TOMS RIVER, N.J. — A new poll of Toms River residents found Mayor Dan Rodrick maintaining a 68% overall job approval rating, with residents expressing strong support for many of the administration’s key policy initiatives. The poll showed Mayor Rodrick’s approval rating remains constant with that of the 2023 election, in which he defeated Democrat Ben Giovine 70% to 30%, despite Giovine getting the endorsement in that general election by allies of former Republican Mayor Maurice “Mo” Hill.
The poll found approval ratings ranging from 64% to 75% across five major issues that have defined Rodrick’s tenure in office.
The mayor’s efforts to combat overdevelopment emerged as the most popular issues among respondents, with 74% supporting his stance against large-scale development projects. Opposition to proposed downtown high-rise apartment complexes received even stronger support, with 75% of respondents favoring the mayor’s position.
“We were elected to stop overdevelopment,” Rodrick said. “That’s what we [mayor and council] did, and that’s what I’m going to keep doing, no matter how much this new council continues to try to stop me.”
Residents also expressed support for Rodrick’s fiscal policies. Sixty-seven percent approved of the administration’s record of passing municipal budgets without tax increases while reducing government spending. Respondents frequently cited the town’s ability to maintain service levels despite reduced spending as one of the administration’s strongest accomplishments.
While most were supportive of the cost-saving measures, several noted that they knew friends and family members who held political jobs in town hall and opposed his cuts to those appointed government positions created by recent mayors and councils.
The mayor’s plan to dissolve the Toms River Municipal Utilities Authority to eliminate sewer bills and end taxpayer-funded healthcare benefits for the one-meeting-month political appointees received support from 65% of those surveyed. While those who agreed with the mayor were strongly opposed to the MUA commissioners receiving free healthcare benefits for attending one meeting per month, many who opposed the dissolution of the MUA simply felt the township did not have the authority to shut down the authority or did not understand the relationship between the township and the MUA.
“We do have the authority to end healthcare benefits; it is in the township ordinance. Total compensation is capped at 2%, by law,” the mayor said. “Giving these folks $45,000 total compensation is not only wrong and unfair to the people of Toms River who have to work full-time jobs, sometimes even two, to pay for their healthcare, but it is also illegal.”
Rodrick said he will soon be taking the matter to Superior Court.
Support for the township’s Fair Share Housing settlement agreement registered at 64%, although pollsters noted that approximately 15% of respondents were undecided or did not fully understand the issue. The agreement was designed to give the township greater control over state-mandated affordable housing obligations while limiting future development impacts.
The agreement has been held up by council allies of former Mayor Mo Hill, including David Ciccozzi, Tom Nivison, Robert Bianchini, and Clinton Bradley. That holdup has allowed the developer of the proposed 10-story twin-tower downtown to file a builder’s remedy lawsuit seeking to build the project without the township’s prior height and apartment volume limits.
“This council has been publicly clear about one thing: they want their builder friends to continue the vision of the former mayor, who wanted to turn downtown into a city,” Rodrick said. “The council’s actions were deliberate; they want these towers built.”
Supporters feared that state mandates on affordable housing would lead to congestion, overcrowding, and crime.
According to the poll results, 67% who opposed the agreement were either Democrats or more closely aligned with the Democratic Party than the Republican Party.
Beyond specific policy issues, residents cited several quality-of-life initiatives as reasons for their support. Respondents frequently praised efforts to reduce municipal waste and expand recreational opportunities and small business activity along the township’s waterfront.
The mayor’s summer programming also received favorable reviews. Many residents expressed support for the township’s beach access initiatives, summer concert and fireworks series, and ongoing park improvement projects.
Overall, the poll suggests that fiscal stability and growth management remain the two most important issues to Toms River residents. Respondents overwhelmingly indicated satisfaction with the mayor’s record of avoiding tax increases while maintaining municipal services, while concerns about overdevelopment continue to resonate strongly across the community.
The survey sampled 500 Toms River viters between May 1 and May 24th with a +/- of 5 margin of error.
Key Findings
- Mayor Rodrick’s overall approval stands at 68%.
- Opposition to overdevelopment remains the administration’s strongest issue.
- Residents overwhelmingly support maintaining municipal services without tax increases.
- Most residents support ending healthcare benefits for part-time political appointees.
- A majority believe township meetings have become overly political.
- Fiscal responsibility and growth management remain the dominant concerns among voters.
- Overall sentiment indicates residents believe Toms River is moving in the right direction.