FIVE - O!

FIVE - O!

That's what the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders will be come January when Freeholder-elect Gary Rich takes his seat. He will replace the last Democrat Freeholder, Amy Mallet, who along with running mate Bill Shea was soundly defeated. Surrogate Rosemarie Peters was reelected by about a 22,000 vote margin.
The 2012 Board will initially consist of Robert Clifton, Lillian Burry (just reelected), John Curley, Thomas Arnone and Gary Rich. Rob Clifton will then leave the Freeholder Board to take his seat in the State Assembly, as Amy Handlin did in 2006.
By State Law, the Monmouth County Republican Committee must convene and select a replacement freeholder.
Our teams swept all the Monmouth Legislative districts, too.

11th District:
Senator Jen Beck - WON
Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande - WON
Assemblywoman mart Pat Angelini - WON

12th District:
Senator Elect Sam Thompson - WON
Assemblyman Ronald dancer - WON
Assemblyman Elect Rob Clifton - WON

13th District:
Senator Joe Kyrillos - WON
Assemblywoman Amy Handlin - WON
Assemblyman Declan O'Scanlon - WON

30th District:
Senator Bob Singer - WON
Assemblyman Elect Sean Kean - WON
Assemblyman dave Rible - WON

UNION BUCKS COMING IN

Ready for the labor bucks? We thought so.
It's really not a lot this year (so far), but more will probably be reported after the election. Lately the Democrats have been trying to make their ELEC filings as complicated as possible, what with multiple accounts and whatnot.

Under the Monmouth County Democrats account, we only have a contribution from the Monmouth - Ocean Central Labor Council in the amount of $275.00 dated August 23, and Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 9 dated August 31 for $1,000.00. Both these unions have been known to contribute to both parties.

William Shea for Freeholder has more. They do not appear on Freeholder Amy Mallet's report or the Joint Campaign account report.

7/15/11 - IBEW Local 400, $1,500.00.
7/18/11 - Monmouth & Ocean Building & Construction Trades Council, $500.00.
7/21/11 - Plumbers Local 900, $1,000.00.
7/26/11 - Sheet Metal Workers Local 27, $500.00.
8/1/11 - Amalgamated Transit Union, $500.00.
8/4/11 - Insulators & Allied Works Local 89, $350.00.
8/10/11 - ATU NY COPE Fund, $2,600.00.
10/16/11 - IBEW Local 400, $500.00.
11/6/11 - NJEA, $1,250.00.

Again, these numbers seem pretty low campared to past years. As in the past however, it is notable that none of these unions are county public employee unions so it raises the question as to their interest in a Freeholder campaign in the first place. Knowing Mallet's past associations with South Jersey Democrat boss George Norcross and his lieutenant Steve Sweeney, we believe it all fits in.

UNION COUNTY BUCKS COMING IN

Is Union County the Democrats' idea of "where Democrats are doing a better job governing than Republicans?"
Well?
We've been monitoring the Monmouth County Democrats ELEC Reports and sure enough, they are getting some big bucks wheeled in from their Union County bosses.* The Democrats have been very coy with their filings, with separate filings for County Commissioner (neé Freeholder) candidates Amy Mallet and Bill Shea and Surrogate Candidate Michael Steinhorn, as well as a joint Mallet-Shea account. They try to hide behind sworn statements for the candidates and run the show out of the Monmouth County Democrats account. Most of these are from the Monmouth County Democrats account, except for that from Joseph Cryan, who contributed directly to Friends of Freeholder Mallet.
The Dems are obviously utterly unfazed by criticism of their wheeling. It's just what they do.
Checking the 48 hour reports, we find big bucks from two out of three 20th District (Union County) legislators. On October 26 the Assemblywoman Annette Quijano Election Fund contributed $5,000.00. Two days later, on October 28, the Election Fund of Senator Raymond J. Lesniak contributed $10,000.00. The third representative from that district, rootin' tootin' double-dippin' Undersheriff/Assemblyman Joseph Cryan, made his $1,000.00 contribution directly to Amy Mallet's campaign on September 18. Quijano's predecessor, child-porn impressario Neil Cohen has contributed to legislative races in the past.
Union County's neighbor to the north, Essex, has also shown its generosity through the largess of Assembly Speaker Sheila Y. Oliver (D-34). On April 12 the Committee to Elect Sheila Oliver gave $1,000.00 and on July 7 she ponied up another $500.00.
Between Union and Monmouth Counties lies Middlesex, always fertile ground for wheeled bucks. On July 8 the mysterious Sayreville-based Democracy in Motion PAC contributed $5,000.00; they gave another $10,000.00 on September 15. This contributor first appeared here in 2009. Also from Sayreville is 19th District Assemblyman John S. Wisniewski; on February 10 the Election Fund of John S. Wisniewski contributed $1,000.00 and another $2,500.00 on September 15.
This is what has surfaced so far. Certainly more will come to light after the election. Meanwhile, we will be delving into their Big Labor contributions.

