Wrong for Atlantic City Mayor’s Name to be Used Like This [Opinion]

First, giving out a $ 10,000 grant (each) to help 100 Atlantic City, New Jersey students each year go to college is never a bad thing.

However, what has rubbed many people the wrong way is that federal taxpayer dollars are being spent in the form of a scholarship fund that is directly named after Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small.

This is the 3rd and final year of a student scholarship program that is funded with federal taxpayer dollars.

The taxpayer dollars are being used to fund The so-called “Marty Small, Sr. Scholarship.”

The money comes from the COVID-19 era “American Rescue Plan,” a relief package of funds that helped municipalities during the deadly pandemic.

I’m not saying that ”The Marty Small, Sr. Scholarship” is illegal. It’s just plain wrong.

Even if the federal government were to mandate that a program such as this should be called a Mayor’s scholarship program … it’s absolutely wrong for an incumbent elected official to garner an intangible benefit such as this.

If it was a memorial scholarship program, I would have no grievance whatsoever. Honoring the memory of a deceased person … who has materially contributed to his/her community would be a great thing to do.

However, an incumbent elected official should not be able to have a taxpayer-funded program directly and officially bear their name. It provides an unfair benefit.

It’s particularly wrong during an election year when that candidate is running for reelection … which happens to be the case this year.

Small will receive considerable free media publicity for the student scholarship program that bears his name while he runs for reelection.

However, Small is also presently running for reelection while criminally indicted.

The Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office has confirmed the following:

On Tuesday, September 17, 2024, Marty Small, Sr., 50, and his wife, La'Quetta Small, 47, of Atlantic City, NJ were both indicted for second-degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child. Marty Small, Sr. was also indicted for third-degree Terroristic Threats, and third-degree Aggravated Assault, said The Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office.

Marty Small was later indicted by a separate Atlantic County Jury for 3rd degree witness tampering.

We have been trying to raise public awareness about the deplorable conditions at the Chelsea Little League Stadium, located at sovereign Avenue and the Bay.

It is incumbent upon the Small administration to make the necessary repairs and clean-up this iconic stadium that has endured for generations prior to Small.

The photos below tell the whole story.