The Facts About the Gloucester Township Parents for Educational Excellence PAC

On 9/13/2014, ‘Team Mayer and Friends’ held a neighborhood barbeque. The invitation postcard sent to the residents of the neighborhood stated, “Pd for by Gloucester Township Parents for Educational Excellence”.
(Source: the aforementioned postcard)

At this barbeque, Mayor Mayer and other Democrat elected officials were the guests of honor, campaigning on the behalf of Gloucester Township Board Of Education (GTBOE) candidates Helen Albright Troxell, Mary Jo Dintino, and Mark Gallo. Also at the site of the barbeque was the Gloucester Township Democratic Committee’s trailer sporting an election campaign poster for these same three GTBOE candidates.
(Source: accounts and photographs from attendees)

The organization mentioned above, “Gloucester Township Parents for Educational Excellence” is a PAC that claims it has no political party affiliation. Examination of this PAC’s reporting to the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission reveals:
In 2014, no reports have been submitted thus far. Though, given this PAC’s stated involvement with this barbeque campaign event, one would expect that a report submission will be forthcoming.
In 2013, this PAC reported no activity. But this contradicts a 2013 report submitted by the GTBOE campaign committee “Gilch Collins & Reese EFO”, which shows that it received a $3,000 contribution from the “Gloucester Township Parents for Educational Excellence” PAC in October 2013.
In 2012, this PAC reported it received contributions of $18,200. The main contributors were:
• Remington & Vernick - an engineering firm who, for years, and without the need for competitive bidding, has been appointed GT’s street engineer. R&V gave the maximum legal contribution of $7,200.
• Blue Sky Power - an energy firm who, for years, and without the need for competitive bidding, has been appointed GT’s energy consultant.
• Consulting Engineering Services - an engineering firm who, for years, and without the need for competitive bidding, has been appointed GT’s drainage engineer.
• Joseph. F. McKernan Jr. R.A. - an architect who, without the need for competitive bidding, has been appointed GT’s architect.
• The Assoc of Former Gloucester Twp Democratic Mayors PAC - A Democrat Party affiliated PAC.
• Gloucester Twp Citizens for Government Reform PAC
• GT Chairman’s Club PAC
(Source: Reports to New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission, and available online at http://www.elec.state.nj.us/. Source: The minutes from the Gloucester Township Council meeting, January 4, 2014)

In 2013, Remington & Vernick contributed a total of $47,400 to election campaigns and PACs in Gloucester Township - none of the contributions were to the losing side.
(Source: Reports to New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission, and available online at http://www.elec.state.nj.us/ )
Through the first eight-and-a-half months of 2014, the Gloucester Township municipal government paid $470,000 to Remington & Vernick.
(Source: The Gloucester Township Bill Lists for 2014)

In the board of education member’s code of ethics, paragraph f reads: “I will refuse to surrender my independent judgment to special interest or partisan political groups or to use the schools for personal gain or for the gain of friends.”
(Source: New Jersey School Board Association, document titled Requirements of the New Jersey School Ethics Act)

ALL of the things written above are facts. And they cannot be disputed.

So how does a Gloucester Township voter process these facts? There really isn’t one answer to that question. Each voter has the responsibility of researching the issues and the candidates.