*Of course, with the Democrats, down is up and up is down and wheeling isn't wheeling, so I guess the money isn't really wheeled. Or something.

RIDES FOR THE FAT CHILDREN

Well, we've found the link. You know, the link we thought was taken down by county officials last year. Where Democrat Freeholder Amy Mallet talks about "rides for the fat children". That one.

So watch the video just one more time; just one more again. Click here!

ART GALLAGHER

The vast editorial staff at the Monmouth County Republican Blog were shocked enough by the allegations against fellow blogger Art Gallagher of More Monmouth Musings to come out of hiatus. What it sounds like here is someone using the Criminal court system in a vindictive manner to address what should be a Civil matter. If that is in fact the case, we hope the justice system swiftly resolves this.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Art and his family at this time.

THE MONMOUTH COUNTY FAIR

This year's Monmouth County Fair has seen great feedback for all of our candidates. The Monmouth GOP booth has been well staffed and well attended by the public. With all the shenanigans going on down in Washington, people are ripe for real change, and we've got the people to provide it.

Interestingly, 2010 has seen the unprecedented circumstance of the Democrats having no County Fair booth. None. Zip, zero, nada. Why would they do that? Lack of volunteers? Naah, they pay their volunteers. They'd show up for a check.

Think about it.

Imagine County Commissioner (neé Freeholder) John D'Amico a/k/a "Flippy" campaigning among the great unwashed masses, the hoi polloi (οἱ πολλοί). Exactly. He would be out of his element and would likely lose votes by talking down to people. Not to mention that if you give him time, he will switch sides on an issue, hence the moniker Flippy in the first place.

But it probably really has to do with their congressional candidates. I don't know about their 4th District candidate, Howard Kleinhendler, but could you just imagine Frank Pallone and Rush Holt in an unscripted moment? They would have to face actual questions from actual constituents! They both would probably wander off to the woods looking for ACORNs. Actually, couldn't you imagine the bully Holt trying to grab funnel cake or cotton candy out of some kid's hand?

So it's pretty obvious that the Dems would prefer to rely on glossy mailers and smooth commercials than actual impromptu contact with the public.

In the spirit of the County Fair and impromptu comments, I'd like to close with some nostalgia from County Commissioner (neé Freeholder) Amy Mallet, from last year's fair. Remember her very chipper shot about"rides for the fat children"?

Since last year the county took down the link. We searched YouTube but couldn't find the video, so here's the text of what Mallet said:

"You look around, first of all, the sun is shining, it's a beautiful day here, but rain or shine it's a great place to be, and it's a great place to be able to celebrate our county and all that it has to offer. And we've got folks here with crafts, 4-H; we've got rides for the fat children, for families; we've got something here for everyone. So I say everybody should just come out and enjoy the fair."

THE ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION FIASCO VI

Da Truth Squad has a post about an appointee in Freehold Borough who turned out to be an illegal alien! Seems that for three years, in spite of the fact that the borough is infested with illegals the council was oblivious to this fact, and the fact that he was actually living in Howell. You just can't make this stuff up, people.

CURLEY SPEAKS OUT

Freeholder John P. Curley expressed concern at the June 10th Freeholders' meeting about the county's bidding process for trucks and equipment in the Department of Public Works and Engineering.

