An Email Exchange from 2018 About Scorzetti's Abuses, How Lodi Continually Lied to State Agencies for Him, and How Nobody in this Administration Could Honestly Defend What They Were Doing. Emphasis on IRS's Publication: "Personal use must be incident to use for law-enforcement purposes; i.e., no vacation or recreational use." Donald Scorzetti is So Sick with Greed, He Can't Use His Own Personal Vehicle to Go On Vacation While the Lodi Taxpayers are Paying Him over $300,000 a Year.

 ------ Original Message ------

From: vcaruso103@
To: rcurioni@
Sent: Wednesday, August 29th 2018, 08:28 AM
Subject: Blog Entry 08-28-2018

Ryan:

First, I take personal offense to you stating on your blog that I “knowingly lied” on the Best Practices Questionnaire. You should do your research a little better before posting defamatory and non-factual information. The one thing I will not tolerate is to be labeled unfairly by you or anyone else as a liar!

The question pertaining to the personal use of vehicles in the best practices questionnaire specifically cites “criteria specified by the IRS,” which in this case you are questioning the use of Chief Scorzetti’s vehicle, check the IRS Code which they are talking about, “Working Condition Fringes” 1.137-5 and 1.274.5. It clearly states that law enforcement vehicles, marked or unmarked are "qualified non-personal use” vehicles. Additionally, you have the contract where it clearly spells out that the Chief of Police can use the vehicle for personal use, thereby authorizing as per the code and questionnaire. So the answer to the question is yes, it’s an exception and not a lie.

I’m sure you won’t correct that on your blog. Second, your other comment concerning “taking a shot at you” after the Record reporter quoted one word (that was not even said, I might add) is ridiculous. She didn’t even write the context of a sentence when making the quote or write what the question was surrounding my miss-quoted response. The actual question was concerning back-pay and had nothing to do with you or an “exploit” of anything.

The only person taking “shots” is clearly you and I have been dealing with it for years and letting it go. It’s okay for you to take shots at people on a daily basis, but if someone takes a so-called shot at you…you attack them? As I once said to you long ago, I have always demonstrated the utmost respect for your father and family, yet you continue to take unfair shots at me. It’s funny how those who are friendly with you, patronize your families business or are related to you, never have a “shot” taken at them, especially those same persons that have more than enough “shots” to be taken. Clearly, it seems to be a selective and personal attack as well as a long pattern of harassment that you have enjoyed for many years at the expense of many people.

This email is the second time that I have told you to please stop. The email is a personal communication directly to you, and I do not authorize you or anyone else to post any of its direct content on your blog or Internet.

 Enough is enough already!

Vincent Caruso

 

From: ryan curioni  
Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2018 10:32 AM
To: Vincent J Caruso 
Subject: RE: Blog Entry 08-28-2018

Mr. Caruso,

The question is straightforward.  The reference to the IRS only applied to the part of question pertaining to commuting to and from work.  The Borough clearly has not adopted a written policy prohibiting unlimited personal use of municipal vehicles except for commuting.

"Has your municipality adopted a written vehicle use policy prohibiting personal use of municipal vehicles (except for commuting), and providing that employees authorized to use such vehicles for commuting to/from work have a fringe benefit value added to the gross income reported on the employee's W-2 (unless the vehicle meets the "qualified non-personal vehicle" criteria specified by the IRS)?  Only answer "N/A" if your municipality does not have any municipally-owned vehicles."

Please refer to the IRS link below, pages 60-61:

https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p5137.pdf

From page 61:

"Personal use must be incident to use for law-enforcement purposes; i.e., no vacation or recreational use."

Although the link I attached shows the year 2014, recent publications from the IRS direct  readers to that link.

Criteria has to be met for law enforcement vehicles, marked and unmarked, to be designated "qualified non personal use".  That criteria has not been met if Mr. Scorzetti is driving family and friends outside the jurisdiction of Lodi for non-work related use.

The Best Practices Questionnaire from October 2017 has at least three other questions that were answered dishonestly besides the question about personal use of municipal vehicles.

http://lodioverhaul.blogspot.com/2017/10/lodis-best-practices-inventory-is.html

I am only trying to keep government honest.  I believe the response by you and Vinny Martin during the Scorzetti court case show that the two of you are making it personal. 

If you ever want me to post any rebuttal or explanation from you or anyone else mentioned on the blog, just email it to me and I will post it. 

Ryan Curioni

 

 

 

OPRA Response Shows that Donald Scorzetti is Being Paid Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars for "Sick Days" and "Vacation Days" with No Attendance Records, No Defined Workday or Workweek, No Vouchers, No Signatures, No Boss, No Audit, etc. This Calls for An Immediate Investigation. Those Involved Must be Held Accountable. Public Funds Must Be Recouped.

Lodi Police Thief Donald Scorzetti 

Clear Takeaways from Today’s OPRA Response

Donald Scorzetti is being paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for “unused” sick days and vacation days without producing any attendance records to support those payments. 

