The following letter by Fanwood Councilman Robert Manduca was published by the Westfield Leader Times this week.

Assemblywoman Linda Stender is a former Union County Freeholder.

Why the ‘No’ Vote on Fanwood Council For Healthcare Override Resolution?

I voted against Fanwood’s Woman’s Healthcare Override Resolution because it had little to do with women’s healthcare, and everything to do with money and politics. The Governor chose to protect taxpayers’ pocketbooks with his veto and, for that, we should all thank him.

Unfortunately, some politicians don’t look at their political allies as critically as
the public good might demand. Assemblywoman Linda Stender, the override
sponsor, is a professional politician. Planned Parenthood endorses her political activities and she, in turn, funds them out of the public treasury. She gets campaign funding from Emily’s list, National Abortion Rights League (NARAL) and other special interest planned parenthood advocacy groups.

Linda Stender’s chief of staff is the husband of Michele Jaker, Planned Parenthood’s executive director. In an amazing coincidence, Fanwood Mayor
Colleen Mahr appointed Michele Jaker as Fanwood’s public defender.

The New Jersey Family Planning Association, which manages the Non-
Planned Parenthood facilities, funded in the override resolution, just happens to be managed by — you guessed it, Michele Jaker.

Planned Parenthood really is a family business.

These cozy relationships between recipients of public funds, special interests
and legislators are why New Jersey is such a high tax state. While it is not
illegal, this cronyism combined with multiple full-time jobs and pensions has
been the New Jersey way of doing things for far too long.

The assemblywoman didn’t create this system, but she is exploiting it nonetheless.

Once you look beyond the lofty rhetoric, the resolution potentially takes $75
million in taxpayers’ funds and funnels it to a private special interest advocacy
group with little or no accountability.

Planned Parenthood of New Jersey isn’t current with its legally mandated
IRS filings. Why are we supposed to trust them with our money? In Fanwood, we don’t even let a company do tree work for the Shade Tree Commission if they’re behind on tax filings. Why the special treatment for Planned Parenthood?

While Stender repeatedly promises “strict audits by the state,” there is no
rational basis to believe this is happening. There is no public record of the Corzine, Codey or McGreevey administrations ever auditing Planned Parenthood. One outside organization that has taken a look at their books, the Government Accounting Office, in a report dated May 28, 2010, documents millions of dollars in taxpayer funds that are either missing or
unaccounted for. The U.S. Inspector General, charged with preventing Medicaid fraud, has demanded $2.9 million in funds be returned because New Jersey Planned Parenthood wrongly billed unqualified services as Family Planning Services.

Unfortunately, bookkeeping irregularities and public statements by a former
Planned Parenthood director about misusing funds for abortions doesn’t seem to bother Asw. Stender.

A false impression is created when the good assemblywoman repeatedly states, “We get $9 back for every $1 we spend.” The “we” she is talking about is not the citizens of New Jersey. Planned Parenthood gets our $1 of spending and they also get an additional $9 from Medicaid.

The taxpayer doesn’t get squat. It is telling that she uses “We” to refer to herself and an advocacy group rather than the citizens she was elected to represent.

The real math is even worse, as both The Star-Ledger and AP report — the
State of New Jersey was forced to repay many of those $9 for $1 Medicaid bonuses she touts — Because New Jersey Planned Parenthood improperly billed claims — every $1 we gave Planned Parenthood in the past cost New Jersey taxpayers an extra $9.

If Planned Parenthood was being strictly audited as Asw. Stender claims,
don’t you think they would have picked up on millions of dollars in bogus billing?

Many similar misleading statements were made during Asw. Stender’s hour-long presentation. This is the second time in six months the mayor has given Stender free reign to politic for tax increases during what should be meetings devoted to the town’s business. Which is another reason why the reader can know this is all about politics and not women’s health.

Fanwood is one of the only suburban towns in the state to pass such a resolution. We can reasonably assume women live in other towns too. They just don’t have vested political and financial interest in these taxpayers’ funds.

The Obama Administration just completed a top down overhaul of our nation’s
healthcare system. During the yearlong national discussion of Obamacare, did you once hear any expert point to New Jersey Planned Parenthood and say, “They have a great way to deliver healthcare to the needy, lets copy the New Jersey model?” No, that’s because this is an inefficient, politically corrupt way of delivering redundant healthcare benefits.

I am sure Planned Parenthood does some good things. However, good causes are not a license to tax us out of our homes. I donate my time and treasure to Raphael’s Life House in Elizabeth, where poor women and children receive free medical care, prenatal care, prescriptions, etc. I encourage anyone who is truly pro women’s health to support their work. They provide these services without costing taxpayers a dime and, amazingly, don’t require Michele Jaker’s services either. Please see raphaelslifehouse.org.

If Asw. Stender is passionate about her beliefs as an ardent pro-abortion advocate, she can devote her own time and treasure to it. That’s the American way. She raised over $7.5 million for her unsuccessful congressional campaigns. I’m sure she could persuade the same “friends” to fund Planned Parenthood. That is if it was really important to her.

If she does not think it’s worth her time to raise the money, why should taxpayers fund her political advocacy? We have schools, police and other funding priorities. I’m glad the Governor and fiscally responsible members of our Legislature agree.

Previously reported: Political Graft & the Stenders

In a letter to the Union County College President, the Union County Republican Committee (UCRC) is charging that the upcoming campaign rally for former freeholder Assemblywoman Linda Stender is clearly not permitted.

Union County College will be hosting a rally promoting one Democratic candidate to the exclusion of her Republican opponent, Leonard Lance. There was never any offer of this event being an “open public debate of political issues” as this rally was apparently orchestrated without contacting the Lance campaign. …….

Their facilities rental agreement states:
In no case shall external use of College facilities be granted for an event or other activity which promotes partisan political activities or candidates to the exclusion of their opponents. This prohibition shall not preclude the use of College facilities for open public debate of political issues.

The county uses their cars against county regs, they serve alcohol in the park against their regs, etc. There attitude is “so sue us”. Of course that literally means “US” as the taxpayers would have to foot the legal bills.

