Community Corner

Stafford/LBI Mayors: Yes, Sandy Money Is Slowly Trickling In

But both don't necessarily agree with Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer, who said this weekend that her city won't receive funding unless it meets the Christie administration's demands

Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer's claim that Superstorm Sandy money is slow-going is among a long line of frustrations voiced by the state's mayor's who have complained over the past year about a lack of transparency.

Long Beach Township Mayor Joseph Mancini and Stafford Township Mayor John Spodofora have expressed empathy toward Zimmer and others like her, though both didn't say that the Christie administration has made demands in exchange for funding.

Mancini told The Press of Atlantic City this weekend that he doesn't know if "there is a mayor out there that has had Sandy damage, that is waiting for money to rebuild their towns, that doesn’t feel frustrated in the same way."

Find out what's happening in Laceywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Mancini said he cannot believe that 15 months after the storm the township has received only 15 percent of what was requested in Sandy relief funding, he told The Press. “I get to the bottom of things, and I can’t get to the bottom of who’s got the money and who’s holding onto it. That’s the most frustrating thing to me as mayor. Where is it? Who has it, and why is it taking so long?” Mancini said.

Spodofora, a Republican, said it doesn’t matter whether you’re a Democratic town or a Republican town; it seems like no one is getting any money, he told The Press.

Find out what's happening in Laceywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Spodofora said he and the township have a good relationship with Christie, but the lack of Sandy funding 15 months after the storm is concerning. Stafford lost more than $200 million in ratables to Sandy, he told The Press.

“It makes it hard right now because we are trying to put a budget together. We have gotten a very small fraction of what was requested. It’s not like it’s just any one town isn’t getting money — it seems like everyone I’m talking to is in the same boat,” Spodofora told The Press, adding that he doesn’t think Christie would withhold Sandy relief money from Stafford.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here