Connect the Dots

The “Coalition for Children’s Education” sent out a very expensive glossy mailer, produced by the Traz Group, (Ed Traz is the paid consultant for the Burl. Co. GOP) to the eight sending districts in the Lenape Regional High School district and the mail list also included all K-8 households. There are two separate signs paid for by this same “coalition” everywhere and there has not yet been one 48 hour report (a report that must be filed when large sums of money are expended within 48 hours of the expense) filed by the “Coalition” to Election Law Enforcement (ELEC). Between the mailers and the signs I can easily estimate that this organization has spent well over $35,000.00. Yes, this is structured as a PAC (political action committee). By law, reports are filed by quarter. The “coalition” was formed 1/27/06, meaning, by ELEC standards the next report (aside from the missing 48 hour reports) are to be filed April 15th. The significance of this is that the voting public will not know where all this money comes from (a housewife & an insurance salesman) until ELEC receives the reports and they are viewable to the public on or about April 17th or 18th. They are already in violation of ELEC law; maybe they won’t file at all. The Chairperson registered with ELEC is Theresa Madosky, listed occupation housewife. The treasurer registered is Jason DeMarco, listed occupation insurance consultant, both are Medford residents. Now that I’ve given you a little ELEC lesson, let’s connect the dots.

The following information was taken directly from the ELEC web site, no embellishments needed. The rest of the information is verifiable.

Medford

Theresa Madosky married to Steve Madosky.

Steve Madosky an “organizer” for the “coalition” is also a board member of the MYAA (Medford Youth Athletic Association) . Is it coincidence that the all Republican council gave the MYAA this year 700,000 dollars?

Jason DeMarco the treasurer for the “coalition” is also the treasurer for the MYAA.

DeMarco was paid by the GOP $40.00, check #8989 for the get out to vote effort

DeMarco also contributed to Rudder, Brown & Myers campaign on 10/24/05 $240.00 cash, it was returned back to DeMarco from the campaign on 10/26/05, ck. # 107.

DeMarco was also reimbursed 11/6/05 $41.50, ck #183, for the Dunkin Donuts he purchased for the GOTV effort.

Theresa Madosky on 6/1/05 gave the Burlington County GOP a contribution in the amount of $2500 and listed her occupation as retired.

Theresa was also paid by the Burl. Co. GOP a $40.00 ck. #9000 for the Nov. GOTV efforts.

Majaq Logo Productions received a check from the Burl. Co. GOP in the amount of $6,482.55 on 11/15/05. Steve Madosky owns the company.

10/13/05 Steve Madosky pretends to be a “concerned citizen” in a press release produced by Sean Kennedy for PoliticsNJ.com.

Steve Madosky 5/15/06 contributed $500.00 to Friends of Jim Saxton for the 2006 Primary.

Sean Kennedy is a recent Medford resident.

Sean Kennedy is the ex GOP Executive Director and was let go after the November elections. He is presently being sued for slander, the case is still pending.

Kennedy now works for Maser Consulting Engineers and is lobbying to get contracts from the school districts for their 5.8 million dollar “turf fields” and Medford's fields.

Maser is apparently helping to fund this effort.

Evesham

The average home with children has received 4 recorded phone calls from the Regional District and at least 1 from the local K-8 reminding the parents how important it is to vote to keep up the quality of education.

Joseph Fisacaro, Jr. the local BOE member up for election was given a job at a Regional HS.

His father Joseph Sr. is a Regional District board member.

Joseph Howarth, also a local BOE member, was given a job in the Regional District.

For the GOTV (get out to vote) effort by the Burl. Co. GOP in November of 2005, Howarth was paid $50.00, ck. # 9029.

Fisacaro, Jr. and Howarth also interviewed with the local Republicans for the open council seat in November.

Barry Fitzgerald also a local BOE member was paid at the same time a $50.00 ck #9023 and so was his daughter, ck #9024 for the Nov. Burl. Co. GOTV effort.

The local BOE tax increase this year is one of the largest ever, 10 cents.

Bonnie Olt, ex president of the local BOE changed her party affiliation to Republican weeks before the November election and ran under the GOP banner her campaign was paid for by the Burl. Co. Republicans.

Bonnie is now a Council member in Evesham and was so confident of her election victory she spent election week in Florida with her family. The Mt. Holly GOP and high paid consultants like Sean Kennedy and Ed Traz ran her campaign.

Families for Olt, is still paying campaign debt from the Nov. election and in December the Burlington County Young Republicans donated $4000.00 to help clear up her campaign debt.

Dan Hicks, the Superintendent of the Regional District actually showed up to Evesham’s council meeting 4/11/06 endorsing school tax deferrals.

The Traz Group does all political mailings for the Burl. Co. GOP and also did Olt’s.

