LETTER: Hypocrisy alive and well in Middletown campaign

The following letter appears in the Asbury Park Press:

People regularly rate politicians as not admired. One reason for this, I suspect, is the hypocrisy that too often oozes out. Whether it is the liberal who lectures about equal rights but sexually harasses his assistant or the conservative who champions the right to life but asks his lover to get an abortion, people are sick of hypocrites.

Unfortunately, hypocrisy is alive and well in Middletown. Stephanie Murray is running under the slogan: “Taxpayers First.” The slogan is printed on her super-sized signs around town. Why is that slogan hypocritical one might ask?

Read this quote from Middletown official's home up for sheriff's sale the Dec. 13, 2016, Asbury Park Press: “The IRS has placed a lien for more than $78,000 in unpaid federal income taxes on Middletown Committeewoman Stephanie Murray’s and her husband’s home.” It is hypocrisy to run for office on the slogan “Taxpayers First” when there is a tax lien on your home.

Paul J. Jansen
Middletown

Letter: For Those That Can't Reach Gov. Christie Call The Lt. Gov

The expressed opinions or views of this letter does not necessarily represent the opinion of the MiddletownMike blog:

Dear Editor,

It is unclear when the Chris Christie Presidential Wannabe Magical Mystery Tour will end, spending taxpayer money all around the country, but refusing to provide the citizens of our state with any sort of accounting to explain how our money has been spent. The court battles to keep these records secret have also been at taxpayer expense.

Many citizens have questions for Governor-turned-Dictator Chris Christie, but with him travelling out-of-state all the time in his megalomaniacal fantasy to become U.S. President, they simply can’t reach him.

Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadagno carries a cell phone and tells business people to call it if they have problems with red tape or otherwise need her assistance to use it. I believe we should share that number with the Sandy families Christie has abandoned and anyone else who has questions for his administration. Call 609-575-8111.



Eric Hafner
Toms River

Letters to the Editor

Over the last few days I've received a handful of  letters to the editor that I will be posting after this comment:

I am always open to posting reader letters and op-eds if readers are inclined to send them to me. I don't care who sends them as long as they are signed and are about a legitimate issue or concern. I don't care if the letters are from Conservatives or Liberals or Republicans or Democrats.  If you have something to say and wish to express it in an intelligent and meaningful way, I'll print it whether or not I agree with it. That has always been my policy and always will be. I'll let the people who like to leave comments, debate the merits of the letters if they so choose.

APP Letter: (Trinity Hall) School would worsen traffic in neighborhood

I saw the following letter in the Asbury Park Press the other day and haven't gotten around to posting it until this afternoon. The letter was written by a Middletown resident and member of the Chapel Hill Neighborhood Group, Kira Nelson, who is opposed to the all-girls school,Trinity Hall being built off of Chapel Hill road in Middletown.

I am printing this letter because it is of interest to some of those that live and work in Middletown, not as one commenter suggested in the comments section of another post, because I am a political opportunist. If supporters of Trinity Hall wish to submit a letter to this blog that they would like posted they are free to do so. So far only one person has done so and I haven't come across any that have been published elsewhere as of yet ( which doesn't mean that there hasn't been, it just means that I haven't seen one or had a letter pointed out to me)

From the APP:

I am a lifelong resident of Middletown and I do not support Trinity Hall and its desire to build in my neighborhood.

First of all, this historic, rural area is not capable of handling the traffic that the supposed 500 students will bring. These streets are narrow, and road widening in the area of the entrance to the school will not help.

The areas surrounding Chapel Hill are not designed for the school, as well. The intersection of Monmouth Avenue, Portland Road, Whippoorwill Valley Road and Kings Highway East is already filled with speeding cars, along with sharp curves. More cars will only add to the frustration.

Take a look at the light at Chapel Hill Road and Route 35. Can you imagine more cars there? It easily gets backed up to the cemetery.

There are plenty of empty buildings that can house this all-girls school that is apparently so needed in Monmouth County. I did not need it.

