Azzolina: Mayor attacks my family
Former legislator says he is target of Scharfenberger
BY JAMIE ROMM Staff Writer
Former state Sen. Joseph Azzolina said he originally came to the Dec. 17 Middletown Township Committee meeting to complain about leaf collection, not to sound off at Mayor Gerard Scharfenberger.

Joseph Azzolina

But after Scharfenberger's statements about fellow Committeeman Patrick Short, Azzolina had some choice words for the mayor.

"I'm sorry, but since you called him out, I'm calling you out," Azzolina said. "I came here first of all to ask why you don't pick up the leaves twice a year as opposed to once? It's starting to pile up on my road."

The mayor's comments Azzolina took issue with came earlier in the meeting.

During his comments, Short, the lone Democrat on the committee, told a story about how when he taught economics, he told students to look at economics in terms of the everyday needs of the average family.

He said he told his students to look at the price of milk, eggs, bread and bacon and howthey rise over time, but in the end they are essentials.

Hemade the comparison to today's economy and the rise in taxes, a common theme in Short's remarks since hewas elected to the Township Committee in 2006.

"We can sell off some of our assets, but it will only help us pay for the short term, not the long term," Short said. "We need to look toward the long term when it comes to spendingmoney."

Scharfenberger and other members of the committee complain that Short tells the same kind of stories at every meeting but never gives ideas on how to lower taxes.

"All of these stories of something you taught students 25 years ago, do the township no good," Scharfenberger said. "It does us no good and makes good copy for a reelection campaign.

"Every meeting, we hear the same sanctimonious, selfserving statements from Mr. Short, and tonight is no different," Scharfenberger told those in attendance.

"Alittle history lesson: Last year's budget, Mr. Short voted to introduce the budget," Scharfenberger said. "He was the only one on this dais here to not contact the township administrator or theCFO, nothing.No input, no suggestions on howto pay for central services."

Scharfenberger described Short's participation asminimal.

"He let us do all of the heavy lifting and the dirtywork," Scharfenberger said. "All he can do is sanctimoniously say, 'Iwill not vote for a tax increase.You knowwhat, I thinkwe should cut taxes by 50 percent.'What does thatmean? I don't have away to cut them50 percent. You can talk all you want, because that's all it ever is."

During the public portion of themeeting, Short said that if someone wanted to hear howhewould fix the budget, all they have to do is ask himin the public hearing.

No one took the opportunity to ask.

"It keeps being said that I never give my ideas or respond to budget concerns," Short said in an interview after the meeting. "But I did reach out to the township administrator, and the answer I kept getting back was 'procedure.' "

He said that during his comments every week, he does in fact give his ideas, such as consolidating purchases, overtime practices and disciplined buying.

"I really think the problem is listening," Short said. "They don't listen to me, since I am the lone Democrat on the committee. They just go against what I say."

Azzolina came to speak, as he said, not as a former assemblyman or senator but as a private citizen ofMiddletown.

He first took the opportunity to speak to departingCommitteeman ThomasHall,who did not run for re-election.

"Mr. Hall, congratulations, you'll like being out of office," saidAzzolina,who represented the 13th District in the state Assembly from1992 to 2006 until he lost his seat in the June 2005 GOP primary, and was replaced in theAssembly by fellowRepublican Amy Handlin.

"You have free time to do what you want, say what you want, and support who you want."

Azzolina went on to say that he has lived in Middletown for the past 51 years and worked his way up to become the successful businessman he is today.

He said he started a small business inAtlantic Highlands and built it into the Food Circus supermarket chain.

"You, Mr. Mayor, talk about service, but all you do is economic development and development of businesses, which makes you full of baloney," Azzolina said. "You know what I'm talking about, and that crap you pulled off in thatmailer that I sawafter I put that nice letter out about the two peoplewho were running for office."

Azzolina was referring to the letter he (Azzolina) sent out to more than 12,000 residents, titled "RepublicanCorruption inMiddletown," a week before the municipal election.

The letter included statements that could have been considered damaging to the Republican Party, in that it praised the Democratic candidates and denounced the opposition.

In the letter,Azzolina, a longtime Republican legislator, said, "[It] breaks my heart to break from the Republican Party after 40 years, but it's the right time."

The letter went on to list the credentials of Democrats Sean Byrnes and Janet Moscuzza. Byrnes went on to be elected.

In response, Scharfenberger sent out a letter rebutting the claims inAzzolina's letter.

"You're lucky that your letter came out after mine," Azzolina said. "If I would have [seen] yours first, I would have torn you apart."

Azzolina has clashed with Scharfenberger in the past over theAzzolina family's planned Town Center, and over the issue of an ordinance barring businesses with a liquor license from contributing funds to a political campaign.

Azzolina took the secondmatter as a personal offense.

"You are always attackingmy family,"Azzolina said. "How can you not say that wasn't directed towardme andmy family? I don't even think that it's legal to do that."

The reasonAzzolina came to themeeting was to complain about the leaf collection schedule and the fact that it is performed only once a year in Middletown, as opposed to two or three times in other communities.

But as the meeting went on, he said he couldn't help but speak out against Scharfenberger.

WhenAzzolina finished speaking, Scharfenberger thanked him for all of his years of service, a gesture that Azzolina felt was not sincere.

"I'mjust aggravated with how things are going," Azzolina said. "I feel like I am constantly being attacked, and it's not right."