I like language. I like its power to inform, as well as its power to obfuscate, when that is the goal. And probably because I come from a family of lawyers, I actually like reading legal opinions and statutes. Lawyers take language very seriously, as indeed they should.
Anyway, with the Assembly considering bill S11 — which it may or may not vote on today — I figured it would be a good idea to actually read this proposed new law that will authorize the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority to create a Tourism District in Atlantic City.
I did. And I came across this section, which is not new but is part of the original statute creating the CRDA. It may now be some of my favorite legal writing.
Here you go. Enjoy:
“13. The Casino Reinvestment Development Authority shall have the following powers:Wow. Didn’t leave anything to chance there, did they? In fact, considering how broadly — and artfully — this passage is written, it makes you wonder why they even needed to amend the statute to give CRDA authority over the new Tourism District.
... [r.] s. To establish, develop, construct, acquire, own, operate, manage, promote, maintain, repair, reconstruct, restore, improve and otherwise effectuate, either directly or indirectly, through lessees, licensees or agents, projects consisting of facilities, at a site or sites within the State of New Jersey, that are related to, incidental to, necessary for or complementary to, the accomplishment of any of the purposes of the authority or of any project of the authority authorized in accordance with P.L.1984, c.218 (C.5:12-144.1 et seq.), as amended.”
Wow. Didn’t leave anything to chance there, did they? In fact, considering how broadly — and artfully — this passage is written, it makes you wonder why they even needed to amend the statute to give CRDA authority over the new Tourism District.
According to my reading of this language, CRDA already has the authority to absolutely whatever it wants, whenever it wants in the state of New Jersey.
