Taxpayer Watchdogs Slam New Jersey Town’s Secrecy

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Kara Zupkus (224) 456-0257

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In response to Vineland, New Jersey’s efforts to build a multi-million-dollar government-owned broadband network (GON), both the Taxpayers Protection Alliance Foundation (TPAF) and public interest group Jersey 1st submitted Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests seeking a copy of a feasibility study prepared by the city’s consultant, Bonfire. The study, which cost taxpayers $221,400, was used to justify the project by claiming that 42 percent of Vineland lacked viable broadband—an assertion challenged by critics who point out that private providers like Comcast already cover nearly 99 percent of the area with high-speed internet. The City of Vineland denied the OPRA requests, citing legal exemptions under state open-records law by characterizing the 54-page report as deliberative in nature and claiming that releasing it would give competitors an unfair advantage.

TPAF Executive Director Ross Marchand issued the following statement:

“The city of Vineland’s outright refusal to release the $221,400 taxpayer-funded broadband feasibility study is an egregious affront to transparency and accountability. Hiding behind weak legal pretexts to shield a report from the very residents financing it—while simultaneously authorizing up to $50,000 in additional taxpayer money for a law firm to cover their tracks—exposes an alarming disregard for public trust. If city officials are truly confident in their multi-million-dollar government-owned network plan, they should welcome public scrutiny rather than weaponize legal loopholes to keep the information secret and retaliate against those demanding basic fiscal oversight.”

Jersey 1st Managing Director Ashley Smith issued the following statement:

“Jersey 1st is committed to protecting New Jersey taxpayers and ensuring residents have a voice in the decisions that impact their communities. That is why we filed an OPRA request seeking greater transparency around Vineland’s municipal broadband plans. Taxpayers deserve to know how their money is being spent and what commitments are being considered on their behalf. Vineland residents deserve transparency, the opportunity to ask questions, and a meaningful say in decisions that could have a long-term impact on their community.”

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The Taxpayers Protection Alliance Foundation (TPAF) is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to educating the public through the research, analysis, and dissemination of information on the government’s impact on the economy.