I proudly went to a co-educational Catholic school. Along with my mother, they taught me to do anything I set my mind to and the fact that I am a woman should never hold me back.

Kira Nelsen

Chapel Hill Neighborhood Group

MIDDLETOWN

Letter: 5 Years Later It's Still Politics As Usual

In the fall of 2005 I wrote an opinion letter that today I discovered had been printed by "The Suburban" of Old Bridge-Sayreville,as well as by newspapers locally. I noted also that my observations then are still true today, five years later. Politics doesn't change much as politics and politicians are just as bad now or perhaps worse - if that is possible.

Election day is over and the "silly season" has also ended...at least until June when it's primary time. Did you ever ask what motivates a politician ? It is not always explained by Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs or the desire to serve.We have learned greed,power and ,corruption can be the most powerful of motivators,overriding any virtue or conscience an individual may have. Then there are times when some politicians have more nerve than brains.

Solutions for some of politics ills are term limits. Term limits are necessary to correct the evils of politics. Don't kid yourselves ..... some aspects of politics are corrupting. Just read the newspapers in the aftermath of the recent elections. Too much concentration of power in one party or one politician is unhealthy for the masses. This is why we have more than a single party system. Our forefathers were not naive.

There are different schools of thought and different approaches to governing and solving problems. That does not make one proposal wrong because it is proposed by one party and opposed by another.

Negotiation and consensus minus the corruption, greed, power struggles and egotism might really make headway in solving some of this country's and this state's critical issues as well as many issues in local communities. Unfortunately I don't have any delusions about New Jersey, or the communities or politics. i just hope for a better world.... someday !

Currently, as was true five years ago, this state can hold itself up as the epitome of all that's wrong with politics in this country. It's time for the residents of New Jersey to really pay attention to current events,educate themselves,and exercise their franchise to vote. Make politicians prove their integrity and worthiness of the public trust. Don't be fooled by the rhetoric,much of it is hyperbole or worse !

Regardless of your political persuasion, understand we can no longer afford the follies of the fools. Character flaws are character flaws. We do not need politicians whose sole purpose is to serve themselves or their political parties. They are elected to serve all of us regardless of party affiliation. We, the residents and taxpayers,the citizens of this country,this state or our communities are the losers if we allow this.

Remember always the old adages "to the victor goes the spoils"."if you don't vote, don't complain",and if you are a politician reading this " there is no honor among thieves" and "if the shoe fits wear it" !

And last but not least.... the sun will come up tomorrow and "silly season" will come again. You can bet on it !


Barbara R. Thorpe
Lincroft,N.J.

Letter: Fed Up With "Tax Man" Scharfenberger

I'm fed up in Middletown. How much more does the Township Committee majority think we homeowners can take?

Mayor Gerard P. Scharfenberger, the "tax man," went to Trenton to get dispensation for his unconscionable increase in taxes.

The state has a 4 percent cap on tax increases, but thanks to his connections in Trenton, he was allowed to increase them more than 12 percent.

Scharfenberger would like us to believe the increase is only 2.8 percent. This is a smokescreen that lets him hide behind the actual increase. Don't be fooled.
It's time to retire the tax man with your vote for Sean Byrnes and Mary Mahoney, who better understand the pressures on Middletown homeowners.

Byrnes is the only serious financial voice on the Township Committee. He voted down this unprecedented increase in taxes because he felt the township could have done a better job in planning this year's budget.

Marilyn Tuohy
MIDDLETOWN

Letter: Mahoney deserves Middletown's vote

I just found the following letter published on-line over at the Asbury Park Press. The letter is in support of Middletown's Democratic Committeeman Sean Byrnes's running mate Mary Mahoney.

Mary is starting to build a very large following around town and is quickly becoming Middletown's "darling". Those that meet her on the campaign trail can not help themselves from falling for her and her bubbly, warm and down-to-earth, genuine persona. She has been describe by those that have met her as a "Natural":

I have been a resident of Middletown for 23 years. Over the past few years, I have noticed a conspicuous lack of transparency in our local government and been disappointed by many of the decisions and policies pursued by the current leadership.

