Sunday, January 29, 2023

The Lodi Mayor and Council Knew for Over a Year About a Revaulation Order. They Hid it From the Public Because They Have No Money in Their Budget, Their Tax Maps are a Mess, and They Don’t Want Anyone to Know About Big Tax Increases Until After the May Election…

 


Marc Schrieks requested an extension because the "vendor" he engaged would need some time to upadate the Tax Maps.  The "vendor" Marc Schrieks is referencing is Gary Paparozzi- a former appointed mayor of Lodi and a current full-time Borough Employee.

Lodi By The Numbers: Gary Paparozzi, a Full-Time Lodi Borough Employee, Was Paid $25,501.80 Additionally in October. He Is Receiving Payments as an Employee and as a Vendor. (lodioverhaul.blogspot.com)

What qualifies Gary Paparozzi to update tax maps?  The only experience Gary Paparozzi has with Tax records is from when he drastically lowered the assessments for himself and others "in house" while raising taxes on everyone else.

Lodi By The Numbers: Gary Paparozzi's tax assessment “MIRACULOUSLY” dropped by over $150,000… (lodioverhaul.blogspot.com)

Gary Paparozzi is a full-time employee of Lodi and holds contracts with Garfield, Saddle Brook, Paterson, etc.  When is he supposedly updating tax maps for Lodi?  How can Lodi pay someone simultaneously as a full-time employee and as a “vendor”?

How did Marc Schrieks solicit proposals for updating tax maps?  Why did Gary Parozzi need more time when towns a lot larger like Fair Lawn and Teaneck did not seek extensions (only Lodi and Bergenfield received extensions).

How much does Lodi plan on paying Gary Paparozzi to update tax maps and why would you need an emergency ordinance to fund his payments?  The Lodi Mayor and Council have no money in their budget for any transfers when you have hundreds of thousands of dollars for Donald Scorzetti’s personal vendettas and enough money to place every member of the Luna and Martin families on the monthly payroll?

Lodi is a cesspool of corruption as our State agencies continue to look the other way. 

Gary Paprozzi is the “vendor” referenced in Marc Schrieks’ letter posted below.

Link to Revaluation documents I received this week:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/10AylyqS_-5me9F8xv1GkY7aojvoEKEB4/view?usp=sharing




Who does Marc Schrieks hire? Those that pay. (Post Date: October 30, 2018)




After running with Gary Paparozzi and serving with him for 8 years, these were just a few of the mailers sent by Marc Schrieks in 2007:








Gary Paparozzi, under his campaign name “Friends of Gary Paparozzi”, made campaign contributions to Marc Schrieks in 2011.  Linked below is one of the election reports where Gary Paparozzi gave Marc Schrieks campaign cash:






After receiving campaign cash, Marc Schrieks voted to make Gary Paparozzi the “Planner” for both the Lodi Zoning Board and the Lodi Planning Board.  Marc Schrieks also created a new $20,000 part-time position titled “Annual Technical Inspector” for Gary Paparozzi.


Apparently, “Integrity” was not the issue.  “Character” was not the issue.  Pay-to-play was the issue.


Paparozzi raised money to run against Schrieks.  In the end, that money was paid to Schrieks in return for a job.


Lodi deserves better than this.  Enough of the hypocrites.  Stop selling jobs.  Stop buying jobs.


You know what you are getting with Marc Schrieks.  I don’t want people buying school jobs.  I hope the Lodi voters don’t either.




Gary Paparozzi, a Full-Time Lodi Borough Employee, Was Paid $25,501.80 Additionally in October. He Is Receiving Payments as an Employee and as a Vendor. (Post Date: November 6, 2022)




All lines are blurred between Paparozzi's duties as a "full-time Borough Employee" and as a "vendor".  This is a just a get rich fast retirement scheme for a disgraced former councilperson in return for campaign cash and campaign work.  There is no question that violations are occurring with this arrangement.











How Does the Lodi Mayor and Council Get Away with Paying Gary Paparozzi as a Full-Time Salaried Employee and as a Monthly Vendor? (Post Date: October 9, 2022)

 

Gary Paparozzi appears on the Borough Payroll as a full-time salaried employee (2 week pay listed above)


Gary Paparozzi appears on the monthly bills as a vendor ("professional services")


Members of the Mayor and Council are telling people that they hired Gary Paparozzi as a full-time employee for “Planning” work.  Gary Paparozzi is paid as a monthly vendor for “Planning” work. 

 

How does the Mayor and Council get away with this pay scheme?




Thursday, January 19, 2023

$247,176: Donald Scorzetti’s Personal Vendetta Has Already Cost the Lodi Taxpayers that Amount in Legal Bills Alone. These Legal Bills are Still Ongoing and Growing by the Day.

