Jersey Shore Republicans Rail Against Baby Bonds

Shore News Network
Greg McGuckin,John Catalano

TOMS RIVER, NJ – Senator Jim Holzapfel and Assemblymen Greg McGuckin and John Catalano are once again blasting Governor Murphy’s proposal to give a $1,000 saving bond for every New Jersey infant born into qualifying families next year. The proposal is under scrutiny by the 10th District legislators who are calling this plan a complete waste of taxpayer dollars and a political move by the Governor to ensure his victory in the 2021 election.

McGuckin, a pay to play lawyer who has come under fire for his own waste of taxpayer funds and serial tax cheat said, “What’s worse is this money should be sent to our underfunded schools such as Brick and Toms River Township, who have been severely impacted by the Governor’s funding cuts.”
The assemblyman is now fighting charges that he illegally took a $500,000 job from Toms River Mayor Maurice Hill, money that could have also been spent to help underfunded schools in Toms River and contributed to a 7% tax hike in the township in 2020.

The Governor should be properly funding schools and helping restaurants and small business, said Senator Holzapfel and Assemblymen McGuckin and Catalano, and not scheming to give ‘baby bonds’ to newborns. (SenateNJ.com).

Meanwhile, Greg McGuckin is personally well funded with over $2,000,000 in taxpayer-funded public contracts annually.  That number is expected to increase this year after his new job with Toms River and new jobs in Manchester, Lacey, Jackson, and others.

“Instead of properly funding our schools or helping our small businesses and restaurants, the Governor is choosing to spend $80 million a year to give newborns a savings bond,” Senator Holzapfel said. “Our state is facing one of the most challenging economic times in history and the Governor thinks that ‘Baby Bonds’ is an appropriate proposal for our deteriorating economy.  We are sick of his excessive borrowing schemes to fund these outrageous ideas in order to ensure his re-election next year.”

McGuckin, Holzapfel and Catalano tried to introduce a bill this spring that sought to fine New Jersey residents $15,000 for violating Governor Phil Murphy’s executive orders.  That bill was later pulled after their intentions were made public.  It was later found that the bill was solely meant to penalize Orthodox Jews who the trio felt were spreading the COVID-19 virus and violating the governor’s executive orders.

Related News:   Three Candidates Enter Race for Toms River Ward 2 Council Seat

“What’s worse is this money should be sent to our underfunded schools such as Brick and Toms River Township, who have been severely impacted by the Governor’s funding cuts,” said Assemblyman McGuckin. “For years the Governor has funneled millions of dollars of state aid into urban school districts while our delegation has demanded full transparency with funding formulas hidden away by the Administration. He’s playing politics with our children’s education when his real focus should be on the kids currently enrolled in school, not infants.”


For years, McGuckin has funneled millions of dollars into his own personal bank account by playing politics with local mayors and school boards.


Toms River Regional has lost $5.3 million of state aid and most recently eliminated 240 jobs. Brick Township Schools took a $4.2 million hit in state aid for the 2020-2021 school year. Both schools have had to adjust their spending by terminating staff in previous years because of the deep cuts to state aid.   The township is also now paying $500,000 per year for a lawyer who has missed every single meeting since taking the job.

Catalano says screw inner-city infants taking money out of Greg McGuckin’s pockets and foot off his extremely large table.

“It’s appalling that our school children in Brick and Toms River have to suffer while our Governor redirects funding to urban districts and gives handouts to infants,” added Assemblyman Catalano. “We will never support a plan like ‘Baby Bonds,’ especially when so many other areas of our state need help during this unprecedented economic time.”

Catalano did not mention McGuckin’s appalling portfolio of pay to play public service contracts.

You appear to be using an ad blocker

Shore News Network is a free website that does not use paywalls or charge for access to original, breaking news content. In order to provide this free service, we rely on advertisements. Please support our journalism by disabling your ad blocker for this website.