Opinion ID: 1955260
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Is the Public Advocate properly to be afforded compensation for his services rendered in collecting these bills?

Text: Generally a government agency is presumed to have all incidental power necessary to achieve its legislative purpose. In re Suspension of Heller, 73 N.J. 292, 303, 374 A. 2d 1191 (1977). The question here is whether the bills on bills are a necessary incident to the statutory authority for reimbursement. We agree with the Appellate Division that if Rate Counsel is entitled to fees and expenses under N.J.S.A. 52:27E-19b, the purpose of that section will be undermined if reimbursement is diluted by uncompensated collection costs. See 227 N.J. Super. at 126-27, 545 A. 2d 823 (citing Alexander v. New Jersey Power & Light Co., supra, 21 N.J. 373, 122 A. 2d 339, which held that the former statutory provision to pay expenses of rate counsel implied payment through final judicial review). Undoubtedly a record of substantial public benefit has been accomplished because of the Division of Rate Counsel's intervention in insurance proceedings. The Public Advocate reports that in 1988, for example, the Division of Rate Counsel was successful in helping to reduce or eliminate several proposed rate increases in basic auto insurance coverage. New Jersey Department of the Public Advocate and Office of the Public Defender, 1988 Annual Report 17-18 (May 31, 1989). Obviously if those insurance companies had not paid the bills, the Public Advocate could not administer his statutory function with respect to the insurance industry because the Legislature does not appropriate any funds for this purpose. Hence stonewalling by insurers could lead to a gradual starvation of this portion of the Public Advocate's budget. We doubt very much that the Legislature could have intended that result.