out municipalities like Middle Township and seasonal island communities where property owners have no access to meetings from their primary residences.
This erosion of open government continues because the public allows it. We don’t demand challengers to incumbents. We don’t vote out officials who operate in the shadows.
Quotes From the Bible
“There are those who hate the one who upholds justice in court and detest the one who tells the truth.” — Amos 5:10
Speaks to the hostility officials often show toward watchdogs, critics or journalists demanding transparency. A striking commentary on today’s disdain for accountability.
