PRESS RELEASE

Ocean Councilman Rob Acerra and Council Candidate Victor Ashkenazi today called on Mayor Chris Siciliano to apologize for thinly veiled threats of violence made against a constituent on social media over the weekend (screenshot above) on the Mayor’s facebook page.

“Here in Ocean we have a rich history of nonpartisanship and civil political discourse,” said Councilman Rob Acerra. “To see the Mayor acting like a schoolyard bully toward a constituent he is supposed to be representing raises doubts about his ability to lead. He is responsible for the commentary posted on his facebook profile in his name, period. At the very least Chris needs to apologize for these remarks, if not consider dropping out of the race. Voters don’t deserve a Mayor who solves challenges and bridges divides by threatening Ocean residents. We can and must do better.”

“Like many voters, I have grown cynical about the political process and it is precisely because of behavior like this from certain elected officials,” said Council Candidate Victor Ashkenazi. “As a 30 year resident and small business owner, and as someone who has never held or sought elected office before, I know I can bring a fresh way of doing business to the Council that does not involve these kinds of tactics.”

“The Mayor knows his threatening remarks were highly inappropriate, or he wouldn’t have deleted them,” said Acerra. “Between behavior like this, his votes to sell off open space to big developers, and the fact that he has more than doubled property taxes during his 16 years on Council, I think it is time the voters strongly consider turning the page on the Siciliano era on May 14th.”

Councilman Rob Acerra and Victor Ashkenazi are candidates in the May 14th Council election on the “Ocean First” ticket (rows 8 & 9). They are running for Council to cut property taxes, preserve open space, stop overdevelopment, ease traffic congestion, and take on the Trenton politicians slashing aid to Ocean schools. Rob Acerra is seeking a second four year term on the Council, while Victor Ashkenazi is seeking his first.