Joe Pernice seek
4-year council terms
Republicans want to put
brakes on development
Patti Morelli and
Joe Pernice seek
4-year council terms
BY LARRY RAMER
Staff Writer
MARLBORO — Neither Republican candidate who is running for a four-year seat on the Township Council has previously held any municipal or government office, and both believe local officials should take a very hard line against what they called residential overdevelopment.
Patti Morelli has lived in Marlboro for 14 years. For the last three years she has handled medical billing for a family business — her husband is a chiropractor. Before she began working with her husband, Morelli was a manager in various fields.
The candidate said she has been active in the Marlboro Little League and has worked as a volunteer at the Manna House shelter in Cliffwood Beach. Single women who receive state aid stay at Manna House with their children, and the women all receive training in various fields. Morelli said she helps watch the children at the shelter.
"We must stop overdevelopment in this town," said Morelli.
The candidate said she paid $3,600 in property taxes 14 years ago and now pays $6,800.
"They’re building more homes, then we need more schools and then there are more taxes … taxes will never go down this way," she said.
Morelli said she would not be able to afford to stay in Marlboro for another 20 years if taxes stay at a similar rate. She said she has spoken to many senior citizens who also feel they cannot afford the property taxes in Marlboro.
Another priority for the candidate is helping people who have encountered structural difficulties with their homes or who have seen commercial projects come almost right up to their doorstep.
For example, the Planning Board allowed a fish market to be built within 25 feet of one woman’s property, Morelli said.
"I want to make sure the Planning Board does not lower buffer zones," Morelli said, adding that many people use their homes to finance their retirement and cannot afford to allow the value of their home to be reduced by shrinking buffer zones.
Morelli said she also knows people who have experienced flooding problems in their yards or structural difficulties with their homes, and have felt ignored by town hall.
"Nobody in town hall listens to people’s problems or tells people where to go, provides help, or fixes problems with homes," said Morelli. "I want to listen to people’s problems and see if I can help fix them. People need to know someone cares about them."
Morelli, who said she was a Democrat until last month, predicted that she would be able to work with her Democratic colleagues if she is elected to the council.
Even if both Republicans who are running for council this year win seats, the five-member council will remain under Democratic control in 2004 with a 3-2 majority.
"I would keep an open mind and listen to both sides. I would consider each issue individually and not necessarily take the party line," Morelli added.
The second Republican candidate running for council, Joe Pernice, is also concerned about ongoing residential development.
"The growth in the town over the last six years has been unbelievable," said Pernice, a consultant in the brokerage industry who has an MBA from Long Island University, New York.
If elected, Pernice said he would examine different methods of attracting ratables and discouraging residential development. Ratables would help reduce property taxes, the candidate said.
Changing Marlboro’s master plan and proposing new resolutions or ordinances could help to realize these goals, Pernice added.
Ongoing residential development has created many problems for the township, said Pernice, citing congested roads, overcrowded schools and the redistricting of some Marlboro residents to Colts Neck High School as negative repercussions of the trend.
Like his running mate Morelli, Pernice said he would be able to work with the Democratic majority on the council.
"I want to put aside party considerations in order to work to control growth in Marlboro," Pernice said.
Pernice said if he becomes a councilman he would try, acting in concert with the Democrats, to appoint residents who have not held any offices in the municipality to the planning and zoning boards.
"We need to make some replacements on these boards," Pernice said.
Before becoming a consultant, Pernice said he was a manager and vice president in the brokerage financial industry. During his 16 years in management, he oversaw up to 40 employees, and one of his responsibilities was managing budgets, he added.
The candidate said he has been active in Marlboro Little League and at St. Gabriel’s Church.