Source: https://ecode360.com/27821466
Timestamp: 2019-04-24 12:49:55+00:00

Document:
§ 12-9 Citizens private right of action.
Purchasing — See Ch. 54.
A business entity whose contributions are regulated by this article means: (i) an individual including the individual's spouse, and any child/children; (ii) a firm, corporation, professional corporation, partnership, limited liability company, organization, association, and any other manner and kind of business entity; (iii) any person who owns 10% or more of the equity or ownership or income interests in a person or entity as defined in items (i) and (ii) above and their spouses and child/children; (iv) all partners or officers of such an entity, in the aggregate, and their spouses and child/children; (v) any person, subcontractor, subsidiary, corporation, firm, partnership, limited liability company, organization or association who has received or indefeasibly acquired the right to receive, from a person described in item (i) above, more than $100,000 in compensation or income of any kind (including, by way of illustration, and not limitation: wages, salaries, sums paid to independent contractors, benefits, dividends, profit-sharing, pension contributions, deferred contributions, stock, stock options or gifts) in any twelve-month period prior to the award of, or during the term of, a contract subject to this article; and (vi) all persons who are an "affiliate" of a business entity as defined in items (i), (ii) and (v) above, as such term is used in 11 U.S.C. § 101(2).
Means (i) every candidate for Borough of Gibbsboro elective municipal office; (ii) every candidate committee established by or for the benefit of a candidate for Borough of Gibbsboro elective municipal office; (iii) every joint candidate committee established in whole or in part by or for the benefit of a candidate for Borough of Gibbsboro elective municipal office; (iv) every political party committee of the Borough of Gibbsboro; (v) every political party committee of the Camden County; and (vi) every political committee, continuing political committee, or other form of association or organization that regularly engages in the support of candidates for the Borough of Gibbsboro municipal or Camden County elective offices or Borough of Gibbsboro municipal or Camden County political parties or political party committees. The terms in the foregoing paragraph have the meaning prescribed in N.J.A.C. 19:25-1.7.
The meaning prescribed in N.J.A.C. 19:25-1.7. By way of illustration, and not limitation, this definition includes pledges, loans, and in-kind contributions.
To the extent that it is not inconsistent with state or federal law, the Borough of Gibbsboro and any of its departments, instrumentalities or purchasing agents shall not enter into any agreement or otherwise contract to procure "professional services" as such term is defined at N.J.S.A. 40A:11-2(6) and used at N.J.S.A. 40A:11-5(1)(a)(i) and/or banking, insurance or other consulting service (hereinafter "professional services"), nor "extraordinary unspecified services" as such term is defined at N.J.S.A. 40A:11-2(7) and used at N.J.S.A. 40A:11-5(1)(a)(ii) and/or media, public relations, lobbying, parking garage management or other consulting and/or management service (hereinafter "extraordinary unspecified services") from any business entity if such business entity has solicited or made any contribution to (i) a candidate, candidate committee or joint candidates committee of any candidate for elective municipal office in Borough of Gibbsboro or a holder of public office having ultimate responsibility for the award of a contract; or (ii) to any Borough of Gibbsboro or Camden County political committee or political party committee; or (iii) to any continuing political committee or political action committee that regularly engages in the support of Borough of Gibbsboro municipal or Camden County elections and/or Borough of Gibbsboro municipal or Camden County candidates, candidate committees, joint candidate committees, political committees, political parties, political party committees (hereinafter "PAC"), in excess of the thresholds specified in Subsection C within one calendar year immediately preceding the date of the contract or agreement.
No business entity who submits a proposal for, enters into negotiations for, or agrees to any contract or agreement with the Borough of Gibbsboro or any of its departments or instrumentalities, for the rendition of professional services or extraordinary unspecified services shall knowingly solicit or make any contribution to (i) a candidate, candidate committee or joint candidates committee of any candidate for elective municipal office in Borough of Gibbsboro, or a holder of public office having ultimate responsibility for the award of a contract; or (ii) to any Borough of Gibbsboro or Camden County political committee or political party committee; or (iii) any PAC between the time of first communication between that business entity and the municipality regarding a specific agreement for professional services or extraordinary unspecified services, and the later of the termination of negotiations or rejection of any proposal, or the completion of the performance or specified time period of that contract or agreement.
