On a single day last week, outgoing New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine named 82 people to state boards and authorities. The appointments were announced at 4:59 p.m. on January 12, the final day of the lame-duck session.

Among the appointees is Michelline Davis, whom Corzine named to fill a vacant seat on the 17-member board of the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority. The CRDA is responsible for the disbursement of casino revenues for public projects.

Davis served for a year as chief policy counsel for the Democratic governor, who will leave office this Tuesday. Her appointment coincided with new legislation signed by Corzine that relaxes previous rules about the ability of former government staff to do casino-related work, according to the Atlantic City Press.

Davis will assume the seat formerly held by board member Diane C. Lusk of Atlantic City. However, Lusk will also retain her place on the board thanks to what the Press called "some political maneuvering" last December." Lusk resigned a position that is appointed by the state assembly speaker, but was reappointed to a different seat on the same board by Corzine.

Republican Assemblymen John Amodeo and Vince Polistina have introduced legislation to eliminate salaries for CRDA members (public members are paid $18,000 per year, and the board chairman earns $23,000). The CRDA is one of the few state authorities that pays part-time board members.

By Staff