MORRIS PLAINS - There is nothing unusual about mayors in New Jersey getting campaign contributions from developers doing business in town.

But in this case something unusual did happen.

The mayor, Jason Karr, says he gave the money back.
This is just another intriguing tidbit in an already interesting mayoral race in this Morris County town.

Karr, a Democrat elected to the council almost 20 years ago, became mayor in 2019. That was a big deal in a "red" county and what had been a "red" town.

Things change. The Democratic Party has changed - gotten more left wing in some cases.

When this year rolled around, Karr was not endorsed by the borough's Democratic Committee.

That endorsement went to Councilmember Nancy Verga.

Instead of challenging Verga in the primary, Karr is running as an independent. No Republican is running, so this is a one-on-one battle.

Which brings us to the current controversy.

The mayor's campaign financial statement reveals $12,400 in contributions he received from local developers plus a $1,500 contribution from a law firm representing a proposed McDonald's on Speedwell Avenue, the borough's main street.

The McDonald's connection is a big deal. The local planning board originally approved the plan amid strong resident opposition. More recently, however, the state DOT rejected plans for left-turn access into the restaurant, putting the proposal in jeopardy.

These contributions were detailed in a letter to TAPinto, a local news site, and were also raised at a public meeting.

Karr said at the meeting that the contributions were solicited not by him, but by a consultant. He promised to deal with it.

And in a phone conversation on Thursday, Karr said the money has been returned. So, he said, the problem has been "rectified."

Naturally, it's debatable if it has been rectified in regard to politics.

Here is a recent statement from Verga and her council running mates.

"The issue is public confidence. And the best way to retain that confidence is simple: don’t accept such contributions.

We want residents to know that we have not accepted, and will not accept, campaign contributions from developers or others directly connected to active or recent development proposals before Morris Plains. That is the standard we have chosen for our campaign and for our time in public office."

A check of Karr's filing includes other notable things - like much support from Republicans.

For instance, he has gotten contributions from Assemblyman Brian Bergen, Morris County Commissioner Tayfun Selen, the Morris Republican Victory PAC and Bill Spadea, the radio host and former gubernatorial candidate.

That's pretty impressive GOP support for a man who has been a Democrat throughout his political career.

Asked about it, Karr said:

"I get a lot of support from everybody."

And he quipped that some people are probably surprised at how much support he's getting.