A matter  that has languished far too long in Trenton is finally getting some attention.   It is a ban on state politicians from holding multiple elected offices and it is finally gaining some momentum. 

The practice of double dipping is more common in NJ than anywhere else in the US.  Double dipping drives up state costs and increases corruption as our politicians try to accumulate power while drawing multiple salaries and accruing multiple pensions.  The undisputed king of double dipping is Senator Wayne Bryant.  Bryant has held no less than 4 public jobs at the same time drawing four salaries and accruing up to a quadruple pension.  Another notable example is Assemblyman Brian Stack who triple-dips.  In addition to his salary as an Assemblyman, Stack also collects one as the mayor of Union City and another as a Hudson County freeholder.  In fact, twenty members of the state senate who will be voting on any such bill are double dippers themselves.  Given their obvious conflict of interest, they should recuse themselves from any vote taken on the matter.

Any bill needs to go beyond limiting elected positions and include any public jobs within the state.  The culture of no show or no work jobs held by legislators in agencies whose budgets they control is a morass of ethical and moral abuse.  The current system results in quid pro quo situations like Bryant's $35,000 a year no show job with the UMDNJ during a period that he delivered nearly $13 million in funding to the school.  Along with banning pay-to-play, this is one of the most important ethical reforms of which NJ politics are in dire need.