‘Outrageous:’ Toms River mayor rips school superintendent over $80K raise

✅ Toms River Mayor Dan Rodrick demands Superintendent Michael Citta resign

✅The mayor cited Citta wanting a raise despite poor test scores and financial issues

✅Citta accused Rodrick of political attacks and meddling in school district issues

TOMS RIVER — Schools Superintendent Michael Citta pushed back hard after Toms River Mayor Dan Rodrick issued a statement calling for his resignation.

In a statement emailed to reporters, Rodrick denied Citta’s claim that he is “personally preventing him from receiving an $80,000 raise” and said it is up to members of the Board of Education to approve any raise. The Republican also said it was “outrageous” that Citta wants a raise in the face of the district’s financial issues and poor reading and math scores. He cited state statistics that 55% of Toms River students are failing in reading and writing, and 67% are failing in mathematics.

"The superintendent’s focus should be on improving our schools, not on spreading false aspersions or pushing for a pay raise that most taxpayers would find indefensible. Even worse, Mr. Citta recently attempted to steer the district toward bankruptcy—despite the fact that debt service represents just 3.5% of the total budget and the state provided the district with an additional $2 million in aid this year," Rodrick wrote.

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Citta defends record, cites loss of state aid

Citta said in a five-page response that he has steered the district through the loss of state aid and that tax increases were imposed by the state after he and the Board of Education refused to sell buildings and cut sports programs to close a budget deficit.

"We took a firm stand against the New Jersey Department of Education. We refused to raise local taxes unnecessarily. We refused to sell school buildings that our students and community need. We filed state and federal lawsuits. I personally testified and traveled throughout New Jersey to tell our District’s story," Citta's statement said.

Citta also said that during the district's search for a superintendent, candidates were "dragged through the mud" during the interview and appointment process. Citta said he was called an "underboss" because of his Italian heritage and corrupt because of the indictment of former Superintendent Mike Ritacco.

Citta said that in 12 years, he has given up $666,000 in "foregone compensation" starting in 2010 when a $14 million cut in state aid led to the elimination of his position as assistant superintendent. When he was named superintendent in 2022, his salary of $215,000 was ranked No. 185 in the state despite leading the state's sixth-largest district.

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Defamation lawsuit threatened as BOE meeting approaches

The attorney for the superintendent told New Jersey 101.5 that he will be filing a defamation lawsuit against Rodrick.

"You have a municipal mayor who knows very little about being an educator or education meddling in what our client has been doing as superintendent," atorney Patrick P. Toscano said. "What he's not saying is our client is revered. The education community, people in Toms River, they revere what he does."

"Our client has been taking it over, over again, over again, to the point where what Mr. Roderick is apparently doing is crossing the line, going into defamation, either libel and/or slander."

Toscano also pointed out Rodrick's own problems with the Middletown Board of Education, where he he lost his job as a teacher. He has filed a lawsuit against the superintendent the school board there, claiming they colluded with political consultant Art Gallagher to get him  fired.

Before a public entity is sued, a plaintif must file a notice of claim. Toscano said that if Rodrick stops his behavior towards Rodrick, the lawsuit won't proceed.

"We're hoping that the mayor, within the next 180 days, just backs off and allows our client to act as superintendent. But if he doesn't, then we're placing him and Tom's River on notice that a lawsuit is going to be filed. It's that simple," Toscano said.

The Toms River BOE has a meeting at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Supporters of Citta are likely to speak at the meeting about Rodrick's demand.

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