Opponents Seek to Strike Down New Pay-to-Play Rules

Moorestown's new pay-to-play rules may be short-lived if opponents of the changes have their way.

Township council amended its ordinance governing contributions to political campaigns Monday night, raising the bar pretty significantly on how much businesses are allowed to donate. Under the new rules, businesses can contribute up to $2,600 to individual candidates, and up to $7,200 to Moorestown party committees and political action committees (PAC). The previous amounts were $300 for individuals and $500 for PACs and party committees.

The amendment also calls for increased transparency—businesses pursuing contracts with the township must disclose exactly how much money they've contributed to municipal political campaigns.

But Democratic Party chairman Robert Gorman, one of several people who spoke against the changes Monday, claimed transparency was hardly a motivating factor for council's action. The real goal, he said, was increasing the amount of money businesses can pump into politics, presumably for the purpose of currying favors.

"There's no need to increase the amount vendors can contribute," Gorman said.

Democratic Councilman Greg Newcomer also had questions about the ordinance and twice tried—unsuccessfully—to persuade council to table a vote. Council ultimately passed the ordinance 4-1, with Newcomer providing the lone "no."

"I felt there was not enough information," he said, noting that he also advocated a $100 limit on contributions from individuals and businesses.

Solicitor Anthony Drollas, as well as Mayor Stacey Jordan, have said the amended dollar amounts are intended to bring the township in line with bipartisan pay-to-play legislation being considered in the Legislature. 

"There are so many inconsistencies" regarding pay-to-play laws statewide, said Jordan. "(The goal of the ordinance) literally was to simplify our ordinance and make it more consistent ... There are no sinister or ulterior motives."

Deputy Mayor Chris Chiacchio backed up Jordan, writing, "Ultimately, the amendment was solely about making sure the campaign laws across our state are clear, concise and consistent. More importantly, we have to put a stop to anonymous donors skirting the law by making multiple donation under the $300 limit. Now, every single dollar donated to a local candidate is reported and there will no longer be anonymous donors that want to do business in our town."

However, Newcomer said he contacted State Senate President Stephen Sweeney's office to inquire whether Mooretown's ordinance mirrored the state pay-to-play reform being considered, and was told by the chief of staff that it was not consistent with legislative discussions.

"There's too much money clogging up government," Newcomer said. "It’s important that outside entities are not dictating through money what will become the town’s business."

Gorman and others have come together to strike down the new pay-to-play rules via petition. The group plans to gather outside the Moorestown Community House at 8 p.m. Wednesday to get signatures for the petition, as well as distribute material so others can canvas the town for signatures.

He said they need 1,100 signatures for the petition to be valid, at which point it will be submitted to township clerk Patricia Hunt. If Hunt certifies the petition, it goes before council, to either strike down the ordinance itself or put it to voters in the form of a referendum question. 

Chiacchio criticized Gorman and others in the Democratic Party for overly politicizing the issue.

"It’s regrettable that (they) choose to place politics over the good of our town and have once again attempted to divide us," he wrote in an email to Patch. "They know that our vendors were unanimously chosen by our bipartisan council based solely on their experience, reputation and work ethic. Make no mistake, no vendor is chosen based on money contributed."

Stay with Moorestown Patch for more on this story as it develops.