2022 UC Budget (2): UCIA Aid

The 2022 Union County Executive Budget is out and the first curious entry is:

Has the county left off propping up the Union County Improvement Authority in light of the latest fiasco?

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2022 Union County Executive Budget (1) Pop Outs

The 2022 Union County Executive Budget is out and this blog kicks off a series that will look at the numbers in detail. Here are the pertinent pages and we start with items that pop out at you to the point where you assume it is some kind of mistake.

 

Decision in UC Government Complex Project

For those looking for that 21-page judicial ruling mention in the story, here it is.

Notable excerpts below:

Breaking News: Court halts UC Government Complex Project

Per nj.com:

Union County’s long-planned $123.8 million government complex that opponents claimed had illegally skirted state public bidding laws was halted by a state appeals court Tuesday, which rejected arguments that any delay in the construction project would only incur more costs to taxpayers.

In a 21-page ruling, the judges said the plaintiffs in the case “clearly and convincingly demonstrated imminent irreparable harm — not personal in nature, but rather as representative of all taxpayers in Union County.”

Looking at Union County Improvement Authority (UCIA) available bill payment resolutions, the Union County Government Complex has so far cost at least $11,681,938.09:

UCIA Departures and Stipends

Since last September when the Union County Government Complex project was initiated there has been $151,041.57 paid out in “salaries” through October, 2021.

Those were actually stipends and here is who got the money:

An Inside Game

That was the headline from today’s lead story in the Star Ledger which asks the question:

Was politics in play when public bidding laws were cast aside for a $123.8M project?

Yes it is about the pay-to-play cesspool that is Union County.

Notable excerpts:

Paying For Solar Panel Fiasco

832-2021 ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE GUARANTY BY THE COUNTY OF UNION, NEW JERSEY OF PAYMENT OF PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST ON THE COUNTY GUARANTEED REVENUE BONDS, SERIES 2021 (RENEWABLE ENERGY PROGRAM PROJECT) OF THE UNION COUNTY IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY IN AN AGGREGATE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT NOT EXCEEDING $5,500,000.

This represents the bonds that the UCIA still has to pay on that solar panel boondoggle that anybody could see were destined to default . Here are comments made on the ordinance and a little background as gleaned from the EMMA website.

UC Government Complex Costs

Getting back to looking at Union County Improvement Authority (UCIA) bill payment resolutions, starting with the money spent on the Union County Government Complex over the last year:

UCIA Story: Take Three

With more information here is what I now plan to submit next week to have read at the Union County commissioner meeting. I anticipate submission on the day of the meeting next week so still plenty of time to comment.

UCIA Story: Take Two

Below is what I now plan to submit next week to have read at the Union County commissioner meeting. This is basic data gleaned from resolutions, payroll data, and political donations. I welcome anyone to come up a conclusion (or a question) based on this information which I am still thinking through.