>July 26, 2010
Hon. Matthew Boxer
New Jersey State Comptroller
Office of the State Comptroller
PO Box 024
Trenton, NJ 08625
Dear Mr. Boxer:
Serious concerns have been raised about the administration of the Bergen County Improvement Authority (BCIA) as the result of recent shocking reports in the media of statements by co-workers of its Chairman alleging misuse of the BCIA for personal gain before a federal judge, and what is apparently an ongoing federal investigation by the United States Attorney’s Office (See eg, The Record, Editorial “Scandal and exit, Implicated BCIA chief resigns” Sunday, July 25, 2010 and prior reports therein on Friday, July 24, 2010 and Saturday, July, 25, 2010). The Agency’s chairman has resigned evidently as a result of allegations of wrongdoing. Presumably unrelated to these allegations, the Agency’s Executive Director has announced his pending retirement.
The BCIA is a creature of Bergen County.In my opinion, it operates without appropriate oversight while controlling hundreds of millions of dollars of expense, revenue and guarantees through four separate budgets. It is a jigsaw puzzle that can only be solved through audits conducted by a thoroughly independent office.
The office of State Comptroller is the appropriate agency to audit the BCIA. You have the resources and integrity required to conduct a comprehensive review of this independent, free standing by product of Bergen County government.
I thank you for your consideration of this request and I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Kathleen A. Donovan