 

Donald Scorzetti- Guilty of Squandering Hundreds of Thousands in Lodi Tax Dollars

Click on the link below to see how much the Lodi taxpayers have paid in legal bills so far for one of the worst and most abusive witch hunts you have ever seen:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-B2TXY1wff-gm_boFYwBYHrAeqSDKmvn/view?usp=sharing

Mary McDonnel: $111,675

Florio Firm: $78,954

Mollinelli: $39,240

Manga Transcripts: $17,307

The Lodi Mayor and Council have been approving these bills at the same time that they are borrowing millions of dollars to pay for basic borough expenses (to create the illusion that they are not raising taxes).   If you have to borrow millions, you don’t have hundreds of thousands to burn on personal vendettas and political witch hunts. Watching the amount spent by this mayor and council and seeing how unfair and corrupt they operate should really infuriate everyone. 

The $247,176 only accounts for legal invoices appearing on the Mayor and Council's monthly bills. It doesn't account for the $250,000 in payroll costs for Scorzetti's vendetta.  Think about that. A half a million dollars for Donald Scorzetti's power trip.

During this ordeal, Lodi has seen Donald Scorzetti exhibit nothing but unprofessionalism, cockiness, and immaturity. 

At the same time, Captain Grillo, who has endured the most unfair treatment, continues to serve Lodi with professionalism and respect.  Captain Grillo has shown great resilience.  



Monday, January 16, 2023

A Revaluation Should Be a Public Discussion. Why Was the Subject Hidden in Closed Session Minutes of the Lodi Mayor and Council?

 


Revaluations are discussed at public meetings throughout Bergen County.  They appear on Mayor’s pages.  They appear in news articles.

 

The Lodi Mayor and Council apparently received an Order for Revaluation at least a year ago, yet it was never disclosed to the public.  Lodi’s last revaluation was in 2004.  Around 2007 and many years to follow, there was an economic downturn and declining home values.  Many tax appeals were being filed.  Other Bergen County towns conducted reassessments (not Ordered Revaluations) to address the downturn and create a level of fairness.  Lodi chose not to conduct any of its own reassessments during that time period.  Instead, Tony Luna, George, Reggo, and others were lowering the taxes for all of their family and friends without formal tax appeals being filed.  They did favors for some and passed the cost on to others.

 

The following OPRA request was just submitted because the Lodi mayor and council cannot continue to hide public information in closed session, closed door meetings:

 

1) A copy of the Revaluation Order received by Lodi and discussed in the 2022 closed session meetings

 

3)  A copy of any correspondence between the Borough of Lodi and Bergen County or the State of New Jersey regarding the Revaluation Order (which would include requests for delays)




Sunday, January 15, 2023

“Chasan Lamparello” States that It Is Currently the Corporate Counsel for the Town of Secaucus. It Also States that it Represents Vinny Martin- the Listed Owner of a Strip Club in Secaucus that Has Been Busted Multiple Times by the Secaucus Police.

 

So, Vinny Martin chose “Chasan Lamparello” for its influence with the Secaucus government. How convenient.  Vinny Martin should disclose if “Chasan Lamaparello” is currently representing his strip club with its legal troubles or has ever represented his strip club. Anything goes in those Hudson County towns just like anyything goes in Lodi. They are void of any code of ethics  and laws don't apply to them.

 

The Laganas and Joseph Garcia were attorneys with “Chasan Lamaprello” before they went with Giacobbe.  “Chasan Lamparello” attorneys still fund Joseph Lagana's political campaigns which would explain their contracts with Bergen County.  Another pay-to-play political firm that clings on to the worst politicians throughout the State in return for noncompetitive government contracts.  


Once again, we have a two-tier justice system in New Jersey where politicians can buy protection by paying for influence.














2022 Closed Session Minutes for the Lodi Mayor and Council (January thru October)...


Link to closed session minutes:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jlHOHxTkMhFv7tKTGql32EuDXiQJkV5e/view?usp=sharing

 

If the Lodi Mayor and Council received an order for a Revaluation a year ago or longer, that should have been made public and not hidden in closed session discussions.  A Revaluation could cause a lot of problems for this administration due to everything they and Reggo did in the accessor’s office for decades. They clearly sought out extensions to get them past the next Election.  It can be a mess and a tax nightmare.






December Payroll for Lodi Borough Hall...

 


Link to December 15th Payroll:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ePZ_HlTbPDbmo__4ujq-GwGGgnNnM3lo/view?usp=sharing

 

Link to December 30th Payroll:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OtOzT_Feu4JzznewjBRcWR15lq1tC4ZC/view?usp=sharing






December Payroll and Bills for the Lodi Board of Education...

 


Link to December Payroll:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gHXYh2UBlxvR63cwd4NVJCDGfWNWAJ5i/view?usp=sharing

 

Link to December Bills:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1p5AT3LazcUe5UENfPd1viDkBLM7cKr09/view?usp=sharing





December Bills & Resolutions for the Lodi Mayor and Council...

