TOMS RIVER, NJ—About eight protesters wearing pink shirts and pink hats descended upon Toms River Town Hall on Thursday to protest the reduction of government spending in the county seat. As Democrats across America ignite rhetoric against responsible government cuts, the group in Toms River demanded the same.
The protest, led by Councilman David Ciccozi and his running mate Clinton Bradley, called for Mayor Daniel Rodrick to restore the jobs of terminated employees. Last year, when Rodrick entered office, as promised during the campaign, he slashed wasteful government spending.
It was similar to protests across America where Democrats and the far left are rallying against cuts to wasteful government spending. Just smaller. Much smaller.
The protest, advertised on Facebook and other social media platforms, turned out to be a dud.
“These folks are the same people who supported the prior administration’s out of control patronage hiring, they’re the same ten people who show up at council meetings month after month thinking we’re going to go back to the way things were,” Rodrick said. “Last year, the council approved my zero percent tax increase budget. This year, we have another zero percent budget coming.”
The protesters stood outside town hall behind the backdrop of a Tesla Cybertruck. No damage was reported to the vehicle.
“The people of Toms River elected us because the local government was recklessly spending money and approving developments and projects nobody wanted,” Rodrick said. “This small group would love to see those jobs back, because they are for their friends and family, and they’d love to see us get back to turning out town into a city. They would love to see a city at Ciba Geigy and skyscrapers in Downtown Toms River.”
Rodrick, when asked about the presence of candidates opposing the Toms River Republican Club candidates said, “Councilman Ciccozi is leading the charge to return Toms River back to the days of Mo Hill. More development, more patronage jobs, more spending on their politically connected vendors and contractors. Toms River made it clear in the last two elections. They don’t want those sorts of things in the town.”