The Mayor and Council’s pay-to-play abuses have resulted in Lodi taxpayers overpaying hundreds of thousands in legal costs…

Lodi is paying Alan Spiniello $210,000 a year for very limited part-time legal work.  How was he chosen for the position?  He contributes thousands of dollars to the political campaigns of the Mayor and Council.  But more importantly, his brother-in-law Jerry Manzetti is the campaign treasurer for the Mayor and Council as well as every Capizzi ticket for the Board of Education.

 Alan Spinello

Unfortunately, Alan Spiniello is unable to fulfill the expected responsibilities of a Borough Attorney.  He says attorneys are like doctors and they have different specialties.  Spiniello doesn’t handle labor issues.  He doesn’t handle appellate issues.  He isn’t even handling development issues for 199 Garibaldi.   

Spiniello’s responsibilities are being outsourced.  The firms doing Spiniello’s job for him happen to be the most expensive and political in New Jersey.  They have the highest fees.  They make the most political campaign contributions.

The “Florio” firm handles labor issues for Lodi.  “Florio” also contributes thousands of dollars to the political campaigns of  Lodi’s Mayor and Council. 

This month alone, “Florio” submitted a $12,258.18 bill.

Decotiis has begun appearing on the Borough’s monthly bills.


Lodi should never be for sale.  Lodi residents should always come before campaign contributors and partisan political hacks.  


I urge all Lodi residents to research towns comparable to Lodi  and see what they are paying for attorneys each year.  You will be shocked to see how much Lodi is overpaying.

Side note:  Many of Lodi's pay-to-play abuses began with Marc Schrieks. Schrieks was serving on the Lodi council while working for Coniglio and Ferriero (both went to jail).   Schrieks thought he was a big shot by handing out NO BID contracts for Lodi  in return for campaign contributions and high paid political positions for himself at the County and legislative offices.