A maximum of $300 per calendar year each for any purpose to any candidate or candidate committee for Mayor or governing body, or $500 per calendar year to any joint candidates committee for Mayor or governing body, or $300 per calendar year to a political committee or political party committee of the Borough of Gibbsboro.
Five hundred dollars maximum per calendar year to a Camden County political committee or political party committee.
However, for each business entity party to a contract for professional or extraordinary unspecified services as defined in Subsection A, or engaged in negotiations for a contract defined in Subsection A, when such business entity's contribution is aggregated with all "persons" defined in the definition of "business entity" in § 12-1 above, by virtue of their affiliation to that business entity party, a maximum of $2,500 to all Borough of Gibbsboro candidates, candidate committees, joint candidate committees, and holders of public office having ultimate responsibility for the award of a contract, all Borough of Gibbsboro or Camden County political committees and political party committees as described herein combined, without violating Subsection A of this section.
The Mayor of the Borough of Gibbsboro, if the contract requires approval of the Mayor, or if a public officer who is responsible for the award of a contract is appointed by the Mayor.
Rules regarding subcontractors. No person may be awarded a subcontract to perform under a contract subject to this article if the subcontractor would be disqualified by Subsection A from receiving the contract at the time that the subcontract is awarded. Nor may any person who would be disqualified by Subsection A from receiving the contract perform substantially all of obligations described in a contract for professional or extraordinary services that is subject to this article.
Prior to awarding any contract or agreement to procure professional services or extraordinary unspecified services from any business entity, the Borough of Gibbsboro or its purchasing agents and departments, as the case may be, shall receive a sworn statement from said business entity which is the intended recipient of said contract that he/she/it has not made a contribution in violation of § 12-2 of this article. The Borough of Gibbsboro, its purchasing agents and departments shall be responsible for informing the Borough Council that the aforementioned sworn statement has been received and that the business entity is not in violation of this article, prior to awarding the contract or agreement.
A business entity shall have a continuing duty to report to the Borough of Gibbsboro any contributions that constitute a violation of this act that are made during the negotiation, proposal process or the duration of a contract. The Borough of Gibbsboro, its purchasing agents and departments shall be responsible for informing the governing body within 10 business days after receipt of said report from the business entity, or at the next Borough Council meeting following receipt of said report from the business entity, or whichever comes first.
The certification required under this section shall be made prior to entry into the contract or agreement with the Borough of Gibbsboro, or prior to the provision of services or goods, as the case may be, and shall be in addition to any other certifications that may be required by any other provision of law.
A business entity that is a party to a contract for professional services or extraordinary unspecified services may cure a violation of § 12-2 of this article if, within 30 days after the date on which the applicable ELEC report is published, said business entity notifies the municipality in writing and seeks and receives reimbursement of the contribution from the recipient of such contribution.
Furthermore, any business entity that violates § 12-8A(1) through (8) shall be disqualified from eligibility for future Borough of Gibbsboro contracts for a period of four calendar years from the date of the violation.
Any person who knowingly, purposely, or recklessly violates any provision of this article, or who conspires with another person to violate any provision of this article, or who, with the purpose of promoting or facilitating a violation of this article, solicits another person to commit it, or aids or agrees, or attempts to aid another person in planning or committing it, shall be subject to punishment, including fines and/or imprisonment as fixed by law for violations of the ordinances of the Borough of Gibbsboro.
Editor's Note: See Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I, General Penalty.
In addition to any rights that were heretofore available, or which may hereafter be available, to citizens, taxpayers, or associations, to challenge violations of this article, every person aggrieved by a violation of this article, or any taxpayer or resident of the Borough of Gibbsboro has the right, consistent with the Rules of Court, to file charges in a court of competent jurisdiction, and/or to pursue a civil action for a violation of this article in a court of competent jurisdiction, and to seek and obtain declaratory, injunctive, or other legal or equitable relief, including but not limited to, attorney's fees and costs, arising from or related to a violation of this article.
The monetary thresholds of the definition of "business entity" in § 12-1 and § 12-2C of this article shall be increased effective March 1 of each calendar year by the percentage increase, in the prior calendar year, of the consumer price index for all urban consumers (CPI-U) for the Philadelphia region, rounded to the nearest $10. The Clerk of the Borough of Gibbsboro shall, by no later than April 1 of each calendar year, prepare and publish the revised thresholds on the official municipal website and in an official municipal newspaper.

References: § 101
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