Letters

Residents urged to take part in ’05 Heart Walk

Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women. According to the American Heart Association, a woman is 10 times as likely to die from heart disease as from breast cancer. Nearly 500,000 women die each year in our country due to cardiovascular disease, including almost 15,000 New Jersey women. As a local business leader and Middlesex County health-care executive, these numbers are overwhelming and require strong action.

Nearly every one of us will be impacted by cardiovascular disease during our lifetime. One thing we can all do to live a healthier, longer life is make exercise, such as walking, a regular daily activity. A second thing we can all do is learn more about American Heart Association’s “Go Red for Women.” Do it for the women in your life — such as your mother, wife, daughter or best friend. American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women is a movement sponsored nationally, by Macy’s and Pfizer, that provides women with free resources, information, women’s programs and hope — to live longer, stronger lives.

As chairman of this year’s Middlesex County Heart Walk, I urge all residents, mothers and daughters, women from all walks of life, business and civic leaders, survivors and companies, to “get moving” and join us for the 14th annual American Heart Association Heart Walk at Middlesex County College, Edison, Oct. 2 at 9 a.m. The 2005 Middlesex County Heart Walk theme, “Walk. Change Tomorrow — Today” encourages everyone to make exercise a regular activity of daily life and to help raise money to fund more research to save more lives. The American Heart Association is “changing the tomorrow” for millions of people in New Jersey by currently funding more than $6 million in research in the Garden State.

Walk. Change tomorrow. Today. Join us at the 2005 American Heart Association Middlesex County Heart Walk Oct. 2. Learn more or register your team by calling the state office of the American Heart Association at (732) 821-2610.

Larry Cohen

chairman

2005 American Heart Association Middlesex County

Heart Walk

Resident: Reduce property-tax ‘gorilla’

Have you seen the stuffed toy gorilla? I have, at the Middlesex County Fair and on Route 18 in the back of a car.

The name of the gorilla is Gimme, and it represents our property taxes. Frank Coury, candidate for the State Assembly from the 18th District, said at the county fair that the gorilla is growing and he intends to reduce its weight by 60 percent. I’m all for it.

I like the idea of a dedicated-tax structure, which is part of the plan to reduce our property tax. Dedicating property tax to only municipal and county costs will reduce my property tax by 60 percent. Dedicating a 5-percent state income tax to funding primary and secondary education won’t hurt me or anybody else one bit.

I say bring it on and reduce the weight of the gorilla that’s been on my back for so many years. I know many people who plan to leave New Jersey because of the heavy burden of taxes, and any real change in reducing that burden may have the effect of keeping these people home where they want to be.

I look forward to seeing the gorilla traveling about the county carrying the message of reducing property taxes, and I hope eventually to see the gorilla reduced in weight.

Danny Carbone

East Brunswick

Local officials making life in Monroe better and better

There seems to be so much criticism of local government, but I am one of the lucky citizens of Monroe who can point to a number of accomplishments of our mayor and Township Council that have made this a great place to live.

We have an outstanding recreation center, a fine library, a senior citizen center with a list of programs and activities that cannot be matched, and emergency and police services that are the epitome of excellence. It seems impossible that all of this operates under one of the lowest property-tax rates in this county.

I also know that we can expect expanded programs and facilities because our local government is dedicated to making life in Monroe better and better.

Edward Goldman

Monroe

Council dedicated to preserving open space in Monroe

Unlike the fully developed communities in the north and central part of Middlesex County, we in Monroe Township are able to plan for future growth and control development.

And I am proud to say that our Township Council is dedicated to preserving open space. It has been able to take advantage of the county’s open-space preservation program, and it has budgeted funds to purchase open space at the municipal level. This has resulted in hundreds of acres being preserved as open space in perpetuity.

The township’s master plan indicates that 50 percent of the geographic area of the township will remain undeveloped. This means that the open space, parks and recreation areas that we all enjoy will be part of our community forever.

Joan Ricci

Monroe

One individual doesn’t speak for all residents of Milltown

After reading many letters and articles published in local newspapers, and watching the Borough Council and Ford Avenue meetings, I feel the need to comment.

