2 slates go head to head in Howell GOP primary

By Kathy Baratta

John Budzash John Budzash

HOWELL — A citizen activist of the early 1990s who founded the Hands Across New Jersey organization and once ran for governor has turned his attention to seeking election to township government.

John Budzash, who has run for governor and state Assembly, is seeking the Republican nomination for mayor in the June 6 primary. His running mate, seeking a seat on the Township Council, is Plan-ning Board member Maria Portilla.

The mayor’s term and the council term are for four years.

Portilla and Budzash are facing James Stanberry and Cynthia Schomaker.


James Stanberry James Stanberry

Stanberry and Schomaker are members of the Howell United Republican Club and are running under the banner of the Regular Republicans.

Budzash and Portilla represent the faction of the Howell Republican party known as the Howell First Republicans.

In trying to characterize Howell politics, Budzash said, "Howell is a very unusual town politically with very independent-minded voters." He said he is running for mayor because, "I don’t like what’s going on at town meetings."

Budzash claims citizens are being "stifled" with time limits being imposed on public comment. The candidate said that if he is elected, he would allow the public comment portion of the council meetings to "last as long as it takes."


Maria Portilla Maria Portilla

Referring to the way in which some residents have been removed from the council chambers during meetings, Bud-zash said he believes the only grounds for ejecting someone from a public meeting would be a violation of at least two prior warnings or for instances of verbal abuse or physical violence. He said a person should be removed from town hall only as a "last resort."

Budzash said he also wants to see "town hall’s records opened up to the people."

"The taxpayers, not the council, own the town. That is why citizens should have access to anything," he said.

Budzash said the only exception to the public access rule should be matters and documents related to ongoing litigation and not just "anticipated" litigation, as cited recently by Carol Berlen, an associate of township attorney Richard Schibell.


Cynthia Schomaker Cynthia Schomaker

Budzash also said he would hire an individual to work part time as a liaison between the municipal government and the taxpayers.

He said he would do away with the position of a paid economic development consultant initiated by the council a year ago and instead appoint a public advocate whose goals would be the same — to attract commercial ratables to Howell.

Budzash also said he has a "simple, no-cost plan" for open space preservation and said he can’t wait to take a look at all the township’s departments to see where "costs can be trimmed without sacrificing services."

In discussing her priorities for Howell, Portilla cited a sewer master plan as being "crucial to any further development in Howell."

"If you inadvertently put sewers where they don’t belong, you will get growth where you don’t want it," she said.

Portilla also has some ideas unique to her campaign ideals. She said she would work to develop an ordinance that would allow taxpayers to reap the benefits of cell tower space rentals to communications companies, instead of allowing private entities such as the township’s independent fire companies to rent out space and retain the revenues.

"Let’s make it so that cell towers are restricted to municipal properties so taxpayers receive the revenues generated," she said.

Portilla said these revenues could be used "in lieu of tax increases." She also called for an ordinance that she said is needed to restructure the towers’ height and design.

Portilla said she would also look toward reinstating the town’s twice-a-year bulk-trash drop-off at the Department of Public Works. The drop-off, eliminated this year in an effort to cut costs, is only going to lead to dumping in abandoned lots and woods that "the town will need to clean up anyway," she said.

Finally, Portilla said she would like to see an ordinance developed that would prohibit the future licensing of adult entertainment stores. Howell has several such businesses located within its boundaries.

Stanberry, a former Howell Chamber of Commerce director, is running for mayor in his first bid for elected public office.

Schomaker has been a member of the Planning Board since January. She is also a member of Howell’s Shade Tree and Economic Development committees.

The campaign slogan put forth by Stanberry and Schomaker is "It’s about people, not politics." Stanberry said the pair’s plans include the stabilization of property taxes and an increase of commercial ratables in Howell.

"I’m not looking for Exxon, just small, clean stuff. I know it’s out there and we’ll find it," Stanberry said.

Schomaker freely admits that she and Stanberry have no prior political experience and, in fact, touts that fact as the reason to vote for them.

"I’m uniquely qualified because I’m not a career politician, I’m a working mother," she said.

Schomaker said that in addition to addressing what she referred to as high taxes and the need for ratables, something needs to be done to expand the town’s recreation programs for senior citizens and children who are not enrolled in organized sports.

"There is a critical lack of these services. Unless a child is involved in a formal team sport activity, there doesn’t appear to be much available," she said.