 


Link to December Bills:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ueAkm7-YbqBWADpE45AkaMh8HsDuUMeT/view?usp=sharing

 

Link to December Resolutions:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fH6vsNfWHqJadYmeL_VCr5k-wdzb8R0z/view?usp=sharing








The Lodi Mayor and Council Has Accumulated a Large Amount of New Debt in the Last Few Years. Lodi Taxes Would Have Increased Greatly if the Mayor and Council Budgeted for Their Basic, Known Expenses Instead of Borrowing for Everything.

 


Link to 2021 debt statement (doesn’t account for 2022 debt accumulation):

 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Ro3lFNVu3oI04TJOILMs787QwVf16jGb/view?usp=sharing

 

In 2019, Lodi’s auditor publicly stated a council meeting that a really big debt payment had recently become due and that Lodi had paid off most of its debt.  




Wednesday, January 11, 2023

Open Response to the Threatening Letter I Just Received from Lodi Deputy Mayor Vincent Martin and His Attorney Thomas Brogan…


Response:


1.  I just blacked out Vinny Martin’s street address on the post showing how his big house with a lot of improvements (that he purchased for $500,000 in 2006) is only assessed at $321,300.  My question for Thomas Brogan:  what do you have to say about Vinny Martin asking people to sign his petition to run for Lodi council with his street address listed?  Please explain.

 

2.  Please send me specific blog posts dating back to 2016 that you deem “false statements” or “misrepresentations”.  If you can explain with factual basis why they are false, I will gladly remove them.

 

3.  Vinny Martin is listed as an owner of a business that was busted twice within a year for cocaine and prostitution.  Public notices and his own statements on northjersey.com state that he is an owner.  If he is not an owner and the public notices and his own statements are untrue, please notify me in writing with factual basis and I will gladly remove all posts pertaining to that subject.


4.  You state: “As you are fully aware, Mr. Martin is an upstanding citizen of the Borough of Lodi…’

I completely disagree.  And that statement shows just a little too much pride.

 

5.  Vinny Martin has corrupted the Lodi police department with his involvement in making Donald Scorzetti Chief (voting with conflicts), funding Donald Scorzetti’s political campaigns, allowing Donald Scorzetti to take Borough Vehicles to his shore house while telling insurance providers and the Department of Community Affairs that Borough vehicles are prohibited for personal use, etc.  Vinny Martin has his daughter working under Donald Scorzetti and working with all of Donald Scorzetti’s daughters in Police Records while Vinny Martin is voting on 4% raises for Donald Scorzetti.

Furthermore, what Vinny Martin and his administration did to Captain Grillo is disgusting.  That is corruption of the police department.

 

6.  Dirty Politician- Vinny Martin is nasty and he is a bully.  He has been like that his whole life.  Before I ever posted anything about him, he sent me nasty emails, insulted me at Board of Education meeting with the most petty, stupid things, and made many libelous statements against me.  Vinny Martin is not a victim. 

 

7.  The ethics complaint against me by Debra Kwapniewski- The NJEA spent over $100,000 filing frivolous complaints against me.  I successfully defended myself “pro se” for three years.  I was the only board member not to use a taxpayer funded attorney to defend myself.  I saved the Lodi taxpayers at least $15,000 by refusing to use a taxpayer funded attorney in which I was entitled.  The day of the administrative hearing with Elissa Mizzone Testa in Newark, there was snow on the ground, I was busy at work and decided at the last minute that I had better things to do than drive to Newark to talk about a blog post: “If you can read, thank a teacher.  If you can’t, thank a teachers union.”  I already successfully defended myself against the same complaint over and over again.  I told Elissa Mizzone Testa to refer to the evidence I already submitted.  She said that she would not read anything that I submitted and then she had the NJEA Attorney, Gail Oxfeld, write her decision for her.

Do I regret not going to the hearing in Newark?  Absolutely not.  The decision against me is being used at Board training sessions throughout New Jersey because it is so absurd and laughable.  Board members as far as Ocean County have reached out to me after their attorneys discussed my decision with them to tell me that everyone was laughing at my posts and that they enjoyed reading my blog.

Elissa Mizzone Testa humiliated herself with her decision.  It was blatantly dishonest.  District payroll and other public records show that she is dishonest. Three years later, she has to be more embarrassed by the decision than me.  You and Vinny Martin can talk about this decision all you like.  It doesn’t bother me. Compare and contrast this decision with the ethics decisions against the Lodi politicians associated with Vinny Martin (Dominic Miller, Tony Luna, George Reggo, etc.)  Compare blog posts about the NJEA with the misappropriation of public funds.  Compare blog posts about the NJEA with the illegal awarding of contracts to family members.  Compare blog posts about the NJEA with using your public position to lower your own property taxes.