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Matthews, Hartman, & Melchiondo's Big Loss
As the dust settles on the 2008 election, the results are clear that the people of Barnegat won big 3 times, and that Matthews, Hartman & Melchiondo were given a big message from the voters.
First message - H. Kenneth Matthews, the people of Barnegat want leadership...not unresponsive politicians. By arrogantly not answering the people's questions in our Candidates' Forum 2008 Matthews has no one but himself to blame for his 45-vote loss to Len Morano. DowntownBarnegat.com had a record number of readers this election season. We know for a fact that the vast majority of our readers are fair-minded people that just want the facts, and they'll make up their own minds on what is best for them and Barnegat. Matthews showed a lack of leadership by running away from questions while at the same time asking voters to submit questions to him on all of his political mailers.
Matthews has been waiting for the best time to run for office for many years, and probably thought that 2008 would be a sure thing for him. Republicans dominated throughout the county. Everyone knew that McCain would produce a strong turn-out here, and all you needed was an "R" next to your name and you would win. Well think again Mr. Matthews. While the people of Barnegat rejected him and the type of leadership he represents, ego will most likely drive Matthews to try again, but for now Matthews' loss is a big win for the people of Barnegat.
Second message - Tom Hartman, the people of Barnegat don't want to pay for your park dream. By a 2 to 1 margin, the people of Barnegat voted down another Republican tax hike. Now we were corrected by a respected reader of this site that a "YES" vote on this question would not mean the building of a new park, but the funding would be used to maintain our current parks. We - and obviously others - feel this is not the case here, and this is why. If the $13 million park Hartman has been pushing since he took office had not failed in the past, this question would have never been placed on the ballot. It's simple...the taxpayers can't afford any more Republican tax hikes. We don't trust how our current leadership is spending our money. Our current recreation facilities have been ripped down - or neglected - for way too long, while the Republicans push new construction of parks. The people of Barnegat rejected this additional Republican tax hike, and it was one final rejection of Thomas Hartman. For once, the taxpayer won big.
Third message - Jeff Melchiondo, your support of Republican candidates holds no weight. Every negative political mailer sent to our home had Jeff's smiling face telling us he supports this negative message. The people of Barnegat have had enough of Melchiondo/Cirulli's negative dirty politics. Each October we get the same garbage from him, and we're sick of it. Ironically in the end, Len Morano defeated Melchiondo yet again, despite Melchiondo's negative attacks.
The most telling sign is that Melchiondo was unable to show any positive reasons to vote for his candidates. After six years of Republican control, he had very little to point to as accomplishments. His last mailer was the most pathetic. In it he states 4 Republican accomplishments:
1) "Barnegat's per capita tax burden rating has DECREASED EVERY YEAR..."
Don't laugh. They actually wrote this. This is why politics and bad politicians make good people sick. We all know that Melchiondo and Cirulli promised us that they would "stabilize taxes", yet every year since they've been elected THEY HAVE RAISED OUR TAXES, yet they want to fool uneducated voters by printing in big letters the words "DECREASED EVERY YEAR". This is simply despicable. Just look at your tax bill and you will see an INCREASE. Oh wait...you can't. The people of Barnegat don't have their tax bills. They weren't sent out, although our bills should have been due November 1st. This is disgraceful politics at the taxpayer's expense.
2) "Our public works equipment has been upgraded and is now properly maintained."
Now...our public works people have ALWAYS been great, and we're glad they have equipment that's upgraded and properly maintained, but have you looked at our streets and sidewalks lately? OUR INFRASTRUCTURE IS CRUMBLING. On Election Day we actually saw with our own eyes a street cleaner cleaning our street...our street is a crumbling piece of rubble. What a waste of our good public works' time and effort.
The state of New Jersey just awarded $78.75 million in grants to 372 towns for improvements to streets and sidewalks. BARNEGAT RECEIVED $0. Yet, another failure with the name Melchiondo and Cirulli written all over it.
3) "Our police department has been reorganized and is functioning as an award-winning team."
Our police department is NOT POLITICAL, and it is unforgiveable for them to be used as a political pawn for anyone. Our police department is great because of great leadership...not Republican leadership or Democratic leadership...but police leadership. Chief Arthur Drexler is the leader responsible. His leadership makes Barnegat proud that we have a professional police force that is outstanding. For the Republicans to try to politicize Chief Drexler, it is not only ridiculous, it is pathetic and disrespectful to Barnegat. Our police have courage, respect and leadership. Sadly these qualities are lacking with our Republican Committeeman.
4) "We now have 4 County Parks, Project Playground, useable fields at Lower Shore Road, new playground equipment in most of our Pocket Parks and a stunning new dock on our waterfront, and our facilities are being maintained."
