Kostoplis Hides Double-Dipping and Violates Local Government Ethics Law
Fails to Report $88,000 Taxpayer-Funded Pension and $2,500 Fire Commissioner Salary on his Mandatory Financial Disclosure Statement
For Immediate Release
Contact: Chris Russell
Mount Holly, October 21, 2016 – Jim Kostoplis is in violation of Local Government Ethics Law for failing to report both his $88,000 annual public pension and his $2,500 taxpayer-funded salary as a Bordentown Fire Commissioner on his mandatory Financial Disclosure Statement, per paperwork filed with the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs Local Finance Board in 2014, 2015 and 2016.
The law required Kostoplis to sign a legal certification that subject him to fines and disciplinary action for willful misstatements or omissions regarding his income.
“The idea that Jim Kostoplis simply ‘forgot’ to list his largest source of personal income on his Financial Disclosure Statement isn’t remotely believable,” said GOP spokesman Chris Russell. “In fact, we believe he is willfully hiding this information to avoid scrutiny from taxpayers who want to independently verify our criticism of his double-dipping. It is an indisputable fact that Jim Kostoplis will collect two taxpayer-funded paychecks totaling $208,000 for just one job if elected Sheriff, but any Burlington County taxpayer who researched this matter on their own through his Financial Disclosure Statement would be unable to verify that fact because Mr. Kostoplis is in violation of Local Government Ethics Law and is refusing to disclose the true source of his income, and has done so for three straight years.”
Local Government Ethics Law (40A:9-22.6) requires: Local government officers shall annually file a financial disclosure statement. All financial disclosure statements filed pursuant to this act shall include the following information which shall specify, where applicable, the name and address of each source of income and the local government officer’s job title: (1) Each source of income, earned or unearned, exceeding $2,000 received by the local government officer or a member of his immediate family during the preceding calendar year.
In three separate sworn financial disclosure statements (2014, 2015, 2016) James Kostoplis as Chairman of the Bordentown Fire Commission for District #2 failed to disclose his near $7,300 per month taxpayer funded pension and the $2,500 taxpayer funded salary he received as Fire Commission Chairman.
Supporting documents and complaint attached.
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