O'SCANLON & CASAGRANDE TO OPPONENTS: YOUR SILENCE ON KARCHER'S FARMLAND ASSESSMENT IS DEAFENING

O’SCANLON & CASAGRANDE TO OPPONENTS: YOUR SILENCE ON KARCHER’S FARMLAND ASSESSMENT IS DEAFENING

Red Bank, NJ- 12th District Assembly candidates Declan O’Scanlon and Caroline Casagrande today expressed their disappointment with their opponents Mike Panter and Amy Mallet for remaining silent on Senator Ellen Karcher’s farmland assessment.

“Asking Mike and Amy where they stand on Ellen using the farmland assessment program in order to save nearly a quarter-of-a-million dollars in property taxes is a legitimate question that deserves an answer,” said Casagrande. “Actually, I’m shocked that they haven’t spoken out against her knowing that her neighbors in Marlboro and people throughout Monmouth County have had to foot the bill for her big tax break.”

“Maybe Mike and Amy have stayed silent because they see nothing wrong with Ellen taking advantage of a program intended to help real farmers,” O’Scanlon said. “In the end, their refusal to comment on this issue demonstrates their complete disregard for the public.”

The Republicans also noted that Mike Panter and Amy Mallet have not publicly called on Ellen Karcher to disclose the details of her cash Christmas tree sales, including calling for her to release the receipts for the tree sales and the schedule F of her income tax returns showing profits and loss.

“Ellen has already admitted that she failed to pay sales taxes for the Christmas trees she sold and has dodged questions about her income taxes,” added Casagrande. “If Mike and Amy were the reformers they claim to be they would have joined with us long ago and called on Ellen to come clean on the financial details of her cash business. From the very beginning they should have put pressure on Ellen to release all of the tax documentation associated with her so-called farm.”

“Without a doubt, this is a valuable program but Ellen’s use of the farmland assessment highlights some of the loopholes that need to be closed. In fact, Assemblywoman Jennifer Beck has formed a working group that is set to evaluate ways to improve the farmland assessment program and make it less susceptible to abuse. She invited anyone that is interested in the issue to share their views with the group. It’s just disappointing that Mike and Amy have not volunteered to participate in this effort,” concluded O’Scanlon.