As usual, there is a double standard. The UCRC requested use of the same county college facilities in 2006 for their annual party convention, but were denied because it was considered partisan political activity. And when the county received a Homeland Security Boat in 2007 to protect the county coastline, the boat’s first critical mission was to have freeholder candidates pose for photo’s that were used in their campaign literature. The Republicans of course were denied access to the boat.

Submitted by: Joe Renna
joerenna@joerenna.com

When I was employed by the County of Union I found out that 2 printing jobs had gone to Linda Stender’s husband, while she was a sitting Freeholder and also on the board of the Union County Alliance, for printing the newsletter “Directions”. Stender had charged $40,000 more than the competing bids. This came to light through the discovery process in a disciplinary action when the county tried to fire me.

Although the original intent of the Directions Newsletter was to have it be a quarterly that would keep residents informed of county services and save money on mailings, the Directions newsletter instead became a campaign tool. It is currently printed twice a year and mailed to every postal patron right before the Primary and General elections.

While working on the newsletter as a county employee, I got three bids for the printing. I was told that Linda Stender’s husband d/b/a SVO Printing was going to get the job even though his bid was now $50,000 more than the next highest bidder. I voiced my concern loud enough that Stender did not get the printing job. She was an assemblywoman by then.

From this point on, the county tried to fire me. Those so-called lawsuits that the county has recently been harping on in their desperate attempts to discredit my wife Tina and my motivations for being advocates for open government were nothing more than departmental hearings. They tried to terminate me on four occasions and I was transferred to work out of my title and received negative revues. On each occasion I had to appear before a disciplinary hearing official, who was a lawyer hired by the County.

They were not successful at terminating me but they did suspend me for 45 days. I had the right to appeal the decisions to the State court. I appealed the first decision and won. It took about two years to appeal and cost me about $50,000 in attorney’s fees which ultimately the County had to pay. They also had to pay me for the time they suspended me. Between the cost of the courts, attorneys, and personnel time of all the witnesses called, I approximate that the county spent over $500,000 on this case alone.

I never appealed the other disciplinary actions. Though I would have won those also in appeal, it would have taken years to resolve and by this time I had proven my point and had moved on.

The departmental hearings were nothing short of a kangaroo court. Witnesses for the county lied under oath and documents were falsified. Perjury charges would have had to be made by the county prosecutor at his discretion, though the case would have had to be made by me. The financial burden would have been too much to pursue only to have my request denied by the Prosecutor. More importantly there were no tapes of the seven day hearing!

Just one example of how absurd the entire proceeding was, after the first day of hearings I was told that the tape recorder did not work. I brought my own recorder the second day but was told by the county officer that I could not use it. My attorney and I made sure before each day’s proceedings that the county’s recorder was working. At the end of the seven days when we received copies of the tapes they were mostly inaudible!

The county’s entire case was based on emails that I proved were backdated by Salena Carroll who was in charge of the project. All of this was on the record but of course disciplinary actions were never filed against Carroll. In fact, Carroll has been promoted, she is now the county’s Emergency Management Planner.

Mike Murray, the county’s public information officer at the time and another supervisor on the project, was caught trying to set me up with another set of false emails. He sent emails to an email address that wasn’t even set up on my computer and then claimed I didn’t follow his instructions. Disciplinary actions were never filed against Murray and he is now in charge of the Union County Alliance.

More outrageous is the case of my negative employee revue. I signed a positive review that was written by my supervisor but when I did not get a raise I found a negative revue in my employee folder, written by George Devannney and SIGNED BY ME! I never signed it. My signature was copied from the other form. This case was dismissed by Judge Beglin. He said he did not need to hear from my witnesses and the issue that my signature was forged was not his concern in the case.

All of this action was taking place concurrently. The county had unlimited resources and wanted me gone. For the rest of the departmental hearings I represented myself and they still could not terminate me. I also knew the proceedings would not stop.

It all ended while I was on vacation with my family in Florida. I received a call that I had to appear at a disciplinary hearing that week. Of course I was not going to fly back from Florida and so they terminated me saying that I abandoned my job.

I saw a deep level of corruption in the year that I worked at the County. I also came to realize that county officials were immune to any consequence from their actions. The judicial system at the County level was tangled in with the administration. The Prosecutor is a political appointee.

The experience did inspire me to run for office and embrace the issue of open government. Knowing what we do about how corrupt the county is, it would be impossible for Tina and I to not try to correct the problem or at the very least expose it. We truly believe that evil will exist if well intentioned people do not challenge it.

The only defense that the County of Union has used against Tina’s watchdog efforts, in which she has used the Open Public Records Act to uncover a truck load of evidence on how unethical and corrupt the county is, is that we are disgruntled and inept employees who kept suing the county and lost. First off Tina was never an employee. I don’t consider any of my disciplinary action hearings a loss. And I am not a disgruntled employee, I am a disgruntled American knowing that corruption is thriving in county government.

Note: Currently the Directions newsletter is produced by the Union County Alliance which claims they are not subject to the Open Public Records Act. The public has no way of knowing what vendors are being paid to produce this newsletter.

Recap of disciplinary actions.

For the second time in as many years I turned to the county website for directions to the administration building where freeholder meetings are held. Despite telling the freeholders at a meeting that they had the wrong directions on their website, I found the same wrong directions today. We spend about a half million dollars on public information department salaries, and you can’t get directions to the administration building on the county website.

That pretty much sums up Union County government’s rampant incompetence and utter contempt for the public.

The Union County Watchdog Association endeavors to provide citizens with tools to do their own research into county government and about 2,500 visitors hit our website monthly. We also field several requests for documents monthly. The County Watchers blog endeavors to pick-up where the media left off, the Star-Ledger hasn’t had a reporter on county government since last August, and inform the public as issues come up and unfortunately, we never run out of things to report on.

It is evident that the all Democrat controlled freeholder board is a visible tumor of the powerbroker cancer infecting county government. Senator Raymond Lesniak’s nephew being appointed the county manager has proven to be a disaster and the final stages of this government disease that is afflicting the entire state of New Jersey has been set in place. Many believe it is now hopeless. Spending has already straddled future generations with impossible debt and societal problems have been set in place by government which is not for the people, its by and for the powerbrokers.