Ed Traz, the County GOP paid consultant, produced the mail piece that went to all 8 sending districts and parents with school age children.

Traz’s office is directly across the street from the local administration building.

Mt. Laurel

John Jeffers, Regional Board member is also (former Burl. Co. Republican Chairman) J. Garfield DeMarco’s God child and works for the Bridge Commission with DeMarco. Mr. Jeffers was paid $50.00, ck. #9027 and $10.00, ck. #9059, for the Burl. Co. GOTV effort in Nov.

Republican’s fighting to raise taxes, filling coffers with PAC money, hooking up donors, getting contracts and using our children to further their political and financial agendas. This has nothing to do with “the children” and everything to do with partisan party politics. Draw your own conclusion, I just connect the dots.

This is a joke, right?

Please, they must be kidding! The Lenape Regional High School Board of Education adopts a $128.5 million dollar budget and included in this are three ballot questions.

In addition to the $86.8 million general fund tax levy, voters will be asked to decide questions on hiring additional teachers, creating a district-sponsored varsity ice hockey program and building synthetic turf fields in each of the district's four high school stadiums: Lenape, Shawnee, Cherokee & Seneca.

The first question on the ballot seeks funding for an additional 21 mathematics and English teachers at a cost of $1.2 million. Is that a real question? Why ask, the Lenape Regional District prides itself on the “excellent education” it gives our children, why would hiring more teachers, to lower the class rate, actually be a question? If the Regional district is approaching 30 students per class when the state average is 19, this is not a question, this is about better education. I’ll pay the extra $8 to $13 the district is saying this will cost.

On ballot question two, they are asking taxpayers to fund a district sponsored hockey program. Ice hockey is an extremely expensive and time consuming sport, any parent that has a child that plays knows this. I love the game, but how many children this really affects is my question to the BOE. 25 at most, per school, for the low price of $340,000, that’s 100 children. Not worth my tax dollars and no where did the regional district say this is a one time hit.

The third ballot question is to fund synthetic turf fields’ at all four high schools. 5.8 million dollars, a one time expense, supposedly providing a long time savings on maintenance. To take it further, “for the children” studies show fewer injuries are sustained on artificial turf. Really, then why did every football team in the NFL hate Vet’s Stadium? Could it have been the artificial turf? How many careers where ended and knees where blown out because of it? I’m sure there are also studies that say injuries are more likely to occur on artificial turf. I think the regional football teams can survive and excel without the taxpayer shoveling out another $38 to $65 per, depending on which township you live in. (Evesham and Mt. Laurel always pay the most.)

Evesham’s tax rate would rise, if all passes, from 97.3 cents to $1.054 cents per $100 of assesses value. An average increase of $81.00 per property taxpayer, Mt. Laurel brings up the rear with an average increase of $57.00 per property taxpayer.

Just so I make this perfectly clear, the general fund (86.8 million dollars) must be approved for any of the ballot questions to pass. I will say it again, why would hiring more teachers to lower class sizes, when we already pay through the nose for education be a question? Frankly, it feels a little more like blackmail than a ballot question. Nice.

How You Can Help

I found that the Marlton Business Association is reaching out to businesses to help the arson victims in Evesham through their web site: www.marltonbusiness.southjersey.com
If you click on the "How to Help" link it will give you the information you need to give money or gift certificates.
As a community, if we can help, please do.

Arson in Evesham

On Tuesday, March 21st. arson came to Evesham. The day started out benign enough, it was cold, slightly windy and clear, though not sunny. Around the time the school buses were rolling in from Cherokee around 3:00pm the sky become gray with smoke. Within seconds, thick, acrid, black smoke followed. Everyone knew something was terribly wrong. People came from every neighborhood to see what was going on, cars stopped on the road to watch the horrific scene. Helicopters flew above. Something was different, it didn't look real, surreal is a good word. It traveled too quickly and burned too hot. The home owner of the first home called the fire dept. himself from inside the home when it started in the back yard. I'm told he still had his cordless with him outside, he escaped unharmed with his two dogs. Really, how unharmed is he? He lost his wife last year and now every memory, every memento they shared is gone, the house which was their home is a total loss.

Police and fire personnel where on the scene for hours making sure the hot spots were out and no one went near the property. As darkness ascended upon Evesham, up the street an arsonist was watching and waiting. Shortly before 7:00pm the second home was set ablaze. Again, it started in the backyard and quickly traveled up the eaves. An obvious accelerant was used. Flames rushed too fast and too hot to be anything else. This home was extensively damaged and is for insurance purposes, also a total loss.

Let's get to the meat of the story. Two homes, one neighborhood, 3 hours apart. Both homes where number 4, both homes where white with black shutters. Coincidence, not likely. A job gone wrong the first time, with news coverage, corrected at nightfall? Who knows? Someone in the crowd of hundreds is an arsonist. Hopefully, they will be found so Evesham can rest a little easier and Greenlane can fear no more.

