By Pamela Lampitt • COURIER-POST • August 29, 2010

Just like you, I opened the paper recently and read some outrageous news.

State Comptroller Matthew Boxer recently released a report saying that one in six state government funded phone lines goes unused, wasting nearly $3.2 million in taxpayer money each year. In one extreme case, the state even continued to pay for a mobile phone for an employee -- six years after that employee had resigned.

Imagine that -- the state footing the bill for six years, with literally nobody on the line.

That's unconscionable.

I hear from hard-working New Jersey families in my district each and every day. From Audubon Park to Cherry Hill to Winslow and everywhere in between, I have heard one very common theme -- people are sick of government wasting their hard-earned tax dollars.

We must crack down on wasteful and unneeded government spending, and that's why I sponsored common-sense legislation to eliminate another glaring example of waste. Each year, about 1,200 reports are produced by various government agencies or entities. These reports, submitted to the governor or the Legislature, often provide valuable information for policymakers -- discussing the effectiveness of recent laws, providing needed oversight, and recommending ways to improve state services. Under current law, these reports are printed and distributed on paper, instead of electronically.

Unbelievable.

In an Internet-driven age where tools like Wikipedia, Facebook and Twitter are available in the blink of an eye, the state wastes your tax dollars to print, publish and mail dozens or hundreds of copies of each of these reports, which are frequently printed in expensive full-color, glossy designs.

As if the wasteful spending on unneeded printing and postage wasn't enough, many of these reports will eventually be stuffed in a drawer and forgotten or thrown away, exacerbating the waste of tax dollars. To me, this makes exactly zero sense.

There is no reason that we should continue to require the paper filing of reports in the year 2010. It's time state government joined the rest of us in the 21st century, and my plan will accomplish that.

My legislation, A-1541, will require such reports to be distributed electronically via e-mail and through posting on a website. Requiring "e-filing" of reports is a common-sense solution that will save New Jersey taxpayer dollars by reducing unnecessary printing and distribution costs.

In addition to saving money, making reports available online will help our environment by reducing the countless reams of paper wasted in the printing process.

Also, my plan will increase the level of transparency in government. Through "e-filing," important reports will become available online to all New Jersey residents, not just to government officials, staffers, and Trenton insiders.

My bill recently passed the Assembly in overwhelmingly bipartisan fashion, by a vote of 77-0.

I urge you to contact your state senator today and ask him or her to vote for my bill. Together we can cut down on waste of taxpayer dollars and increase transparency in government for all residents.

Democratic Assemblywoman Pamela Lampitt of Cherry Hill represents the 6th Legislative District, covering part of Camden County, in the state Assembly.