DeMarzo’s Reaction to Court of Appeal Opinion

WILDWOOD – Yogi Berra, the great baseball philosopher and catcher famously said, “It ain’t over ‘til it’s over.”
On Sept. 5 the New Jersey Court of Appeals handed down an opinion denying Gary DeMarzo’s appeal from a lower court order requiring his immediate resignation from the police force, while he was mayor of Wildwood and a member of the elected commission. The Herald contacted him to ask ‘Is it over?’
DeMarzo, who does not presently hold elected office, is back home in Wildwood concentrating on his private business ventures and raising his young family.
While disappointed in the Appeals Court decision, which he felt was in error, he intends to file an appeal with the New Jersey Supreme Court.
DeMarzo said, “The guiding state law in this matter was well over 40 years old and the Appellant (sic) division legislated from the bench. Everyone, senators to school board members, has used the law; I was the only one in the history of the state of New Jersey to be barred from its benefit. I was personally harmed and punished for running for public office. I am confident when the Supreme Court hears the case it will be reversed.”
But it is not the courts that the former mayor holds responsible. DeMarzo stated, “This case is the everlasting gift of (Ernest) Troiano and (William) Davenport. It started when they made that fateful decision as commissioners to sue another commissioner; but why not? The sky is the limit when they have the taxpayer to fund any whim.”
“Now Troiano, together with (Anthony) Leonetti and (Peter) Byron have picked up the torch with the mantra of ‘keep spending and someone else will pick up the bill.’ Attempts of settlement were declined and personal offers to sit down and work out the issues were ignored. With venom in their hearts they will now spend countless thousands to fight my appeal to the Supreme Court. Quite frankly, they just don’t care that it will continue to cost the taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars.”
Ironically it may have been DeMarzo’s own attempts at empowering the citizenry that led to his problems. “It was my administration that changed the ordinance that allowed one commissioner to sue another; it was the first action of Troiano’s administration to change it back. Just another glaring example of Troiano’s disregard for the burden he and his fellow commissioners continue to put on the taxpayer,” he said.