His concern stemmed not from the activities of the County Purchasing Department (cub reporter Bob Jordan or his editors left that part out), but from the actual writing of specifications within Public Works and Engineering itself. This is of severe concern, as we do not want to go back to the years of the past where corruption led to the F. B. I.'s big Operation Bid-Rig investigation.

Since then, we have discovered that the freeholders met with Public Works Director John W. Tobia, and while we are not privy to the actual discussion that went on in the meeting, we understand that he was directed to refine the spec-writing process in his department so as to avoid any taint of favoritism. When the freeholders give a directive to a subordinate it is to be obeyed, and we are told that any misunderstanding in this matter has been resolved.

John Tobia has been a very capable official; time will tell whether that continues or if he becomes the next "curmudgeon".

Anyone wanna guess why else this is relevant? And why are we bringing it up now? Here's why: It puts to bed County Commissioner (neé Freeholder) John D'Amico's whole concept that Monmouth County needs an inspector general or ethics board. Why? Because a freeholder did his job. It's that simple. When an item of concern was brought to John Curley's attention, he researched it and brought it to the entire Board of Freeholders for further action. Some may not like it, but it is what it is. Once presented with the information, the Board, after reviewing the facts and depending upon the severity of the situation, can dismiss it, reiterate and clarify county policy to the official in question, use the county's in-house disciplinary process up to and including termination (firing), or refer the case to law enforcement for prosecution. In this case a clarification was seen as sufficient. We're sure that Curley and the other freeholders will continue to monitor this.

Ironically, for all his talk about ethics, Flippy D'Amico ("This county can not afford to have another Bid Rig"), never expressed any concern about the specs and never brought it up to the Board. Seems he was more interested in theory than in practice.

This should be the final nail in the coffin for D'Amico's inspector general or ethics review board or whatever the hell he wants to call it the next time he brings it up. With an accountable Board of Freeholders, engaged in their responsibilities, there is no need for an additional layer of bureaucracy in county government.
There's also no need for Flippy D'Amico in county government.

JOE AZZOLINA BRIDGE

Senate Bill No. 2073 Designates bridge on Route 36 over Shrewsbury River (a/k/a Highlands Bridge) as "Captain Joseph Azzolina Memorial Bridge."
This bill was recently introduced by Senators Sean Kean and Joe Kyrillos (primary sponsors), and Bob Singer as co-sponsor. A-2938, an identical bill in the Assembly, was sponsored by Mary Pat Angelini and Declan O'Scanlon.
Referred to the Assembly Transportation, Public Works and Independent Authorities Committee.

NORCROSS SUPPORTED LONEGAN!

Norcross supported Lonegan??? Gadzooks! No way! A few weeks back Fred Driscoll at The State wrote, "We also want to shout out South Jersey Democrat boss David Norcross, who, it was rumored, funneled cash to the Lonegan backed group New Jersey Americans for Prosperity during the 2009 primary. Ha, and AFP has just been characterized as Chris Christie’s right wing attack dog by State Senator and NJ Democrat Chairman John Wisniewski (lawl!)."
South Jersey Democrat boss David Norcross. Now, we've heard of South Jersey Democrat boss George Norcross and his brother labor boss/State Senator Donald Norcross, but David? Who is David Norcross?
It didn't take the Honest Abe Research Foundation long to find out. David A. Norcross of Moorestown is the Republican Norcross. We don't know whether he's related to George and Don, but, as the Norcrosses were an early family in the Camden area and are reasonably numerous in the area today, we would suppose that they may be a very distant relatives.
In the mid 1970's David Norcross was the first executive director of the State Election Law Enforcement Commission. In 1976 he was our candidate for U. S. Senate against Democrat and future Abscam felon Harrison A. Williams. From 1977 to 1981 he served as Republican State Chairman. He also was Republican National Committeeman from New Jersey and has served in other positions at the RNC up to the present. Recently he was state co-chair of the Mitt Romney for President campaign, and was considered in 2008 as a possible replacement for Rep. Jim Saxton in the 3rd Congressional District.
With a pedigree like that, it's not news that Dave Norcross would contribute to Steve Lonegan's group, or any other Republican. Looks like Fred Driscoll got his Norcrosses crossed.

