Start cutting

Much has been made of last week's brouhaha between Freeholders Anna Little and Bill Barham over Barham's participation in discussions about the Hall of Records renovation being performed by Barham's business partner. Little's request that Barham recuse himself shouldn't have been necessary and it should not have been news. What made it news is that it challenged the culture of cozy cronyism in Freehold.

Of much more significance, substantively, was the board's decision to table its vote on the county budget rather than pass it with Little's dissent. Little's strong backbone, and the other Freeholders lack thereof, is likely to save taxpayers money without a reduction in services. What will end up being reduced is the increase in the county's surplus.

Of note, last year when he was running for the Freeholder seat won by Anna Little, Wall Township Municipal chair Bob McKenna was railing against last year's budget increase of some $22 million. Where is Bob now? He is amongst the GOP insiders looking to run the only budget cutter out of town.

When they were running for their seats 2 years ago, Barham and Lillian Burry proposed zero based budgeting. What happened to that? Nothing. Now Burry talks about having good professionals do their job for her to rubber stamp.

It is time for the GOP to really reform county government, rather than talk about reform, do the same old thing and go on the campaign trail selling the Monmouth's quality of life and the AAA bond rating. Cutting the county budget would be a good start. Do it now or lose control in November.