Shooting Pigs in a barrel

The budget debate that started in January with Governor Corzine declaring that pigs will fly over the statehouse before enough waste, fraud and abuse could be identified to solve New Jersey's fiscal crisis has ended with a budget that will lead to a higher tax burden on New Jersey citizens and continues to encourage the waste, fraud and abuse that is endemic throughout New Jersey's governments and agencies.

The truth is that identifying waste, fraud and abuse in New Jersey is as easy as shooting pigs in a barrel. The trough swillers control and exploit the system for their own gain. The abuses are legislated in to the system and negotiated into contracts.

Article I, paragraph 2a of the New Jersey Constitution reads, "All political power is inherent in the people. Government is instituted for the protection, security, and benefit of the people, and they have the right at all times to alter or reform the same, whenever the public good may require it."

That's nice in theory, but in practice all political power is inherent in the power borkers, union leaders and those earning their living off the taxpayers. Government provides protection, security and benefit of those who work for and do business with the government. If the people want to reform the government, they must comply with unreasonable rules and procedures designed for failure by those who work for and do business with the goverment. Anyone who looks like they might have some success with a reform effort, or blows a whistle, will be investigated and harrassed. Any reforms must comply with previously negotiated contracts with the trough swillers.

Much has been made of the flagrant abuses in the education establishment. From school bus drivers being paid overtime to charge their government issued cell phones, to school superintendents golden parachutes and poison pills, the system is designed to waste money and those abuses that have been exposed are likely just to tip of the berg.

Marlboro resident James Sage has identified abuse in the Freehold Regional School District. While reviewing the minutes of the Freehold Regional board's minutes, Sage noticed that an assistant superintendent was given a raise 7 weeks before he retired because he had earned a PhD.

Why would someone who is about to retire need a PhD? Do they offer PhDs in sailing, shuffle board or fishing? I can see rewarding an educator for earning an advanced degree if the students in that educator's care would benefit from the enlightenment gained by the sheepskin, but the practice of rewarding overpaid administrators for degrees that the students could never possibly benefit from is a obvious pension pad. This was not about the $2500 the Marlboro administrator got on the way out the door. It was about the many thousands more he would receive in higher pension payments as a result of the raise. I bet if one started looking into the practice of last minute raises and promotions one would find a barrel full of pigs.

What makes matters worse in the Marlboro case that Sage cites is that the retiring administrator's PhD wasn't a real degree. Doctor Porky got his degree from an Internet diploma mill.