Keeping an Eye on Taxpayer Dollars at Colleges

A New Jersey lawmaker is pushing a plan she says will better protect students and taxpayer dollars.

Assemblywoman Connie Wagner is crafting legislation that would require public colleges to seek qualifications before hiring outside consultants.

The measure comes after Wagner learned Bergen Community College awarded a $90,000 public relations contract to a firm that did not submit the lowest bid for the project.

“With the cost of college continuing to sky rocket our schools should be doing more to keep their bottom lines in check. This is the last thing that I'd expect from the leadership at Bergen Community College after the recent history with spending money frivolously,” says Wagner.

She also stresses the importance of making sure that all government business is conducted above-board and with the taxpayers’ best interest in mind.

Wagner, who serves on the Assembly Higher Education Committee, points out the legislation would close the loophole that allows colleges to hire public relations consultants without seeking qualifications and would also apply to the hiring of any other outside consultants whose qualifications are not required to be submitted.

She intends to formally introduce the legislation in the coming weeks.