See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil

On March 14th the local school board members approved the "tentative" $71 million dollar "spending package". Let's see that in numbers; 71,000.000.00. This "spending package" is an increase of 5.54% over last year. Even better, the 6% surplus from last year will go down to 2% this year. I love the way the Central Record reported in their Thursday the 16th edition, that the "biggest expenses are allotted for business, support services and instruction". One would think instruction would be at the top of the hit list.

The administration and some board members said their reluctance to tell the taxpayers (VOTERS) what this years tax hike would be is because the Gov., Jon Corzine, has not released his numbers.

Fact is, the state aid has been consistently flat for the past 5 years. Assuming it will be the same and why would we assume anything else, the tax impact could be calculated and given to the taxpayers (VOTERS).

This is a classic case of see no evil ( Gov. Corzine hasn't released the numbers so we can't do the math), hear no evil ( if we don't tell you how much your taxes are going up, maybe you won't remember to Vote on April 18th), speak no evil ( incumbent board members really don't want the voters to know how much we are getting slammed this year so they won't release the tax impact yet).

Food For Thought

I do believe that the following quotes are some of the best compiled regarding politics and bureaucracy. They are applicable from local government to the oval office.

Enjoy!


In politics you must always keep running with the pack. The moment that you falter and they sense that you are injured, the rest will turn on you like wolves.

R. A. Butler

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.

Lester B. Pearson

The word 'politics' is derived from the word 'poly', meaning 'many', and the word 'ticks', meaning 'blood sucking parasites'.

Larry Hardiman

The problem with political jokes is they get elected.

Henry Cate VII

Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it whether it exists or not, diagnosing it incorrectly, and applying the wrong remedy.

Ernest Benn

I have come to the conclusion that politics are too serious a matter to be left to the politicians.

Charles De Gaulle

Politics is the art of preventing people from taking part in affairs which properly concern them.

Paul Valery

Politics is perhaps the only profession for which no preparation is thought necessary.

Robert Louis Stevenson

Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first.

Ronald Reagan

It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong.

Voltaire

I don't make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts.

Will Rogers

The perfect bureaucrat everywhere is the man who manages to make no decisions and escape all responsibility.

Brooks Atkinson

Bureaucracy defends the status quo long past the time when the quo has lost its status.

Laurence J. Peter

The Lone No Vote

On Saturday, the Evesham Council introduced a 29.5 million dollar budget. What does this mean for taxpayers aside from a 6.7 cent tax increase?

It means that the mayor and council, minus the lone no vote of Councilman Schmidt, once again did not do the job for the taxpayers they where elected to do. Instead of sitting at the drawing board and rolling up their sleeves to work for this Twp., as they where entrusted to do, the crayons must have broken. Last year the Municipal budget wasn’t passed until May, why the sudden rush now? It’s reminiscent of the watered down pay to play resolution that was pushed through last June.

Are we as taxpayers supposed to thank Tamburro, Sarcone, Olt & Cardillo for deferring another $1,819,000 bringing the deferred Regional HS taxes to a staggering $9,850,334.83. Sarcone’s entire platform was no "pay to play" and not deferring taxes. She has failed at both. Olt, was quoted in the BCT as saying it was not “good government to keep delaying things.” I ask, is it good government to keep deferring things? Here’s the definition of deferral:
deferral
noun
1: a state of abeyance or suspended business [syn: recess]
2: act of putting off to a future time [syn: postponement, deferment]


Sound similar?!
Also in the BCT Sarcone accused her ex-running mate of “partisan politics” definition:
par·ti·san
noun.
1: A fervent, sometimes militant supporter or proponent of a party, cause, faction, person, or idea.
2: A member of an organized body of fighters who attack or harass an enemy, especially within occupied territory; a guerrilla.
adj.
1: Of, relating to, or characteristic of a partisan or partisans.
2: Devoted to or biased in support of a party, group, or cause: partisan politics.

The noun is Ms. Sarcone and her GOP talking points; the adj. is how it was used to describe Councilman Schmidt. Amusing considering the entire GOP platform against Sarcone & Schmidt surrounded 2.3 million dollars of deferrals. The typical do it and blame the other guy and hope no one notices it. Brilliant! NOT!

Thank you Councilman Schmidt for having a backbone and a plan. Doing the right thing; highly unusual for Evesham. Maybe, just maybe, Evesham will be blessed with Gus and gang getting on the band wagon next year and calling Councilman Schmidt’s ideas’ their own; it’s the only way it will happen. Then we can balance a budget.

I guess the moral of the story is, I'll take a "partisan" conservative Democrat over a tax and spend Republican any day. Isn't that an oxymoron?