Ocean Township Elections Results Hold

L-R; Donna Schepiga, Margie Donlon, David Fisher, Christopher Siciliano and John Napolitani after the polls closed on May 14

The number of mail-in ballots that arrived at the Monmouth County Board of Elections at the 8PM Thursday deadline is insufficient to alter to unofficial result of the non-partisan Ocean Township municipal election reported  on Tuesday night, MMM as learned.

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Donlon Is Top Vote Getter In Ocean Township

Dr. Margie Donlon

Dr. Margie Donlon is the top vote getter in the non-partisan municipal election in Ocean Township.

If the unofficial results hold once all vote by mail ballots are received and counted, the Ocean Township Council starting on July 1 will be Donlon, Christoper Siciliano, the current Mayor, Dr. David Fisher, Councilman Rob Acerra and Councilman John Napolitani.

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Siciliano blamed mystery mailer on Gopal

Assemblyman Eric Houghtaling, Sen Vin Gopal and Mayor Christopher Siciliano

Ocean Township Christopher Siciliano, in a phone interview last week with MMM, blamed an inflammatory piece of campaign mail that was paid for by an unregistered political action committee on Senator Vin Gopal .

“It was probably Vin,” Siciliano said when asked who was behind the mailer which depicted Councilman Rob Acerra as the Texas Chainsaw muderer with a paid for disclosure by “Ocean Taxpayer Coalition, 700 Carol Ave, Oakhurst NJ 07755.”

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Prosecutor To Investigate Ocean Township Property Tax Fraud

Councilman John Napolitani does not deny the fraud when give the opportunity

Councilman John Napolitani did not deny that he is the member of the governing body who directed favorable treatment from the tax department for friends of the community

The Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office is investigating allegations that a member of the Ocean Township governing body had Stephen Gallagher (no relation to this blogger), the Township’s Chief Financial Officer, instruct employees of the Tax Department to remove properties of friends of the community, according to an announcement by Councilman Rob Acerra.

The allegations were made in a lawsuit by Meredith Nelson, Deputy Director of Finance, and first reported by MMM.

Acerra released a letter sent to the Prosecutor requesting the investigation and said he confirmed that the allegations would be investigated.

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Acerra: Siciliano “should consider” getting out of the Ocean Township Council race

Rob Acerra and Victor Ashkenazi

Ocean Township Councilman Rob Acerra responded to the news of Mayor Christopher Siciliano’s threat to a constituent on social media by demanding that Siciliano apologize and consider resigning.  Acerra said that Ocean Township “voters should strongly consider turning the page on the Siciliano era” in the municipal election on May 14.

“Here in Ocean we have a rich history of non-partisanship and civil political discourse,” said Acerra in a statement released early on Monday afternoon. “To see the Mayor acting like a schoolyard bully toward a constituent he is supposed to be representing raises doubts about his ability to lead. He is responsible for the commentary posted on his facebook profile in his name, period. At the very least Chris needs to apologize for these remarks, if not consider dropping out of the race. Voters don’t deserve a Mayor who solves challenges and bridges divides by threatening Ocean residents. We can and must do better.”

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Integrity, Hypocrisy and Lawn Signs: The Ocean Township Silly Season Heats Up

Ocean Township Mayor Christopher Siciliano questioned the integrity of Councilman Rob Acerra over the placement of lawn signs in a video posted on facebook on Saturday.

When a 22 year year old constituent called Siciliano “Mayor Hypocrite” for talking about integrity, he was challenged to meet up like a real man and discuss it behind headquarters.

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Acerra To Seek Reelection in Ocean Township

Ocean Township Councilman Rob Acerra

Ocean Township Councilman Rob Acerra announced today that he is running for a second four year term on the non-partisan Township Council.  The election will be held on May 14.

In his announcement, Acerra said that he is an independent voice for Ocean residents who has been fighting against higher taxes, over-development and for local government transparency.

“For four years, fighting for Ocean Township Residents has been my top priority, and if reelected on May 14, it will continue to be,” Acerra said.  “With all the burdensome taxes and regulations coming from the politicians in Trenton, Ocean Township must continue fighting to keep local taxes stable and bring down the cost of doing business.  It is imperative that we fight to make Ocean Township more affordable for our seniors and families.”

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Pearl Lee considering LD 11 Assembly bid

Pearl Lee

Pearl Lee, the Republican candidate for Red Bank Mayor last month, told MMM that she reached out to Monmouth Republican Chairman Shaun Golden to express her interest in challenging Democrat Assembly Members Eric Houghtailing and Joann Downey in the 11th legislative district next year.

Lee, 64, a retired small business owner, had never sought elected office before securing the Republican nomination for Red Bank Mayor last year as a write-in candidate in the June primary.  She sought the nomination after learning that  the local party failed to field a candidate to challenge Democrat Mayor Pat Menna.

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Election Day Predictions 2017

Kim Guadagno will be elected the 56th Governor of New Jersey by less than 2000 votes.

The Associated Press will not call the NJ gubernatorial race until Thursday due to the failure of the vote reporting systems in Essex, Hudson, Camden and Middlesex counties which will prevent the vote from being counted.  CNN and NJ.com will report rumors that the New Jersey election was hacked by the Russians.

Steve Sweeney will survive the millions spent against his reelection by the NJEA.  The teachers’ union will lose considerable influence in Trenton and its membership will revolt against leadership and reform the association.  Guadagno and Sweeney will have a stronger and more effective reform agenda than Christie and Sweeney had during the first Christie’s term. Read the rest of this entry »

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Opinion: Elect Rob Acerra and Michael Whelan to Assembly in the 11th District

By Joe Hadden

These days it seems that in order to oppose someone politically, it is necessary to “ist” them. If they disagree with you they must be a fascist, communist, racist, sexist, socialist, etc. I don’t need to do that to voice my opposition to Assembly members Eric Houghtaling and Joann Downey. Demonizing them is not necessary.

Mr. Houghtaling and Ms. Downey are not evil, they’re just incompetent as elected representatives. They voted yes on a budget that took state aid away from many school districts in LD11, including Ocean Township. During the LD11 debate, Mr. Houghtaling was asked if New Jersey should become a Sanctuary State since his party’s candidate for Governor said it should. Mr. Houghtaling responded that he didn’t have an opinion on the issue. I dare say he might be the only person in New Jersey who doesn’t. He still hasn’t come up with an answer. Read the rest of this entry »

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