10.10.26 Seth Grossman Stockton, Ocean City Zoning.
Stockton University Budget Crisis
-
Stockton University faces an estimated $20–$25 million budget deficit.
-
The host attributes this crisis to a 20-year borrowing boom that funded new facilities at the Galloway campus and a duplicative, largely vacant Atlantic City campus.
-
Additional criticisms include ongoing operational costs for underused shuttle buses, declining student enrollment, rising tuition, and planned faculty layoffs under President Joe Bertolino.
-
The host highlights protest footage published by Linda Cohen on BreakingAC (and shared via Liberty and Prosperity), advising parents and donors to reconsider supporting the university.
Zoning Laws, Over-Regulation, and Housing
-
The host argues that modern New Jersey zoning laws excessively restrict property use, create bureaucratic red tape, and drive up local costs.
-
The caller, a 50-year Cape May motel owner, notes that room taxes, the Green Acres Act, and zoning have reduced room inventory and made local housing unaffordable.
-
Both speakers criticize “affordable housing” mandates, asserting that subsidizing discounted units forces developers to inflate prices on remaining homes.
Local Development Debates: Ocean City & Cape May
-
In Ocean City, opposition arose against developer Eustace Mita’s proposal to construct an Icona hotel at the former Wonderland Pier site.
-
The host notes hypocrisy from residents like Beach Watch Condominium Association president Howie Atkinson, pointing out the condo building itself was previously a converted motel.
-
The caller praises Mita’s development standards, arguing a similar project in Cape May would generate jobs and stimulate the local economy rather than harm existing operators.
Electoral Integrity and Political Strategy
-
The caller compares Craig Callaway’s legal situation to Soviet-style prosecution (“show me the man and I’ll find you the crime”) and criticizes Republicans for failing to pass the SAVE Act to prevent non-citizen voting.
-
The host pushes back on blaming congressional leadership alone, noting tight margins, moderate Republican dissent (e.g., Lisa Murkowski), and a lack of legislative follow-through during the Trump administration.
-
While both praise Ron DeSantis’s executive governance in Florida, the host emphasizes that unwinding decades of policy missteps requires sustained citizen engagement and hard work rather than waiting for quick fixes.