Some costs and affects when machine politics run government

Payroll

In 2000 there were 24 employee’s earning over 100,000

In 2008 there are 127 employee’s earning over 100,000

Senator Raymond Lesniak’s nephew, is the appointed county manager - George Devanney

In 2000 the County Manager’s salary was $132,498 today it is $163,831. George Devanney’s arrogance is raging on. It’s always been outrageous from when he jointed the county payroll when two part-time positions were created for him, to this current year in which he had his office remodeled and will be issued, after this budget is signed, a brand new Chevy Tahoe for which no purchase orders have been provided to date – to his yearly retroactive pay raises, to his wife’s mother-in-law being put on the county payroll – to his wife being the Open Space Trust Fund Administrator and giving a children’s museum $500,000 with nothing to show for it - to selling government land without an auction to a group that was listed on his wife’s website as a client - to the taxpayer funded Union County Directions Newsletter where recently his Uncle Ray Lesniak promoted his book and Devanney promoted his juvenile fantasy to climb a mountain because he thought he had cancer - to the Music Fest which is Devanney’s birthday party. Any sane government that is accountable to their constituents would cut back on a music fest in these hard financial times but our county government has doubled it to two days to fulfill Senator Lesniak’s nephew’s fantasy of being a music promoter. The county also created a department and staff to oversee the musicfest and promoted Freeholder Sullivan’s niece to be the department head.

George, take a good look at this picture. You’re middle aged, fat, dopey looking and untalented – get over the music promotion thing and off our tax backs.

Union County Democrat Chairman and Executive Director of the Improvement Authority Charlotte DeFilippo

In 1999 the democrats took control of the freeholder board and replaced a part-time Union County Improvement Authority director position with a salary of $40,000. Since then this salary has gone up $103,409. Charlotte DeFilippo’s salary in 2000 was set at $104,000. Charlotte’s current 2008 salary is $143, 409. This year the county added 6 new captain positions to the sheriff’s department, most likely because DeFilippo’s daughter-in-law scored 7th on the Lieutenant’s exam and she needed a spot to move up to. The promotions waiting list was replaced with a new one. In 2000 Melissa’s salary was $37,213 today her salary is $94,503, Charlottes son is also on the Sheriffs payroll he currently makes $86,089. It would have been so much more cheaper for taxpayers had we simply hired a tutor for Melissa to improve her test score. Her scoring 7th caused an approximate added annual cost to payroll: $300,000. Cost to future pension payments – priceless.

Lawsuits and investigations
This past week DeFilippo was scheduled to give a deposition in a lawsuit in which a county employee is charging her with political interference in eliminating his job. She’s accused of running county government operations from her dining room table in Hillside. I can’t wait to read all the depositions stemming from the Robert Travisano lawsuit. It’s expensive entertainment. It cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees to date with no end in site. Charlotte is also under investigation by the State’s AG’s office, there is no official word on what she is being investigated for but chances are that one issue is that she also runs the Union County Improvement Authority from her dining room table. Taxpayers are also paying the legal bills in connection with this investigation.

Freeholders and campaigning
Summit recently passed a resolution calling for a more equitable way to have representation on the freeholder board. Freeholder Adrian Mapp who fell out of favor with the Democrat machine last year and lost the line went on to serve several more months on the board. In that short time he proved how even one outsider on the freeholder board could make a huge difference in not only saving tax dollars, but keeping things under control. It was Adrian Mapp who introduced an ordinance that lowered the cost of copies for public records to 10 cents a page (down from .75). When Mapp was in office the county canned it’s taxpayer funded election season kick-off by not producing and airing a TV commercial and following up with a 4 page glossy color mailer. This campaign initiative historically cost taxpayers $200,000, I fully expect this cancer symptom to reoccur this August. The county manager’s furniture was built by the county carpenters, but not installed until after Mapp left the building. I imagine if Mapp was elected to another 3 years Ray Lesniak’s nephew would not have had his office remodeled, nor would he be getting a brand new Chevy Tahoe, ahh the possibilities for more competent government are endless…and gone as I do not see any relief from powerbroker controlled county government in the near future.

The 2008 Budget

I didn’t get a copy of the 2008 proposed budget until the Star-Ledger ran the county’s press release on it. The UCWA has filed a complaint with the States Government Records Council, because budgets are supposed to be made available upon request. This goes to further prove that the county has so much to hide and they fear public scrutiny.

Golf courses

They lost 500,000 last year.

Prison

The county feigned outrage over prisoner fugitives and praised the prosecutor’s office for a quick capture, even though, it took them 26 days to recapture the prisoners. It was George Devanney who squashed a plan to install camera’s. Where is the freeholders outrage over Devanney’s incompetence? Instead he was rewarded with a renovated office, a Chevy Tahoe and a two-day MusicFest birthday party.

Some of the measures the county has taken after this international embarrassment and destroying a young family because of the county’s handling of the escape: Hired 51 new corrections officers to help improve the operations at the facility and cut down on overtime; A phase I installation of additional cameras (Budget doesn’t mention how many more phases are in store) cost $800,000; Razor wire around the jail’s perimeter and sub-roofs $56,000; Hired a new jail director who used to be in charge of transportation at Rikers Island, he lives approximately 2 hours away in Atlantic County and drives a county vehicle with free gas too and from work, and wherever else he damn well pleases just as the county manager does.

Created a new Department of Corrections. Given the complex issues that include overtime, physical structure, and manpower that have historically plagued this facility, the freeholders now believe that should have the same access and accountability to the county manager’s office and freeholder board as a Department Director. This will serve to simplify communication, provide better oversight, and response to all situations. What this doesn’t say is what the freeholders used to believe, that although the jail is a basic service of county government, and pretty much all we need county government to do, the freeholders never believed the jail was something they needed to fret about in order to get reelected.

Vo Tech Schools

They are bonding $20 million dollars to add a performing arts high school. They are also spening $150,00 for fitness center upgrades and $170,000 for new furniture – the county manager’s sister-in-law is a furniture saleswoman.

