By: centraljersey.com
If you like sprawl, traffic congestion and Wal-Mart, Mike Markulec and Jim Burd are your men. As a result of these two members of the Hopewell Township Committee, this is the future of our Hopewell Valley.
They are big supporters of bringing regional water supply pipelines into the Valley. Any land-use professional will tell you that this infrastructure will eventually lead to large-scale development that the majority of Valley residents finds undesirable. Yet, these two committee members recently approved plans for regional water lines to come from the south, east and north.
If you don’t believe me, see the Hopewell Township website (Document Library: Hopewell Township Master Plan — Utility Services Plan Element). Over time, the water lines you see in this document will spread throughout Hopewell Township.
It’s now up to the voters to prevent the transformation of this township from farms and woodlands to sprawling suburbs. Don’t let Mr. Markulec and Mr. Burd open the door to the rural Valley to the types of development we all loathe.
Robert Kecskes Hopewell Township
Municipal taxes in 2010
To the editor:
The non-partisan Tax Foundation issued a report last week concluding Mercer County homeowners paid the 14th highest property taxes in the entire United States last year. While this fact is disturbing, it came as no surprise to those of us who received our estimated tax bills in August. Year after year, we have watched school (60 percent of your taxes), county (25 percent of your taxes) and municipal (13 percent of your taxes) spending increase, while our wages have remained stagnant or declined. Compounding this problem were drastic cuts in state education and municipal aid this year, forcing many New Jersey municipalities to cut services even while they raised taxes.
Going into this budget our goal was clear: hold municipal taxes flat through reductions in our operating budget, while continuing to provide first-rate efficient services. A department-by-department analysis of every dollar spent allowed us to trim our budget while meeting all contractual obligations and without layoffs. As I said during our budget presentation, we have exceptional employees in Hopewell Township and preserving the jobs of these friends and neighbors was essential.
Given the reduction in state municipal aid, we were faced with the difficult decision of eliminating services, or raising taxes, or risking a portion of our surplus (savings) in order to keep the municipal tax rate flat. For the last several years, Hopewell Township has been underestimating the actual collection rate of taxes and using the difference to build the surplus account, like taking a few dollars from each paycheck and putting it in a saving account. We made the decision this year to use the actual tax collection rate, therefore not add to the surplus, in order to balance the budget with no municipal tax increase.
While this methodology puts a small portion of our surplus at risk if our tax collection rates fall below historical averages, it protects our township employees and keeps the tax rate flat. If re-elected, Jim Burd and I pledge to provide fiscally responsible leadership that seeks to control costs while maintaining the high level of public service that township residents have come to expect.
Michael Markulec GOP candidate for Township Committee
Fiscal discipline
To the editor:
What is interesting about Mayor Markulec and Deputy Mayor Burd’s campaign letter defending their decision to increase the Township’s police cost by $1.2 million over the next 5 years is that it does not offer and evidence as to why it was necessary to hire 2 new officers this year at a time when many residence are suffering financially. That is because there was no evidence to support that significant increase in our police costs and taxes.
Logic would have dictated that there be a need to increase public safety costs if there was a decrease in public safety. But the statistics clearly show there has been no increase in crime in Hopewell Township over the last few years.
So, why did Mayor Markulec and Deputy Mayor Burd hire two new police at a cost of over $1 Million? According to Mr. Burd, it’s because our Police Department has dwindled from a force of 36 down to a force of 29 sworn officers. So even though there has been no increase in crime with 29 officers, we need to go back to 36 officers because that is how many we should have.
It should be the goal of all governments, including our local government, to decrease the cost of government, be efficient and keep taxes low. But according to Mayor Markulec and Deputy Mayor Burd we should increase our government costs and our taxes because, well, we should.
We deserve local leaders that will bring fiscal discipline back to the Township. We need Erika Kotite.
Ray Disch Hopewell Township
Vote for Rush Holt
To the editor:
Vote for the re-election of Rush Holt to Congress on Nov. 2.
Congressman Holt has the experience, wisdom and the intellect to be our congressman and he is right on the issues. He deserves your support for his re-election in November.