This year, one of the candidates, Mary Mahoney, is someone I have known and worked with for many years. Mahoney has consistently been an outstanding leader in our community.

I have had the privilege of working closely with Mahoney on the Lincroft PTA executive board, and know how intelligent, dedicated and hardworking she is.

This November, Middletown residents should support a new direction for the township by casting a vote for Mahoney.

Judy Krivitzky

MIDDLETOWN

Letter: The Republican Majority In Middletown Is Financially Irresponsible

The following letter was sent to me by Lincroft resident Barbara Thorpe who wishes to express her opinion on how irresponsible the Republican majority is when it comes to managing the Townships finances:

The Republican majority of Middletown's Township Committee is financially irresponsible.. big time. They exhibit insensitivity to current economic conditions as they relentlessly pursue the installation of turf fields within the township which already has turf on each of it's high school fields. Are the taxpayers now being obligated to providing turf in townships parks at the public expense during the most financially challenged times since the Great Depression ?

Middletown Township has more parks than Monmouth County and fails miserably in adequately maintaining any of them. Just what is done with the appropriations for Parks and Recreation? More than half goes to salaries and why is the town not realizing better service from the employees in that department. Is it attributable to poor management ? Please tell us,Greg Silva or Gerard Scharfenberger . Seems there are many questions that demand answers in this scenario. Also bond issues are indebtedness that must be repaid with interest over time so it's not free money as the committee would like the public to believe.

This resident understands one consideration of the republicans..this is a re-election year for the current mayor and he desperately needs an issue to run on. Try financial responsibility. That's an issue every resident can understand and wants. It has been lacking in this township for several years. I am referring to the Township finances,not the BOE finances for education.

The BOE in Middletown does one of the best jobs in this state with the tax dollars they are entrusted to manage. They achieve one of the lowest per student expense and one of the best quality of education ratings.

Barbara R.Thorpe
Lincroft

Unfair to Corzine, Blind-Eye to Christie

The following letter appeared in the Asbury Park Press yesterday. Written in support of Governr Jon Corzine, the letter points out the paper's apparent bias against Democrats and support for Republicans.

Sanford L. Cook from Ocean, points out in his letter how the Asbury Park Press asks readers to keep a watchful eye and to keep score on Corzine's activities but yet turns a blind-eye to the words and dealings of Chris Christie, the Governor's opponent in November's election.

What really struck me about this letter is the fact that the Asbury Park Press printed it but left it off of the newspapers online version where people could comment on it, all of yesterday's letters are online other than Mr. Cook's.

Maybe Mr. Cook of Ocean Township has a point!

As the Asbury Park Press builds its crescendo "reporting" on Democratic spending in New Jersey, the reader should keep a watchful eye on the so-called objective staff reports and editorials that vilify Democrats and glorify Republicans.

How many dollars is the reporting and editorializing of the Press worth to the Republicans' campaigns?

The Press has asked readers to, keep score on Gov. Jon Corzine's activities with added – usually - negative - language and Republican-politicized remarks to any events that report Corzine's successes. This governor is repeatedly lauded by the national press as a leader, guiding New' Jersey through a global recession, particularly with the restraints and taxing issues he inherited from past administrations.

Republicans conveniently remind us of Corzine's first-term campaign statements during a prosperous economy compared to the current economic environment. It wouldn't be surprising for Corzine to be blamed for the wet spring and swine flu.

Yet GOP gubernatorial candidate Chris Christie asks that "we watch Corzine's actions and not his words."

So far Corzine's actions look pretty good to all except the Press, the Republicans and those who still cling to the "throw-the-bum-out" clichés of the past. On the other hand, Christie - who tells us not to listen to his opponent regarding selective parts of Christie's past - is without a program of his own beyond simplistic, populist slogans reminiscent of Karl Rove and George Bush tactics .

To paraphrase Christie's own war cry: "Look at Christie's actions and not what he says." Is anybody in great suspense as to whom the Press will endorse for governor and county offices?

Sanford L. Cook
Ocean Township