There are many people who feel that they are speaking for all the residents of Milltown. Well, I live in Milltown, and by no means does Charles Jegou speak for me. David Crabiel does not speak for me. Alex Weiner and Ed Holton certainly do not speak for me. And Michael Lewycky, after comparing the Ford Avenue redevelopment to Hurricane Katrina, which by the way is extremely insensitive and disrespectful (“Milltown Must Learn From Impact of Hurricane Katrina,” Sentinel, Letters to the Editor, Sept. 9), I have no idea who you think you’re speaking for.

I do not understand why the “Sensible Milltowners” want the majority of the Ford Avenue property to be preserved as open space. Milltown, a small town of 1.6-square miles, already is home to Borough Park, Albert Avenue Park, Michelin Field, Mill Pond Park and 14 acres of preserved open space on Washington Avenue. The Ford Avenue site has never been open space. In fact it has always been just the opposite — an industrial hub generating tax ratables. Why now make it more open space?

I am all in favor of the redevelopment of the Ford Avenue property; it has been an eyesore for much too long. The construction of senior and age-restricted housing, restaurants, commercial and office space, along with pedestrian walkways and open space seems like a perfect fit to enhance and preserve the “small town” atmosphere that is Milltown.

However, the original promise of building a new firehouse, to now just donating $1 million toward a new firehouse, is unacceptable. The cost of a new firehouse will be substantially more than $1 million, not to mention the need to acquire the land to put it on.

Whether Ford Avenue is redeveloped or not, the Milltown Fire Department will need to purchase a new ladder truck within four years. This truck will not be able to fit into either of the present firehouses in town. Eureka Engine Company, located on Main Street, was built in 1889, and Eureka Hose Company on Cottage Avenue was built in 1925. While these two buildings have served the department well, the need for a new firehouse can no longer be ignored.

Also, I am considering starting my own organization — “MASM,” Milltowners Against Sensible Milltowners. Are you with me?

I am speaking for myself. These are my opinions.

Chris Grotkopf

Milltown

Local business, gov’t, community worked well together

On Labor Day weekend I was honored to be part of the East Brunswick Soccer Club Tournament.

The weather was picture-perfect, and with more than 200 teams competing, there were thousands of children enjoying the weekend. Behind the cheers from the parents, grandparents and friends and the smiles on the kids’ faces, there was something bigger taking place.

This event was not the result of some production company being paid to run the show. This glorious weekend full of laughter and centered around a soccer ball was made possible by local business, local government and the volunteer efforts of your neighbors. The tournament showed business, government and community working together, and it showed them at their best.

The Middlesex County Fair Association donated the use of its property free of charge, the township helped set up fields, control traffic and provide medical assistance for injured players, and the parents and kids volunteered for the hundreds of jobs required to pull off the weekend.

During the tournament, money was raised for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, which is dedicated to pediatric cancer research, and thousands of pieces of sports equipment were donated to the Pass Back Foundation, which provides help to underprivileged children. The soccer club also raised money through the event, and every penny goes back to the kids.

So the next time you look across the fence at another town, take a moment to look under your feet. With this type of teamwork between business, government and community, the grass is pretty darn green here, too.

Donald Moore

East Brunswick

Struggling middle class threat to nation’s security

According to recently released statistics, employers in June cut more than 110,000 jobs following on the heels of an 82,000 job loss number in the prior month of May.

This is a 73 percent increase in job losses from the same month a year ago, and continues a trend this year of a six-month job loss of more than a half million.

Job losses are coming not only in manufacturing, which has been bleeding jobs for decades now, but also in the retail, automotive, and the government sector.

For years we have been listening to politicians claim that jobs are being created in the retail sector to replace the jobs we lost in manufacturing. Now they are being swept away.

There are many reasons why.

Increased energy costs, outsourcing, mergers and acquisitions, and consolidation continue toward the troubling trend which will not abate any time soon.

Anyone who thinks that the loss of a strong middle class is not a threat to the security of our nation is a fool.

If working men and women cannot pay their bills, provide health insurance for their family, and educate their children, then the very security of our nation is threatened.

It’s time we all wake up and do the right thing.

Chip Gerrity

president

New Jersey I.B.E.W. (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers)

Hightstown