ASBURY PARK PRESS :: MONMOUTH EDITION

APP.COM $1.00

PRESS INVESTIGATION

TOWNS SERVED SUBPOENAS

Monmouth County entities ordered to produce records in tax pilot program
SUSANNE CERVENKA
@SCERVENKA

Several Monmouth County towns

were served grand jury subpoenas Tuesday in connection with a criminal investigation into the countys embattled
property tax pilot program.
At least three towns, as well as the

Monmouth County government, received the orders to produce records related to the embattled Assessment Demonstration Program, local property assessors and Monmouth County Tax Administrator Matthew S. Clark, several
independent sources told the Asbury
Park Press.
Public outrage boiled over after a

Press investigation published last month

found that a former Monmouth County
Tax Board member who helped create
the program is now a managing member
of Realty Data Systems, which has won
millions in contracts to conduct the inspections that are signature to the program. The newspaper also found another
firm, Realty Appraisal Co., which has

won millions in contracts to appraise

property under the program, had previously hired as subcontractors municipal
assessors who are supposed to oversee
their work.
Clark and attorneys representing
Realty Data Systems could not be
See PILOT, Page 9A

APP.COM/ROADSHOW: CATCH MIDDLETOWN NORTH

GOV SLAMS DOOR

ON NEW REFUGEES

JASON TOWLEN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Imam Mohammad Qatanani of the Islamic Center of Passaic County was among the leaders from the New Jersey and New
York Muslim community who gathered at Rutgers University in Piscataway Tuesday to condemn the attacks in Paris.

Muslim leader: Christies

proposal reprehensible;
Paris attacks despicable

Governor takes heat from

Democrats for heartless
standpoint on orphans

Christie wants
N.J. closed to

KAREN YI

Syrian refugees

In a show of solidarity, 17 Muslim

leaders from across the state convened
Tuesday to condemn the Paris terrorist
attacks as despicable and to send a
message to the community: Such acts of
violence are not representative of Islam.
Always we hear these questions,
where are the leaders of the Muslim
community? Where are the imams? We
are here, said Mohammad Qatanani, a
religious leader at the Islamic Center of
Passaic County. We need our voice to be
heard, we need our voice to reach the
people ... Any terrorist act, any criminal
act is unacceptable according to the Quran.
Leaders representing more than two
dozen mosques, Islamic centers and
Muslim organizations gathered at the
Rutgers University visitors center as the
Paris attacks stoked fears of backlash
against the Muslim community.
Islam is against terrorism and does
not condone or provide any justification,
whatsoever, for such despicable acts,

do you agree with

his position? Why
or why not? Join
the conversation
at facebook.com/
asburyparkpress
INSIDE
Jersey Shore drummer in
Paris: We will play on. 18A
EDITORIAL: Lets not lose
Americas soul over
immigration. 10A
Solidarity and fear spread
across Europe. 1B

See LEADERS, Page 8A

See SEIDLE, Page 7A

Part of the fun of the holidays is discovering new recipes.

We gathered our favorite holiday dishes the ones we
will prepare for our families to share with you. PAGE 1D

OPINION
SPORTS
TABLE
WEATHER
YOUR MONEY

10A
1C
1D
8C
14A

STEPH SOLIS @STEPHMSOLIS

See CHRISTIE, Page 8A

From our table

to your table

9D
1E
8D
3A
15A

Former wife of Neptune

officer killed in June

TRENTON Gov. Chris Christie has

sent a letter to President Barack
Obama notifying him that New Jersey
will not accept any refugees from Syria
in the wake of Fridays terrorist attacks
in Paris.
The letter went out about the same
time the Republican governor and
presidential candidate was taking heat
from leading Democrats over his comments that the U.S. should not welcome
refugees from the war-torn country,
not even young orphans.
Christie told a conservative radio
audience on Monday he would not
make an exception for orphans under
the age of 5.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio
blasted Christies position Tuesday.
Because Chris Christie is an elected official, his comment is an embarrassment to this country, de Blasio
said.
If he were in any other profession,
it would be dismissed out of hand for
the callous, heartless and prejudiced

TABLE

ADVICE
CLASSIFIED
COMICS
LOCAL
OBITUARIES

Prosecutor
seeks life
sentence
for Seidle
NEPTUNE - The Monmouth County Prosecutors
Office is seeking life without parole for Neptune Sgt.
Philip Seidle, who fatally shot his ex-wife in broad
daylight as their 7-year-old daughter watched.
The decision by the Prosecutors Office is based on
two aggravating factors presented to a grand jury:
Seidle is accused of committing a murder that was
outrageously or wantonly vile, horrible or inhuman
that it involved torture, depravity of mind or an aggravated assault to the victim and he purposely or
knowingly created a grave risk of danger or death to
another person in addition to the victim, referring to
the child, according to the indictment.
Seidle, 51, of Neptune, was formally charged Tuesday with one count of murder, second-degree possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose and seconddegree endangerment of a child, according to a statement by acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.
The indictment comes just over five months after
the 22-year department veteran, who is now suspended from the force, fired 12 shots from his .40-caliber
Glock service weapon at his ex-wife, Tamara Wilson
Seidle, as the couples 7-year-old daughter watched
from inside his Honda Pilot.
Seidle chased his ex-wife through Asbury Park on
June 16 until she crashed near the intersection of Sewell Avenue and Ridge Avenue, authorities said. He
crashed his vehicle into hers and started firing a first
round of bullets.

BOB JORDAN @BOBJORDANAPP

@KAREN_YI

WEDNESDAY 11.18.15

VOLUME 136
NUMBER 276
SINCE 1879