Corzine criticized over toll-road meeting registration

January 3, 2008

By GREGORY J. VOLPE / Gannett State Bureau, TRENTON

Even while trying to plan public discussion on his still-secret toll road plan, Gov. Jon S. Corzine is catching flak for how he is inviting constituents to join the talks.

Corzine, who has pledged to hold town hall meetings in all 21 counties to discuss the plan, which he will announce on Tuesday, is asking attendees to RSVP online or by phone. The online form requires attendees to submit their first and last names, city, county and e-mail address, with the option of submitting additional information such as phone number, street address or organization.

Assembly Minority Leader Alex DeCroce, R-Morris, said Wednesday the arrangement seems like a way for the administration to pre-screen attendees and compared it to the former Soviet Union.

"I think this is a way to qualify the crowd as to who's coming in and who's not coming in," DeCroce said. "They're asking a lot of information, and if they don't care for what you put down, they may say, "No dice.' They're asking for a day phone, an evening phone and an e-mail address, what do they need all that for?"

Though an online note signed by Corzine says "If you would like to attend you must RSVP," his spokeswoman, Lilo Stainton, said pre-registration is not mandatory to attend or speak at the events.

"The notion that people would be denied access to Governor Corzine's financial restructuring and debt reduction town hall meetings is ludicrous," Stainton said via e-mail. "Anyone that shows up will be allowed in."

The RSVPs give an idea of how many people are coming, and the information is used for follow-up with constituent services, Stainton said.