This Week in Politics: NJ Political Boss Under Scrutiny
It reads like the opening scene of some future HBO drama set in New Jersey:
More than a billion dollars in corporate tax breaks for projects linked to New Jersey's top political boss, George Norcross, and his family.
A tax break program that was carefully crafted to benefit this unelected boss, his business partners and clients of his brother's law and lobbying firms.
A first-term governor criticizing the program and taking on the most powerful political operation in the state — in his own party.
WNYC launched a series in partnership with ProPublica this week called The Real Bosses of New Jersey. We're joined by WNYC's Nancy Solomon, who is reporting the series along with reporter Jeff Pillets. Nancy talks about how the 4-month investigative reporting project focuses on tax breaks that went to companies that agreed to invest in Camden and that largely benefited George Norcross and his brothers.
Nancy tells WNYC's David Furst that according to George Norcross, "Everything he has done has been for the benefit of Camden." As to whether the city's residents are seeing benefits from the tax credit program, Nancy says the jury's still out on that one.
