Record Article: Lodi council candidate challenges whether borough newsletter is campaign material

Click on the link below to read the entire article:

http://www.northjersey.com/news/lodi-council-candidate-challenges-whether-borough-newsletter-is-campaign-material-1.1322892
   

Tony Luna sought out a vendor to print the "Lodi Update" on behalf of Lodi.  Tony Luna had the US Postal Service mail out the material on behalf of Lodi.  Tony Luna used the Borough header and Borough address.


But Tony Luna doesn't know who was paying?


Bruce Masopust acknowledged he was aware of the mailing because he said he always did it in the past (paid for by the borough).  Bruce Masopust has been on the council on and off for 30 years.  He is also very involved in partisan politics at the county level.  How could he not be aware of the 90 day rule?


At this point, everyone knows that the Lodi politicians will have to pay for this campaign material, not the Lodi taxpayers.


Alan Spiniello needs to stop dragging his feet.  He needs to order them to pay up.



And one clarification from the article:  A government entity cannot make an "in kind contribution".  That is why every politician that gets caught violating the 90 day rule has to reimburse the public that paid for their campaign materials.

Email just sent to Tony Luna, regarding Election Law violation.

To: aluna@lodi-nj.org

Dear Mr. Luna,

Your "Lodi Update" that was mailed out today was a clear violation of Election Law, specifically the "90 day" rule.  You used taxpayer dollars to list supposed achievements of council members running for election in less than two weeks.  You used the Borough header to lend credibility to claims not supported by reality or facts.  This is prohibited by law.

If the Lodi taxpayers are not reimbursed immediately for your campaign propaganda, I will be filing a complaint with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission.

Please notify me of whatever decision you make.  Please make available all printing costs and mailing costs associated with the "Lodi Update".  Please explain how the newsletter came about and name everyone involved in it's production.

Thank you.

Ryan Curioni

Lodi Council Violated Election Law Today.

The Lodi politicians violated election law today with their "Lodi Update".  They spent thousands of Lodi tax dollars on a campaign mailing for themselves.  They violated the "90 day" election law, which prohibits any material printed at the public's expense. 

I will hold them accountable.  The Lodi taxpayers will be reimbursed.

There will be more information to follow.

Here is a recent story about Kathe Donovan and the election law at question:

http://www.northjersey.com/news/donovan-to-reimburse-bergen-county-for-latest-bergen-blast-newsletter-1.1097340 

"Civil Service" rules being violated by Luna and his machine candidates.

Tony Luna, Bruce Masopust, Patty Licata, and Laura Cima laid off two DPW employees in what they called a “reduction in force”.  

But recent Lodi payroll shows that they hired a new employee in the same department.  They list the new employee as “part time” but his regular pay for two weeks is $1,600.  That would add up to $38,400 for 12 months.

Was this position offered to the two employees that were laid off?

Violating laws and rules will only cost Lodi money in the long run.  Things catch up eventually.

Pension Abuse: Lodi wins when someone is watching.

A little over a year ago, the following post appeared on this website:

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Luna Has Some Power…Creates a $20,000 Job With Nothing More than a “Memo”

No contract.  No real job description.  No set work hours.

No resolution.  No public discussion at a regular meeting.  No mention of the “memo” on any posted minutes.

This is not the way to run government.  Luna is clearly unchecked by the Lodi council and is free to do and spend as he pleases.

Alan Spiniello knows that this is not a full time position.  By him refusing to even look into whether or not Gary Paparozzi should be in the pension system as “Technical Inspector” shows that he has no respect for the law.  

Bruce Masopust, Patti Licata, and Laura Cima refused to look into this matter after it was brought to their attention at numerous council meetings.

I challenged this pension abuse.  And I was right.  A document requested through OPRA this week shows the person in question is no longer enrolled in PERS.  And Lodi didn't have a choice in the matter.

I may have made an enemy.  In fact,  people describe the person as "foaming at the mouth" when speaking about me.

But the people of Lodi will save a lot of money.  And the people of the State will save a lot of money.  

Lodi wins when someone is watching.

Somebody’s foreclosure is someone else’s progress.

As countless Lodi residents are losing their homes, the machine candidates say: "continue the progress". 

What do they mean by “continue the progress”?

Taxes?

Foreclosures?

2014 Foreclosure Listings: Lodi Had More than Garfield. 

The above represents the number of properties assigned a Sheriff’s number and foreclosure sale date for the 2014 calendar year. 

Lodi has pages of properties listed as pre-foreclosures.  Those are not included in the above table.

This information came from a public records data base for Bergen County.

Debt?

2006 net debt:  $11,799,400

2014 net debt:  $22,410,673

The political machine increased Lodi’s net debt by $10,611,272 or 90% just during the last two council terms.  On average, they are growing the debt by over a million dollars each year.

Could you imagine what Lodi’s property taxes would be if the Lodi politicians actually budgeted for their basic expenses instead of borrowing for everything?