New Jersey Tops List Of Most Transparent, Accountable State Governments
By Jim Melwert
CAMDEN, NJ (CBS) - A new study ranks all 50 state governments by integrity and the ability to limit corruption. And you may be surprised to hear New Jersey tops the list.
No state got an A and only one got a B-plus: New Jersey, topping the State Integrity Index.
According to the report, the Garden State is number one in the country for transparency and accountability in state government.
"It's not a ranking of corruption, it's a ranking of the risk for corruption in government," says Caitlin Ginley of the Center for Public Integrity.
The report says after several high-profile government scandals over the past decade, New Jersey overhauled ethics laws.
And while being number one ranking comes as a surprise to some New Jerseyians, not so for Harry Green from Collingswood. "No, I think our governor is going in the right direction with stopping corruption, so that doesn't surprise me."
Pennsylvania ranked 18th with a C-, getting F's for judicial accountability, redistricting, political financing and state budget process.
That has some Keystone Staters like this man scratching their heads, "I actually kind of think maybe it's perhaps a little bit better than New Jersey, but I don't believe New Jersey is any better than Pennsylvania. That's for certain."
Eight states received an F; Georgia is dead last.
The State Integrity Index is a collaboration by Center for Public Integrity, Global Integrity and Public Radio International.