Runnells Specialized Hospital

Lost 500,000 last year and is projected to lose 2-million this year. The Runnell’s Director retired and is now receiving his pension and was hired back as a consultant. The county manager’s mother-in-law was added to the Runnells payroll where she joined an illustrious long line of cronies as the hospital is a patronage pit. She originally worked for Assemblywoman Linda Stender who became a Runnells employee when she left the freeholder board to be an Assemblywoman, Stender left the Runnells payroll when she announced her run for Congress and hasn’t returned yet, she’s still running for Congress.

The Overall County Budget Spin

The county maintains their commitment to funding popular county services, what they don’t mention is that these services are mostly funded by the state, such as meals on wheels (State grant funded), road repaving (state grant funded) and infrastructure improvements (state grant funded), VoTech Schools, Homeland Security (Federal grant funded), the Sheriff’s Office (6 new captains $300,000; Union County is one of only 2 counties that have both a Sheriff’s and Police Department. Neither patrol the jail, the public safety department does that), the Prosecutor’s office (will be getting 50 new personal computers), our county parks system (Lenape Park Bike Trail is State grant funded), and child safety seat inspections (State grant funded and cost only $37,250.00. This “service” is used annualy in campaign literature).

Keep in mind the salary increases mentioned above and read what the county wrote in their budget introduction: “We cannot ignore the steady rise of mandated salary, pension and health insurance costs continuing to eat at revenue”. So they are implementing fiscal measures to provide budget relief in these areas where they have had “traditional” shortfalls. First they have delayed salary increases for all exclusionary county employees until July 1st of this year, but this didn’t include the county manager. George Devanney got his retroactive pay raise check on time. Why bother to read the rest of the spin?

Former New Jersey Govs. Brendan Byrne and Tom Kean had the following to say today in their weekly Star-Ledger column in answer to the problem of double-dippers in the state pension system. Kean –“We’ve had a very high tolerance for corruption in this state for too long. … The press has not highlighted these cases, as they ought, to get them cleaned up.” Byrne – “The timing is right for reform. If we can’t get it now, we’re never going to get it.”

In the same edition of the Star-Ledger, Ledger editorial staff endorsed the Congressional candidacy of Assemblywoman Linda Stender (D-Union 22) as the best choice to send to represent the 7th District in Washington.

Stender began her political career in 1988 as a Fanwood Borough Councilwoman, in 1994 she was elected to the Union County Board of Freeholders and in 2001 she became Assemblywoman of Legislative District 22.

Stender, who I’ve heard somewhere is a Spender, has been a double dipper since the day she left her Union County freeholder seat in 2001 to be an Assemblywoman. She was promptly placed on the county payroll that January with the title “Volunteer Coordinator”, with all the implications that title suggests, she was paid $66,083 to supervise people who were volunteering selflessly for free.

Around the time Assemblywoman Stender announced her run for Congress, her county title changed to Runnells Hospital Foundation Director. The Foundation was established as a non-profit 501(c) 3 with Stender’s salary being paid in part by grant money. This organization has not met the threshold of raising over $10,000 which would require them to file an IRS 990 form. This doesn’t stop the taxpayers from having to pay Stender’s $72,858 county salary for her fundraising efforts along with her staff. The Union County Manager, who is the nephew of State Senator Raymond Lesniak, mother-in-law was hired to be Stender’s assistant with a salary of $40,430.

When Stender was a freeholder her husband’s printing business was given no-bid county contracts.

None of these documented facts have been highlighted in the press. Now the Star-Ledger who calls themselves “The Voice of New Jersey” would like us to export our worst sample of a New Jersey politician to represent us in Congress. Beleaguered New Jersey taxpayers may never see reform when the media sends the message to elected officials like Stender, “Corruption pays in New Jersey why not export the operation to Washington?”

I want you to want me.
I need you to need me.
Id love you to love me.
Rick Neilson, Cheap Trick

“The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, led by Chairman Alexander Mirabella (pictured above performing at a concert), invites the public to attend this free concert”…is how every press release for the summer concert series reads. The series will end this Saturday with Music Fest. The rock band Cheap Trick will be the headliners.

In researching the cost to taxpayers for the so called free events, the Union County Watchdog Association found that events are free only to out of county residents and VIP’s who get to watch the concerts from a tent with free catered food and beer. Our property tax dollars are picking up the bills and we get to bring our own lawn chairs.

The freeholders present their concerts as a service brought to you by them. They’re “We’re connected to you!” banner is hung across the stage. Their information van is prominently parked on the side of the stage and it features a bill-board sized portrait of the freeholders and take home literature which has their faces and names plastered throughout.

Click here to view live video clip.
A freeholder who is up for re-election will be introduced before the concert and at intermission. This year we also saw Assemblywoman Linda Stender at every concert standing alongside campaigning freeholders who introduce her as “a great public servant”. Stender is running for Congress this year.

Last year, Stender wasn’t campaigning. She was still the Runnell’s Hospital “Volunteer Coordinator” she wasn’t seen at any summer concerts. Stender’s county coordinator salary was $66,083 the volunteers this “great public servant” was paid to coordinate volunteered for guess what? F R E E.

At around the same time Stender announced her run for Congress she changed her title. Now her county position is Runnells Hospital Foundation Director, her salary was increased to $72,858. The county manager’s mother-in-law was put on the payroll as her assistant with a salary of $40,430. It was predicted at this year’s budget hearings that Runnells would be running $500,000 in the red this year. Is that A L L?

The cost for the bands that performed in the 2006 summer concerts series in Echo Lake Park was $33,800.00. The county took in contributions in support of the concerts which totaled $18,800.00. How does $33,800.00 minus $18,800.00 add up to free? What button does the county have on their calculators that the rest of us don’t have and where can we get it? In reality this adds up to a $15,000.00 tab for the taxpayers to pick-up. This doesn’t include the county employee salaries who are on hand to pass out literature, the county police, set up and clean up crews, etc. There’s also a few loose miscellaneous bills including portable toilets in the check registry.

