TOMS RIVER – A perennial issue in Toms River and beyond is the rampant development over the last few decades. Both mayoral candidates – Democrat Ben Giovine and Republican Councilman Dan Rodrick – were asked to give their opinions on how to handle this important topic.
Their comments were only lightly edited for such things as grammar and punctuation. They are listed here in alphabetical order.
Giovine On Development
“Toms River does not need any new development, plain and simple. Like many who have been here for their entire life, I have seen housing developments go up where there was open space and traffic bottlenecks along once quiet roadways. Toms River is built out and should be focused on improving the development we already have.
“Just voting ‘no’ at meetings is not sound policy for Toms River. This policy of voting ‘no’ and not offering solutions brought us the downtown redevelopment project as well as other controversial development plans around our town. At this point, any attempt to reverse this project would only open Toms River to costly lawsuits. Anyone telling you otherwise is not being honest with you, the taxpayer.
“As a town we cannot just throw up our hands but take this opportunity to improve the developed ratables and work on ways to improve the ones we have. While some on council have been critical of improvement districts, such as the one we have in downtown, we have seen that these approaches work. Downtown Toms River has experienced a turnaround that we have not seen in over 40 years. We should replicate these efforts elsewhere across town.
“We shouldn’t be afraid to have open and honest conversations about future development in Toms River. We know we need to make investments in resiliency and transportation. We need to address pedestrian safety issues. And most importantly, we need to prepare Toms River not just for the next 10 years but for the next 50 years. Toms River needs vision and leadership – not just empty votes with no plan to back them up.”
Ben Giovine & Daniel Rodrick (Campaign Photos)
Rodrick On Development
“Our once quiet community is steadily becoming one of the biggest cities in New Jersey. These changes are having a disastrous impact on taxes, quality of life, traffic, and our school system.
“I’ve been fighting overdevelopment and higher taxes for the last six years. Since being elected to Town Council in 2017, I have voted against all multi-family development, every tax increase, and I was the only councilman who voted against Mayor Hill’s plan for two, 10-story, 500 unit apartment projects downtown. I also opposed the downtown redevelopment plan, which calls for 20 more apartment buildings up to 12 stories.
“These apartments will never bring in enough tax revenue to cover the cost of services they’ll require and property taxes will skyrocket! I voted against these reckless plans, and if elected mayor I will repeal the downtown redevelopment plan and stop the two, 500-unit, 10-story apartment projects from being built. I will also fight to overturn the 30-year property tax exemption they received.
“Ben Giovine has said my opposition to more apartments and overdevelopment is anti-Semitic. It is not! People of all religious faiths move to Toms River to get away from overcrowded cities with lots of apartment projects, high crime rates and outrageous property taxes.”
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