Sharon Atkinson

For Immediate Release

October 19, 2006

Contact: Chris Fifis (609) 206-1678

Cook and Atkinson to Burlington GOP: DON’T REAPPOINT DeMARCO
Burlco Dem Freeholder candidates call on Farias, Wujcik, and Haines to replace DeMarco when term expires later this month

(Mount Laurel, NJ) – Democratic Freeholder candidates Gail Cook and Sharon Atkinson issued the following statement today calling on Republican Freeholders James Wujcik, Vince Farias, and Bill Haines to replace Garfield DeMarco on the Burlington County Bridge Commission when DeMarco’s term expires later this year.

“We are calling on Freeholders Haines, Wujcik, and Farias not to reappoint Garfield DeMarco to the Burlington County Bridge Commission because it has become a cesspool for corruption and cronyism under his tenure.

“By giving a no-show job to Republican Senator Martha Bark, DeMarco’s cronyism speaks for itself. He has had way too many personal conflicts of interest, and acted as the triggerman for the GOP for far too long. It’s time to replace him when his term expires later this month.

“We need to inject fresh blood into the Bridge Commission and replace DeMarco with someone who has the highest level of integrity and ethics standards. Freeholders Wujcik, Haines, and Farias have refused to accept any responsibility for Garfield DeMarco’s unethical and questionable conduct on the Bridge Commission over the last few years. Now it’s time for them to stand up, accept responsibility and say enough is enough.

Atkinson and Cook pointed to DeMarco’s record of cronyism, unethical behavior, and excessive abstentions as a result of his conflicts of interest as reasons for replacing him.
• In November 2005, DeMarco abstained from voting to appoint Capehart Scatchard solicitor, Commerce National Insurance the commission’s broker and Government Strategies the public relations consultant.
o DeMarco abstained on those votes because of personal or business connections. (Courier-Post, 11/10/05)
• During the Whitman Administration, DeMarco, gave land to the state to avoid paying $600,000 in fines for expanding his cranberry company's operations into protected wetlands. The state inspector general said the agreement had the appearance of "a sweet deal."
o DeMarco is a major GOP donor. (Associated Press, 12/22/00)

• Courier-Post: The Burlington County Republican Committee received donations from 13 of the 15 people or firms that received the most money through no-bid contracts from the Bridge Commission.
o In 2004, the Courier-Post analyzed two years of no-bid contracts and donations. The recipients of the remaining two contracts in the "top 15� did not contribute to the GOP. They are companies headed by prominent Democrats.
o "We pick the very best people we can find to do the jobs,� said DeMarco, the commission chairman since 1986. (Courier-Post, 9/20/04)

• Opponents of building Seneca High School long have suggested that DeMarco, who funded a multimillion dollar campaign to build the fund, stood to gain financially because having a new school nearby his vast property holdings would increase the value of that property, most of which stretches across Woodland.
o DeMarco owns or helps control about 75 acres in the last buildable areas of Chatsworth, a village that serves as Woodland's center, and in other small pockets of the township, a Courier-Post analysis of property records found. DeMarco helped engineer Woodland's entry into the Lenape district in 1996. A year later, he created a political action committee to lobby voters in the Lenape district's eight towns to approve a $68.7 million bond referendum to build Seneca and expand Cherokee High School in Evesham. (Courier-Post, 6/11/02)

Atkinson and Cook also said they believe the Freeholder Board should have the power to veto Bridge Commission minutes and agenda for the best interest of taxpayers and toll-payers.

“The Bridge Commission has the authority to recklessly spend taxpayer dollars without any accountability. It is time for the Freeholders to accept direct accountability and oversight of the Bridge Commission,� they concluded.

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For Immediate Release
October 12, 2006
Contact: Rich Levesque 609-267-3432

BURLINGTON COUNTY DEMOCRATS ABANDON
THEIR PLATFORM

Recently Exposed Candidate Conflicts Shows Burlington County Democrats Can’t Even Adhere to Their Own Platform

For Immediate Release
September 15, 2006
Contact: Chris Fifis 609-206-1678

DEMOCRATS VOW TO TAKE BURLINGTON COUNTY IN A NEW DIRECTION: REFORM COUNTY GOVERNMENT, FREEZE SPENDING, LOWER PROPERTY TAXES

(Burlington, NJ) – Burlington County Democrats Gail Cook and Sharon Atkinson today launched their campaign for Freeholder to take back Burlington County by vowing to freeze county government spending so families can keep more of what they earn, cut waste, reform county government, and put a lid on some of the highest property tax rates in the nation.�

“Public confidence in our county government is at an all time low because politicians have neglected the needs of their constituents by saying one thing but doing another,� said Cook. “Our property taxes have gone through the roof without any relief in sight…county government spending is out of control…and cronyism continues to thrive.�

“The voters have a real distinct choice this year. They can vote for staying the course with higher taxes and spending which the incumbents stand for or they can support our message to take the county in a new director by lowering taxes and freezing spending. We are confident voters will overwhelmingly support our message for change and work with us to help restore the trust in county government that has been eroded,� said Atkinson.

Cook and Atkinson said their campaign will focus on three key issues:

1. Freeze county government spending: Spending has gone up by a whopping a whopping $78 million since 1996…an increase of 57.9%. Sharon and Gail will fight to ensure families can keep more of what they earned by freezing government spending. (source: Burlington County budgets)

2. Reform county government: Gail and Sharon will fight to restore the public’s trust in county government by ending the practice of no bid contracts and pay to play, which waste millions of dollars and lead to increased property taxes; create an office of Inspector General…perhaps a former FBI agent, to ensure that all county contracts pass the smell test and are in the best interests of taxpayers. They will also enforce a stringent code of ethics to clean up all hints of corruption in government and help rein in perks and benefits of politicians because the Republican majority has been held unaccountable for far too long.

3. Put a lid on some of the highest property taxes in the nation: Property taxes have gone up by over $52 million since 1997…a 51.1% increase. While Burlington County Freeholders continue to campaign on lower taxes, our citizens are being taxed out of their homes. Sharon and Gail will provide property tax relief by using tax ratables as tax rebates, urging consolidation of services, and cutting waste from government. (source: Burlington County budgets)

“Instead of fighting to lower taxes and rooting out corruption in county government, Freeholders James Wujcik and Bill Haines neglected the needs of Burlington County residents over the past ten years. Now that its time for re-election, they have once again come out of hiding to offer more of the same failed schemes that have sent property taxes through the roof in Burlington," said Rick Perr, Chairman of the Burlington County Democrats. “Our positive agenda for taking the county in a new direction by freezing spending and lowering taxes puts taxpayers first…And we’re confident that voters will elect Sharon and Gail to the Freeholder Board.