With Anna Little gone from Freehold, so is the GOP's strongest voice for controlling county spending. Fortunately, Rob Clifton was quoted by the APP this week as saying that the Freeholders will consider cuts to the proposed county budget. But Democrat John D'Amico is carrying the fiscal restraint banner in the PR war.
The GOP Freeholders need to stop awarding contracts to the highest bidder and to stop arguing against the cost saving measures that D'Amico is proposing.
Perhaps the Republicans think the top of the ticket in this Presidential election year will carry them in November in Red Monmouth. However recent history shows that Monmouth County voters are thoughtful ticket splitters. In 2007, the Republican legislative and constitutional candidates swept the county, yet the Freeholders split. In 2006, Tom Kean, Jr carried the county in his race for US Senate against Robert Menendez, and the Freeholders split. In 2005, Doug Forrester carried the county in his gubernatorial bid, and the majority voted against Republican Freeholder candidates Bill Barham and Lillian Burry. If not for the APP's call for a bullet vote for a third party Freeholder candidate in 2005, Barham and Burry, who are up for re-election this year, would not have been elected.
If Barham is re-nominated the Democrats will take control. The only question is will the split be 3-2 or 4-1. The APP's treament of Barham will make their past treatment of Senators John Bennett and Ellen Karcher look like endorsements.
Burry can get re-elected, but she needs to start running now and use her position as Director to get free ink about what the voters care about: lower taxes and a more affordable way of life.
Burry told me at the Affiliated Republican Club dinner that she thought the battle to save Fort Monmouth should be abandoned and that we should get on with redeveloping the Fort. She needs to change her position on this issue immediately and become a leader in the battle to save the fort. The APP has done a great job demonstrating that the Pentagon lied and cheated in the BRAC hearings that lead to the decision to close the fort. Lillian needs to get on the right side of this issue.
She also should become an outspoken critc on Governor Corzine's 800% toll increase scheme. Corzine's scheme will have a devasating impact on Monmouth County voters. Burry needs to make headlines in protesting this scheme, even if it means getting arrested, when Corzine comes to Marlboro High School to sell the scheme on February 4.
Chairman Adam Puharic has set a February 8 deadline for candidates seeking the party's nomination for Freeholder, U.S Congress and U.S Senate to declare the candidacies to him.
Barham has not yet announced his intentions. John Curley of Red Bank and Mel Hood of Neptune are names that are being floated as possible candidates. Both would be good candidates. Jeff Cantor of Marlboro and the Mayor of Howell should consider throwing their hats in the ring.
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8 comments:
Awarding no-bid, highest bid contracts are no way to win an election. Ya just gotta love it! I can't wait for November when the board finally goes over to the "right" side. Bully Barham and Madame Burry should be sitting ducks this year. Especially with Judge D'Amico begging for some relief on the massive spending increase and the contracts awarded to, as the APP puts it, "politically connected" vendors. Same old, same old. Now, I know you and I have different philosophies on a lot of subjects, but it still amazes me that you want to continue to defend them and give them advice as to how to win instead of calling for their resignations when they so blatantly disregard any kind of reforms and cost savings. Do you think that Madame Burry really gives a hoot about saving the Fort when she's a Real Estate Broker and the redevelopment will put a windfall in her pockets? Gimme a break. The last thing she will want is for the Government to come to a decision that keeps the Fort open. Hmmmm...lets see, redevelopment with a Real Estate Broker at the helm, or keeping it open and it gains her nothing. Can we see where this is going? Remember, this is a woman who still heads up the Historical Preservation Committee in Colts Neck and when they do the Historical House Tour, she includes properties that are either listed with her company, or that she sold in the past. Does that sound kosher to you? We need to get rid of both of them.
Lillian Burry owns and operates a real estate business. Can you imagine more of a conflict of interest in saving Fort Monmouth or not saving Fort Monmouth...she wins either way! This was often times true of the former director also in his business associations. When thr people in Monmouth County elect representatives that represent those who elected them and not themselves,WE WILL ALL be better off.Return government to the people ,NOT THE POLITICIANS !! We are only a goose step away from anarchy in Monmouth County with the current agenda of the county republicans.The people cannot afford the transgressions of their representatives...Republican OR.Democrat..so get on with clean government EVERYWHERE.Congratulations to Barbara Mc Morrow and John D'Amico for your efforts!!
ambrosiajr said:
"...it still amazes me that you want to continue to defend them "
Show me where I defended them.
"...and give them advice as to how to win"
They are not my target audience. To the extent that they take my advice and govern accordingly, good!
If the Democrats take control of Monmouth County, there will eventually be terrible statewide consequences and an even weaker minority in Trenton.
The Monmouth GOP needs to right its ship. My writing is aimed at helping that happen.
Liliane can get re-elected?....please be serious. She just had to be the Director, so let her have it. She should not run. We cannot afford for her to be the face of the party. She has NO chance of being re-elected. Lets get some real candidates and stop the "they must be from my part of the county crap". The Freeholders are coming off as out of touch and spend happy.This is what happens when we select candidates who are not best for the County or the party. Nobody has the guts to do what is right. The Republican freeholders better take a sharp turn to the right and fast. Cut spending. Force Mr. D'Amico to offer some real solutions and pin him down...he is just tired and has no real ideas. Turn to the right now or just raise the white flag. New candidates, new ideas, new victory.
Art, I agree with you. But the problem with the Republican Party in Monmouth starts with Adam Puharic. I can't think of a republican chairman in monmouth county who has done more to destroy the republican party and elect democrats in my lifetime. We need to get rid of him and the inexperienced, incompetent egomaniacs he's surrounded himself with. If we have one more November with the likes of Andrew Lucas on the ballot we will not see republican control of this county in our lifetimes.
I am beginning to wonder if the mantra we will become Bergen county with beaches is true. Based on the performance of McMorrow and Damico so far even a republican has to ask would loosing control be bad for the county or just the party?
Just wondering.
The issue is the party is divided and has been for a long time. Once Fred got elected it was 20 years of old factions that had been held in check going wild. Whether it was right or wrong, Harry and Dowd kept a lid on things. Once that ended - and it was right that it did - all the separate factions that felt pinned down all these years cam out. Two Rivers, Western Monmouth, Bayshore, etc. Everybody wantd to be in charge and this splitting everybody up has hurt us. Some really wierd conventions and way too much fighting has led to this mess. It was not Fred or Adam because whoever is the next chairman will get bashed and blamed too. Its time to just all come together and decide who we are, what do we stand for and get back to fiscally conservative roots. The budget is a joke and any Republican Freeholder that goes along with it is off base. Cut spending, cut the payroll, start operating the county like a business. Pick candidates based on who can win and help the County and cut the crap with the politics of personal destruction and hatred. Its not to late to save this thing but were headed in a bad direction fast.
Barham needs to be gone if there is any chance for Republicans to advance Replican values. He is all about government for "friends and family", not government "of the people, by the people, and for the people". His substance and imae make his participation counterproductive. Let's all move on, including Bully Billy.
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