Letter to the editor

For the Jan. 31 issue

By:
Mayor thanks

those who helped

To the editor:
   
On Friday, Jan. 24, four buildings in the Westerlea Arms Apartments in Hightstown experienced lack of heat since around 10 o’clock of the previous night. Thirty-two apartments had temperatures between 35 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit. This condition was caused by a broken pipe in the ground that feeds hot water to the buildings.
   Within one hour of having a report by a resident of no heat, representatives of the Hightstown Office of Emergency Management were on the scene to assist the affected residents. OEM Coordinator Dean Raymond provided the necessary contacts to have support from the police, construction official, board of health, language interpreters, shelter facilities, and borough officials.
   Several residents were evacuated from their apartments and transported to a temporary shelter at the St. Anthony of Padua Church. Most residents were not at home during the day. Three of the four buildings were able to get the appropriate heat by late afternoon. One building was without heat until Saturday night after the broken heating pipe was replaced.
   With great pride, I express my sincere appreciation to everyone who had a part in the unity in our community. Dean Raymond demonstrated that he is well-trained in coordinating people to confront an emergency. Hightstown’s Construction Official Harry Wetterskog provided necessary inspections and advice. The health inspectors from West Windsor Township were outstanding in ensuring that the residents were cared for and that the apartments met the proper heating levels after the repairs. Hightstown Police Sgt. John Reppy was in charge of the operation and provided the leadership to get access to the apartments and to give residents transportation to the shelter.
   Dr. David Abalos, local humanitarian, offered his assistance as a contact person with the residents. The Knights of Columbus, the American Red Cross, St. Anthony of Padua Church, and the Community Action Service Center assisted with sheltering, feeding, and communications.
   The management of Westerlea Arms and the heating/plumbing contractors worked in the cold throughout the two-day emergency. They did their job well. From Borough Hall, Clerk/Acting Administrator Candace Gallagher responded rapidly to provide administrative support to the operations. Deputy Clerk Leona Baylor and former councilwoman Sherry Whitman assisted the residents at the shelter facility.
   Thank you all for your individual efforts in caring for the residents of Hightstown. The spirit of unity was evident.

Bob Patten

Mayor,
Borough of Hightstown

Fitness centers need

defibrillator programs

To the editor:
   
The national theme for February, American Heart Month, is "Be An American Heartsaver!" and focuses attention on the importance of community automated external defibrillator programs. As a Hamilton resident, I urge New Jersey Sen. John Bennett to bring Bill S1106 to the full Senate for a vote during American Heart Month. If passed, this legislation would require New Jersey health clubs and fitness centers to have AEDs.
   According to a study published in a June 1998 issue of Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association, health clubs/fitness centers were among the top 10 public places with the highest occurrence of sudden cardiac arrest. In March 2002, a joint scientific statement from the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association urged fitness clubs to install defibrillators (AEDs) and train staff to use them.
   The American Heart Association has called sudden cardiac arrest a major unresolved public health issue. Sudden cardiac arrest is different than a heart attack. At least 250,000 people in our country die every year from cardiac arrest. The American Heart Association says that the key to survival is early defibrillation — in the first five minutes. The national survival rate from sudden cardiac arrest is just over 5 percent. Few victims survive after 10 minutes.
   According to the American Heart Association, three New Jersey fitness centers — the Center for Health and Fitness on Cumberland County, the William G. Rohrer Center for Health Fitness in Camden County and the Bayshore Fitness & Wellness Center in Monmouth County — in 2001 each saved the life of someone experiencing sudden cardiac arrest, because each facility was equipped with an AED program. All three facilities were recipients of 2002 New Jersey American Heartsaver Awards.
   A companion bill, New Jersey Assembly Bill A453, passed in the New Jersey Assembly in May 2002. We have the opportunity to potentially save untold number of lives with this legislation. I urge Sen. Bennett to place S1106 on the agenda during American Heart Month for a full vote by the New Jersey Senate.

Anthony J. Cimino
Hamilton


Sarafin photo

draws attention

To the editor:
   
What a handsome photo of That-Relentlessly-Disruptive-Hightstown-Council-Attendee appeared on your front page Jan. 24! Did he generously provide it? If so, how fortunate for us that he had such a photo readily available so we can all know who he is. How fortunate for him that his comments are reserved for "off the record." If he were ignored, we would never have had this opportunity — nor would he.

Lisa Bell
East Windsor


Pane’s legacy

looking bountiful

To the editor:
   
My wife and I were especially touched by the news of Michael Pane’s death since we reside in his former residence in East Windsor. When we purchased the house, we had no idea that its former owner had such a prestigious legal background. The neighbors told us he had been the former township lawyer and about the unofficial town meetings that were held on the backyard patio.
   A few years after purchasing the house, we found ourselves in an unusual situation with two different banks claiming ownership of our mortgage. I made a call to Mr. Pane for advise and he made a simple suggestion that resolved my problem until the banks could straighten who owned the mortgage.
   After we were done with our legal discussion, Mr. Pane asked about the pear trees growing in our front yard. They had been planted by his wife and he wished he could have taken them when he moved. The pear trees are still there and producing delicious fruit. Every time I have one I’ll think of Michael Pane.

