By ROB SPAHR, Staff Writer | Posted: Wednesday, October 28, 2009
HAMMONTON - The nine-person race for three open seats on Town Council could drastically change the makeup of the town's governing body.
The candidates for the Republican and Democratic parties claim this is a good thing, saying the current administration - dominated except for one seat by Hammonton First - has failed to safeguard key aspects of the quality of life in town.
But the three Hammonton First candidates claim they are confident that voters will hit the voting booths happy with the direction in which the town is heading and will attribute the turnaround to the leadership of their party.
Councilman Jerry Barberio is the only incumbent up for re-election and is joined on the Hammonton First ticket by Tom Gribbin and Mickey Pullia.
The trio is touting the town's streak of three consecutive years without a tax increase, the town's AA bond rating and a 7 percent drop in debt since 2005 as reasons to vote for them. They promise another year of no tax increases in 2010.
The Democratic team of Michael Ammirato, James Carpato and Carmen Villani charge that many of the positives that have occurred over the past few years were actually a result of prior administrations and not the work of Hammonton First. And they claim that party's inactivity has actually led to major commercial ratables leaving the town. They also claim they will keep taxes stable if elected.
Meanwhile, the Republican trio of Maria Brita, Anna Marie Carpo and Linda M. Goff is the first all-woman slate in Hammonton's history. The three are calling for better oversight of the town's expenses, charging that the Hammonton First-led administration is spending money and keeping taxes stable to the detriment of future taxpayers. They claim they will cut taxes if Mayor John DiDonato's recent public comments about an excess in surplus is true.
On one of the most hotly contested issues in the race - whether taxpayer dollars should be used to fund a Richard Stockton College satellite campus - the candidates from the three parties offer three different views.
All nine candidates said the town should search for every possible grant first, but if it can get close enough to the total:
The Hammonton First candidates say they would not raise taxes to pay for the balance, but said it would be "foolish" not to try to find the money for it elsewhere in the budget.
The Republican candidates all deferred their opinions on the project, saying they would need to take a closer look at the budget to see if it would even be feasible. Brita said she would leave it up to a referendum.
The Democratic candidates said they are opposed to using "even a dime" of tax dollars for the project.
If Republicans win all three seats, the party would have a 4-2 majority on Town Council, excluding a voting mayor.
If the Democrats sweep the election, that party would have a majority over the two remaining Hammonton First members and one Republican on council - again excluding the voting mayor.
And if the Hammonton First candidates take all three seats, Town Council will keep its current makeup.
Hf no new taxes 4 years in a row lower debt higher surpluss better quality of life. AA bond rating
You only wish the above was true! biggest debt incurred from borrowing and not raising taxes no surplus - used it all up and had to lay off town employees Kessler closed 400 jobs lost - with no mention of ever creating any new jobs AA bond rating temporary until after the election town hall over budget by 5 million - and falling apart lake park project was suppose to be in the 5.9 but cost taxpayers 2 million vine st paved twice, central ave paved both flood when it rains local streets never paved services to taxpayers cut laid off town employees first time in the history of Hammonton brought charges against our Chief and taxpayers had to foot the bill denied a sick police officer DONATED sick time 1 million spent to run water and sewer to bowling alley and their businesses hundreds of thousands spent to renovate their Bellevue ave properties no hope for a better future for struggling taxpayers since HF refuses to create jobs for area residents Seems to me HF benefited more from their decisions than the taxpayers and they used taxpayers money!
HF keeps saying no tax increase in 4 years and so on. That sounds good but if the majority of people in our town are either senior citizens on a fixed income and a large portion of people who are now unemployed barely getting by how does this no tax increase benefit them when they have no income to even pay their taxes? Not sure if anyone watches the news but many people are losing their homes. That's why I'm voting Democrat they have the support of the President and Vice President who will create good paying jobs for us. VP Biden just brought 2,000 good paying jobs to Delaware - that's what we need in this town JOBS JOBS JOBS! Especially since Kessler closed and the town laid off too!
The truth...HF is pretty desperate. No one wants their ticket this year not even their supporters. No more big crowds. Their vegatable deliveries flopped. People are tired of listening to the mayor's double talk. The candidates themselves are not even supporting each other.
It looks like the machine is broken and now just a joke.
the truth the truth the truth is all that can set you free.
lower debt higher surpluss AA bond rating no new taxes five year in a row. oh sorry four years in a row. soon to be five. better quality of life.
that's the truth!