Deducting the contributions the county has received to date the Rhythm and Blues concert cost taxpayers approximately $130,800; Music Fest $144,500; Kids Kingdom $68,490.00. Total approximate cost of free events to taxpayers 2006 to date: $349,590.

The list of contributors is interesting. The Union County Democratic Committee contributed $2,000. Perhaps this explains why there are only Democrats campaigning at these concerts. The banking industry is barred from donating to political campaigns, but they can write a check to be used towards a free concert in which campaigning politicians cast the spotlight on themselves. Banks that have contributed include Union Center National Bank, First Bank Americano and Wachovia. The same goes for the casino industry, Harrah’s Atlantic City donated $7,500.00 to the upcoming Music Fest. Schoor De Palma no longer makes political ‘pay to play’ contributions but they donated $7,200 to this years concerts.

Freeholder Mirabella was reported in a local paper as having said “We’re out here giving back to the community; people can come out here enjoy the music and have some fun”.

People do attend these concerts, they do have fun, the county should provide these services, after all they do have a 300-million dollar budget and it shouldn’t all be spent on politicians, their family members and campaign workers salaries, but implying that these concerts are a gift from the freeholders when in fact the taxpayers are footing the bills for a campaign whistle stop is a cheap trick.

This is a 2-part series. Next up: Concert series research solves 9-0 freeholder vote mystery.

View event costs by clicking here.

View summer concert costs and contributors by clicking here.

Dictionary.com’s thesaurus lists words for graft: Kickback, fraud, fix, dishonesty, corruption, con, collusion, and bribe

The publication “Union County Directions” is published by the County of Union through the Union County Alliance (UCA) using tax dollars and county employees. There is a mound of evidence that the publication is being used as campaign literature to promote candidates supported by the Union County Democratic Committee.

The Union County Alliance’s (UCA) Newsletter “Directions” was originally a County of Union Newsletter. The county freeholders made the UCA the publisher and gave the money needed to pay for the production and printing to the Alliance. By doing this, the county could side-step the procurement bidding process.

The printing of the first two newsletters were handled by printing broker Richard Stender, d/b/a SVO Printing. Richard was the husband of then sitting Freeholder Linda Stender, who was also on the Board of the Union County Alliance. Stender is currently an assemblywoman and is running for Congress.

Richard was able to charge $20,000 more for each issue he printed than the next highest bidder.

See quotes and invoices mentioned below

PART 1
SVO, owned by Richard Stender, husband of Linda Stender, charged Union County Alliance $31,892.40 for printing and mailing the summer 1999 issue of Directions (see attached invoice E). This was $13,970 more than quoted by Rentec Design Studio, who quoted printing and mailing for $17,920.

The UCA was also charged an additional $634 for film that was not included in SVO’s quote but was in Rentec’s (see attached quote C). Stender also printed the Fall 1999 issue of Directions, this time charging over $18,000 not including the film charge.

For printing the first two issues of Directions, Richard Stender charged UCA over $33,238. The Union County Alliance has claimed that they are exempt from the Open Public Records Act so getting quotes, invoices and records is impossible without their cooperation. Their un-cooperation proves their guilt.

PART 2
In 2001, when Joe Renna was working for the County of Union he obtained a quote to print a 24 page full color version of Directions. AFL quoted the printing and mailing at $26,989. (see attached quote G). Richard Stender quoted the same job for $71,315, over $44,326 more than AFL. (see attached quote H). Concerns raised by Joe Renna about the difference in the cost of printing caused the county to use AFL. Renna was served with termination papers stemming from SVO not getting the contract. In the proceedings, evidence showed that e-mails used as evidence by the county were back-dated. The Judge found the county lacked credibility and ruled in Renna’s favor. The docket numbers for the case are: (OAL DKT NO. CSV 3196-03, Agency DKT. NO. 2003-2371)

Did Assemblywoman Stender try to obtain a contract for her husband?

The content of this newsletter is controlled by the County’s Public Information Department. The Union County Watchdog Association (UCWA) argues that the UC Democratic Committee should reimburse the taxpayers for the cost of the newsletters, which are mailed to every postal patron twice a year just days before the primary and general elections, which we believe is a violation of Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) laws.

Mike Murray, who is now the president of the Union County Alliance was originally the director of public information for the county. Just as the current head of public information does, Murray made sure that the candidates up for re-election would be prominently displayed throughout the newsletter. The newsletter would be designed and redesigned to make sure that the Democratic party’s selected candidates would be featured. Not only the freeholder candidates but those who could use help in their campaign in local elections as well.

For instance the two covers below show how the Summer 2002 issue of Directions was originally designed and then as it was actually printed. Note that the three freeholders that appear on the cover were the ones who were up for re-election that year. Freeholder Proctor needed a little extra boost since he was running as an incumbent by being appointed to fill a vacancy as most current sitting freeholders were.

Also note how the County of Union removed their name as co-publishers.

Original cover design featuring Senior Citizens:

Cover changed to feature campaigning freeholders:

This is the second in a series of findings. Previously reported:

Rubbing out a Freeholder

When sitting Freeholder Don Goncalves was up for re-election in 1999, he had fallen out of favor with the Union County Democratic Committee and did not get their support for the party line. His image was digitally removed from a photograph that appeared in the Directions Newsletter. This was done so it would not give Goncalves any publicity that may have helped his campaign. The before-and-after photos appear below.

Original photo of incumbent Democrat candidates for Freeholder Chester Holmes, Assembly Candidate Linda Stender, Freeholder Don Goncalves and Union County Alliance Director and Kean University president Henry Ross.

The photo as it appeared in the Directions Newsletter which was mailed to every postal patron before the election with Freeholder Don Goncalves rubbed out. Goncalves’ arm was made to look like it belonged to Ross.

Upcoming features in this series will be:

Political mail designation manipulations

Newsletter produced but not sent to press because it wouldn’t make into mailboxes in time for Election Day

The Union County Alliance – let the sunshine in

The publication “Union County Directions” is published by the County of Union through the Union County Alliance (UCA) using tax dollars and county employees. There is a mound of evidence that the publication is being used as campaign literature for the all-Democrat freeholder board to promote candidates supported by the Union County Democratic Committee.