Charles Repka
East Windsor


Mercer residents

to be gouged

To the editor:
   
As a taxpayer in Mercer County and a registered Republican, I was shocked to read the comments of Mr. Baroni, Chairman of the Board of Mercer County Community College regarding the board’s decision to charge students from Middlesex County the same tuition rate as those who reside in Mercer.
   If I am not mistaken, community colleges were established to assist students in each county. Further, students from other counties who attend would be charged a higher tuition since they do not contribute taxes in the host county. Should non-residents be permitted to attend MCCC at the in-county tuition rate, the net effect is that the taxpaying residents of Mercer County will be subsidizing Middlesex County residents.
   This decision does not make fiscal sense for Mercer County. It looks as though the taxpayers of Mercer County will be gouged to make up for the revenue shortfall!

Robert A. Sicora
Lawrence


Estate tax should

be reinstated

To the editor:
   
The repeal of the estate tax should not be made permanent. Unfortunately, with President Bush’s blessing, the Republican controlled House of Representatives voted in the last session to make permanent the temporary rescinding of the federal estate tax (wrongly called the death tax). Fortunately, the then Democratic controlled U.S. Senate voted against permanent repeal. Some of the arguments against repeal of the tax are discussed below:
   Without this tax revenue there would be considerable increased federal budget deficits.
   The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has recently projected that the budget deficit will total $1.5 trillion for the next decade. For this fiscal year, the federal budget deficit is conservatively estimated to be $250 billion dollars. This does not include any further tax cuts to stimulate a sluggish economy nor does it include any military action against Iraq (which could cost upwards of $200 billion dollars) and occupational costs. The huge projected federal deficits will contribute to decreased long term U.S. economic health.
   Also, there would be loss of revenue for those states (New Jersey, for example) whose estate taxes are coupled to the federal formulae. Many states are plagued with large budget shortfalls.
   If the tax were to be repealed outright, considerable wealth would be even more narrowly concentrated. This is the main reason Teddy Roosevelt’s administration initiated the estate tax. For example, if Bill Gates Jr.’s children were to inherit $100 billion dollars, in their lifetime, this undeserved wealth could conceivably increase to $1 trillion dollars. The resulting concentration of wealth is one of the reasons both Gates and Warren Buffet (among others) are opposed to permanent repeal of the inheritance tax. William Gates Sr. in his recent book ("Wealth and our Common-Wealth: Why America Should Tax Accumulated Fortunes") advocates for preserving the estate tax. Otherwise, he concludes we could develop a permanent aristocracy.
   The inheritance tax should not be permanently repealed. Most of the estate tax is paid by only a small percentage of the wealthiest Americans. However, for the exceedingly small number of moderate size family farms and businesses subject to the estate tax, the tax could be modified to allow even more liberal exemptions than are currently allowed.

Bernard Wright
East Windsor


Pohl should justify

lawsuit fight

To the editor:
   
A letter written by Scott Pohl, which was published in the Jan. 24 issue of the Herald, must be answered because it contains the usual Scott Pohl bovine scatology of blaming somebody else (other than the real culprits) for the current ACLU lawsuit.
   Mr. Pohl stated that only three people are suing Twin Rivers. So what? Does it matter how many people are suing Twin Rivers? The question that should be addressed is why is the CBTR suing Twin Rivers? In other words, are the allegations made by members of the CBTR accurate?
   One of the main issues of the lawsuit is access to the books and records of the Twin Rivers Community Trust. Instead of dealing with this, Scott Pohl claims that the ACLU never made any serious attempt, in mediation, whereas the truth is that Scott Pohl and the Board are the ones that are refusing to allow access to the books and records.
   Six years ago in another lawsuit a judge granted the home owners the right to see the vouchers to support the checks the administrator writes. In other words we were legally granted the right to know if any other bills are being paid by Twin Rivers for someone other than Twin Rivers.
   To date, the board continues to refuse to let us have access to this information. Because of these actions the CBTR is suing Twin Rivers. The CBTR did not violate the judge’s decision, but the board of directors has done so.
   To my way of thinking it doesn’t matter how many people are suing Twin Rivers, it is the reason why they are suing Twin Rivers should be the main issue and not the number of people who are suing to get back the rights that a judge granted to all the members of Twin Rivers.
   In November 2002, Scott stated that the cost of the lawsuit (at that time, Nov. 13) was $1 million. The very fact that they would spend that much money to keep people from seeing the books and the records presents a very good argument for getting to see the books and the records.
   Now let’s see what Mr. Pohl has to say about access to books and records and why are home owners being denied their right to see this information and why would anybody be wrong to sue Twin Rivers to get back their rights?

Al Wally
East Windsor

Sarafin should

act appropriately

To the editor:
   
As a democrat, born and raised, I am dismayed by the prejudice expressed by Mr. Eugene Sarafin. Whether the statements be in a public forum or erased later from the tapes, they were inappropriate. Other elected officials (more powerful and renowned) have been censured for jokes told in private and overheard.
   An old adage would have attributed his vulgar language and outbursts to a lack of vocabulary. However, I think that in this diversified community we should look at his remarks in more ways than one. You can change the word "Catholic" to Jewish, Muslim, Sikh or any other resident’s religion. Prejudice is prejudice!
   No one denigrates Mr. Sarafin for his religion or lack thereof. As a public official (even in a small town) he should conduct himself in a manner and behavior conducive to being a role model. He is in the public eye, and we the people of Hightstown have the right to expect our leaders to be representative of us in their deportment and language.
   Please do not hide behind the "erased tape syndrome".
   Mr. Sarafin is reputed to be an intelligent man. Please let him behave like one.

Betty Kilkenny
Hightstown