GOP’s invitation to debate declined by J’burg Dems

By sandi carpello
Staff Writer

GOP’s invitation to debate
declined by J’burg Dems
By sandi carpello
Staff Writer

JAMESBURG — There will be no debate among Borough Council candidates this year, despite what has become an annual attempt by the Republican Party to engage the Democrats in an open forum.

The borough’s Republican candidates recently challenged their opponents to a public debate, but as they did last year, the Democrats declined.

With the Nov. 5 general election less than a month away, the GOP says it is ready to put the issues on the table.

The Republicans have proposed to discuss local issues in a town-hall style debate, giving residents an opportunity to address candidates with questions.

"We feel that it is important for the citizens of Jamesburg to know who all of us are, what our goals are, and where we stand on specific issues," said Darren Larsen, a member of the borough’s Republican committee and a former council candidate.

The Borough Council is currently controlled entirely by Democrats.

The terms of Councilman Sam Cline, who is not running for re-election, and Democratic incumbent Otto Kostbar, are expiring this year.

Kostbar is running for re-election on the Democratic ticket with newcomer Carlos Morales.

They are being challenged by a GOP ticket of former Councilman Adam Bushman and newcomer Gregory Newton.

Larsen said the residents of Jamesburg are unaware of what he sees as the council’s recent failures.

Republicans said the borough’s taxes have skyrocketed due to an increasing number of borough employees, while state aid has decreased due to what he referred to as fiscal irresponsibility and poor management. In addition, Larsen alleged that the council was unsuccessful in decreasing the cost of the school budget.

Democratic Chairman Bernard Long’s response: "Darren Larsen should get a life."

Long said Larsen should look at the council’s accomplishments. He said the council did work to lower school taxes, spending hours with school officials to ensure the quality of education was not diminished. He also noted there have been downtown improvements, grants for sidewalk improvements, and work done to get a traffic light at Forsgate Drive and Perrineville Road.

Long said the Democratic candidates do not need to contribute to a public debate. Saying that the GOP’s idea would turn into "a circus," Long noted that both Kostbar and Morales are always available to answer questions from the public.

Long contested that Larsen was merely "a sore loser," due to the fact that he has run for the council on more than one occasion and lost.

Long said he believes Larsen is running a campaign of mudslinging, including postings on the GOP’s Web site, www.jamesburggop.com.

Larsen denied Long’s allegations, saying that he was not trying to attack anyone personally, but that he was only "bringing out the facts."

"Like last year, the Democrats have chosen to hide from the public and opt for the hope that just because they are Democrats they will win in Jamesburg," Larsen said in a press release.

"The philosophy of the Jamesburg Democrats is if you don’t debate in public, the public will not come to know of their fiscal responsibility and other mismanagement," he said.

Kostbar said he did not believe a public debate was necessary.