At last night's budget meeting it was revealed that the legal costs for the Board of Education in defending Mrs. Rehmann exceeded $20,000. This expense goes directly to the taxpayers of Hammonton. This money certainly could have been spent much better in a classroom. But Mr. Costa stated that he plans on continuing with his witch hunts. It was pointed out that this would cost the taxpayers of Hammonton more money, but he doesn't care, he is going to continue his vendetta. Mr. Costa was elected to the Board of Education to represent the taxpayers and more importantly the children of Hammonton. He has abandoned both of them. By costing the district more money in defense funds he personally is taking that money from our childrens education to satisfy his own agenda. And that money will have to be paid by the taxpayers of Hammonton.
Tom Coasta has obviously lost his focus. He is supposed to represent us, he no longer does. It is time for him to resign his position on the board and save us a lot of money. Didn't he learn any lesson from the Chief's trial. He lost his case at the Ethics Commission. He just doesn't get it. He's not thinking rationally. TOM COSTA MUST RESIGN NOW!
Tom Costa will stop @ nothing to waste taxpayer time and money with his personal vendetta against the Hammonton board members.
Let's point out that he also feels that Hammonton should cut services to its students and raise taxes so that Waterford & Folsom can have a lesser tax increase.
We need to get him out before he costs us any more money. We can't let him use us to fund his vendettas. We don't have enough time to recall him before the election. The election is just 19 days away. We need to make everyone aware of what he is doing to us and make sure he gets NO votes on April 17th. Tell everyone you know to vote NO to Tom Costa and his rampant abuse of our taxes.
The Democrats are running their former mayor, Barbara Berenato, in the school board race. She is the person who brought us Plymouth Place and high tax increases. Now they are backing here so she can give out patronage jobs.
Two more baseless accusations. Seems like there is a group of people who are running scared and now they are throwing more darts to see what may stick. Well guess what, all of these darts are just falling to the floor. People see through these meaningless accusations being made. Bob Capoferri has, and rightfully so, earned the respect and gratitude of the majority of the people of Hammonton for his true belief in this Town and his genorosity in trying to make it even better. He has totally distanced himself from the political scene but is always there to help out in the community when needed. And Barbara Berenato is an intelligent person who feels she can help her community by serving on the Board of Education, which by the way is a thankless position under scrutiny of the entire community every day. While many individuals from the Democratic club do support her, we have stayed true to our belief that politics should stay out of the schools and as a club we do not support or endorse any candidates. Plymouth Place was brought about by a Republican majority council and it brought us into compliance with COAH, something the present Council is pushing very hard to do now. And your comment about giving out patronage jobs is ridiculous. No school board member is involved in the hiring process and can have no effect on that process. We have seen these claims tested time and time again and every time it has been shown that the Hammonton School district hired the person who was most qualified for the position. You are the ones who complain that people are bashing you when they ask questions and raise concerns. What do you think you are doing by making all of these baseless accusations???? In the words of our Mayor, "Why can't people just discuss the positive solutions rather than being negative?"
First of all the Democrats are not running "me" for School Board. I made the decision to run because of my knowledge and my experience. I have the support of my family and that is what made me decide to participate. As far as the vote for Plymouth Place I feel the math skills of any graduate of any school are lacking if you can not decifer that one is not a majority of seven. My real concern is for the children of this community.
Anonymous wrote:Barbara Berenato writes: First of all the Democrats are not running "me" for School Board. I made the decision to run because of my knowledge and my experience. I have the support of my family and that is what made me decide to participate. As far as the vote for Plymouth Place I feel the math skills of any graduate of any school are lacking if you can not decifer that one is not a majority of seven. My real concern is for the children of this community.
Well said, Barbara!! Me and my family will be at the polls early to cast our vote for you!
I am anxious to see your contribution to the board. It will be great to see a well qualified, caring, and hardworking board send our schools in the right direction.
We need to stop this infighting on the board, and I know you will fit right in and work with the current board for the benefit of all!
