Letters

Support Democrats

for re-election
To the editor:
   
We support Mayor Frank Gambatese and Councilman Chris Killmurray for re-election. Their accomplishments and track record while in office are impressive.
   They are committed to preserving open space, as demonstrated by the township’s recent acquisitions of the Princeton Nurseries (Mapleton Preserve) and Kendall Woods tracts. These properties added hundreds of acres to the township’s open space inventory and were largely financed through state and county grants. That took the burden off of local taxpayers.
   Although Central New Jersey is one of the fastest-growing areas in the country, residentail development in our community has been controlled and limited, which of course means that there is less of a burden upon municipal services including the school system.
   Through Mayor Gambatese and Mr. Killmurray’s efforts, new businesses have been attracted to the township, which add revenue in the form of tax ratables.
   They successfully convinced the federal government to study improving and widening Route 1 in the township, and we have benefited from other roadway improvements including the realignment of county Route 522.
   The most difficult challenge faced by growing suburban communities is to balance development with preservation of open space, and Mayor Gambatese and Mr. Killmurray have done that remarkably well. Both of them work tirelessly for the benefit of the community and in addition to their governmental obligations, serve as volunteers on numerous organizations. They are accessible and responsive to the needs of everyone in South Brunswick. We need elected officials like them to continue to serve our community.
   For these reasons, plus many more, we are urging everyone to support Mayor Gambatese and Mr. Killmurray for re-election on Nov. 7.
Anthony and Janet Campisano
Kendall Park
Supporting write-in

of Debra Johnson
To the editor:
   
I changed my party affiliation to vote for Debra Johnson in the South Brunswick primary election — it took weeks to admit my party-treason to my staunch Republican parents.
   I thought it critical that we elect a Mayor with ambition, intellect and morals who is eager to represent the interest of taxpayers. With the loss of Ted Van Hessen on our council we need to elect a strong representative, and independent thinker with a strong backbone able to effect decisions on their merits, not popular party opinion or powerful corporate influence.
   I often wonder about some of the decisions made by the current mayor. How about the $100,000 he accepted from developers for a water run-off study in return for approval on a previously denied application? I attended that meeting. Debra Johnson was the only board member who did not find that decision morally acceptable.
   It’s time for a change. Be a proactive citizen and vote on Election Day for Debra Johnson; her agenda is unquestionable. She wants to improve life in South Brunswick.
Lori Connolly
South Brunswick
Democrats rely

on pay-to-play
To the editor:
   
For the political gardeners in town who wonder how you grow so many Democrat signs so big, the answer is you have to have a big pile of fertilizing dollars available to you from the Middlesex County Democratic machine.
   This is the green manure of county play-to-play dollars, some $150,000 or so received from the county machine over the past five years, according to the South Brunswick Post two weeks ago.
   That’s only part of the story.
   That doesn’t even count the direct contribution dollars from vendors sent over to us from the county.
   I think voters would do well to restore some balance to the council as well as bringing the sweet smell of reform by voting for Republicans Lynda Woods Cleary for mayor and Nanette Craig for Council.
Roger Craig
Kendall Park
Mr. Craig is the chairman of the South Brunswick Republican Organization and the husband of the Republican council candidate.
Lynch money

not an issue
To the editor:
   
It is good to see that the local Republicans, as well as other self-styled critics, have not let the facts get in the way in their attempt to create a political issue regarding the $1,500 the Democratic Party received previously from the New Directions PAC. It is an attempt by the Republican Party to create publicity in an election year in which they have been unable to provide any credible issue-driven ideas, thoughts or policies, or put forth any legitimate criticisms of the performance of Mayor Frank Gambatese or Councilman Chris Killmurray.
   I also was shocked by the inane and incredibly insensitive comments by Harry Moss in his letter last week. I would like to thank Mr. Moss for letting me know that, in fact, cancer has not been cured and that, if only the Democratic Party had given the $1,500 at issue to cancer research instead of to local charities and organizations, cancer would have been cured. I’m sure my mother-in-law, whose cancer is in remission following surgery and radiation/chemotherapy and who lost her husband to cancer, will be dismayed to hear that. I assure you that my entire immediate family, as well as my law firm, through their words, their actions, and with their checkbooks, actively support cancer research in innumerable ways.
   As to addressing homelessness, the South Brunswick Democrats, as a matter of practice, have donated countless trays of prepared food to local soup kitchens following our events.
   The South Brunswick Democratic Party in the last month alone has given more than $3,000 to local charities and organizations, and has donated close to $20,000 to similar causes over the last eight years. We believe in helping and quietly supporting local organizations and charities in and around our town. We have done so in the past, and will certainly continue to do so in the future.
   What has the local Republican Party done with the thousands of dollars they have taken over the years from developers and the county Republican Party? I challenge them to step up and rise beyond their rhetoric.
Bernard P. Hvozdovic Jr.
Kingston
Mr. Hvozdovic is the chairman of the South Brunswick Democratic Organization.
Re-elect

