February 11, 2007: Giblin Letter

Ocean County Politics, Barnaget Light

Ocean County Politics .com

Sean Giblin Commentary

Giblin: Jackson Taxes UP 32% In Six Months; Taxes UP Wherever Pay-To-Play Lawyers Gilmore & McGuckin Come In - South TR, Seaside, Brick, TR Schools, TR Township Where Taxes Are UP Nearly 50% In 3 Years

The following editorial by former Jackson Mayor Sean Giblin was also published in the Jackson Times & Ocean County Observer:

Jackson's Political Patronage Linked To Tax Hikes

Since I left office in June of 2006, I have paid close attention to what Jackson Mayor Mark Seda and his township council have been doing. One of Mayor Seda's first decisions was to hire all new "professionals" like the township attorney.

Gilmore Is Republican County Chairman

In Jackson, he gave the township attorney's job to George Gilmore, who is also chairman of the Ocean County Republican Party. Gilmore is also chairman of the Ocean County Board of Elections and serves as attorney to more than a dozen or so other GOP controlled municipalities and agencies.

Jackson Taxes UP 32% In Six Months

I checked with friends in other towns where Gilmore's firm is employed. They tell me that when Gilmore's firm is hired as attorney, local government or school taxes almost always go up. Jackson taxes went up this year over 32 percent in just six months.

Mayor Seda's new township planning board hired a lawyer named Gregory McGuckin to be its attorney. McGuckin's law partner runs Gilmore's $1.5 million a year Ocean County Republican finance (fundraising) committee.

McGuckin's Partner Controls $1.5 Million
Pay-To-Play County GOP Finance Operation

McGuckin usually shows up to represent a planning board or school board after Gilmore himself gets the township attorney's job. In Toms River, McGuckin is also the council president. A couple years [ago] McGuckin hired Gilmore to provide $90,000 worth of "legal" services when the new government was organized in Toms River. Taxes there are up nearly 50 percent in three years.

McGuckin, Gilmore, Brush Promised To Cut Spending,
Stabilize Taxes; But Taxes Are Up Nearly 50% In Three Years

This came after McGuckin, the entire council and Mayor Paul Brush promised to hold the line on taxes.

Taxes also went up in Brick when Gilmore and McGuckin were appointed as lawyers for the Brick school board.

Gilmore & McGuckin Are The Political Bosses
And STR Taxes Are UP 58% In Three Years

South Toms River has the highest sewer rates in Ocean County. The local tax rate is up 58% in three years. McGuckin is the borough attorney, Gilmore is the attorney for the sewer authority.

Gilmore Put Himself In The Pension Plan In Seaside

In Seaside Heights, where Gilmore is also borough attorney, taxes are through the roof. In addition to his hourly attorney fee there, Gilmore is treated as an "employee." He qualifies for pension and health plan benefits, compliments of Seaside Heights taxpayers. Why should taxpayers anywhere have to provide health and pension benefits to the senior partner of a million dollar private law firm?

When he campaigned in the past, Seda said he would make ethics and ending "business as usual" a top priority. He said he would end "pay to play" and change the way the government does business. All he's done is give us more business as usual and more pay to play appointments to reward political bosses.

Seda Promised To Be More Ethical, But Greedy
Pay-To-Play Lawyers Are Looting The Township

Don't be fooled when today's elected officials tell you they followed the new state approved "fair and open" process. All that means is that by soliciting proposals, the people they finally hire can still contribute thousands of dollars to their political campaigns. It still leaves them free to hire anyone they choose regardless of the cost.

New Jackson Mayor Broke Campaign Promises
Before The Ink Was Dry On The Election Returns

Seda obviously did not take his campaign promise seriously. From what I can see, the only thing he's taken since he's been mayor is more of our hard earned tax dollars. The huge tax increase built up the kitty from which he is now rewarding his political pals like Gilmore and McGuckin.

Useful Projects Are On The Back Burner

At the same time many useful community projects, particularly recreation facilities for our kids, have been put on the back burner. Sean G. Giblin, Jackson

This article prepared for publication on February 11, 2007.