OXLEY: TWO MORE YEARS

This coming Tuesday, the Republican County Committee will meet at Colts Neck High School to elect a County Chairperson for the next two years. The Monmouth County Republican Blog wholeheartedly supports the reelection of Chairman Joseph W. Oxley.
Why?
Joe may not be the perfect Chairman but he is the best Chairman for our Party at this time. A Chairman must lead, not follow, and Joe has done just that. Contrast with his predecessors and see what I mean.
Prior to six years ago we had a situation where our great Party was on autopilot. Bill Dowd, the Chairman at the time was a near absentee leader who seemingly couldn't be bothered with the minutiae of running a party-in-power. This detachment allowed factions and interests to develop, diluting our Party's strength, and creating fertile ground for the fungus of political corruption. When he finally did exercise authority, he did so in a ham-fisted manner which resulted in a contested primary for Freeholder, and ultimately the replacement of the Chairman.
The new Chairman, Fred Niemann, started with much promise. Conventions were held for the first time, and participation was high. Still, the factions that had developed under the previous chairman were still there and pursued their ends. Additionally and more importantly, fundraising took a dark turn with the establishment of multiple PACs and the acceptance of contributions from the likes of Solomon Dwek and others. After two years, Fred didn't seek reelection and was out.
Enter Adam Puharic. Adam spoke of ending factionalism, but instead chose up sides and participated in it with cheer. He devoted much of his Chairmanship to the divisive pursuit of Freeholder Anna Little and her removal from the Board even if it meant electing a Democrat. During this time we saw the emergence of Alan Moretti, the Monmouth Rastaman, a pro-Adam blogger who's sole purpose was to get Little, including the use of libel. It was also during this time that we began losing seats on the Board of Freeholders, culminating in the Democrats taking control of the Board for a year. Adam didn't run again, and the train wreck that was his Chairmanship was over.
Two years ago, former Sheriff Joe Oxley was unanimously elected as County Chairman and walked into a mess. Our Party was as if a reality show had been taped and left the set behind. Since then, we have regained control of the County, fundraising is up and events are fun again, no longer filled with tension and hate. Joe avoids participation in factions, preferring to let them wither on the vine. And Governor Christie racked up solid majorities here in Monmouth County. Our Party is in a position of strength again.
There is more to be done. While we have made great gains in the towns, we need to do more work on strengthening the locals. The municipalities are the foundation of our strength on the county and state level; they are also the bench for the recruitment of future County and Legislative candidates. The stronger our foundation, the weaker the Democrats'; the deeper our bench, the shallower theirs is. Joe is our best prospect for this and he deserves another term as chairman.


We don't want to dwell on the opposition but something should be said. Howell Chairman John Costigan is seeking Joe's job. John is not a bad guy, but he's just not right for the County Chairmanship. Howell is an important town, second only to Middletown in size. That in itself does not automatically qualify the Howell Chairperson to be County Chair. If so, Norine Kelly would have been County Chair already!
There was a small snafu in Howell this spring. In obtaining signatures for County Committee petitions, John used outdated signature requirement numbers. This resulted in the rejection of the overwhelming majority of petitions by the Township Clerk. While this was an honest error and I'm sure John resolved it by getting most of the seats filled by write-ins in the primary, our County Chairman needs to be ahead of the curve and on top of these things. The Democrats could have wreaked all sorts of havoc in a case like that.
So, Joe Oxley is the one !

SOVIET FLIPPY?

Now, we're not exactly saying that County Commissioner (neé Freeholder) John D'Amico (a/k/a "Flippy") is a communist (well, kinda sorta), but the Honest Abe Research Foundation has uncovered an article in The Great Soviet Encyclopedia which sure sounds like him! Interestingly, it's the article on counties.
Here's the text:

COUNTY. (1) In the feudal period, a hereditary feudal possession headed by a count.
(2) An administrative-territorial unit in several bourgeois countries. In the USA, 47 states are divided into counties (a total of more than 3,000 counties). Counties are governed by elected county councils. In Great Britain there are administrative counties and county boroughs. The administration of counties is directed by elected councils, including so-called aldermen, who are co-opted by the council. The administration of counties also includes representatives of the central government -- for example, the lord lieutenant and sheriff. The Australian Commonwealth, some Canadian provinces, and New Zealand also have counties.
The Great Soviet Encyclopedia, Third Edition, Volume 7, Alexander M. Prokhorov, Editor in Chief, Moscow, 1970 (English translation by Macmillan & Co.)