Scorzetti is being paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for sick days and vacation days when he has no defined workday or workweek.  The language in Scorzetti’s contract would make him ineligible for additional payments for sick days and vacation days. Article 4 invalidates payments listed in Article 5 and Article 8.  The Lodi Mayor and Council approved Scorzetti’s contract with this wording:

Contractually, Donald Scorzetti can spend every day at his shore house if he deems the department is run smoothly as a result. However, he cannot receive additional payments for workdays not rendered.

Scorzetti just casually shoots Deborah Kaiser an email requesting any amount he would like at any given time with no questions asked:

Scorzetti is not submitting vouchers for additional payments to be reviewed and signed from those that you would most expect.

Lodi Borough Manager, Marc Schrieks, is not reviewing any attendance records, vouchers etc. from Scorzetti before payments are issued.  He is not signing anything.

Lodi CFO, Sheryl Luna (the Mayor’s sister) is not reviewing any attendance records, vouchers etc. from Scorzetti before payments are issued. She is not signing anything.

Lodi Borough Auditor, Frank DiMaria, is not flagging this abuse and recommending a corrective action on any of his annual audits. 

Lodi Borough Attorney, Alan Spiniello, is present with the Lodi Mayor and Council as they approve Scorzetti’s contract.  He likely drew it up.

Scorzetti cannot claim ignorance, sloppiness, or incompetence with his request for additional payments without having any attendance records.  He was running for the BOE with Dominic Miller when the whole controversy over Ciofalo’s attendance records was very public.  Scorzetti knows that law requires public employee attendance records be made public upon request. 

All members of the Lodi mayor and council are accomplices to this theft of public funds. They approved Scorzetti’s contracts.  They approve the retirement payouts.  They clearly read this blog which posts the monthly payroll. 

The Lodi Mayor and Council put every member in place that allows Scorzetti to be his own boss, make his own rules, decide his own pay, and answer to no one ever.

For years, I told residents of Lodi that Donald Scorzetti could not keep attendance reports because he was being paid for sick days and vacation days when the Lodi mayor and council never defined his workday or workweek.  Nobody believed me that attendance records could not exist for a public employee or that additional payments can be made with no supporting documentation.

The current situation going on with Scorzetti, Scott Luna, Vincent Martin, Emil Carafa, Bruce Masopust and the aforementioned employees is worse than you can ever imagine. 

I am posting the entire OPRA response I received today so everyone can see for themselves what Donald Scorzetti is doing and getting away with.  It speaks for itself.  Click on the three blue links all the way at the bottom to see the only public records provided in the OPRA response.

 

Borough of Lodi

Open Public Records Act Request

 

Reference # OPRA-2025-00279

 

Dear Ryan Curioni,

 

This email is to notify you that your request has been fulfilled. Please find attached the records requested.

 

The request sought access to the following:

On the May 30, 2025, Borough Payroll, Donald Scorzetti received a second payment of $10,458.15 for `VACATION`. I am requesting:

1) A copy Donald Scorzetti`s detailed attendance records for the time period corresponding to that $10,458.15 payment.

2) A copy of the calculation form arriving at that $10,458.15 amount.

3) A copy of any vouchers submitted by Donald Scorzetti for that $10,458.15 payment.

4) A copy of any memo, email, etc. from any Department Head directing whoever is in charge of Payroll to make that $10,458.15 payment.

 

Address:

Block:        Lot:        Qual:

 

Your request was responded to by the following:

Department	Response
Payroll	1.) No record responsive to request 2.) See attached `Calculation` 3.) No record responsive to request 4.) See attached `Request Email` and `Article 8 of Contract`

 

Please mail any payments or correspondence to:

 

Borough of Lodi

1 Memorial Drive

Lodi, NJ 07644

 

This is an automated email, please do not reply as this email is not monitored.

 

Sincerely,

 

Rebecca Paladino, RMC

Custodian of Records

 

---

Please download these attachments from the links below:

• c6e511c6-d2025085139_Calculation.pdf
• c6e511c6-d2025085353_Request_Email.pdf
• c6e511c6-d2025085542_Article_8_of_Contract.pdf

 

 

 

May 2025 Payroll for Lodi Borough Hall...

 

Link to May 15^th Payroll:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Mwn8wnjximBp1uU58_214PF_pOLJTTjR/view?usp=sharing

Link to May 30^th Payroll:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/17bNQkUsp4Q8WcpzBchrm7otHVXS06WMT/view?usp=sharing

May 2025 Bills for the Lodi Mayor and Council...

Link to May Bills:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sry_DxvOIL-VqQxPYjLQThOBwZV_diqj/view?usp=sharing

Donald Scorzetti’s Base Salary is A Lot Worse than Reported Last Week. Scorzetti's Contract Leads to a $325,816.48 Annual Salary. Lodi Continues its Ongoing Fraud With 12% Longevity Pay for Non-union Employee, Police Chief Donald Scorzetti.

