Englewood — Supporters of a new law that exposes political patronage between developers and city officials called it "the first step in restoring public trust," while others dubbed it "window dressing" in an election year.
The Englewood City Council unanimously adopted a law Sept. 16 that requires all professionals who file an application with the city’s Board of Adjustment and Planning to disclose their political contributions to board members.
Heavy media attention, which traced the political ring of influence in the approval of development proposals to the campaign of Mayor Michael Wildes, had prompted its introduction in July among city council members. Past investigations by the Northern Valley Suburbanite and The Record had traced a reported $50,000 from developers, attorneys and individuals of the Planning Board to the mayor’s campaign efforts.
"When I knew an applicant come forward that I had a relationship with, professional or otherwise, and I felt that it would affect my judgement, I retreated," Wildes said in his defense at a Sept. 16 meeting. "When people would make contributions after and I recognized their name when the check came in, I would return it or rip it up."
The law would directly monitor the dealings of the mayor, who ultimately appoints members to the Planning Board.
Wildes, who advocated the addition of a penalty clause in the law, said that the city law lacked bite and implored the City Council to adopt "something with teeth."
"There are shades of gray that I’m worried about," he said.
The mayor likened the statement to his own experience, in saying that he would receive contributions from unknown entities only to find out they had an application pending.
Borough Attorney William Bailey said penalties do exist — applicants who neglect to list their political contributions risk facing perjury charges.
With no such legislation in existence until now, contributions totaling more than $300 and made within three years of a filed application must be reported.
According to the law, disclosure forms are to be filed with the city manager’s office. City Council President Ken Rosenzweig said that the ordinance requires applicants "to state aloud into the microphone their political contributions when they first appear before the Board of Adjustment and the Planning Board."
"This is just the first step to help shed some light on the practices and influences of political contributions and I hope the [City] Council continues to work to improve the process," the City Council president said.
Past reports indicated that the city has benefited from nearly $2 million in tax revenue pouring in from development approvals within the last five years. But revenue could be even greater, proponents of reform say, if the city were to set rules for accepting gifts and contributions.
"There’s a culture of corruption that New Jersey has had to fight," said Councilwoman Charlotte Schoen, alluding to the recent focus on the eight-count indictment of Joseph Ferriero, Bergen County Democratic Organization chairman. "[The ordinance], it’s both necessary and prideful."
Resident Curtis Caviness said that the law is a timely setup for upcoming elections in November.
"We talk about public trust," Caviness continued, "but it’s window dressing. It’s posturing."
