State Senator Mike Doherty (R-23) says he voted against the Economic Opportunity Act of 2013, out of a general sense of resistance to crony capitalism. The act is now the subject of an investigation by a governor’s task force that evidently identified an attorney at the firm of Philip Norcross as an unregistered lobbyist. Attorneys affiliated with Norcross hit back yesterday.

“I haven’t been a big supporter of businesses getting tax incentives,” said Doherty, citing projects like the American Dream Mall, the Revel Casino, a NJ home for the Philadelphia 76ers, and others. “It’s all just a sign of how sick the finances are in New Jersey that you need to bribe companies or pay them off to complete projects.”

Doherty noted that he’s personally a soccer fan.

“I’m probably the biggest soccer fan in the legislature, but when they did a bill to build Red Bulls Arena in Harrison, I voted no.  The people there were promised revenue, and they’re essentially bankrupt now in Harrison,” Doherty said. “It’s best to have a broad based policy that benefits everyone equally and makes your state attractive, not subsidizing weak projects. The reason companies are moving to Texas is because it’s a better place to do business than New Jersey. The whole system here is pay to play crony capitalism, a system born to be corrupt.”