TOMS RIVER, NJ – Toms River Councilman Dan Rodrick today unveiled his plan for Downtown Toms River that is absent of 10-story hi-rise apartments, massive mega buildings, and the urbanization of the downtown business district.
Additionally, Rodrick said while Mayor Maurice Hill has been so fixated on turning the township and the downtown area into a city, he has been neglecting opportunities to revitalize other parts of the township and bring in new businesses.
Today, he said he would halt the twin tower downtown project and opt for a more reasonable way to liven up the Downtown area and attract businesses to Route 37 and other established business corridors in need of improvement.
“I would immediately halt construction of the 2 10-story towers — using eminent domain if necessary. The area that was the site of the Red Carpet Inn would be planted with grass and become an extension of Huddy Park,” Rodrick said. “My administration would purchase the boat works, demolish it, and build a pier like they have in Belmar. The township would then create a concession license for selling alcoholic beverages on the pier just as is done in Belmar.”
He said bringing more events to the downtown area will help the existing local businesses and attract new buildings in existing available storefronts.
“As you know, the majority of the Business Improvement District’s (BID) budget is used to almost entirely to pay employees. I would work with them to cut half of those employees and use the remaining money to pay for weekly or bi-weekly firework displays over the river for locals on Fridays and concerts in the park on Saturdays,” he added. “These measures would create a surge in business activity downtown without requiring increasing the number of residents in our community. As you know, Mayor Hill’s towers will not pay school taxes for 30 years. There is no benefit to the town. My plan would create recreational, family fun activities and improve the business environment without harming the taxpayer.”
Rodrick slammed Mayor Hill’s PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) program given to the 10-story twin tower developer, saying it robs the township of school taxes. Under that program, the developer will not have to pay school taxes for 30 years.
He said Hill is naive if he thinks barking at Governor Phil Murphy in Trenton for more money will solve the town’s problem any time soon.
“Continuing to expect that the Trenton Democrats will help us is foolish. The township needs to do more to attract commercial retables. Commercial real estate brings in more revenue without the need for increased services,” he added. “We need to do more to attract large commercial businesses to Route 37 and other areas, to increase local funding without hurting residents. Mayor Hill’s Pilot program for downtown Toms River does the complete opposite. It brings in more residents and exempts the developer from school taxes for 30 years. That’s just another example of Mayor Hill’s failing policies. Hill begs Murphy for more school aid and exempts 500 apartments from school tax for 30 years.”
Rodrick said Trenton Democrats aren’t listening no matter how many trips Mo Hill makes to Trenton for political photo ops, adding the township must act immediately in order to avoid long-term damage to the school district due to state aid cuts by the Murphy administration.