First off, our dock is very nice. Public Works did a great job. I don't know if these Public Works people are Republicans or Democrats, but I do know this is actually the only real accomplishment that the Republicans can point to in 6 years of control. Project Playground was sadly politicized, and is under a dark ugly cloud of suspicion for mis-appropriations as reported in the local press, and then never followed up on. The Lower Shore tennis courts are unbelievably still unusable! Playgrounds and baseball fields have been RIPPED DOWN BEFORE OUR CHILDREN'S EYES.
All this under Melchiondo and Cirulli. If you want to know why Barnegat dropped from the #1 place to live down 13 spots in Ocean County and #270 overall in New Jersey -- just look around. Yes, Melchiondo was the big loser as the voters voted down his tax increases and rejected his friend Matthews. If the Republican machine that runs Barnegat lets him run again next year, he will most likely lose again. This would be a big win for Barnegat.
That's it folks. The 2008 election is over. If you can still afford to live in Barnegat next year, make sure you get out and vote again. Who knows? Maybe we can finally make Barnegat a better place to live for all of us.
The Hartman Team of Matthews & Lisella Have No Answers
During Barnegat's Darkest Economic Time, They Are Silent
On every political mailer sent to the homes in Barnegat, Ken Matthews and Marty Lisella say "Send your comments or questions to BarnegatGOP@comcast.net". DowntownBarnegat.com sent them 6 questions for our Candidates Forum '08. Some were questions that were based on some of our stories, and some were questions submitted by our loyal readers. They did not give YOU - the people of Barnegat - the common courtesy of a response. Much like their teammate, controversial Committeeman Thomas Hartman, they have chosen to run away when real leadership would dictate facing issues head on. Matthews and Lisella look like they would be the same old story, when what Barnegat really needs is CHANGE.
DowntownBarnegat.com is proudly an independent site. When someone from any political party is not truthful, we have the courage to stand up for the people of Barnegat and set the record straight. When Committeeman Hartman lied to everyone regarding the GOP and the Chamber of Commerce killing Barnegat's Heritage Day, we alone stood up to him. At the time we asked if Hartman could lie about a little thing like Heritage Day, what else could he lie about?
Now we have Hartman's team of Matthews & Lisella not answering our Forum questions while at the same time sending out a mailer full of mis-representations, many based on the questions we asked. So let's look at what Matthews & Lisella had to say.
1) They talk about double dipping and accuse Len Morano of taking health insurance at the taxpayer's expense. That is true. Len Morano takes a small amount of health insurance, but this is what they DIDN'T tell you...in just one year, Hartman made the taxpayers of Barnegat pay over $30,000 for HIS health care while he was employeed full time elsewhere. Also, Committeeman Jeff "I endorse the Lisella/Matthews Team" Melchiondo, took over $20,000 of free health care from the Barnegat taxpayer. Melchiondo at the time was an appointed Committeeman after being beaten by Morano in the general election. At any time over the past several years, the Republican machine that runs Barnegat could have voted that Committeepeople receive NOTHING for health insurance....they did not. To accuse Morano is pure hypocrisy and pure politics by Matthews, Lisella, and their handlers.
2) Matthews & Lisella say the average taxes will rise $30-$60 per household this year. What the DON'T tell you is that the Republican Committeemen raised our taxes 5.3 % this year. Then, they take the 4 % decrease in the School Tax (this is a decrease the voters demanded by voting down the School budget). Matthews, Lisella, and their handlers took the School decrease and combined it with their whopping increase to come up with a smaller overall increase. This is deceptive and despicable. This is the fact they won't tell you. Every Republican Committeeman raised our taxes this year 5.3 % , and they raised it last year 8.6 % . It would appear that Matthews & Lisella are OK with this. By the way, the Republicans did this after promising the Barnegat taxpayer they would keep taxes "stable".
3) Matthews & Lisella give some lame excuse for Sonic not coming to Barnegat after it was used in the Republican political material that it would INDEED be in Barnegat. They say that Sonic was not discouraged by Barnegat officials. This is what Sonic franchisee owner Angelo Eppolito told the Asbury Park Press after he decided to NOT open in Barnegat..."Some people have asked, why choose Waretown to come to. You want a town that wants you to be there as much as you want to be there. There is growth in town." FACT: Sonic was a huge failure for Ken Matthews and Barnegat. Also, why not address Sweet Jenny's proposed new restaurant? Matthews and Lisella's silence is deafening.
4) Matthews & Lisella are proud to be #13. When last year Barnegat was the #1 place to live in Ocean County according to NJ Monthly Magazine. FACT: Barnegat fell from #1 in Ocean County and is the #270th best place to live in New Jersey according to NJ Monthly Magazine. Again, Barnegat is #270 overall -- and fell 13 spots in Ocean County alone in 1 year!! That is nothing to be proud of, Mr. Matthews and Mr. Lisella. If Matthews & Lisella answered our Forum question, they could have explained this to the voter...but they can't. Instead they say "...unjustified public bashing of Barnegat WITH LIES, we would still be #1". What? This is the truth Mr. Matthews and Mr. Lisella. IT IS THE REPUBLICAN TAX HIKES FOR THE PAST 2 YEARS THAT COST BARNEGAT ITS #1 RANKING. The Republicans are responsible for this, and of course Matthews & Lisella were silent.