Now it sounds like the Soviets were kind of talking out of their ass, but isn't that Flippy to a "T"? Maybe we should be calling him County Commissar instead of County Commissioner!
Speaking of Flippy, about a month ago we wrote a post about how the Freeholders, on a strict party-line vote, passed a resolution "recommending substitution of the term 'Commissioner' for the term 'Freeholder' in Statutes pertaining to County Government". At the time, we called for its speedy repeal by the new Board.
The new Board has recently repealed the resolution, albeit again on a party line vote, with Republicans John Curley, Rob Clifton and Lillian Burry voting in favor of repeal, and Democrats Flippy and Amy "Fat Children" Mallet voting against.
Here's the text:


RESOLUTION RESCINDING RESOLUTION NO 09-1230 RECOMMENDING SUBSTITUTION OF THE TERM "COMMISSIONER" FOR THE TERM "FREEHOLDER" IN STATUTES PERTAINING TO COUNTY GOVERNMENT

WHEREAS, in the judgment of the Board of Chosen Freeholders of the County of Monmouth, it is advisable and in the best interest of the County to rescind Resolution 09-1230 which recommended the substitution of the term "Commissioner" for the term "Freeholder" in statutes pertaining to County Government; and

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of Chosen Freeholders of the County of Monmouth that Resolution 09-1230 be and same is hereby rescinded in its entirety.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a certified copy of this resolution shall be sent to Governor Jon S. Corzine, Governor-Elect Christopher J. Christie, the President of the New Jersey State Senate, the Speaker of the New Jersey Assembly, all State Legislators representing legislative districts in Monmouth County, the New Jersey Association of Counties, and the Boards of Chosen Freeholders of all of the Counties in New Jersey.

Short and sweet.
So, hopefully this quixotic endeavor at PC crap is over and done with. The Republican majority did the right thing in repealing last month's resolution. It shows what a clueless whack job D'Amico is and what a blind follower Amy Mallet is.
They should be repealed when their terms come up.

GEORGE W. CHRISTIE?

With Rasmussen Poll numbers at 57% favorable, and with multitudes of Republicans, Democrats and others full of hope for soon-to-be Governor Chris Christie and Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno to straighten out New Jersey, he goes into his inauguration with a lot of good will. But will it last?
Let's be real here. Once the festivities are over and the red, white and blue bunting gives way to green eyeshades, line-item veto pens and razor blades, reality will quickly set in. That reality is the forces of the left arrayed against our new governor doing anything they can to bring his popularity down and to make him fail.
Here are a few:

The media. Although Christie received endorsements from various newspapers in the state, others, like the Star-Ledger, maintain a strong Democratic Party bent. Indeed, the Star-Ledger operates almost as a Democratic house organ. With a general leftward bias in the journalistic world, and a strong "circle the wagons" mentality among Democrats and the left in general, expect trouble from the media. The attempt to criticize his Cabinet as "not diverse enough" is just the beginning.

Public employee unions. Well, their leaders, anyway, were among the Bozo-coiffed Gov. Corzine's most ardent supporters. The rank-and-file it seems may have been more split on who would best serve their needs. That having been said, it is the leaders who have the bully pulpit, and who will be most vocal. Once the time comes for tackling the budget, payroll and the pension system, expect the union bosses to pull out all the stops in their quest to maintain the status quo, including a full-blown media barrage.

Academia. Yes, I know, it sounds like a disease, but of course it's all the college professors and other so-called educators engaged in indoctrinating our youth. There is somewhat of an overlap here with the public employee unions. Professors are also consulted by the media as well when they need an "expert".

