Burlington County Republican Committee

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
(Mount Holly, NJ) - With four weeks left until Election Day, it looks as if Burlington County Democrat Chairman, Richard Perr has abandoned his party’s own platform by selecting fatally flawed candidates for Freeholder and Surrogate,� stated Rich Levesque Burlington County Republican Executive Director.

“In a platform devised by their party leaders, Richard Perr and failed Freeholder candidate Chris Fifis, the Democrats state, on their own website, that they are opposed to dual office holding, pension padding and increased government spending,� said Levesque. “They also outline a list of proposed ethics reforms that they want to impose. But they have taken a do as I say not as I do attitude in this year’s county races. Did Perr and Fifis even know their candidates had so many conflicts with their party’s platform?�

“I am surprised and can’t believe that the Democrat party candidates can’t even stand on the platform their organization is trying to advance,� said Freeholder Bill Haines.

Let’s take a look and see if the Democrats can pass muster on their platform:

Pension Padding:
Surrogate candidate George Kotch and freeholder candidate Sharon Atkinson fail to pass muster. As an attorney, Kotch is on the municipal payroll in Burlington Township at $51,896 (2005), is the Solicitor in Fieldsboro at $45,210.50 (2005) and is the Burlington City prosecutor being paid $21,000 (2005). Being a triple dipper gives him $118,106.50 in pension credit. Freeholder candidate Sharon Atkinson would like to join Kotch as a pension double dipper by inflating her state pension with a Freeholders salary.

Duel Office Holding:
In her attempt to have her cake and eat it too, freeholder candidate Sharon Atkinson appears on the ballot twice this fall. She is running for her seat on the New Hanover Township Committee and for Burlington County freeholder. Even Jon Corzine, the Top elected Democrat in New Jersey says dual office holding is wrong. What is Atkinson thinking and where is the Perr’s leadership?

Spending:
Under the Perr/Fifis platform, the Democrats call for a freeze on spending. However, in Beverly City, Councilwoman and freeholder candidate Cook increased spending by 32% and her running mate Councilwoman Atkinson increased spending by 14% in one year in New Hanover.

“We now see Perr for what he is - someone trying to pull a bait and switch con job. First he and the Democrat party put out a platform, then run people for county offices who do not even come close to living up to its goals. No wonder Perr never lets his candidates talk to the press,� concluded Lévesque.�

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