Right. We are supposed to believe that the Democrats aren't backing former Democratic Mayor Barbara Berenato. So Jim MacLane, Democratic campaign manager, and Tom Santone, last year's Democratic candidate, jump right in and are the one's endorsing her. Please. Stop pretending you are fooling anyone. The most important thing we want is no more Plymouth Places.
I won't get fooled again! I see that MacLane is talking about what a good guy Bobby Capoferri is. He built a school that cost us millions. It took years to figure out that we were paying for Waterford's kids. Now it appears he must be somehow connected with Barbara Berenato running for school board. The last time she held office we wound up with Plymouth Place costing us millions. We don't need the Democrats putting her on the school board.
First off, you are no one to be lecturing people on fooling anyone...we all know who you are and what your childish tyraids are designed to do and we all see through it. The Democratic Club as an entity does not endorse candidates for school elections. It may be that every member of the club supports her, but that is on a personal level and I assume you believe in our rights to hold opinions as individuals. Maybe you don't, it's obvious that once people don't tow the line and blindly follow yourguidelines they are discarded and thrown to the wolves. It just happenned this past Sunday. And all of us see the impact that Plymouth Place has had on our Town and the taxes and none of us want to see that happen again, however it IS being pushed by the Hammonton First party and that who we need to be worried about. By the way, when is the last time you saw the school board build a housing development. As for us paying for Waterford kids, That is true, but that was not caused by the board members you refer to. That was caused by the present board hiring the wrong person as Business Administrator for our district. That is when the problems occurred. Now that they have hired a new BA, the adjustments are being made to correct those mistakes.
[We are supposed to believe that the Democrats aren't backing former Democratic Mayor Barbara Berenato.]
I said that my family is backing Barbara. I did not say the Democratic Club was backing her. I did not say that I was backing her because she is a Democrat. I am backing her because she is, by a landslide, the best, most qualified individual for the position, and I am glad that we have someone like Barbara to step foward to help the community.
The HF school board candidate's Norton and Juan website expired on March 26th. Let's hope that soon the HF website will expire soon. Could it be sooner or right after November.
Anonymous wrote: Right. We are supposed to believe that the Democrats aren't backing former Democratic Mayor Barbara Berenato. So Jim MacLane, Democratic campaign manager, and Tom Santone, last year's Democratic candidate, jump right in and are the one's endorsing her. Please. Stop pretending you are fooling anyone. The most important thing we want is no more Plymouth Places.
Vote Republican! We don't need Barbara Berenato and her Plymouth Place voting record.
Anthony Marino will have two of his supporter on this year's Republican ticket. Maria Ricca is his cousin and Donny Berenato is his close friend. Marino is poised to be a Hammonton power broker. Jerry Vitalo will probably follow Marino's way. Anthony can control town council.
A vote for the Democrats is a vote for liberals. Vote for the Republicans and Anthony Marino!
Vote Republican for a true Reagan follower... Anthony Mar
In May of 2005, State Department of Corrections Commissioner Devon Brown testified before the Assembly Budget Committee that he was forced to accept 14 individuals --- including Anthony Falcone --- as department employees because of political pressure from the office of former Gov. McGreevy.
Is this who we want as a councilperson? VOTE REPUBLICAN!
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Anonymous
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RE: Ethics charges dismissed against BOE President
Anonymous wrote: Anonymous wrote: Right. We are supposed to believe that the Democrats aren't backing former Democratic Mayor Barbara Berenato. So Jim MacLane, Democratic campaign manager, and Tom Santone, last year's Democratic candidate, jump right in and are the one's endorsing her. Please. Stop pretending you are fooling anyone. The most important thing we want is no more Plymouth Places.Vote Republican! We don't need Barbara Berenato and her Plymouth Place voting record.
Anthony Marino will have two of his supporter on this year's Republican ticket. Maria Ricca is his cousin and Donny Berenato is his close friend. Marino is poised to be a Hammonton power broker. Jerry Vitalo will probably follow Marino's way. Anthony can control town council.
