Towards the end of 2020, the Burlington County Bridge Commission announced that they had acquired $660,000 in federal Cares Act funding to provide zero interest loans to existing businesses in Burlington County, yet that was not the case for at least $100,000 of the funding, which was provided to individuals to open, and or acquire, a new and or existing business. The Burlington County Commissioners approved the two resolutions for people that they now admit to knowing did not have any existing business at the time they applied for, and or, received the Cares Act loans.

A resolution was passed on September 22nd 2021, awarding an interest free loan for $50,000 to “Lance Clark, Cory Cottingham and Ada Suarez-Cottingham, and Supreme Clientele LLC DBA as The Supreme Dessert Shop”, with the check was cut on October 18th of that same year, yet the business didn’t open until June in 2022.

Cory Cottingham filed to run against Troy Singleton in 2017 to run for NJ senate, but bowed out, leaving Singleton to run unopposed for the party line ticket.

Burlington County’s Spokesman, David Levinsky, wrote to me in an email yesterday, claiming that “The Supreme Dessert Shop was also determined to be eligible for a loan from the program. The business applied for a loan after its opening was delayed due to the pandemic, which both slowed down construction at the site and increased its costs. The owner indicated the loan would be used for business expenses, such as commercial kitchen equipment and other supplies needed for the restaurant, including COVID-19 safety measures. The business is now active thanks to the assistance from the County.”.

A separate resolution was awarded to and individual living in Woodbury NJ named “Jon Marroquin”, on June 8th of 2022, with the check being cut just five days later, and the business, A2Z Emblems, being registered into his name on August 1st 2022.

David Levinsky wrote to me, claiming “Mr. Maroquin applied for a HELP loan to assist him with business expenses related to A2Z Emblems, a printing business he was acquiring. Mr. Maroquin’s application for a loan was approved but the loan was conditional on his completing the acquisition of the A2Z printing business.”, which is odd, especially considering how vehement that Mr Levinsky was about telling me that the loan given to Mr Marroquin was not used to buy a business, yet he now admits that is exactly what took place.

After Mr Levinsky sent me those responses yesterday, I was even more curious about the loan process, but since all of the links to the County’s loan program had already been deleted, I had to do some back door digging to see what was digitally left behind. I found an article that was printed on Medford Township’s website that gave a website and said “From there click on the “SEE IF YOU QUALIFY!” button and you’ll see a page with 5 statements – if you are able to check all 5 boxes, citing that those statements are true, then you may qualify.”, but the link went to a blank page.

After a couple of tries, I finally found the questionnaire, which was very clear on who does, and who does not qualify, to even apply for the Care Act HELP loans.

(If the Applicant is unable to check all of the below, the Applicant is not an eligible entity.)Review and check all of the following: Applicant must review and check all of the following. 

1. Applicant owns business real estate or personal real estate; that is greater than the amount Applicant seeks to borrow.
2. Applicant seeks this HELP loan due to the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had/is having on Applicant’s business.
3. Applicant is the owner of an existing business located in Burlington County.
4. Applicant has professionally prepared financial statements (includes balance and income statements).
5. What will the HELP loan be used for?

A separate resolution was passed by the County Commissioners on March 23rd 2022, awarding $40,000 to “Tiffani and Carlos Worthy, and The all Things Are Possible Foundation”, which is a non-profit in Willingboro NJ, where Mrs. Worthy served as (D) Mayor from 2020-2022, and is currently a (D) council member. Commissioner Tom Pullion recused himself from the vote on the resolution, but Commissioner Felicia Hopson, a person who Mr Levinsky admitted was a friend of Mrs. Worthy, and who has spoken at multiple political events with Mrs. Worthy, did not recuse herself from voting on the Resolution.

This is what takes place when there are no checks and balances put in place due to one party ruling everything, no matter which of the two shitty choices that they might be. So my advice to the people of Burlington County, is elect some Republicans as well to the County Commissioners, otherwise, prepare to be fleeced.