Incumbent Sheriff William Doyle defeated Democratic challenger Bruce Cocuzza, Lambertville’s police director.
By: Linda Seida
In Tuesday’s election, Lambertville Police Director Bruce Cocuzza failed to wrest the job of Hunterdon County sheriff from William Doyle while voters overwhelmingly approved the county’s request to extend a 3-cent open space tax.
Mr. Cocuzza, a Democrat, garnered 25,223 votes. Mr. Doyle, a Republican who has held the post since 1996, was re-elected with 34,820 votes.
Voters approved the county’s request to extend the open space tax for five years by a vote of 38,456 to 11,892. The tax is 3 cents per each $100 of assessed property value. It will be in effect from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2009.
In Lambertville, a separate 2-cent city open space tax per $100 of assessed property value was approved 927-893.
The local open space tax result wasn’t decided Tuesday night until the Hunterdon County clerk’s office certified 134 absentee ballots. Ballots cast at the polls Tuesday favored the tax 865 to 845.
The local open space tax equals about $52 a year for a homeowner whose property is assessed at the city average of $260,127. Funds raised by the tax will go toward the purchase of the steep slope area of 11.13 acres behind the Lambertville Public School and Ely Field and 5.242 acres along Jefferson Road.
In West Amwell, voters approved a 2-cent increase in the township’s open space tax by a vote of 847 to 466. The tax will rise to a total of 6 cents per $100 of assessed property value. The tax will equal about $240 for a house assessed at the township average of $400,329.
In Lambertville, the Democratic team of Steven M. Stegman and Frank L. Kramer Jr. won three-year terms on City Council with 1,307 and 1,462 votes respectively.
Republican challenger Dorothy Lee Anthes earned 804 votes.
Several other local municipal elections were too close to call Wednesday when The Beacon went to press. The winners will be decided when provisional ballots are certified.
Fifteen provisional ballots will decide who wins a two-year unexpired term on the West Amwell Township Committee. Republican Thomas J. Molnar received 516 votes, Democrat Ron Shapella received 503 votes and Independent Hal Shute received 501 votes.
Republican incumbent Gary W. Bleacher, running unopposed for a three-year term, received 1,009 votes.
In Stockton, the race for one of the three-year terms on the Borough Council was close and won’t be determined until the county clerk’s office certifies seven provisional ballots, according to borough Clerk Kim Franklin.
Democratic challenger Michael P. Hagerty was a clear winner with 203 votes, including six absentee ballots.
The other winner will be determined by the provisional ballots. Incumbent Councilman Joseph Skillodge, a Democrat, received 183 regular votes, including 10 absentee votes. Andrew Giannattasio, the Republican council president, received 188 votes, including eight absentee votes.
In the presidential election some political watchers have termed a slugfest, local voters were divided.
In Lambertville and Stockton, support was strong for Democrat John F. Kerry by large margins while voters in West Amwell as well as the majority of the county favored President George W. Bush.
Sen. Kerry garnered 1,403 votes in Lambertville and 191 in Stockton. President Bush earned 642 votes in Lambertville and 134 in Stockton.
In West Amwell, voters favored the incumbent Republican president over Sen. Kerry 841 to 655.
Countywide, voters favored the Republican incumbent over the Democratic challenger 39,449 to 25,727.