A vote for the Democrats is a vote for liberals. Vote for the Republicans and Anthony Marino!
Vote Republican for a true Reagan follower... Anthony Mar
Vote Republi
Great that's what we need more friends and family controlling town council. We need people who will represent ALL OF HAMMONTON.
Anonymous wrote: The Democrats are running their former mayor, Barbara Berenato, in the school board race. She is the person who brought us Plymouth Place and high tax increases. Now they are backing here so she can give out patronage jobs.
p Great. We need higher taxes like we need a hole in the head. Jimmy Bertino was right about her.
Is this who we want as a councilperson? VOTE REPUBLICAN!I can't believe anyone would still vote republican after what we have seen the rebpublicans do to this country for the past 7 years.
The Hammonton Democratic Club us the only pro-active political organization in Hammonton. The Rebpulicans haven't done anything in years.
The Rebpulicans haven't done anything in years.And it will take many years for us to fix all the Hammonton First mistakes, finger pointing, lies, cover-ups, and false accusations
Anonymous wrote: In May of 2005, State Department of Corrections Commissioner Devon Brown testified before the Assembly Budget Committee that he was forced to accept 14 individuals --- including Anthony Falcone --- as department employees because of political pressure from the office of former Gov. McGreevy.
Is this who we want as a councilperson? VOTE REPUBLICAN!
The Republican ticket will be so much better than the Dems it isn't even close!
Isn't it interesting that you quote the report from May 2005 but nothing after that. You don't quote that it was discovered that this was basically a political move by Mr. Brown because of his dissatisfaction in Trenton. You didn't qoute that Mr. Falcone went through an entire review after these allegations were made and he was found to be fully qualified to sit in his positoon and still holds that position today. You didn't qoute that these allegations were found to be baseless against Mr. Falcone, although there was some substance in regard to some of the other individuals named. None of this surprises me because you are well known for taking qoutes out of context to serve your purpose. You only qoute the parts that suit you. Mr. Falcone is a man of integrity who has worked very hard to get where he is today. That is how it is done in America for most people. While it is true that wealth is handed to some people from their family and they never have to work to get what they have, most of us are like Mr. Falcone and are proud of our accomplishments and hard work.
The Republican Party has a powerhouse ticker this year the will be ed by Mike Pajic and Maria Ricca. Mike is a former candidate for council. Maria's family are large landlords in town with about 100 apartments for rent. Vote Republican!
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Anonymous
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RE: Ethics charges dismissed against BOE President
Anonymous wrote: Anonymous wrote: We do not need a Ricca any Ricca holding any seats in this Town. Why is that? And what DO we need then, since you seem to have such a grasp of an entire family's values.
The whole reason this landlord tax ordinance came about was because of slumlords like the Riccas.
Anonymous wrote: The whole reason this landlord tax ordinance came about was because of slumlords like the Riccas.
No. The landlord ordinance came about so the Society Hill politicians (Hammonton First) could run every minority out of downtown. It was an unconsitutional law challenged by good people like the Riccas, and dozens of other people in Hammonton.
Thanks to Maria Ricca's hard work, the landlord ordinance was gutted of its illegal, unethical, and immoral statutes that collected names and social security numbers of renters; removed provisions that could throw a landlord in jail if a renter got three parking tickets; and took away the law's power to throw Mothers and their children out of their homes and onto the streets of Hammonton.
So you can call Maria Ricca names, but she's one of the few residents of this town to publicly stand up and fight against Hammonton First's archaic laws to run the middle class out of Hammonton. I'm glad she had to courage to stick her neck out.
She only fought because it was going to hurt her pocketbook. No thank you to any of the republican candidates this year. This household will be voting Democrat.
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Anonymous
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REPUBLICAN MARIA RICCA CANDIDACY IS LEGAL, CAN DEMOCRAT ROBIN RIPA HOLD OFFICE?
