DiBella Addresses Opponent’s Remarks

HOWELL – Councilman Joseph DiBella, candidate for mayor, responded to remarks made by Democratic mayoral candidate Steve Farkas, in regard to DiBella and Councilwoman Cynthia Schomaker’s recently released plan to reform government.

Farkas was highly critical of the DiBella-Schomaker plan. According to DiBella, “Today’s remarks by Mr. Farkas are typical of his campaign. Unfortunately he has again resorted to personal attacks rather than offering thoughtful and respectful perspective on the issue. Cynthia and I will not respond with disrespectful remarks. We’ll stick to the issues and not have our campaign stoop to a level that will bring dishonor to Howell.”

Farkas is openly critical of the DiBella and Schomaker “good government plan,” arguably the toughest introduced anywhere in Monmouth County on banning nepotism, banning gifts to elected officials, banning contributions from developers, capping campaign spending and requiring every professional position to be competitively bid.

“It’s disturbing and unusual that Mr. Farkas is opposed to our reform plan,” DiBella said. “We have proposed a series of reforms that thoroughly bans nepotism, places a ceiling on campaign spending, requires that every professional job go through the toughest performance based public bidding, calls for a complete prohibition of accepting campaign donations from developers and a total ban on accepting gifts of any kind.

“Opposing these measures is like being opposed to motherhood and apple pie,” DiBella continued. “We issued a comprehensive four-page program that details each aspect of our plan. I’ve seen Mr. Farkas’ plan on pay-to-play. Having read it, only one thing comes to mind: ‘Where’s the beef?’”

Farkas was quoted of accusing Councilman DiBella of being soft on pay-to-play, resorting to name calling and traditional old-fashioned negative politics. According to Councilperson Schomaker, “Joe and I are serious leaders dealing with serious issues. We do not have the luxury of playing political games with issues like government reform. While Mr. Farkas and Ms. Dixel are playing politics, Joe and I are working on overhauling how government works to make Howell’s government more open and accountable to the people. Personal attacks and name calling has no place in this election and Joe and I won’t stand for it.”

Farkas and Dixel are the Democratic candidates in Howell, having received the nomination of the Howell Democratic Party. A plan posted on their Web site references a pay-to-play ban. Yet, their plan does not address the issue of “wheeling,” a process whereby contributors donate money to a county organization, or PAC, and in turn the county organization and/or PAC turns the money over to the candidate. Howell’s current Democratic mayor and local Democratic Party chairman is presently under investigation based on alleged wheeling to his campaign and other local Howell Democrats in an apparent “job for zoning deal.”

Farkas and Dixel are the hand-picked candidates of the Howell Democratic organization/candidates that took nearly $200,000 in wheeled campaign contributions from a developer that was granted special zoning to build 500 homes in Howell. The matter is now the subject of a criminal investigation by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office.

Regarding Farkas’ comments about their government reform plan, DiBella noted “Mr. Farkas and Mrs. Dixel’s claims are disingenuous. The Democratic Party had control over Howell Township for six years. Throughout that time, they awarded dozens of no-bid contracts worth in excess of $5.3 million in taxpayer dollars. Mr. Farkas and Mrs. Dixel were silent on this issue then and never once suggested reforms be implemented. Where were they during those recent six years while their colleagues were dolling out high paying, no-bid jobs? To make these claims now is hypocrisy at its best.”

DiBella went on to say that “during Mr. Farkas' third run for Congress while he lived in South Jersey (in 2002) he said he’d introduce legislation to ban Political Action Committees (PACs). Yet, the first contribution he accepted as a candidate for mayor was from a PAC. He agrees with Cynthia and me that contributions from developers should be banned. However, during his second campaign for Congress in 2000, he took contributions from a developer. It seems Mr. Farkas says one thing and then does another. This style of leadership is bad for Howell.”

DiBella concluded by saying, “Restoring the public’s faith in government is essential and Cynthia and I have a plan to do this. The reforms we have recommended will change government for the better. Our plan ends excessive money being poured into campaigns, and through the toughest competitive bidding process will help rein in spending. Today’s attacks by Mr. Farkas are just that, political attacks. We will not be deterred by politics as usual and through tough leadership and action, we’ll make Howell’s government the best, most accountable institution in municipal government.

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· Councilman Joseph DiBella is running for mayor of Howell Township, and Councilwoman Cynthia Schomaker is seeking re-election to the Township Council.