Letter: Valuable Collingswood Land Sold for a Song

To the Editor:

If it was your money, what would you do with it?

If you bought four acres of land—18 lots from 11 different owners in the heart of our downtown, which is described by the media as being vibrant, thriving—what would you then sell the land for?

If you spent $3,006,348 of money that you borrowed to purchase the properties—for which you'd be making payments on for the next 30 years—what would you then sell the land for?

Well, if you were noted redevelopment lawyer and Collingswood Mayor M. James Maley Jr., you would sell it for $10.

If you were Collingswood Mayor Jim Maley, it wouldn't matter that the taxpayers you represent will be paying interest on that money for 30 years—doubling the loss to taxpayers.

If you were Mayor Maley, you would sell that land for $10 to your hand-picked, no-bid redeveloper—whom would eventually be thrown off the job, with full pay, for poor performance.

Why would Jim sell four acres of prime downtown real estate for $10?

Because he can, using Other People's Money—ours—to buy it with.

The details are attached. The deeds of the borough's purchases and the court orders for the takings, the deed for the short sale to LumberYard Redevelopment, LLC plus a brief spreadsheet of the purchases are for your examination.

Distractions, such as placing a fountain in the middle of Haddon Ave. or “Oh my God! A real grocery store where the National was!” are just that—distractions. They are meant to take your eye off the ball. The mayor has been throwing your money down the rathole of redevelopment for years, with a very large negative return on investment to show for it.

It is, after all, your money—see what Jim has done with it.

Joseph Dinella
Collingswood