We at DowntownBarnegat.com are very dissapointed by candidates Matthews & Lisella. We sadly cannot see any difference between them and their colleague, Thomas Hartman. We reached out to them with respect to give them an honest, fair opportunity to express their views on what they would do for Barnegat. Quite frankly, we like candidates Morano & Chiarelli's answers much better. In a time of great crisis, WE NEED LEADERS OF COURAGE TO ANSWER THE TOUGH QUESTIONS. Thankfully we have Len Morano and Gene Chiarelli. On behalf of the many visitors we will have over this election season, we would like to thank Mr. Morano and Chiarelli for answering our questions. It certainly looks like THEY have the courage to lead us in the future.
Lisella and Matthews go negative, and give no details on what they will do.
Reminiscent of the high-priced sleaze campaign of 2006, candidates Lisella and Matthews get ugly. Instead of giving any details on how they will help the people of Barnegat as we face what could be the greatest economic crisis this town will ever see, they decide to once again smear ex-Mayor Coulter (who by the way isn't a candidate). The problem is you cannot understand their latest attack ad. They re-print an "actual email" without the reader knowing when it was written, or who wrote it. After reading it, we honestly cannot even comment on it because it makes no sense, and from what I see, has no relevance to this election.
What Lisella and Matthews also do is take a full page to personally attack Committeeman Morano for "do nothing leadership". For anyone who knows how Barnegat is run, this is quite laughable because Len Morano has been the lone voice for many years that has stood AGAINST the Republican tax increases that now jeapordize the opportunity for many of us to afford to live here anymore.
Stay tuned.
Democrats come out strong.
Len Morano and Gene Chiarelli sent out a powerful mailer this weekend that highlighted some issues that point out why most residents have "had enough" of politics as usual.
Highlighting Republican tax hikes, Barnegat's #270 ranking as a good place to live, the now disgraced Novrit/Hartman team, and most interesting "clubhouse politics" that sends our hard-earned tax dollars to Toms River as the people of Barnegat suffer. This is certainly a powerful mailer -- or should we say "nailer"? This is not an expensive full-color glossy fluff piece but instead talks about the problems we all face in Barnegat.
This is information that you won't find in our local newspaper reports about Barnegat, but sadly it is the truth. For the voters who are un-biased and already know how badly the Republicans have governed Barnegat, it would be good to know what the Democrats would do differently. How would they make Barnegat # 1 again? Hopefully that info will come soon...we'll let you know.
New comer in politics or a relative of the old
Mr. Liseela is new in town and a fine gentleman, I assume. The replacement to run for for Hartman's position is like running Hartman as it it said that he is the old power broker's and GOP fund raiser's relative, one Tony Altomare. We are headed right back into the hands of Toms River if he is elected as it would be business as usual and that is not good for the Township of Barnegat, status quo for Barnegat is not the agenda.
Remember to vote and not be fooled by a false no tax increase that may come about just in time for the election.
Fees in the township for permits, etc., have gone through the roof have been disguised tax increases.
The Hartman team...Lisella and Matthews...introduces themselves to the voters.
The first of what should be many slick, expensive, full-color glossy mailers were sent out to our homes this weekend. The Hartman team of Lisella and Matthews spent a lot of someone's money to tell us that they are "Leading the way to Barnegat's future...through continued progress." This is the same slogan that was used while Hartman was on the ticket, by the way. Although there are no details provided outlining what "progress" they are refering to, we hope they will go into detail in future mailings.
On the back of the mailer they do bullet 3 points stating things that the reader would assume Lisella and Matthews will try to do. The bullet points are;
- Reduce government spending and debt
- Improve recreational opportunities for all of our residents
- Control Development for our community through smart planning principles and clean commercial ratables
If one wanted to criticize the current Committee, these would be the 3 points you would bring up. What Lisella and Matthews have to do is tell the voters how they will CHANGE their own party and actually accomplish what their collegues could not. These 3 bullet points are not an example of "continued progress" if Lisella and Matthews could deliver these promises, that would be great. Someone has to change the direction of the current Committee, and actually DO what these bullet points state. Lisella and Matthews have to tell us how they are going to stand up to their own Party and enact the change Barnegat needs.
- Lower taxes
- Improved recreation
- Smart growth
How can Barnegat progress in the future if the Committee doesn't change? That's what we need to hear from Lisella and Matthews. We'll be on the lookout to see how they would lower taxes, provide recreation and smart growth for the people of Barnegat. Again, this is something our elected officials have FAILED to do for the past few years.
I say let's keep an open mind and listen to what all the candidates have to say, but don't be fooled by the oldest trick in the book...stating things your Party has failed to do, and acting like they did them. The people of Barnegat are not dumb. If you want our vote, tell us the truth...don't try to fool us.
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