Sweeney: Tax break panel to show restraint on subpoenas.

Byline: Daniel J. Munoz

The state's top lawmaker said he would prefer the Senate committee he put together to scrutinize the state's corporate tax breaks not use the subpoena power and instead convince businesses, government officials and other individuals to appear voluntarily at a hearing planned for June 24.

Senate President Stephen Sweeney's remarks, made in an hour-long meeting with NJBIZ editors and writers, came with the incentive program in question - the multi-billion dollar Grow New Jersey tax breaks - set to expire on July 1, and amid conflicting proposals about what should replace those incentives.

"We're going to do hearings, we're not going to start without subpoenas, but we'll issue them if necessary," the senator said. The Economic Development Authority - tasked with overseeing Grow NJ, will appear before the committee, as will businesses including those which were awarded tax breaks.

Sweeney also suggested that several companies tied to powerbroker George Norcross, and highlighted by an investigative task force appointed by Murphy as beneficiaries of Grow NJ, might appear before the committee.

These companies include Holtec International, insurance firm Conner Strong & Buckelew where Norcross is executive chairman; NFI; The Michaels Organization; Cooper University Health, where Norcross sits on the board; and Parker McCay the law firm George's brother Philip runs and the professional home of lawyer Kevin Sheehan, who allegedly wrote parts of the Grow NJ bill to benefit Norcross-tied companies.

Most of the entities have pressed the Murphy administration for an opportunity to publicly make their case at the Murphy task force's next hearing.

That hearing was in fact scheduled for June 11, and the group had planned to unveil its findings. Than schedule was upended at the request of a Mercer County judge, Norcross' lawyers filed suit seeking to shut down the task force.

Others businesses invited to attend were...