County Committee: Click here to register for the Ocean County Demcoratic Committee meeting to select a County Clerk candidate!

Democrats Slam Freeholders Concerning Block Appointment

TOMS RIVER: Democratic Freeholder Candidates Michael Collins and Shaun O’Rourke spoke out today regarding the appointment of current Ocean County Clerk Carl Block to replace the outgoing County Administrator.

“Once again, the all-Republican Freeholder Board has cut a back room deal that benefits one of their cronies.”, said Michael Collins of Eagleswood. “In a move even the Asbury Park Press called “a well-guarded secret”, the Republicans rewarded one of their own instead of conducting a search for the best qualified candidate”.

As County Clerk, Block received a salary of $115,344 in 2009 and until his recent defeat took home an additional $10,000 as Mayor of Stafford Township. The $149,500 reported salary accepted by Block represents an increase of almost $35,000 in salary and benefits and would result in a significant increase in his taxpayer-funded retirement pension.

“Years of total Republican control of Ocean County have led to wasteful spending and bad choices. Especially in these tough economic times, Ocean County taxpayers are entitled to expect that their elected officials are looking out for them not their political allies.” commented O’Rourke of Point Pleasant. “One thing is clear…Kelly, Lacey and rest of the Freeholder Board do not believe they are accountable to anyone. No one is watching the store.”

Both Collins and O’Rourke have made government transparency and a review of County spending practices a central part of their campaign against incumbent Republicans John Kelly and James Lacey.

Chairman Earp's Statement on the Appointment of Carl Block

In 2008, the Ocean County Democrats proved they could mount a serious challenge for the office of County Clerk against Carl Block. The announcement of the back room deal elevating Block to the position of Ocean County Administrator presents an opportunity we welcome.

Now that it is public, I have begun to reach out to party leaders and the Ocean County Democratic Organization will conduct the usual candidate search and selection process that is open and transparent, in stark contrast to the way the Republican Freeholders conduct themselves.

All-Republican Freeholder Board Votes Unanimously to Raise County Taxes 7.1%

On March 3, the tax and spend all-Republican Ocean County Freeholders voted unanimously to raise the county tax rate 7.1% after they passed a bloated budget with a quarter million dollars in spending for partisan political appointments in their office. Nearly a hundred citizens showed up at the budget hearing to protest the tax hike, but despite pleas from burdened taxpayers and families, the all-Republican Freeholder Board shoved the tax hike through unanimously.

The Republican Freeholders claimed that they cut spending in all possible places in the budget, but Michelle Rosen, a resident of Waretown, called out the Republicans for their shameful spending and tax hike.

"You need to take responsibility for the number of partisan, political appointees that you have working for the county—unnecessary, partisan political appointees, beginning with your own offices, gentlemen. The fact of the matter is, that $250,000, a quarter of a million dollars, is being spent on salaries on political appointees in your office alone."

The Asbury Park Press lashed out at the tax and spend Republican Freeholders for a tax hike during the economic recession, and the Press of Atlantic City also reported on the unfair and fiscally irresponsible tax hike:


• Asbury Park Press: Just say "no" to Republican tax hike

• Asbury Park Press: Republican tax hike can't be justified

• Press of Atlantic City: Republican Freeholders enter budget with tax increase

• Asbury Park Press: Republican Freeholders unanimously vote for 7.1% tax hike