Office of the Governor
McGreevey Creates Commission to Fix DMV
Governor James E. McGreevey today charged Transportation Commissioner James P. Fox to lead members of his administration and a group of distinguished former DMV reformers to address systemic concerns of vulnerable security, weak document control and poor customer service at the state's Division of Motor Vehicles.
"The citizens of New Jersey deserve a DMV that is secure, efficient, and customer-oriented," said McGreevey. "The hard work and serious recommendations of these high-caliber individuals will help us map out the reforms that are needed in this badly neglected agency."
"DMV operates on a fragile computer system nearly 20 years old," said Fox. "With more than 15 million public contacts every year, this is no way for the state to do business. I am looking forward to working with the people who know DMV best -- Cary Edwards, Stanley Van Ness, John Degnan and Justice Handler -- to bring this agency into the 21st Century."
Governor McGreevey is signing an Executive Order creating the "FIX DMV Commission" and ordering it to complete within 120 days a comprehensive analysis of the Division. The Commission will make recommendations on restructuring the Division as an effective, modern, customer service oriented agency with the highest level of secure document processing and production.
McGreevey named to the Commission four former state officials who have implemented past DMV improvements:
- W. Cary Edwards was the Attorney General of New Jersey from 1986 to 1989, and Chief Legal Counsel to Governor Tom Kean from 1982 to 1986. Edwards also has served as a Commissioner for the New Jersey State Commission of Investigation.
- Stanley Van Ness, the state's first Public Advocate, is presently a partner with the law firm, Herbert, Van Ness, Cayci & Goodell.
- John Degnan is president of Chubb Corporation. He is a former Attorney General of New Jersey, and recently completed his term as chair of New Jersey Future.
- Alan B. Handler served on the New Jersey Supreme Court for more than 22 years. He also served as Deputy Attorney General from 1961 to 1964 and as First Assistant Attorney General from 1964 to 1968.
Van Ness said: "I applaud Governor McGreevey and Commissioner Fox for convening this panel, and I look forward to serving with them. Governor McGreevey's proposal to re-establish the Public Advocate also is welcome news, because during my stewardship, the office of the Public Advocate issued several reports of DMV reform recommendations."
Joining Edwards, Van Ness, Degnan and Handler on the Commission will be: Chief of the Governor's Office of Management and Operations Jim Davy, Transportation Commissioner Fox, Environmental Protection Commissioner Bradley Campbell, State Treasurer John McCormac, Banking and Insurance Commissioner Holly Bakke, Personnel Commissioner Ida Castro, Director of Criminal Justice Peter Harvey, Assistant Attorney General in Charge of the Office for Counter-Terrorism Kathryn Flicker, and one other member of the public to be appointed by the Governor.
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