The Union County Watchdog Association (UCWA) argues that the Committee should reimburse the taxpayers for the cost of the newsletters, which are mailed to every postal patron twice a year just days before the primary and general elections, which we believe is a violation of Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) laws.

The Union County Watchdog Association has documentation to support their claims. This is the first in a series of findings.

When sitting Freeholder Don Goncalves was up for re-election in 1999, he had fallen out of favor with the Union County Democratic Committee and did not get their support for the party line. His image was digitally removed from a photograph that appeared in the Directions Newsletter. This was done so it would not give Goncalves any publicity that may have helped his campaign. The before-and-after photos appear below.

Original photo of incumbent Democrat candidates for Freeholder Chester Holmes, Assembly Candidate Linda Stender, Freeholder Don Goncalves and Union County Alliance Director and Kean University president Henry Ross.

The photo as it appeared in the Directions Newsletter which was mailed to every postal patron before the election with Freeholder Don Goncalves rubbed out. Goncalves’ arm was made to look like it belonged to Ross.

The Star-Ledger’s coverage today of the ELEC complaint filed by the Union County Republican committee was welcome news, however, a few facts weren’t stated and the egregious law braking as well as the total costs has not been exposed to the fed up over- burdened taxpaying public.

Since 2003, I have been keeping track of the costs of taxpayer paid for county campaign mailings and commercials that mostly feature incumbent freeholders who are up for re-election.

The county times these mailings around the primary and general elections. For at least as far back as 2002 the county has launched a media campaign in September which lasts through October featuring a commercial and mailer. The county has defended these mailings as needing to inform the public about services.

Today’s quote in the Ledger by powerbroker/freeholder-maker Charlotte DeFillipo was the same old same old. She must have quotes filed in her home rolodex, mailings under m and so on; or maybe they’re all taped to her refrigerator for quick reference.

Not mentioned in the Ledger article is the fact that there are no ‘We’re connected to you’ propaganda mailings or commercials sent out during the rest of the year. All of these mailings occur during election time, it’s a documented fact. Also not mentioned is that there are nine freeholders, yet every year the three up for reelection become the stars of this literature. If you read this literature as well as the county press releases you would believe that only these three freeholders have anything to do.

What do the rest of them do?

Also not mentioned is the fact that Message and Media does the design of these mailings and produces the commercials. This firm has a long standing county no-bid contract in the form of a $6,000 monthly retainer ($72,000 a year) for ‘Creative Consulting Services’.

One of these contracts boosts that the firm was responsible for the successful county ‘Image Building Campaign’ which featured the branding of the logo ‘We’re connected to you!’ on signs and literature. Along with their $6,000 monthly retainer for consulting, the firm bills for the individual pieces separately.

Message and Media also does campaign consulting work for the county Democrats as well as state-wide. The Union County Democratic Committee pays Message and Media a $5,000 monthly retainer. Do the math and it would appear that the Democrats get their campaign work for less since the taxpayers are paying for their campaign mailings and commercial.

Documents obtained through the Open Public Records Act (OPRA) have shown no description of these creative consulting services. A proposal dated March 9, 2005, consists of just four short paragraphs which Freeholder Chairman Rick Proctor refers to in a memo as, a detailed proposal, states that this no-bid contract was awarded for monthly creative consulting.

Another document states, “The services to be offered by MediaSquared, Inc., are based on the extensive involvement with the County of Union in the planning and development of a marketing plan for the county. An OPRA request for the marketing plan mentioned was returned “document does not exist.”

The result of this moonlighting is that the designs and colors used are very similar. The recipient of literature would have to look very closely to know if the message is coming from their government or from campaigning politicians. This gives the campaign a double bang for their pay-to-play bucks. Because pay-to-play is another term for kick-back of tax dollars to campaign contributors, the Union County taxpayers are paying for the Democrats campaign on both fronts.

The Ledger article mentions the Union County Directions Newsletter which is supposedly published by the Union County Alliance. It is the county’s Public Information Department employees that produce this newspaper on taxpayer time in the county Administration building. Can they deny this? Most of the articles in the Directions Newspaper appear on the county website as press releases. The county charges back to county departments for advertising in this newspaper. Other advertisers are heavy pay-to-play contributors, such as Schoor Depalma.

What’s up with Kean University’s (state taxpayer money) big financial involvement with this past publication? I don’t know yet. Kean is also stonewalling my OPRA requests.

Michael Murray, the president of the Alliance, is a former head of the county’s Public Information Department. He still draws a salary from the county ($100,000) as well as having a now infamous county vehicle assigned to him. He gets a Ford Explorer with all the amenities that go along with that on the taxpayer’s dime. Yet an OPRA request seeking financial information regarding this publican was returned from Murray: We are a 501(c)3 Corporation. OPRA applies to government.

What a convenient loophole.

Let’s hope the Ledger keeps up their good work of uncovering these abuses of the public’s trust. The Union County Watchdog Association is committed to staying on top of this. We will follow every taxpayer dollar that is spent on campaigns. Kudos must also be given to the Union County Republican Committee for joining the fight.

This is no small amount of money ($327,759.85 2005 to date). The mailings mentioned in the Leader article aren’t the only ones. I have filed two GRC complaints in as many weeks because the county is trying to withhold the costs of these mailings until after the election. Good, that leaves this story opened for a continuation…….. And a few more things:

I count three more stories in the above for the Ledger to sniff around at:

Message and Media’s county contract/Democrat campaign work

The Union County Alliance scam

Charlotte DeFillippo’s home office

2005 commercial: Freeholders Proctor, Estrada and Ward are up for reelection as well as County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi

Keeping Union County Families Healthy commercial featuring Freeholder Rick Proctor
Cost: $ 23,000.00 for production of (1) :30 second TV spot
$119,824.00Cable Buy 9/12-9/25 (2 weeks)
Total: $142,824.00

2005 mailings to date: Freeholders Proctor, Estrada and Ward are up for reelection as well as Clerk Joanne Rojoppi

