Walsh responds to "the Fibber" Fiore's COAH letter

Patricia Walsh, Democrat for Middletown Committee has issued a response to the letter that Tony "the fibber" Fiore sent to the Atlantic Highlands Herald and I am sure many others in the area that addressed the COAH issue in Middletown.

"Recently, the Republican candidate for Middletown Committee, Anthony Fiore, published a letter to the editor about COAH.

It is not the first time that Mr. Fiore has completely distorted the facts surrounding a subject, including his resume qualifications.

In fact, both republican candidates continue to use scare tactics while misstating the facts and figures regarding Middletown's COAH obligations. It was the committee GOP majority who was responsible for leasing our precious open space, to plant a massive development on Hwy. 36.

Fact No. 1 is that Middletown residents would not be facing this enormous impact were it not for the 23 years of complete mismanagement of our COAH obligations by the GOP. The Republican Party has lead us down a path to noncompliance and are the real reason Middletown is vulnerable to builder's remedy lawsuits that could cost taxpayers millions of dollars.

The Republican candidates have stated that the most effective way to make housing affordable is to cut taxes” then why did the GOP majority impose a tax increase of 7.1% in this years budget alone. As a candidate for elected office, Mr. Fiore is either ethically challenged or incompetent by misrepresenting the facts or not being able to grasp the true impact regarding the town's COAH obligations.

Mr. Fiore, Mrs. Brightbill and their GOP predecessors who have sat on the planning board and township committee have created this tax increase due to their negligence in handling our COAH obligations. Rather then paying a lower cost earlier, they have hit the taxpayers with a financial balloon payment that has come due on their watch.

Despite attempts to mislead the public, or place blame on others, what could have been taken care of years ago at a much lower cost and minimal impact will now hurt taxpayers at a time when they can least afford it."

Patricia Walsh
Democrat for Middletown Committee