Anonymous wrote: She only fought because it was going to hurt her pocketbook. No thank you to any of the republican candidates this year. This household will be voting Democrat.
At least Maria can hold office legally.
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Anonymous
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RE: Ethics charges dismissed against BOE President
Anonymous wrote: She only fought because it was going to hurt her pocketbook. No thank you to any of the republican candidates this year. This household will be voting Democrat.
So to you doign the right thing can only be done by someone who is not effected by it? Maria was effected becuase her family, and other families in Hammonton would have been thrown in jail becuase their tenants got parking tickets, noise violations, or breaking any other ordinance. Yes, she fought for her and her families' rights, but she also fought for everyone's rights in this town. Tomorrow, HF can come after you. Maria put up a fight and beat HF, and took a big gust of wind out of their sails. Add to that the big loss they had against the Chief, and HF is against the ropes and ready to be knocked out.
So you can spin it any negative way you like, but remember, she's one of the few that fought against them. And personally, if a Democrat is doing the same thing, they'll get my vote too.
Anonymous wrote: Anonymous wrote: She only fought because it was going to hurt her pocketbook. No thank you to any of the republican candidates this year. This household will be voting Democrat. So to you doign the right thing can only be done by someone who is not effected by it? Maria was effected becuase her family, and other families in Hammonton would have been thrown in jail becuase their tenants got parking tickets, noise violations, or breaking any other ordinance. Yes, she fought for her and her families' rights, but she also fought for everyone's rights in this town. Tomorrow, HF can come after you. Maria put up a fight and beat HF, and took a big gust of wind out of their sails. Add to that the big loss they had against the Chief, and HF is against the ropes and ready to be knocked out.
So you can spin it any negative way you like, but remember, she's one of the few that fought against them. And personally, if a Democrat is doing the same thing, they'll get my vote too.
Democrats spoke against the Landlord tax as well. Santone and Diaz discussed this in their campaign talks and Diaz asked council why did they forced this ordinance. If that alone was an issue then did you vote for them. Some of Riccas apartments were in much need of repair.
The Democrats are attacking Ricca because they know Robin Ripa can't legally hold a counicl seat in her current town employee poisition. Vote Republican. Don't waste your vote on the last place losers!
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Anonymous
Date:
RE: Ethics charges dismissed against BOE President
Anonymous wrote:Democrats spoke against the Landlord tax as well. Santone and Diaz discussed this in their campaign talks and Diaz asked council why did they forced this ordinance. If that alone was an issue then did you vote for them. Some of Riccas apartments were in much need of repair.
Ahhh, but I've made no inflammatory statements towards Santo or Diaz. You on the other hand seem to think its okay to rip someone else for no good reason. My friend, in this Town, you're just making her more popular.
Anonymous wrote: Anonymous wrote: Democrats spoke against the Landlord tax as well. Santone and Diaz discussed this in their campaign talks and Diaz asked council why did they forced this ordinance. If that alone was an issue then did you vote for them. Some of Riccas apartments were in much need of repair. Ahhh, but I've made no inflammatory statements towards Santo or Diaz. You on the other hand seem to think its okay to rip someone else for no good reason. My friend, in this Town, you're just making her more popular.
You're being played by someone trying to defeat both Democrats and Republicans. Someone is going after Ripa and Ricca.
Anonymous wrote:In May of 2005, State Department of Corrections Commissioner Devon Brown testified before the Assembly Budget Committee that he was forced to accept 14 individuals --- including Anthony Falcone --- as department employees because of political pressure from the office of former Gov. McGreevy.
Is this who we want as a councilperson? VOTE REPUBLICAN!
The Republicans have ruined our country. Idiots like George Bush have wasted billions of dollars and thousands of lives in Iraq. I won't get fooled again. The local Republican can't even figure out who they want to run.
The only way you can ever get a Republican to act is to cost them money, then they scream and yell, but when you are dealing with important social issues, the attacks on the cheif, the illegal landlord tax, the over budgeting of town hall, misuse of money, illegal coverups, lies, and nepotism, it takes a Democratic Team to speak up on behalf of the people. Why won't the Republicans take a stand on anything?