Menendez
To the editor:
   
It’s time for us to look at the Republican Party and its candidates and see what they believe and the campaign tactics they use in an attempt to win elections. These candidates are not leaders, they are followers, supporters of the Bush administration’s initiatives that are eroding our democracy. They participate in character assassination of their Democratic opponents, using lies and innuendo, instead of exploring issues.
   Bob Menendez has served New Jersey and the nation well as a congressman for 14 years and was chosen to replace Jon Corzine as our senator because he is a leader who is respected for his tireless efforts. He is not under federal criminal investigation as his opponent, state Sen. Tom Kean Jr., says in his ads.
   President Bush’s war on terrorism in Iraq is a civil war in which approximately 3,000 Americans have died, another 20,000 have been wounded and thousands more have been emotionally wounded. Six hundred thousand Iraqis, mostly innocent citizens, have been killed. The Republican "Stay the course" is not working. A Democratic majority in both the House and Senate is needed because:
   1) We need to extract ourselves from Iraq.
   2) We need to stop giving substantial tax cuts to the very rich while borrowing billions of dollars from foreign countries, such as China, to pay for the "war," increasing our budget deficit.
   3) We need to secure our ports which, five years after Sept. 11, are still not secure because of the incompetence of the Bush administration.
   4) We need to restore the Gulf Coast so those citizens can get on with their lives.
   5) We need to restore the cutbacks in funding for education, health care and scientific research.
   6) We need to secure Social Security, not privatize it.
   A Democratic Congress will address these needs. We need to elect Bob Menendez to the Senate and Rush Holt as a representative from the 12th Congressional District. They will be leaders in this effort.
Jane Snyder
Kendall Park
Seeing things

for what they are
To the editor:
   
On June 3, there was a "dedication" of Rowland Park. (public and press are invited. All fields in the township are deemed "unplayable" but the dedication goes on as scheduled.)
   June 6 was the primary election.
   Oct. 21, there is an "official opening" of Rowland Park.
   Nov. 7 is Election Day.
   The moral of the story? When it looks like politics, and it smells like politics andit tastes like politics, then it is politics.
Susan Krier
South Brunswick
A thank you

for YMCA Gala
To the Editor:
   On Oct. 6, the South Brunswick Family YMCA held its Sixth Annual Gala Dinner and Silent Auction at Pierre’s and each year, with the help of our community and local businesses, it gets bigger and better.
   At last count, we received more than $40,000 in proceeds from this dinner, which will go to benefit the Y, its programs and its ability to provide scholarships for needy participants.
   Special thanks to Executive Director Tom Libassi, Mary Powers and all of the staff at the Y who did all of the real work in planning the dinner and silent auction. We were fortunate to have two excellent honorees this year, Andre Gruber and Township Councilman Charles Carley. Mr. Carley has assisted in fundraising and donated countless hour of engineering services to the Y. Mr. Gruber’s leadership, dedication and perseverance as president of the Y board are the primary reasons that we have a viable Y in South Brunswick. Thank you, Andre, for all of your years of dedicated, selfless service.
   We are also very appreciative towards those who placed ads, purchased tickets or donated items towards our silent auction.
   As always, Pierre’s and his staff worked very hard to provide a great dinner and great facility for a fun evening for all concerned. It is always a pleasure to see our community in South Brunswick come together to support such a worthy cause.
Chris Kilmurray
Dayton
Mr. Killmurray, a Democratic candidate for Township Council, served as the chairman of the YMCA Gala Dinner and Silent Auction.