The following letter appears online at the Atlantic Highlands Herald:
Middletown residents are being misled by the Republican Party once again. As they’ve done many times before, Middletown Republicans are misrepresenting information for their own benefit.
At issue now is the inappropriate use of “per capita” (per person) statistics.
At the candidates forum in Lincroft on October 27th, Stephanie Murray spouted some of the same per capita statistics that appear in Michael Vitkansas’s October 26th letter. The statistics are a recycled version of what we’ve heard in the past from the Town’s Republican officials.
Ms. Murray compared Middletown’s spending per capita to Hazlet’s. Hazlet’s statistic is higher, she points out.
But hold on a minute. Middletown’s population is enormous. There are close to 67,000 residents, far more than in neighboring towns. Further, not all town expenses increase with population – for example, we still have only one town hall and one municipal court, the same as Hazlet. With so many people in Middletown to share those fixed costs, the overall cost per resident drops.
Therefore, it’s inappropriate to compare per capita statistics for towns of different sizes and populations. To do so is deceptive.
Besides a large number of residents, something else that reduces spending per capita is inadequate funding of core services, but I bet Ms. Murray won’t be pointing that out.
Mr. Vitkansas talks about Middletown’s small workforce per capita, but fails to mention that nearly the entire staff of the Parks and Recreation Department was laid off this year.
If the real picture were as rosy as Republican candidates would have you believe, they wouldn’t need to mislead you by pulling statistics out of a hat.
Linda Baum
Middletown, NJ
12 comments:
Vitkansas is a dope of the highest order and is a mouth piece that only speaks in an obscure manner to show loyalty to the Republican Party during election time. Peter Carton should be proud to have him.
You are absolutely on target,anonymous 9:17 p.m..
That dope sounds ridiculous and is ridiculous. What a nitwit who does not even make sense and seems almost irrational.
What a pity that this is all Carton,Nelson and Company have to offer. Bottom feeders ,the bunch of them and they call themselves."public figures". Just what the hell is that supposed to mean anyway ?
If what 9:17 says is true, this Vitkansas fellow has all the qualifications to be placed on the Monmouth County Board of Taxation.
Amen, 9:17 he's an embarrassment and a patsy.
Anonymous 11:14,
Isn't one nitwit recently appointed to the Monmouth county Board of Taxation enough?
To get an appointment there all one needs is a willingness to slander others....and the Republicans in this county have plenty of those characters !
You constantly talk about people not even running for office. Why?
anon 6:47, Why do we talk constantly about people not running for office?
Not sure I understand why you ask.
There are plenty of comments about the candidates.
When one party criticizes another, people usually go after the messenger to discredit the author.
It happens on both sides and goes with the territory.
Anon 6:47,
Because the person referenced has and uses a vicious mouth every election season and against anyone who disagrees with her ! That's why! Just read the comments shes responsible for under a shit load of aliases and screen names.
Might as well be her fingerprints as the game is always the same and she uses her vicious tongue against anybody and everybody.There are times she has no real reason except maybe thinks she knows it all and the rest of us don't. That's why. Satisfied now?
Just hope your are correct on
your guessing throughout this blog on citizens you pinpoint. Mike also for printing it and adding his input :)) just saying.
Have yourselves a mighty fine day
As Reagan would say, "There you go again..."
A little vague insinuation about libel, perchance?
We know your game. Poking and prodding and urging people to "name names" than trying to play "gotcha".
Is that the best you got? Seems to me people who are so thin-skinned shouldn't be engaged in politics. Wasn't there someone who quoted Harry Truman on this blog a while back...you know..."if you can't stand the heat.."? Think it was Legion, but it may have been an "Anonymous" :) -
Y'all have a fine day too.
5:26 Honey You haven't a clue, this blog is weak!
I don't have to play gotcha. I know who they are. They are the same wannabe's year after year, crying it's the "R's" fault, they are complete losers, year after year. All four of them, until they get someone new to run and throw her 3 friends into the mix.
Oh, add MM now 8. Weak
How could anything be the "Rs" fault, they are only 100% of the Township Committee?
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