Let's hope the voters of Hammonton see through that tactic this year. The Dems have stood up for the people of this Town time and time again. The Republicans feel they can sit back, say nothing and do nothing and keep getting elected. It's time to stop the inaction and elect the candidates who will stand up and be heard. Vote Democrat in November.
Anthony served with distinction and pride. Unfortunately the HF majority deliberately cut him out of the committee process by not allowing him to serve on any committees other than Education. But look at the school district today. Anthony was instrumental in keeping the dialogue open between council and the board and kept the council apprised of all the board was doing. He also served as our Deputy Mayor in the past. He is definitely a strong candidate and that is why you want to attack him, you are worried.
Anthony has always stood up for the residents of Hammonton. Unfortunately it has been a while since the Dems had enough representation on Council to make a difference. Bertino is always known for playing the political card just to insure he gets votes.
The Democrats are not the answer for the school board or the town. Why does Anthony Falcone and Barbara Bernato run for these boards and always quit when the going gets tough.
Anthony Falcone resigned from his council seat twice over the years. He always seems to being looking for an opportunity to enrich himself or his family members. Barbara Bernato and Anthony Falcone are true New Jersey Democrats. I don't think good public service requires high paying government jobs for the elected official or their family members.
Boy, you guys are really desperate aren't you. Now you are posting all out lies to attack these fine people. I guess you aren't having any success with the truth, so you are resorting to lying to try and sway people. Give up, the people of Hammonton have heard enough of your lies and aren't listening anymore. Barbara berenato never quit any post she ever held. She served her full terms with distinction. Anthony Falcone only left council once. He had finished his first year of a term when an opportunity to improve himself came along. He was able to return to graduate school. This was an important step both for he and his family. Once he started school he realized that the requirements of attending school were keeping him from performing his council duties 100%. Since he did not want to represent the town with anything less than 100% effort, he made a tough decision to step aside and allow someone else who could serve the town and it's residents without the limitations he had. It takes a man of strong convictions to make a decision like that and think of the town before himself. That is the type of man we need representing us on town council. Not people who are only out for their own agendas.
What did Anthony Falcone do when he was on council? Nothing!From what I saw, Anthony raised the issue of improperly disposing of asbestos at the old Historic Building site, making him the only councilman concerned with public saftey. Anthony also wanted more information on the state building to make sure it would benefit the taxpayers of Hammonton, when Hammonton First immediately dissmised the project under the direction of edited (I mean Jim Donio).
Vote Repubican The true leaders of the town!The Republicans have done nothing for this town, or for this country. Time for change. I won't be fooled again!
The ethics charges filed by Tom Costa against Loretta Rehmann have all been dismissed. The case was heard today in Cranbury, NJ by the School Ethics Commission. Normally cases are heard by the commission and decisions are rendered at a later time in writing to both parties, but apparently the arguments in favor of Loretta Rehmann were so compelling the commission accepted a motion for dismissal from the BOE lawyer and ruled in Mrs. Rehmann's favor. Unfortunately, the taxpayers of Hammonton were losers as we will have to foot the bill for the defense. After the ruling, Mr. Costa was heard telling a reporter that he has written a blank check to his attorney to try and go after anyone else on the Board, so we can only assume this is not the end and there will be more expenses to the taxpayers of Hammonton. Mr. Costa apparently doesn't care that he is costing the taxpayers more money for these vendettas. Remember he also voted against a zero tax increase because he wants the Hammonton taxpayers to pay higher taxes so that Waterford and Folsom don't have to pay their fair share. The Hammonton Democrats are opposed to these kinds of tactics because the only possible outcome of these agendas are higher taxes for all Hammonton residents.
I am Barbara Berenato and I would love for you to tell me the position from which I resigned. Where do you get your information or should I say where do you get your misinformation?
