Residents set to vote on Tuesday

By Jessica Ercolino, Staff Writer
   Voters head to the polls Tuesday to decide who will occupy the White House for the next four years, but a number of contests a lot closer to home also will be decided on Election Day.
   The only contested local municipal race this year in The Messenger-Press’ coverage area is for Allentown Borough Council. Incumbent Republicans Margaret Armenante, of Main Street, and Michael Schumacher, of Sandburg Drive, face newcomer Democrat Wayne Smith, of Lakeview Drive, in a three-way race for two available seats, each with a three-year term.
   Residents in Allentown also will decide whether the borough’s open space tax rate should be raised by 3.5 cents. The funds would be used to pay for open space, according to the ballot.
   If approved, the open space tax rate would increase from 1 to 4.5 cents per $100 of assessed value, equaling an increase of $53.66 for the owner of a home assessed at the borough’s $153,300 average.
   Residents in Upper Freehold also will vote on an open space tax increase, a revised version of what voters passed during the 2007 election.
   The proposed 2-cent increase in the tax rate — to be used specifically for farmland preservation and debt service on farmland — will mean an approximate $104 increase in the open space tax bill for the owner of a home assessed at the township’s $519,800 average. The current open space tax is 4 cents.
   Residents approved the 2-cent referendum by 62 votes during last year’s general election, but a misprint in the question asked voters to instead approve a .02-cent increase, and Township Committee scrapped the results. Officials have recognized that the economy has taken a turn for the worse since that election, but voted in July to again let residents choose if the tax rate should increase.
   Robert Frascella, of Dutchess Drive, will be running unopposed for a three-year term on the Upper Freehold Township Committee. No Democratic candidates chose to run this year.
   In Plumsted, current Mayor Ron Dancer, a Republican, is running unopposed for another three-year term on the Township Committee. Fellow Republican David Leutwyler, who took over for the late Committeeman Ken Francis in November 2007, is running unopposed to serve the remaining two years on that seat. No Democratic candidates filed to run in Plumsted Township this year.
   Two, three-year seats on the Millstone Township Committee are up for election this year. Republican Michael Kuczinski, who took over for former Committeeman Ray Dilfanian in January after Mr. Dilfanian stepped down, is running unopposed for that seat. Republican Fiore Masci, of Fawn Way, will run unopposed for the other seat, as current Committeeman Steven Sico chose not to seek re-election. No Democrats filed to run in Millstone this year.
   In Robbinsville, current Township Councilman Rich Levesque, of Garden Place, is running unopposed for the remainder of a four-year term, ending June 2011. He was appointed by council last month to fill former Councilman Tim McGough’s seat until the Nov. 4 election. Mr. McGough resigned in late August, citing family and job responsibilities.
   Robbinsville residents had the opportunity to run for the unexpired term, but there were no other candidates other than Mr. Levesque. Because Robbinsville Township operates under a mayor-council form of government, nonpartisan elections are held every other year in May. The next municipal election in Robbinsville will be held in May 2009.
   Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. statewide. Residents can visit their local polling place — listed below — to cast their vote:
   ALLENTOWN
   Voting for District 1 will be held in the lobby of Allentown High School on High Street/Route 539. District 2 voters can go to the Allentown United Methodist Church at 23 Church St.
   UPPER FREEHOLD
   Voting for District 1 is at the Municipal Building on Route 539. Voters in Districts 2 and 4 can vote at the Allentown First Aid Squad building on Route 526. Those in District 3 can vote at the Hope Fire Company building on Route 526.
   PLUMSTED
   The voting place for District 1 in Plumsted is the New Egypt Firehouse at 59 Main St. District 2 voters go to the New Egypt First Aid building at 32 Brynmore Road. District 3 voters go to the Jensen’s Deep Run Community Building at Longview Trail and Summit Drive. District 4 voters go to the Plumsted Township Building on 121 Evergreen Road.
   MILLSTONE
   Voters in Districts 1 and 7 can vote in the Community Center at 463 Stagecoach Road. Voters in District 2 can vote at the Municipal Courthouse at 215 Millstone Road. Voters in Districts 3 through 6 can vote at Millstone Primary School on School House Road.
   ROBBINSVILLE
   Voters in Districts 1 and 8 can vote in the foyer at the main entrance of Robbinsville High School on Robbinsville-Edinburg Road. Districts 2 and 6 can vote at the Senior Center off Robbinsville-Allentown Road. District 3 voters go to the Firehouse Community Room at 1149 Route 130 North. District 4 can vote at the Rose Hill Community Room on Washington Boulevard. District 5 voters go to the Robbinsville branch of the Mercer County Library on Robbinsville-Allentown Road. District 7 voters can go to Pond Road Middle School on Pond Road. Those in District 9 can vote in the Municipal Building at the basement level on Washington Boulevard.