First Ward Councilman Justin Lamb on Wednesday slammed Mayor Mo Hill’s new $14 million bond, the Business Improvement District’s top-heavy budget, and a new year of $2,700 monthly payments to Democrat State Senator Vin Gopal “for “videos” which have never been produced.”

“This mayor is abusing the Township budget for political purposes at the height of campaign season,” Lamb said. “Hill has artificially contrived the proposed budget to have what he says is no tax increase, but the truth is, he’s layering tens of millions of dollars in structural obligations on the people of Toms River for years to come.”

Lamb said “Hill and his spendthrift cronies on the Council are trying to put one over on taxpayers by spending big money now, but not forcing the taxpayers to pony up until after Election Day, saying it’s nothing more than a massive hidden tax increase.”

“Hill is spending hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars on campaign propaganda to spin his failed policies,” Lamb said.  “During his fourth year as mayor, he cries about being unable to pave our roads, but he has hired dozens of confidential employees — (including his campaign manager, Art Gallagher) —, jacked-up the cost of Beach passes, and created a costly CCO exit tax that yields millions in fees for the township coffers.”

Lamb said the next administration must prioritize spending “rather than burdening future generations with inescapable debt.”

“The spending has to stop. We have to Save Toms River for the next generation,” Lamb said.