Garden State Times

Senator Declan O’Scanlon has formally requested that Governor Phil Murphy provide a detailed accounting of state and public funds allocated to a special project in Edison. The project, which features amenities such as a stadium with VIP boxes, party decks, a bar, and a large jumbotron, reportedly involves up to $250 million in funding.

According to O’Scanlon's inquiry, $153 million of the project's financing comes from property tax relief funds. These funds are constitutionally mandated for formula-based programs that support schools, municipalities, and property tax rebate initiatives. Additionally, $40 million is sourced from a federal COVID grant received by the state three and a half years ago. This use of the grant raises questions since the project does not meet federal eligibility criteria.

In his letter to Governor Murphy, O’Scanlon expressed his surprise upon learning about the project's costs through media reports: “I read news accounts with interest today about yesterday’s groundbreaking for a Middlesex County project in Edison that is part of an ongoing capital effort. Reports indicated the cost of the project was approximately $120 million."

O’Scanlon further stated his understanding that "at least $250 million of State money and New Jersey’s share of COVID grants" have been directed towards this capital endeavor over the last three state budgets. He concluded by requesting "a full accounting of how much money the State has allocated to county capital projects in Edison over the past three years," specifying interest in "the sources of those funds and the authority under which those funds were allocated.”