TOMS RIVER, N.J. — Campaign finance reports filed with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) show that Toms River council candidate Anthony Ricotta has received the bulk of his campaign funding from downtown developers, property investors, political action committees, and individuals tied to large-scale housing and shelter projects in the township.
According to Ricotta’s R-1 report filed May 12, his campaign account held $28,282.38, with major contributions coming from two political action committees (PACs): the Conservative Leaders for NJ PAC, which Ricotta previously operated, and the Southern Ocean Conservative Republican PAC (SOCAR), run by Ocean County GOP Chairman George Gilmore.
Ricotta moved $8,500 from his Conservative Leaders for NJ PAC into his campaign account and received $2,000 from SOCAR. Gilmore, a central figure in Ricotta’s campaign and a convicted federal felon pardoned by President Trump, is a registered lobbyist advocating for a controversial homeless shelter project proposed for Route 9 in Toms River.
Conservative Leaders for Nj – Pac by Shore News Network on Scribd
The Conservative Leaders for NJ PAC, which contributed to Ricotta’s campaign, was primarily funded in 2024 by downtown property owners, Lakewood developers, civil engineers, and architectural firms, including donors tied to Capodaglia Properties, the developer currently suing Toms River to construct a ten-story twin tower apartment project downtown.
Law firm representing developers also tied to campaign donations
The wife of a lawyer presenting Capodaglia Properties, R.C. Shea, is listed in ELEC records as having donated to Ricotta’s PAC and to council candidate David Ciccozi, who currently sits on the Toms River council. These financial links add to growing public scrutiny over political influence in zoning and development decisions.
Ricotta also received $7,000 from the Manchester Republican Club, whose donor base overlaps with that of SOCAR and the Conservative Leaders PAC. ELEC data suggests that these PACs are being used to transfer funds from donors in other municipalities—particularly Manchester, where large-scale development is also a key issue—into Ricotta’s Toms River campaign.
All donations and PAC activities mentioned in the filings are publicly available on the NJ ELEC website, which provides unedited access to candidate finance reports.
Campaign records show Toms River candidate Anthony Ricotta’s funding is largely tied to PACs and individuals pushing for major development projects across Ocean County.
