Watch the Video On Dover Artificial Turf  Flim-Flam

Despite Near-Unanimous Public Opposition, Mayor Brush, Council Republicans Pass $2.6 Million Artificial Turf Bonds On First Reading

If Citizens Alert Leader Didn't Speak Out, Taxpayers Wouldn't Even Know What The Bonds Are For
Watch Video of Angelo DiGiovanni Addressing An Evasive Council President McGuckin

The same mayor and council that broke every campaign pledge, enacted the biggest spending increase in township history and gave taxpayers a big tax increase, is up to more of the same.

The new government that handed fifty political payoffs to more than three dozen lawyers, and useless jobs for another twenty political cronies, has now assaulted the sensibilities of the taxpayers again by introducing an ordinance appropriating nearly $2.5 million to put artificial turf on three playing fields belonging to the Toms River Regional School system.

Opposition From Taxpayers Has Been Nearly Unanimous

Since the idea was first broached to nearly unanimous opposition from taxpayers tired of being ripped off by the local government and the school system, it was assumed that the idea was dead.

But now that the school budget has been approved by the voters, the great thinkers in the local government and the school administration have apparently decided the time is right to resurrect the idea that there is something noble about spending $2.5 million on artificial turf.

Ordinance Didn't Say What The $2.6 Million Was For

So without even telling the meeting what the $2.6 million was for, six Republican council members, supported by Democratic Mayor Paul Brush, adopted the following ordinance on first reading: "Bond Ordinance providing for improvements to various township parks and recreation centers and appropriating $2,610,000 therefore, and providing for the issuance of $2,479,000 in general improvement bonds or notes of the Township of Dover to finance the same."

Inteso Only Council Member Against The Turf Bonds

The only member of the council to vote against the adoption of the Turf Ordinance was Councilman Carmine Inteso, who said he wanted to be "fiscally responsible."

Inteso was a prime mover in the current budget's record spending increase, but taxpayers at the meeting said he "should be commended" for voting NO on the turf bonds.

Still No List Of Expenditures The Bonds Are For

There was no list of expenditures attached to the agenda description and none was distributed by the mayor and council.

Citizens Alert leader Angelo DiGiovanni rose during the public portion of the meeting and challenged Brush and the council to admit the ordinance included $2.4 million for the artificial turf, an oversight that Council President Gregory McGuckin acknowledged when DiGiovanni pressed the issue.

"Another Attempt To Pull The Wool
Over The Eyes Of The Taxpayers"

"This is another attempt to pull the wool over the eyes of the taxpayers," DiGiovanni said after the meeting, adding that "this kind of rip-off is something that has occurred over and over again since the new government organized last year."

"There is no reason for this expenditure: it's not necessary and you are buying this stuff when it is being discontinued by professional teams because many experts think it's unsafe," DiGiovanni said.

DiGiovanni and others said the local government should not pay for artificial turf for school athletic fields.

Polifroni Criticized Ritacco And Gilmore In Letters

Ortley Beach civic leader Daniel Polifroni and other community leaders have criticized the artificial turf scheme for similar reasons in a series of letters to local news media.

Polifroni criticized the mayor and council and singled out School Superintendent Michael Ritacco and school district attorney George Gilmore for special criticism: "Now Ritacco and Gilmore want to pave the athletic fields with $2.4 million worth of artificial turf so we can have the mother of all commercial carnivals right here in River City," he said.

Take It Out Of Ritacco Center Or Ritacco-Bell "Profits"

"If Gilmore and Ritacco want the $2.4 million artificial turf scam so badly, they should take it out of the 'profits' from the Ritacco ego center or their Hooper Avenue commercial top line Ritacco-Bell  cafeteria," the Ortley Beach leader said.

Don't Be Late; Council Holds Public
Hearings While You're Having Supper

A public hearing on the artificial turf bonds is scheduled for town hall on Tuesday, May 10th at 6pm.