Lawmakers can't get answers on school construction failure N.J. inspector general reports on disparities Tuesday, October 24, 2006 • BY TOM HESTER• Star-Ledger Staff Republican Assembly members said yesterday they want to know who is responsible for the "debacle" that led the state's school construction program to go through $8.6 billion in three years, forcing the suspension of 97 building projects and leading the U.S. Attorney's Office to subpoena records. The Republicans are not getting answers from the School Construction Corp.'s new leaders or from Assembly Democrats. Republicans demanded answers yesterday when Scott Weiner, the SCC's chief executive, and Barry L. Zubrow, its chairman, appeared before the Assembly Education Committee to offer their plan to breathe new life into the school construction program with $3.25 billion and tighter management controls. Questioned by Assemblymen Bill Baroni (R-Mercer) and Joseph Malone (R-Burlington), Weiner confirmed that the SCC had received a subpoena for records from U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie. "So we found out today the SCC is under active and criminal investigation," Baroni said to Weiner. "I object to the characterization that the organization is under criminal investigation. Maybe the subpoena is after one person," Weiner replied. Weiner said that describing the agency as "under criminal investigation" was irresponsible. "It is a subpoena looking for documents," Weiner said. "We don't know what the investigation is. You look at any governmental department and they probably have a subpoena. I urge you not to leap at the fact a subpoena has been issued." Michael Drewniak, a spokesman for Christie, said he could not confirm that a subpoena had been issued. People familiar with the issue said the subpoena was issued earlier in the year. Weiner and Zubrow were appointed by Gov. Jon Corzine to attempt to clean up the operation of the SCC and return it to its role of financing the construction of new schools, especially in the poorer cities. Earlier in the hearing, Malone said it was up to Weiner and Zubrow to tell the committee who was responsible for "this debacle." "I have less confidence in the SCC now than when I walked into the room," Malone said. "I thought that would be impossible." He said no one has offered definitive answers on what happened with the program. "If my colleagues and I go out and say we think another $3.25 billion is okay," Malone said, "people will think we're insane. There has to be some accountability to the public so as we move forward, two years from now people will not be asking what went wrong." Assemblyman Craig Stanley (D-Essex), the committee chairman, told Malone: "That confidence will have to be achieved over a period of time. We are here to hear an outline for what we need to do going forward." Stanley said his committee would work with the SCC to move legislation designed to improve the building program. Zubrow told the committee that the "hallmark failure" of the way the building program was implemented was that officials "wanted to get shovels in the grounds and the result was they (school districts) started without full designs." Millions of dollars were wasted in cost overruns and land purchases. Following the hearing, Weiner said he is confident the SCC will eventually receive the $3.25 billion, but that he realizes the money will have to wait until Corzine confronts the 2007-08 budget. © 2006 The Star-Ledger. Used by NJ.com with permission.