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Re-elect Democrats to freeholder board
To the editor:
Freeholder Director David Crabiel and Freeholder Camille Fernicola deserve our support this November. Through their leadership, Middlesex County continues to get better and better, particularly in the area of services for residents.
Whether it is senior citizen programs, recreation, open assistance programs security, or transportation our freeholders have remained committed to providing for our needs. Now more than ever, we need government leaders who respond to and work for the people.
Mike Costello
Monroe
Chairman disagrees with endorsement
To the editor:
I don’t often disagree with The Cranbury Press, but please allow me to voice an opposing view concerning your endorsement for Cranbury Township Committee.
In your editorial, you said, "We are giving our nod to Mr. Wittman because we believe there is a need for balance on what is now an all-Democrat committee. While committee members have not necessarily voted in lockstep on every issue, there tends to be a sameness to the way in which each member of the committee looks at issues."
I’ll address the second point first.
A few months ago, I went through four years worth of minutes of Township Committee meetings from the late 1990s. This was a time when there were almost equal number of Democrats and Republicans on the Township Committee, and more than 90 percent of the roll call votes were unanimous. So the fact that our current Township Committee members often vote alike has nothing to do with the fact that they are all Democrats.
Regarding your contention that we need "balance," I would like to point out that we had a diversity of opinion on the Township Committee during the Updike disaster, and we all remember how that turned out.
We don’t need that kind of "balance." We need five people on the Township Committee who understand what the community wants and are willing to work hard to get it for us.
Angela Cook will do us proud.
Glenn Johnson
Cranbury
Mr. Johnson is the chairman of the Cranbury Democratic Party.
Children come before the park
To the editor:
I read the letter to the editor by Audrey Cornish with great interest. As the parent of a first-grader without a classroom, who is currently attending class in the library of Barclay Brook School, I am trying hard to be unbiased. I strongly believe in preserving open space, so I want to side with the Parksavers. But I can’t. In my heart, my son’s education wins out every time.
Audrey Cornish of the Park Savers has said the upcoming public hearings are "about a land swap, not about a school." However, I believe it is about a school, one that we need desperately. Not every open piece of land in Monroe is suitable to build a school on, or I am sure that we would be pursuing them. As we have been repeatedly told, it would cost us at least $20 million more to build elsewhere, and trying to find a plan "C" at this already late date would only exacerbate the over-crowding that we are already facing.
We’re all in this together, and I believe that we need to put our children before the park. They and their teachers are trying their best to make the current situation work. But while they hold class in the library or arts rooms, sometimes with more than one class crammed in a room, we cannot just brush aside the basic needs of our smallest citizens those who have no voice in this process, but have the most to lose in the future.
Shani Henley
Monroe
A great senior center thanks to Democrats
To the editor:
Monroe has one of the best senior centers in Middlesex County, and I am writing to thank our local officials for placing an emphasis on making the lives of seniors better.
We have countless programs and activities that appeal to every interest. We have seminars on topics that are vital to us like health care, medical insurance and investment opportunities. There are also lots of opportunities for community service. There are movies, games and trips. There is also an extensive transportation program that takes us to doctor appointments and supermarkets.
Council members Joanne Connolly, Hank Miller and Jerry Tamburro deserve our vote on Nov. 8 because they helped create this wonderful senior center and they are dedicated to continuing the high level of service we have enjoyed.
William Weitz
Monroe
Monroe council keeps taxes low
To the editor:
Many of us have paid our fair share of taxes and more during our working lives. For those of us who retired and moved to Monroe, we have affordable taxes and the tax rate has proved to be stable over the years. This really means a lot to those seniors who are on fixed incomes. There are a number of New Jersey communities where skyrocketing property taxes have forced seniors to leave for more affordable communities. Fortunately, this is not the case here in Monroe.
I would like to thank the Democratic team of Council members Jerry Tamburro, Hank Miller and Joanne Connolly for working to maintain one of the lowest tax rates in our county.
Sylvia Singer
Monroe
Candidate gave teen great experience
To the editor:
We would like to express our gratitude to, Wayne Wittman, candidate for Township Committee, Cranbury, for giving our son an invaluable experience. He asked Michael, who is 16, to manage his campaign, last spring.
Mr. Wittman knew Michael years ago, from when Michael was a Cub Scout and did one year of Boy Scouts. Their paths crossed again last year when Joe Carroll asked Mr. Wittman to come speak at the PHS Republican Club, which Michael and Joe Co-founded. Michael and Mr. Wittman have met weekly since last June, strategizing, discussing and planning events. We have seen growth on all levels. Our contention is that Michael will either love or hate politics after this adventure.
Michael has involved teenagers, and recently had 20 students come to help address 1,000 postcards, which the campaign sent out to Cranbury residents. He has learned many aspects of fundraising and networking.
It is true that local politics is very different from politics on a state or federal level. Michael has also volunteered at Doug Forrester’s headquarters, all summer, and has seen the difference in intensity and funding. Michael had the privilege to hear Dick Cheney speak when he came for a fundraiser, which was for Doug Forrester. We encourage parents whose children have an interest in history/politics to get involved and expose them to all levels, it is an excellent opportunity for learning.
It will be no surprise that we support Wayne Wittman for Township Committee. We have gotten to know him better and feel that his integrity and previous experience make him an obvious choice. He has touched Michael’s life and has given him a fabulous opportunity to work hard toward a worthy goal. No matter what the outcome of this election is, this experience is a winner.