Link to Donald Scorzetti’s new contract dated April 15, 2025:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Iu_KUcvUisrbE3SGFqSUqWgFjFb3I6Wk/view?usp=sharing

Payroll shows that under Scorzetti’s previous contract, his base pay was $256,983.84 ($10,707.66 two-week pay).

Payroll shows that Scorzetti’s current base pay is $271,922.40 ($11,330.10 two-week pay).

According to payroll, the Lodi mayor and council are making a 12% longevity payment as part of Scorzetti’s base pay.

For years Lodi was clearly as asked by the State Division of Local Government Services: “Has your municipality adopted an ordinance, resolution, regulation or written policy eliminating longevity awards, bonuses, or payments for non-union employees?” Lodi answered YES. As Police Chief, Donald Scorzetti is a non-union employee.

Vincent Caruso certified that longevity pay was eliminated for non-union employees.

Charles Cuccia certified that longevity pay was eliminated for non-union employees.

Many others from the Luna administrations certified that longevity pay was eliminated for non-union employees.

Below is one of many past posts on the subject:

Lodi By The Numbers: Repost for Mayor Carafa: Lodi’s “Best Practices Inventory” is inaccurate and dishonest.

Below is one of many of Lodi’ past “Best Practices” inventory with certification showing that Lodi claims it eliminated longevity pay for non-union employees.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5rsibgv_9q_SFhURXVkWk1zNFk/view?usp=sharing&resourcekey=0-JeAkSt48HSA-z_ZVUS7w2Q

Life is One Big Beach Party for Donald Scorzetti as the Lodi Taxpayers Fund Every Personal Expense of His Lavish Lifestyle (Post Date: July 4, 2023)…

MORE SCORZETTI WASTE, ABUSE, AND FRAUD

 ALL EXPENSES PAID BY THE LODI TAXPAYERS

I hear everyday from Lodi residents that they can’t afford a vacation this year.  With the high inflation, many can’t afford to throw barbecues.  These same struggling Lodi taxpayers are paying every expense for Donald Scorzetti’s big, gas guzzling Tahoe for PERSONAL USE.  They are paying for all of Donald Scorzetti’s gas for PERSONAL USE.  They are paying for the Tahoe and all of its gas as Donald Scorzetti spends his time in Toms River and not in Lodi.

It was never the Lodi taxpayer’s responsibility to pay for these personal expenses.  Just ask Lodi’s insurance carrier or the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs.  The Lodi Police Chief has no problem violating policies and having the Lodi Mayor and Council cover for him and lie for him.  

Donald Scorzetti can't respond to a Lodi emergency in his big Tahoe when he is hours away and has his family and friends riding along.  What would happen if someone were involved in an accident when they don't work for the Borough and have no business being in a Borough vehicle?  Who would pick up the bill if the insurance carrier is not providing that coverage?

Last year, so many people were infuriated after reading the two posts below and seeing the photos for themselves.  They should be infuriated.

Lodi By The Numbers: Residents of Lodi Can't Afford Their Own Gas. So Why Are Lodi Taxpayers Paying for Donald Scorzetti's Gas Guzzling Tahoe, Unlimited Gas for His Own Personal Use (and for the Personal Use of His Family and Friends), and for His Constant Trips to His Shore House? (Post Date: August 19, 2022) (lodioverhaul.blogspot.com)

Lodi By The Numbers: After All the Photos and Criticism of Donald Scorzetti’s Abuses, Lodi Borough Manager Marc Schrieks is Caught Doing the Same Thing (and Violating the Same Policies in Which He Was Investigated When He Was Mayor) … (lodioverhaul.blogspot.com)

The Lodi taxpayers should be ever more infuriated this year because nothing was corrected from last year.

Town officials knowingly lied about personal use of Borough vehicles on a state questionnaire (Post Date: August 28, 2018)…

This is what the Borough answered on its questionnaire just this past October:

Vincent Caruso was required to certify that the information provided to the state was accurate to the best of his knowledge.

At the August 21, 2018 council meeting, this administration was asked if Donald Scorzetti has taken any borough vehicles to his shore house.  Additional questions were asked about unlimited personal use, insurance policies, etc.

Caruso replied that according to Scorzetti’s contract, he can take a borough vehicle to his shore house.

Carafa replied, “That’s been in place for years”.

Both statements clearly show that Caruso, Carafa and the rest of their administration have been intentionally lying to the state for years.  Some state aid is dependent of the answers to the best practices questionnaire.  It’s a serious matter to certify dishonest statements in return for money.

The conversation can be seen in the Lodi Live video below at time 1.22.27 (-4.39):

https://www.facebook.com/lodi.live.9/videos/298065650970773/?hc_ref=ARS0KdYDwlORDvofWFh6g-tFmubJ7sjkmIkkY-7ZZiDbsH0zk8AJ8geW6QW4tCMeJ4Q