The Gloves Are Off

Back in the spring, Mayor and Township Council Vice-President vowed to conduct positive campaigns in the race for the four-year mayoral term.

And up until yesterday, it seemed they had. But things have changed.

Democrat Varano says he is "furious" over what he says are disparaging remarks being made by Republican Amato's team in phone calls to residents.

"If that's the direction we are going to go, I'm not going to sit there and take it," Varano said. "I am disappointed. It's not the way I thought the campaign was going to go."

Amato denied that any of his campaign workers were making insulting calls. All of the workers follow a prepared "script" when asking voters questions and providing information, he said.

"I have no idea what he is talking about," Amato said today. "You can come down and see the script at campaign headquarters."

The script is positive and focuses on his vision for Berkeley's future, said Amato.

Although Varano said some of the calls were "robocalls," Amato said they are not being used in his campaign.

"They don't even exist," he said.

Varano said that people have told him they received campaign calls claiming that Varano's wife received a "cushy" job at Kimball Medical Center because of his mayoral position, he said.

"My wife's been working there since before we were married," he said. "She's been a registered nurse since before I married her."

"I don't know anything about his wife's job," Amato said.

Varano said some of the calls question his qualifications for his former job as coordinator of local government services for the state Department of Environmental Protection. He lost the job after Gov. Chris Christie was elected.

"I got my job fair and square," said the mayor, who holds a bachelors degree in political science from Rutgers University. "There was a change in administration and my position was eliminated."

Varano said he is also upset about misrepresentations by the Amato side about how much taxes have risen during the 12 years he has served as mayor

"His poll numbers are so low he has to run a negative campaign," Varano said. "I'm up against a political machine. They have tons of money. I can't compete with that. I can't raise the funds they can. They are able to get their message out and lie about the message."

Amato has three public jobs - head of the Ocean County Printing and Graphics department, Township Councilman and a commissioner on the , Varano said.

"Three public jobs making $100,000 a year," Varano said. "They lay off teachers and his wife gets a position. They are trying to cover up their own wrongdoing."