Our View
County review fits in with total look at state’s health

Freeholders in Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean counties have softened their stance a bit in regard to a piece of legislation that is currently before the state Senate and Assembly.

And state Sen. Thomas J. Kean Jr. (R-Union) made his position clear when he told Greater Media Newspapers that he is not proposing that county government in New Jersey be eliminated.

The senator took heat in recent weeks when news about his proposal to create a commission to study the efficiency of county government was reported in New Jersey newspapers. Some reports made it appear that Kean wants to do away with county government.

That, in turn, led some county freeholders to fire back at the senator and state that, in effect, they would protect their level of government until their last breath.

Conversations with all of the protagonists revealed a more moderate story.

Kean has introduced legislation that would establish a board to be known as the "Effectiveness of County Government Study Commission." The commission would be provided with $95,000 in state funding to review the effectiveness of county government and determine how it is performing the functions currently required by law.

The commission’s mission would be to review the laws and regulations governing the functions of and services provided by county government to the people of the state, and to make recommendations as to whether those functions are currently being performed in the most effective and economical way.

It would also determine whether those functions and services could be performed more efficiently and effectively by state or municipal government and, if so, recommend a plan for the reassignment of those functions and services that it deems could be better provided by state or municipal government.

Freeholders contacted by Greater Media Newspapers indicated they are willing to listen to Kean and acknowledged that a review of how government is functioning could have benefits.

At a time when property taxes are choking many Garden State residents and people are more critical than ever of the money being spent by government entities, a comprehensive look at the effectiveness of government — starting at the county level and with consideration given to the municipal and state levels as well — seems to be a move worth making.