THE WRITTEN WORD

It is a shame that most people believe every thing they read. This leaves the door open for anything in print to be assumed as true. It is in the political arena there seems to be no accountability for written statements on political flyers and mailed letters. From the race for the Governor of NJ right on down to the local elections both sides for the most part put out political propaganda. Sadly, I was told this is how most elections are won or lost. It is time for us the voters to demand clean elections based on credibility and credentials of the candidates. It is time to levy fines on those that lie or exaggerate statistics to make the opposition look bad or they look good. 

We need to demand answers to questions as to how they are going to make good on their promises to lower taxes or promote the general good of the town. If they take “credit” for something that transpired they should have to show how and when they accomplished the achievement. There are victims to these lies and many times it is to us or the candidates that are running. As much as I differ from many of the political goals of Jennifer Beck, she was wrongly accosted of being anti-Semitic and should be apologized to publicly. The literature put out on the parking garage in our local election was exaggerated as being six stories when it is proposed at three stories. John Curly was a councilman for three years not six. We the public are negligent in not demanding positive information as to how we are going to be governed not promises that ultimately cannot be brought to fruition.

Our town is at a major cross road and I see us repeating the past. There are twelve stores empty on Broad Street and more to come. I see the tax burden swinging over to the home owners again over the coming years. Without competent “business” based leadership we will all pay the price for it in the coming years. We need to do our homework and investigate the candidates on all levels from their credentials to their claims of ability to manage a major community. Make them show us what they have done in other arenas that are successful that they can bring to the table.