Keeping Union County Families Healthy mailer featuring Freeholder Angel Estrada Mailed 9/19/05
Cost: $30,000.00 (no bid) Printing Media M2 Squared (Message And Media)
$21,658.15 Postage
Total: $51,658.15

Healthcare Programs Brochure
Cost: $8,025.00 Printing Media M2 Squared (Message and Media)Postage: ? GRC complaint filed

Mailers sent to residents dated 9/15/05 – 10/20/05
GRC complaint filed. I was given postage bills without having them referenced to which mailers they go along with.
$7,901.98
$1,285.79
$1,533.83
Letters addressed to Dear Homeowner sent to all property owners in 9 municipalities listing county services rendered over an indiscriminate amount of time (not mentioned is how much tax revenue is sent to the county) mailed in months of July-September
Cost: $9,787.32 Postage for only 9 letters - GRC complaint was filed on
9/27/05 for other 2 bills Dividing this number by a .37 cent stamp would indicate that approximately 26,452 letters were mailed (minus the 2 bills missing). The county claims that there is no in-house print bill for this mailing.

Union County Directions Newspaper - Published by the Union County Alliance - Cost to the county approximately $100,000 Published right before the Primary and General elections.(See note at end of list regarding this newspaper.)

Senior Newsletter mailed during primary week featuring campaigning freeholders. ‘Meet freeholder Nancy Ward’ on back cover and a message from freeholder Rick Proctor.
Cost: Postage $12,768.78. Copies are done in house so the county claims
there is no cost (4 pages).

Four color pieces mailed to Summit regarding the acquiring of Open Space (which they later backed out of)- OPRA request for costs is still pending

Approximate expenditures 2005 Y.T.D. - $327,759.85
2004 commercial: Freeholders Sullivan, Kowalski, Wohlrab and Routolo were up for reelection as well as Sheriff Frohlich
•Aired beginning September and ran though October - Hop on the bus for education commercial featuring Freeholder Angel Estrada
Cost: Approximately $185,203.19 For production and cable buy.
2004 mailings:
A postage bill with no description for $26,000.00 dated 10/13/04, I am waiting for an explanation for this as of 8/27/05.
Three mailings were sent to residents just days before the general election:
Mailed 10/21/2004: Berkeley Heights Open Space mailing featuring Daniel Sullivan and new freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski
Cost: $683.39 for postage, no printing bills revealed (Note County Manager’s wife was hired as township administrator shortly thereafter.)
Mailed 10/26/2004:
• Hop on the bus for education featuring Freeholder Angel Estrada
Cost: Media M2 Squared (Message And Media): printing bill $33,000.00 (no bid)
Postage for 134,273 pieces: $22,627.87 (another postage bill came up in an OPRA request for $2,819.02)
Total: $55,627.81
Mailed 10/28/2004: Senior Newsletter featuring all freeholder’s up for reelection with meet Bette Jane Kowalski, Union County’s newest Freeholder on back cover
Cost: $2,190.09 for postage, no printing bills revealed (Earlier mailings of this same newsletter cost $6,501.57 in postage- I don’t believe the post office runs sales on postage.)
Union County Senior Newsletter - Featuring Sheriff Ralph Frohlich, front cover; Daniel Sullivan; and a back cover article titled ‘Meet John Wohlrab, Union County’s Newest Freeholder’ . Postage $6,501.57. Copies done in house, county claims there is no cost (4 pages).
• Union County Directions Newspaper - Published by the Union County Alliance and mailed to all residents right before the primary and general elections - Cost to the county approximately $100,000 (See note at end of list regarding this newspaper.)
• Honor Student Letter - Featuring Daniel Sullivan - No record of postage. Copies done in house, county claims there is no cost. There are a lot of miscellaneous letters of this sort that showed up in an OPRA request for documents. One interesting one was for Roselle Catholic High School. This was the only private school that received honor student letters. Joe Renna attended Roselle Catholic and is still actively involved with the school.
• Union County Arts Center - Featuring Daniel Sullivan
Cost: $2,355.26 for postage on 8,176 pieces, color copies were done in-house, county claims there is no cost.
Letter to Roselle residents signed by Daniel Sullivan and Angel Estrada
Cost: $501.49 fo postage on 2,585 pieces.
Approximate 2004 total (I can’t be sure I was given everything, this also doesn’t include most printing and copying costs) - $379,062.80
2003 commercials: Freeholders Scanlon, Mirabella and Holmes were up for reelection
Aired begining September and ran though October *The STAR Center - Featuring Debra Scanlon
I have the service contract for the Star Center - It shows a total proposed budget of $240,831 (The county used 14% of the total federal STAR grant money on this promotion.) Also note that Message And Media did this work. Message And Media also does campaign consulting work for the Democrats Freeholder campaigns as well as state-wide.
• Runnells Specialized Hospital - Featuring Debra Scanlon, Al Mirabella, Chester Holmes. The county ran this commercial in 2000 when the same freeholders were up for election. They didn’t run it 2001 & 2002. Cable buy: Approximately $186,000
2003 mailings - - All mailed within 6 weeks of the general election (I’m sure I am missing a few.)
• Open Space Trust Fund - 2003 Progress Report - Featuring Al Mirabella
Cost:
Media M2 Squared (Message And Media): printing bill $33,000.00 (no bid)
Postage for 134,273 pieces: $22,627.87
Total: $55,627.81
• Open Space Trust Fund Letters signed by Deborah Scanlon & Al Mirabella
2/03 Letter mailed to all Rahway & Clark residents - Esposito Farm Postage: $863.00
August 14, 2003 - Letter - Trailside Nature & Science Center expansion
Postage: $216.57
September 10, 2003 - Letter to all Clark & Rahway residents: New leisure and recreational park for all residents of Clark.
Postage: $874.01
• Open Space Trust Fund - 5 More Acres Saved - Deborah Scanlon
Misc Postage:
$500.00
322.38
$1,700.00
$806.34
Total: 5,282.30
• Open Space Trust fund - 8/14/03 - Letter mailed to Clark residents
• 2 Senior Newsletters - Debra Scanlon photo and letter on front - Chester
Holmes and Al Mirabella along with Scanlon photos throughout 4 pages (total
- 11 photos of the incumbents). Postage $12,768.78. Copies done in house, county claims there is
no cost (4 pages).
• *The STAR Center 4 page, full color, glossy brochure - Featuring Debra Scanlon, Angel Estrada (See * above)
• Sports Safety Forum postcard - Featuring Debra Scanlon
Cost: Postage - $1,270.78, Printing done in house, county claims there is no cost.

