The Middletown Patch has posted my Candidate profile, a simple Q&A that consists of several inquiring questions that Middletown residents should find interesting. I'm going to post a snippet of the online publication here and encourage you all to follow the link to finish the article.
My only gripe (and it's minor) with this article is that regardless of how many times its pointed out that Tony Perry, like myself, is running for a seat on the Township Committee, where if reelected, he can be appointed once again as Mayor. It always seem to come across as if we're both running for Mayor. Middletown does not elect it's own Mayor. The person assuming the mayorship is appointed to the position by the other four sitting members of the Township Committee... Rant over 😊
Here is a little bit of what i had to say:
Give a brief bio on yourself. Age, education, occupation.
I’ve lived and raised my family in Middletown for 34 years. I’ve stood up for working-class taxpayers, special-needs families, affordability and transparency in government. Since 2008 my watchdog blog “MiddletownMike” has kept residents informed about township policies, issues and events. I am a proud graduate of Brookdale Community College and have worked in the chemical industry for 30 years.
Why are you running?
Middletown's government lacks a clear vision for our town's future. They rely on outdated strip malls and large developments without a strategy for organic growth. We need better commuting options, including walkability, bike lanes and transit connectivity. But, instead of addressing traffic congestion, the Township Committee keeps building car-dependent communities.
Growth is inevitable, but how we manage it defines our future. We can't grow sustainably without attracting new residents and businesses. Unfortunately, Middletown has an affordability problem: Young professionals, working-class families and seniors are being priced out. There are no more affordable housing options for those that wish to stay in our community.
The annual reassessment of Township property values has driven massive tax increases for the average homeowner. According to Middletown's CFO, the average property assessment has risen 47 percent over the past five years. That’s great if you're about to sell your home. If not, the tax increases associated with it will put you into the poorhouse!
Despite higher taxes, we're getting less value. Brush and leaf collection has been reduced, storm clean-up is lacking, our roads and sidewalks are in terrible condition. We can do better! We must commit to fixing our broken streets and sidewalks to promote and restore our walkable neighborhoods.
Can you pinpoint any failures on the Middletown Township Committee in the past few years — specifically point to things you would have done differently? What do you see are mistakes they've made in running the Township?
Over the years its been the perception that the Township Committee is more interested in maintaining the status quo than actually leading. Instead of looking forward to the future and embracing the changing world around us, its members look to the antiquated past of days gone by. Instead of living in the 21st century, they look back to the last century and yearn for the days of the 1950s. They are reactionary as opposed to visionary....
You can finish reading on the Middletown Patch