Michael and Phylissanne Stehn
Cranbury
Greenstein is about public service
To the editor:
Three years ago, I was injured in an automobile accident that would cause me to become physically incapable of continuing the job I had done for 25 years. I soon realized that my savings and help from my family were not going to be enough to support my family. I did not know where to begin in looking for help.
At a Monroe school board meeting, I met Assemblywoman Linda Greenstein. I related to her that I was a carpenter, but that I hadn’t worked for two years because of an accident. She said that she would help me navigate the channels toward obtaining disability payments and ultimately toward retraining for a new career.
I took Ms. Greenstein up on her offer and called her office. A meeting with her staff was set up immediately. They helped me with mountains of paperwork and put me in contact with the appropriate authorities. Ultimately, I was able to receive disability payments, and received assistance towards tuition and books with a view toward a new career. To this day, Assemblywoman Linda Greenstein continues to follow my progress and makes herself available to me when the bureaucracy stymies me. This is what public service is all about.
Patrick J. Hye
Monroe
Connolly letters are laughable
To the editor:
I find the most recent letters on behalf of Joanne Connolly laughable.
Do people believe that Ms. Connolly was "keeping kids first," as her signs state, when she allowed the overcrowding of our schools by approving nearly 7,000 new housing units during her tenure? Was she keeping kids first when has now allowed 30 or more trailers for kids to go to class in? Was she keeping kids first when Monroe schools failed the no child left behind act twice so far? Was she keeping kids first when she is quoted as stating these are Board of Education issues out of her control? How can she have all these failings and say she has no control over educational issues, yet she’s "keeping kids first"?
As far as I am concerned the only people she is keeping first are builders and her own political career. Local real estate agents are so busy putting Connolly signs on their property that they don’t even put up their own signs on their own property. It should tell you she’s a favorite daughter of the builders and land developers. Her record proves it time after time.
I think her signs should instead say "keeping myself and my friends first" or just simply state "proudly spending your tax dollars like it was my own money for a decade and counting." I believe signs with these slogans would be much more appropriate for her and her entire administration.
I urge everyone in this town to vote against Ms. Connolly and for Mr. Lopez on Nov. 8. Failing to do so will ensure that your taxes continue to go up (especially after the 2006-2007 tax reassessment she does not want to talk to you about), your town continues to get overdeveloped and your kids continue to suffer in overcrowded and under-supported schools. Her policy has failed you and your children.
Paul R. Garelick
Monroe
Angie Cook for committee
To the editor:
I am writing to endorse Angie Cook for Cranbury Township Committee. My husband and I have known Angie and Dave Cook since moving to Cranbury in August 2000. When I think of Ms. Cook, three words come to mind: intelligence, enthusiasm and action. It is especially the last of these three qualities that I believe will serve this town well if she is elected.
During the course of our five-year friendship, I have had the opportunity to participate with and observe Ms. Cook in a variety of social settings. She is always well spoken, outgoing, ethical and respectful of others and their opinions. As the organizer of various PTO events she is an excellent multi-tasker who never loses her cool and always openly appreciates the volunteers who assist in putting these successful functions together. I have been impressed, and continue to respect her willingness to take the lead or pitch in when there is work to be done.
She does these things for the people of Cranbury while being a very active and involved parent to her two children, Jack and Livy. She also takes care of any child who happens to be at the school’s walker door after 3 p.m. on any given day. This is balanced with the great deal of work she has contributed over the past five years as a committed member of the board at the Peddie School and Cranbury’s Historical Society. If it sounds like a lot of work, it is; but Angie has an enormous amount of passion and enthusiasm and she just gets it all done.
Most importantly, Angie Cook is a take-charge person who identifies issues, gathers information and solves problems. You will never find her offering criticism from the sidelines or asking someone else to take the lead. She is a person of thoughtful consideration and action, who will bring these most important qualities to the task of overseeing township operations and the many challenging issues we face today and will confront in the coming years.
When Ms. Cook was making the decision to run for Township Committee, she deliberated, consulted with her family and acted. That is why I was able to cast my vote for her in the primary election, and will vote for her once again on Nov. 8. I urge the people of Cranbury to do the same.
Kathleen S. Wasson
Cranbury
Sign act was shameful
To the editor:
On Saturday, Oct. 29, we awoke to find 28 "Corzine for Governor" signs staked all over our front lawn, including right outside our front door. Having attended a neighbor’s reception for Bill Baroni the evening before and given our public support for Doug Forrester we are among the few Shadow Oaks residents with a sign at the foot of our driveway and Wayne Wittman, we can only imagine that someone or some persons in Cranbury disagree with our political views and chose to inform us by this childish and disrespectful act.
To make matters worse, it turns out that the 28 signs were originally on the lawn of the Bill Baroni hosts at 1 a.m. and then moved to our lawn sometime in the early morning. Truly someone or some persons expended significant time and energy to harass two families in town. This person (or persons) also stupidly wasted Corzine campaign funds as the police were called to the scene and confiscated the signs.
It is sad that we cannot respect one another’s opinions. It is sad that there is one or a handful of people who resort to juvenile and aggravating behavior to express their contrary point of view. Shame on the perpetrator of this immature and intimidating act.
Patty and David Thomsson
Cranbury