• Homeland Security brochure/The Role of Union County Government - Debra Scanlon and Chester Holmes featured on 1st page. This wasn’t mailed. Copies done in house, county claims there is no cost.

• Para Transit Welcome Veterans post card featuring Al Mirabella
Cost: Postage - $2,934.63, Printing done in house, county claims there is no cost.
• Youth Sports Safety - Featuring the entire freeholder board - Cost: Postage - $1,270.78. Also sent home in children’s book bags. Printing done in house, county claims there is no cost.
• And the Union County Directions Newspaper which is 24 pages and mailed to every postal patron in Union County twice a year before the primary and general elections. Featured - 22 photos of incumbents,
Scanlon, Mirabella & Holmes. Most articles pertained to programs that the incumbents were working on. Also featured 2 photos with captions of incumbent Senator Raymond Lesniak and 2 photos of Nicholas Scaturi also
running for a Senate seat.
Approximate costs:
Postage: $25,000
Printing: AFL Printing $23,000.00
SVO Printing printed the first two issues and charged $40,000 more than a second bid. SVO is owned by Richard Stender who is Assembly Woman Linda Stender’s husband. She was a sitting freeholder at the time the contract was awarded.
Approximate 2003 total (I can’t be sure I was given everything, this also doesn’t include most printing and copying costs) - $607,939.66

Every household and business in Union County received a copy of the Union County Directions Newsletter last week. You receive two every year, one right before the primary and one right before the general election.

This newsletter states that it’s published by the “Union County Alliance,” a nonprofit organization.

What taxpayers don’t realize is that they (the taxpayers) are paying for this $50,000 campaign piece which features Democrat freeholders, who are up for reelection, throughout its 24 pages of propaganda.

Not only are you paying for the printing and mailing of this piece, you are also paying the employees’ salaries for the county’s Office of Public Information to produce it.

I placed an OPRA request today to the Union County Alliance asking for all costs as well ad payments in association with their Spring and Fall issues. The Fall issue is in direct violation of the ELEC rules. Both issues featured Campaigning Freeholder Rick Proctor on their front covers as well as 18 photos of campaigning freeholders throughout. Most of the press releases and photos featured are ones that have have been diligently left out of the local papers - kudos to the editors.

Some quick observations regarding this last issue:

It’s a “family issue” featuring the State Sen. Raymond Lesniak’s Family Friendly Success Story throughout.

There is a profile on Berkeley Heights on the front cover, where the county manager’s wife Angie Devanney is the city administrator, although she is not mentioned.

This continues to page 22 where there is a story about changing the Berkeley Heights charter which George Devanney is sitting on two committee’s pushing for this, although neither he nor his wife’s involvement is mentioned.

Page 15 has an article regarding Berkeley Heights and open space. You have Stan Laurel posing as County Manager George Devanney on page 3 upper right hand corner (prime ad placement).

The back cover is paid for by George Devanney’s brother’s fiefdom, the Elizabeth Urban Enterprise Zone. And Uncle Lesniak himself is pictured on page 20. The family could use this newspaper as a holiday card.

There is an article regarding the Union County Detention Center on page 16 where campaiging freeholder Angel Estrada is quoted as saying “The construction of the new facility has been a top priority of the Freeholder Board”…….The project has moved quickly and we have put a good team together to complete its construction in a timely manner…..

There is no mention in this article about the county having to appear in court on Oct. 17 to answer to the death of Edward Sinclair, Jr. whose civil rights they violated due to the deplorable conditions at the facility which dragged on for years under all-Democrat rule.

The Democrats out-voted the last remaining Republican freeholders thereby shelving a plan to build a new facility. The article also doesn’t mention that besides the human tragedies that have occurred under their mismanagement and disregard for basic human rights, the project will now cost upwards of $10 million more than it would have. It also doen’t list all the new buidlings for county employees which took presedence over a new detention center.

Campaigning Assemblywoman Linda Stender in on page 19. Not mentioned in this article is the fact that Stender is paid $66,000 a year by the county to supervise volunteers who are working for free at Runnells Specialized Hospital. All assembly candidates are on pages 20 and 21.

Campaigning Clerk of the Board Joanne Rajoppi has an article on page 10. Rajoppi had a total of eight press releases and no photo ops in 2004. As of Oct. 1 Rajoppi, who is now up for reelection, had 47 press releases and 21 photo ops listed on the county website. All produced by county public information department employees. As was this directions newsletter.

How they covered the cost (projected at $50,000) not including salaries for county employees:
Ads:
Center spread 4 page pull out - State funded Kean University as well as three separate ads
Shop Rite
Elizabeth Urban Enterprise Zone (Lesinak’s other newphew and county manager’s brother)
United Way
Conoco Philips
Schoor Depalma (so much for no longer paying to play)
Verizon
Trinitas Hospital
Hillside Urban Enterprise Zone (Union County Democrat Chair Charlotte DeFillipo is also the municipal chair of Hillside)
Merk
Friends of Amanda sponsored this ad (interesting)
County - GED Testing
County - Vo Tech Schools
County - Union County Collect
County - Runnells Hospital
County - Recycling Event

To be cont’d…….I’ll report on my adventures of wrangling public records regarding this campaign rag out of the county and the Union County Alliance which is run by a former county Public Information Officer, Michael Murray, as well as Kean University, as soon as my OPRA requests are completed.

I doubt it will happen before election day on Nov. 8. The games have already begun:

From: “directions ”
To:
Sent: Tuesday, October 11, 2005 11:38 AM
Subject: Directions

> The Union County Alliance is a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation. OPRA is for government records.

– 1:04 PM