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Michael Ritacco: Gone, Baby, Gone

by: Rosi Efthim

Fri Oct 22, 2010 at 12:53:45 AM EDT

The 3,500 seat sports arena with his name on it still stands. But Michael Ritacco, a big wheel in Toms River, one of the best known education figures and best-connected Republicans in South Jersey, abruptly retired from his job as Toms River School Superintendent Thursday night - just after he was arrested on corruption charges.

An 18-count federal indictment was unsealed today. Ritacco is accused of using his considerable clout to generate up to $2 million in kickbacks from school district insurance brokers in a scheme that went on for 8 years. Cash and gifts - a $30,000 watch for him, appliances for his relatives and jewels for his girlfriend - came to him in exchange for lucrative contracts, say the FBI. Ritacco lived large. Even before any (alleged) graft, he was one of the highest-paid school superintendents in the state; his Toms River salary was $231,000. He also ran a school district in Seaside Heights.

Ritacco is deeply tied to the GOP power structure. He is a vital cog in the GOP-controlled political machine that has been running Ocean County for decades, connected to GOP political boss George Gilmore and also disgraced former GOP Assemblyman Daniel Van Pelt, convicted of accepting bribes himself. And lastly, Ritacco was a key player in Chris Christie's transition team, helping the soon-to-be governor set up what he would do in New Jersey schools policy, an approach which went south quickly.

FBI agents raided his home in the early morning hours Thursday, setting off the security alarm, but Ritacco wasn't home, or at the school district office. He turned himself in later Thursday, to FBI's Newark office. His retirement, if you want to call it that, is effective immediately. If convicted of the fraud and bribery charges against him, he faces 20 years in prison.

Rosi Efthim :: Michael Ritacco: Gone, Baby, Gone

Tags: arrest, corruption, School Superintendent, Toms River, Michael Ritacco, featured, (All Tags)

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Michael Ritacco: Gone, Baby, Gone | 8 comments

je suis confuse (4.00 / 1)

So this guy is running two school districts, one of which paid him over $230K, and Chris Christie blames the teachers for financial troubles in the state? Keep it up Wrong Way Chris, flushing away race to the top money, now this; parents and taxpayers know that education is not a get rich quick scheme - you actions and associations are proving otherwise.

by: johnleesandiego @ Fri Oct 22, 2010 at 12:25:30 PM UTC

by: you @ soon

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Actually... (0.00 / 0)

he just limited the salaries of superintendents to no more than the governor's...

Ritacco's salary is now illegal.

"Where ever you go, there you are." - Buckaroo Bonzai

by: William Weber (WjcW) @ Fri Oct 22, 2010 at 15:11:31 PM UTC

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afterthought (4.00 / 1)

but if you do a word count "teachers" come up a lot more in Christie's comments, and usually not in a complimnetary way; he's been teacher bashing for a long time, and kids hear that nonsense

by: johnleesandiego @ Fri Oct 22, 2010 at 18:01:39 PM UTC

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Superintedent salaries (4.00 / 1)

Too many school districts are top-heavy with extravagently-paid supers. It drives most teachers I know nuts. Even reductions in their salaries leave them quite, quite well-compensated.

It's not a particularly snappy signature, but here's what I think we need in the next NJ Democratic State Chair.

by: Rosi Efthim @ Fri Oct 22, 2010 at 15:24:57 PM UTC

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I don't have a problem (0.00 / 0)

with the salaries. Using the GOP comparison, "in the private sector".

In the private sector, if a person was to have 25 years experience, have a Phd, be the executive for a thousand employees (of which the majority are college educated), and be ultimately responsible for thousands of children, that person would make millions. A quarter million seems like a good deal.

The problem is that we have over 600 school districts and just as many super's and we have people like Ritacco who apparently thought he was entitled to millions.

"Only a fool would follow a bully"

by: brendanod @ Fri Oct 22, 2010 at 18:47:46 PM UTC

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Fair enough. (0.00 / 0)

It's not a particularly snappy signature, but here's what I think we need in the next NJ Democratic State Chair.

by: Rosi Efthim @ Fri Oct 22, 2010 at 19:12:09 PM UTC

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Does Ritacco (0.00 / 0)