NO THIS IS THE TRUTH! biggest debt incurred from borrowing and not raising taxes no surplus - used it all up and had to lay off town employees Kessler closed 400 jobs lost - with no mention of ever creating any new jobs AA bond rating temporary until after the election town hall over budget by 5 million - and falling apart lake park project was suppose to be in the 5.9 but cost taxpayers 2 million vine st paved twice, central ave paved both flood when it rains local streets never paved services to taxpayers cut laid off town employees first time in the history of Hammonton brought charges against our Chief and taxpayers had to foot the bill denied a sick police officer DONATED sick time 1 million spent to run water and sewer to bowling alley and their businesses hundreds of thousands spent to renovate their Bellevue ave properties no hope for a better future for struggling taxpayers since HF refuses to create jobs for area residents Seems to me HF benefited more from their decisions than the taxpayers and they used taxpayers money!
Big things come in small packages. Sam Mento's float stole the show last night. The people really enjoyed the Mento candies he and his family were giving out. I loved Sam Mento's quote in the AC Press today. Mento has become the leader of the Atlantic county Democratic party. The invisible man jimmy was unavailable for coment thats a shocker. Why diidn't jimmy file his elec reports? After fifteen years he still dioesn't get it. Sam Mento will win Hammonton by a landslide! Good bye to the double dipping tax and spending curio.
Again prove it the auditor is independent. standard and poors is independent
prove it.
The proof will come when Ingemi gets elected mayor and ALL records and figures for every single project completed in the last 10 years will truly be made public. When Ingemi is elected then Hammonton First can no longer deceive the taxpayers of Hammonton. As long as Hammnton First remains in power, we will get accused of being naysayers and liars. We know what's really happening. The more people really learn about Hammonton First and how it operates. The more people would be outraged and disgusted by them.
Big things come in small packages. Sam Mento's float stole the show last night. The people really enjoyed the Mento candies he and his family were giving out. I loved Sam Mento's quote in the AC Press today. Mento has become the leader of the Atlantic county Democratic party. The invisible man jimmy was unavailable for coment thats a shocker. Why diidn't jimmy file his elec reports? After fifteen years he still dioesn't get it. Sam Mento will win Hammonton by a landslide! Good bye to the double dipping tax and spending curio.
It's no coincidence that Curcio's parade entry was immediately behind Hammonton First's float. His was nowhere near the Republican's float.
Standard and Poors also gave high ratings to all the banks that issued all those subprime mortgages that caused our economy to crash. Besides, just like Joint Commision Certification of hospitals, Standard and Poors is paid to evaluate an institution or municipality. Theyre paid to pass the entity no matter what and if you pay enough you can get whatever you want. IT'S ALL BOGUS!
I predict that when you add up all votes that it will equal 100% not 101%.
I predict DiDonato 38%, Ingemi 34%, Marino 23%, Bertino 4%, Other 1%
I've heard many Republicans say that Bertino should have run and for the first time ever are going to vote for a Democrat for mayor. Some are diehard Republicans and are either going to write-in Bertino or vote for Hammonton First.
I predict that when you add up all votes that it will equal 100% not 101%.
I predict DiDonato 38%, Ingemi 34%, Marino 23%, Bertino 4%, Other 1%
I've heard many Republicans say that Bertino should have run and for the first time ever are going to vote for a Democrat for mayor. Some are diehard Republicans and are either going to write-in Bertino or vote for Hammonton First.
I hope you're wrong for Hammonton taxpayer's sake. We need more people to vote for Ingemi. Marino will be walked all over by Hammonton First like he was when he was on council.
Is Hammonton First still giving out balloons. I kid came to my house trick-or-treating and was holding a HF balloon. WHY, WHY. That's just so wrong to do that on Halloween. I hope that kid goes back and TP's their house.
Isn't that the Republican way in Hammonton? Make a big stink about HF at election time and then vote with them once you get in. It is the Republicans fault HF has gotten away with so much. They should have blown the whistle on the Mayor way back when.
The bad shape Hammonton is in is just as much the Republicans fault as it is HF.
I've heard from my neighbor that Marino is mad at the Democrats. Why isn't he mad at Hammonton First like he should be? Come on now Anthony, MAN UP!!!
When you compare Marino and Ingemi, you realize that Ingemi will be ready DAY ONE as mayor while Marino will still be pondering what to do. We need a Man with a plan of ACTION not promises. We've heard Marino's promises, he just can't deliver.