He recognizes the importance of economic recovery and job creation as our number one priority. He recognizes the need for government supported means for resolving the historic George Bush-created economic crises. These policies are working notwithstanding Republican know nothing attempts to weaken these efforts and prolong the recession. He knows the serious importance of saving and creating jobs, providing tax relief to families, keeping families in their homes, and stabilizing the financial markets.
He recognizes the importance of a sound national health care policy that meets the needs of all our citizens, including children, seniors and small businesses. He rejects the Republican type gimmicks, illusions and limitations they propose. He recognizes the need to keep politics out of the scientific process and to enable our nation to keep in the forefront of medical and scientific research.
Congressman Holt believes that the United States has a vital role to play in brokering an enduring and peaceful settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He also believes in maintaining a strong relationship with Israel both for ensuring that Israel remains a democratic outpost in the Middle East and for ensuring stability in the region; he supports continued military and foreign assistance for Israel.
I urge you to learn his views on the environment, education, energy and other matters of critical importance. I am sure that you will agree with me that a vote for Congressman Holt is a vote in favor of a sound future for our country and a rejection of the past and proposed failed policies of the Republicans.
William Clarke Hopewell Township
Holt or Sipprelle?
To the editor:
We are fortunate in this district to have been represented by Rush Holt over the past decade. Not only is he one of the few scientists in Congress, with growing respect, responsibility and clout, but his thoughtful, intelligent approach has consistently delivered what he has promised: to support his constituents. Whether he voted for or against a particular bill, we can nevertheless be sure that he has our interests at heart. He’s a common presence at local events, and is a great communicator, listening to and acting on the needs of his constituents (not just members of his party or special interests). That’s a rare commodity these days, and a great benefit to our district. It would be a sad irony if anyone voted against him simply because of anti-incumbent or anti-administration sentiments. His personal qualities and service to this district are way too valuable to give up, especially in these challenging times.
Rep. Holt’s opponent, on the other hand, offers little beyond a personal fortune made in high risk investments (hedge funds, the type where the risk is spread among all of us, but the benefits go to a select few). This is a familiar story – more or less the root cause of the current economic downturn. This person, Scott Sipprelle, now wants to renew a low tax rate for the wealthy — paid for with borrowed money. It’s well known that savings of the wealthy do not fuel the economy — they are typically invested in funds, like the ones that made Mr. Sipprelle rich.
So who should we vote for: one of the most respected congressmen in the nation, with significant seniority, dedicated to his constituents, not beholden to special interests, honest and transparent? Or for a wealthy hedge fund manager from another county who apparently hopes to buy his way into Congress?
Bill Baumbach Hopewell Borough
Kotite: ‘A campaign with integrity’
With a commitment to "keeping politics clean," candidate Erika Kotite, Democrat, reports that she appeared at the Harvest Fair Saturday with boxes of handmade soaps to give away to passersby. She got the idea after viewing soap maker Ellen Cagnassola’s website, someone she’s been following on Twitter for the past year. Ms. Kotite asked her to make some special soaps to give out during her campaign.
Ms. Kotite is running on a platform of Lowering Taxes, Cutting Excessive Spending, Preserving Hopewell’s Community and History, and Promoting Local Agriculture and Business. She has pledged to keep her campaign respectful, and challenges her opponents to do the same.
The bars have the slogan "Keep Politics Clean! Vote Erika Kotite Hopewell Township Committee" embedded in them. Ms. Kotite passed them out at the Harvest Fair and plans to give more away in various neighborhoods during the campaign.
Ms. Kotite is a candidate for Hopewell Township Committee. She serves on the Historic Preservation Commission and Harbourton Traffic Calming Task Force. She is an independent business owner as well as founder and editor of Toque Magazine. She and her husband have three children. They live in the old Harbourton General Store, one of the township’s most treasured historic landmarks. To learn more about Ms. Kotite, visit www.erikakotite.com, Facebook (Elect Erika Kotite for Hopewell Township Committee) or follow her on Twitter (@etkotite).

