Democrats: We'll Eliminate the Toms River MUA

The four Democrats who are challenging incumbent Republicans for control of Toms River's governing body say they will eliminate the Toms River Municipal Utilities Authority if elected in November.

Calling the MUA a "patronage pit" for Republicans, Democrats Paul Brush, Linda Stevens, Gary Clifton and Eli Eytan said they would dissolve the authority and merge its functions into municipal government, a move they say will save taxpayers' money.

The foursome held a press conference on Monday announcing their plans for the township should they claim victory over GOP incumbents Maria Maruca, Brian Kubiel, Jeffrey Carr and Alfonso Manforti in the November election. It would take a Democratic sweep for the challengers to claim a majority on the all-Republican, seven-member council.

Dissolving the MUA was the highlight of the Democrats' platform.

"We are categorically in favor of dismantling the utilities authority," said Eytan. "The governor has criticized public authorities in New Jersey ... as 'shadow governments.'"

The TRMUA has an annual budget of approximately $23,615,000. Eytan said many of the agency's administrative functions could be handled by current township employees on the municipal side, and that the authority has less of a purpose since the township is mostly built out and sewage is pumped to the Ocean County Utilities Authority for treatment.

Eytan also said the agency's surplus funds, as well as some of the 18 acres of land the authority owns could "play a key part in the successful improvement of Toms River and its downtown areas."

Brush said closing such authorities as the MUA was one of the parts of Gov. Chris Christie's agenda with which he agreed. Stafford and Howell townships have both shuttered their MUAs successfully, he said.

Council President George Wittmann, reached for comment Monday night, said a study the township conducted about dissolving the MUA resulted in the finding that only a minimal amount of money would be saved by such a closure, and in the event that infrastructure repairs were needed, township taxpayers would be on the hook for debt service which would be rolled into the municipal capital budget instead of being shared evenly by ratepayers.

Additionally, said Wittmann, the surplus carried by the MUA helps it keep rates stable – there has been just one price increase in the last 20 years, he said – and it is doubtful that such surpluses could be maintained and used to keep utility rates down under the municipal accounting system.

The Democrats did not provide insight into exactly how many jobs would be shed if the MUA were to be eliminated, but squarely placed a target on the back of Executive Director Stephen C. Acropolis, who also serves as Brick Township's mayor.

Brush accused Republicans of a quid pro quo in which Acropolis received a job at the MUA in exchange for MUA Commissioner Juan Bellu being appointed to what eventually became a $149,000 job in Brick Township municipal government. (Bellu abstained from voting on Acropolis' appointment.) Such scenarios would not be possible if the agency was dissolved, he said.

Acropolis said an advantage of keeping the authority is that MUA employees earn about 20 to 25 percent less than township employees, so sewer rates could rise if employees are absorbed by the township.

In the case that employees are not absorbed by the township, he said, there could be reductions in response times to sewerage issues.

"It's one thing to go a week without a pot hole getting filled," said Acropolis. "But if someone can't flush their toilet, that's a whole other story."