Letters
Lose officials who don't represent voters' interests

It's time for the citizens of this state to wake up and do their job. The job is to go to the polls on all election days in this state and remove all incumbents from their part-time, $45,000-a-year job with perks, benefits and pension.

These men and women of both parties are not doing the job they were elected to do. They have not been able to resolve the property-tax issue in this state. I believe most of them know that part of the solution is in the elimination of home rule. But they won't touch that issue. After all these years, members of either political party have not been able to resolve the major problems that confront this state. Either they don't have the intelligence or imagination to do so or they just don't care about us.

We still have the distinction of having the highest property taxes in the nation. We still lead the nation in having the highest automobile insurance rates. We are rated fifth in having the dirtiest air in the nation. They haven't been able to control the budget, and they continue to tax and tax. Certainly, if these elected officials, our elected representatives, were working for a private company, they would have been fired and new employees hired.

While we continue to keep them in office, they continue to burden us with such laws as not using cell phones and banning smoking. Some would introduce legislation that would double the fines if you get caught speeding and smoking at the same time. Many of these new laws are what we might call "politically correct laws." Some of them may be valid, but the point here is let's take care of the important business in running this state.

Remember, people, we have the power to fire these men and women who do not represent our interest. Let's stop complaining and do our job by voting them out. You will see how fast the business of the state will get done. This applies also to those in Congress - the same can be said of all of them. Every two years we can fire and hire new people for the House of Representatives.

Let's begin to use our power. Let's finally wake up.

John Scalamonti

Old Bridge

Monroe's destiny is in capable, dedicated hands

While reading the Sentinel on May 18, I came across a letter to the editor from Harold V. Kane of Monroe ("Calls for Resignations of Seven Planning Board Appointees"). In the letter he makes a number of statements regarding the members of the Monroe Township Planning Board including, "They all have ties to the Lynch/Pucci arm of the Democratic Party" and "These eight will approve the stadium when directed to do so."

Well Mr. Kane, whether you actually wrote this letter or merely signed your name to it, what you should always do first is check your facts. If you had, you would have discovered that I am a registered Republican and have been so since I was old enough to vote. Republican Mayor Peter Garibaldi first appointed me to the Planning Board in 1979. I successfully ran for the Monroe Township Council and served two terms as a Republican Councilman (1980-87), the last two years as council president.

This information is available on public record for you to see. I have no doubt that there are those within the local Democratic organization who would rather fill my seat with one of their own. Instead, Mayor Richard Pucci has chosen to reappoint me numerous times - and that speaks volumes about his character.

How will I vote on Jack Morris' baseball stadium and shopping center? I really can't answer that until the application is presented to the Planning Board for its review. When it is, I will first look at the zoning, how it conforms to our master plan, the number of variances requested, the traffic-impact study, the environmental board reports, etc. At the Planning Board meeting, I will listen to our professionals, to my other board members and to the public before coming to a decision.

I am privileged to sit with eight capable people who are focused on making the best planning decisions for the residents of Monroe. What we all share in common is that we give freely of our time and we strongly believe in community service. So to Mr. Kane's statement that "Monroe's destiny does not look good," the answer is that Monroe's destiny looks absolutely fine and it is in the hands of dedicated people with the highest of standards.

Mr. Kane, I would suggest that before you attempt to besmirch the reputations of the Planning Board members any further, you should first do your homework, and second, attend a board meeting and observe firsthand how we deliberate the applications before us. You just might come away with a different point of view.

David Rothman

member

Monroe Township Planning Board

Slow down, think about the safety of others in E.B.

There is such a simple solution to retrieving revenue for this township.

Sit the traffic officers on any given residential street between the hours of 8 and 9 a.m., wherever the speed limit is 25 mph. It would be like hitting the lottery.

People need to slow down and think about the safety of others. There is a speed limit for a reason. And, I dare say, school buses and public works department employees should not think they are exempt.

The township will win in two ways - there will be more awareness of zero tolerance to speeding, and there will be more revenue.

Why is everyone in such a hurry? It's not like they don't have their coffee and phone with them while they're driving.

Janet Schulz

East Brunswick