Frank Spatola Jr, Kim Codispoti & Arvene Kilby Hays

Republican candidates for freeholder, Arvene Kilby Hays and Frank Spatola Jr, and Surrogate candidate Kim Codispoti have launched a web ad that calls out the decades of Democrat leadership for placing Cumberland County first in all the wrong categories.

“Taxes, highest they’ve ever been. Crime, soaring, leaving our families unsafe. Unemployment in Cumberland County is ranked the worst in the state. We deserve better,” says the ad.

The Republicans’ ad is a good counter to the misleading one the Democrats released earlier in the campaign season.

Republicans have run a spirited race, even questioning why Democrats aren’t campaigning with Senator Bob Menendez. Kilby Hays and Spatola Jr hypothesized the reason Democrats don’t want to be seen with Menendez is that it might remind voters of the ethical issues of incumbent freeholders Jim Quinn and Joe Derella.

Quinn was fined $250 to settle a state ethics violation levied against him that said he cast public votes on issues involving companies he did hundreds of dollars of monthly private business with and Derella, in November 2017, had a 22-count complaint filed against him by the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC).

Yeah, being seen with an unethical guy like Menendez might remind voters of the incumbents’ own ethical issues.

The Republican’s ad follows:

Today, via press release, Republican candidate for Cumberland County Surrogate Kim Codispoti and Freeholder candidates, Arvene Kilby Hays and Frank Spatola, Jr, called-out the Cumberland County Democrats over a misleading campaign ad. Their press release follows:

Cumberland GOP Candidates Call Out Democrats Over Misleading Ad

Democrats had their chances and failed. It’s time for new leadership

VINELAND – Republican candidate for Cumberland County Surrogate Kim Codispoti and Freeholder candidates, Arvene Kilby Hays and Frank Spatola, Jr, called a new commercial for the Cumberland County Democrats is misleading.

According to the 30 second spot, posted on the Cumberland County Democrats Facebook page, Joe Derella, Jim Quinn and Doug Rainear are all things, to all people.

“Watching that ad one would think the Surrogate is out filling potholes. You’d have better luck with Domino’s ‘Paving for Pizza’ program,” Kim Codispoti said. “Obviously, that will never happen, Doug Rainear couldn’t get the roads paved when he was a freeholder and it’s not his job as Surrogate. It’s time for a new County Surrogate, with new ideas that will make it easier for those needing the Surrogate’s services to be served.”

Arvene Kilby Hays added, “To brag about creating hundreds of new jobs in a commercial is a stretch. The truth is anyone driving through the county and seeing all the boarded-up businesses knows that under control of the Democrats Cumberland County has seen a net loss of jobs.”

“They talk about improving county services and a commitment to our youth in this ad,” Frank Spatola, Jr. said. “We agree, we must be committed to our youth and a great place to start would be the development of a county parks system, something that will benefit all the residents of Cumberland County. As to improving services, the Democrats had their chances and failed. Electing Kim Codispoti Surrogate, Arvene Kilby Hays and I as freeholders will lead to an immediate improvement.”

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