Concerned about cost of mayor’s lawsuit; Talking about some pet peeves from fees to taxes; V’land mayor throwing money away and taxpayers pay

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about cost

of mayor’s


I would like to know what Mayor Ruben Bermudez is trying to do.

On the recall, his paragraph begins by saying how much money is going to be wasted by having a special election, then he turns around and sues Vineland City Council and the city solicitor. Where, pray tell, are the legal fees for the suits coming from? The man has a bad habit of talking out of both sides of his mouth.

The mayor seems to be doing his usual backpedaling. He claims city solicitor Richard Tonetta said he would resign if the mayor ever requested it. If Tonetta works fine with others, I ask you, who has the problem?

Diana Romer


Talking about

some pet

peeves from

fees to taxes

Now and again we read a list of pet peeves. We’ve all got some, so why not a few more just to give us something to ponder:

? The $18 per month fee for solid waste removal. If this is raised, and it will be, it is over and above the 2 percent tax cap permitted by law. That fee can be raised at any time without adding to our tax rate.

? Did you get your new application for dog/cat license? Last year it was $5. It is now $10, if paid on time. Again this is over and above the 2 percent tax cap. How can it cost that much more to keep a record of dogs and cats in Vineland? If everyone gets their dog/cat license renewed, that’s a nice chunk of change. I just wonder if the city will enforce this for everyone.

? What will be the cost of the recall election of our mayor, if needed, and what about the lawsuits that could follow? What’s that going to do to our taxes?

As of yet I don’t have any trouble driving at night, but on a dark rural road the new blue headlights make it very hard to see when someone is driving towards you. I understand that some states have outlawed them because of that safety hazard; New Jersey should also.

Paul Gramm


V’land mayor throwing money away and

taxpayers pay

How do the citizens of Vineland feel about being the laughingstock of New Jersey?

Because Mayor Ruben Bermudez filed a lawsuit against all the members of City Council (and the city solicitor), he should be prepared for the repercussions that will undoubtedly follow.

Whatever his agenda for the city will be for the remaining year(s) of his service as the leader of Vineland, Mayor Bermudez, by his own action, has alienated himself from City Council.

Now, the citizens of Vineland have a splintered government. Does the mayor think he will receive support for his agenda from council knowing that a lawsuit that he initiated hangs over their heads? If he thinks so, he is living in a dream world.

Bermudez wanted, for his personal reasons, to terminate city solicitor Rick Tonetta. City Council did not vote to approve the mayor’s request.

According to the Mayor-Council Plan (NJSA 40:69A-31)... The mayor with the advice and consent of council, appoints and removes department heads.

Therefore, unless I have misinterpreted something in error, how can a judge rule against this established procedure spelled out in the Faulkner Act?

City Council voted not to remove Tonetta. It is its prerogative to act for the good of the citizens of the city. This should be the end of the story.

Now the taxpayers will have to pay lawyers fees for the five members of City Council, solicitor Tonetta and probably Mayor Bermudez. This is throwing money away for no good reason.

David M. Levin


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