Ciattarelli joins lawsuit to halt $300 million Statehouse renovations

TRENTON, N.J. – Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli on Monday said he will join a lawsuit filed Sens. Ray Lesniak (D-Union), Christopher “Kip” Bateman (R-Somerset) and Mike Doherty (R-Warren) to stop the $300 million renovation of the Statehouse and issued the following statement:

“No one should have to work each and every day in unsafe conditions, nor should Statehouse visitors be in danger, including children on class trips. The question, therefore, is not whether the Statehouse needs renovating.  The question is: how to pay for it?  New Jersey cannot afford another penny of debt.

“As I said at the time it was announced, the project’s financial plan lacks innovation and resourcefulness. There are other ways to finance this project without putting New Jerseyans on the hook and further crippling the state with more debt that has led to eleven credit downgrades over the past seven years.

“With that, I am going to intervene in a lawsuit filed by other legislators against the administration to halt the project. If successful, we should continue making all emergency repairs that guarantee the safety of employees and visitors.  And, we should set aside state funds and identify other sources to pay for it, rather than pay double or triple the cost through borrowing.  Finally, like the restoration of Drumthwacket, we should explore public-private partnerships, only this time allowing contributions to the restoration to be tax deductible on New Jersey income tax returns.”