The Courts. One of the three independent branches of state government. Particularly on the Supreme Court level, it is also a branch that has in past years run amok, running roughshod over both the executive and legislative branches. The New Jersey Supreme Court is not only a hotbed of left-wing activism (the enforcement arm of the Democratic Party), it is also a national laughingstock since it is populated with political hacks light in appellate experience. Knowing that Christie may find himself filling some seats on this bench, and knowing that there is an expectation that he will attempt to drag the Court, kicking and screaming, to the center, expect some shenanigans from the "because I said so" court that brought you Mt. Laurel, Lautenberg and other messes.

ACORN (and like groups). The far left, "progressive" community views the Christie-Guadagno victory as an anomaly, a departure from the natural order. They do not view it as an electorate exercising its franchise; as government with the consent of the governed. I mean, we're talking an organization which thought it OK to help a pimp establish a brothel populated with underage, trafficked girls. Expect these types of groups to go into hyperdrive in attempting to return New Jersey to the "progressive" ranks. This could include voter registration drives in urban areas (ACORN has been known to "register" ficticious people) as well as among the illegal alien community in order to swell Democratic Party ranks.

The Democratic Party itself. Behind all the calls for bipartisanship and unity in working together, the New Jersey Democratic Party is a wounded animal, and that is when it is most dangerous. They just lost the source not only of patronage jobs, but of state aid (read, "Christmas tree") to cities controlled by entrenched Democratic Party machines. If you think they will go quietly on this issue, just try taking a bowl of Alpo® from a hungry Pit Bull and see what happens. We have already seen evidence of this with Corzine's binge of lame-duck appointments, some to agencies that he has neglected for the last four years.

The above are but a sampling of what Governor Christie faces when he takes office tomorrow. There are other factions to contend with as well, and they all work together at least part of the time. Of any Republican governor in recent memory, Christie is probably best suited to deal with these factions. He was a tough prosecutor, and his combative nature and plain-spokenness will serve him well in dealing with these forces, as will his ability to go straight to the people.
Expect the Democrats to attempt to "Bush-ize" the Governor. What I would ask the Dems is, "Do you feel lucky? Well, Do ya?"

MORE ON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

With John D'Amico's undying interest in renaming our state's 21 Boards of Chosen Freeholders, the vast editorial staff here at the Monmouth County Republican Blog thought we would look at what other states call their county legislatures.

County Commissioners may be found in Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia (Georgia has a phenomenon in some counties calles a "Sole Commissioner", where the governing body consists of only one commissioner - right up Flippy's alley.), Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, West Virginia and Wyoming.

Kentucky counties are governed by a Fiscal Court, consisting of a County Judge/Executive and either the Justices of the Peace or County Commissioners.

6 states; Arizona, California, Iowa, Mississippi, Virginia and Wisconsin call it the Board of Supervisors. Hawai'i used to have County Supervisors, but it now has County Mayors and County Councils. There are no municipal governments in Hawai'i. South Carolina has County Councils.

New York counties are run by a County Legislature, except the five counties making up New York City, which are merged with the city government.

Maryland has County Commissioners in 16 of 23 counties; the others are governed by a County Council. Illinois counties are governed by a County Board, whose members are called Board Members, except for Cook County, which calls them County Commissioners. And Nebraska has some counties with County Commissioners and others with a Board of Supervisors. Go figure!

Indiana has a system of two boards per county. The County Council is the legislative branch, and a Board of Commissioners, a collective executive body, carries out the legislation of the Council.

Two of our neighbor Delaware's three counties are governed by a County Council; the third is governed by a Levy Court, whose members are called Levy Court Commissioners. All of Delaware's counties once operated under the Levy Court system.

Vermont's counties exist as judicial vicinages only; other functions are performed by local or state government. Connecticut and Rhode Island have nothing; having abolished counties decades ago.

Alaska calls its counties Boroughs, and they are governed by a Borough Mayor and Borough Assembly.

Louisiana calls its counties Parishes, most of which are governed by a Police Jury. Others use the Council - President form (with the President equivalent to a County Executive and the Council as the legislative body), and the Council - Manager form (where an elected council appoints a manager).

HERE IT IS AGAIN

We've previously reported on how County Commissioner (neé Freeholder) John D'Amico, Jr. (a/k/a Flippy) wants to change the title of Freeholder to County Commissioner. Well, he's back at it.
Last night the Board of Chosen Freeholders, in a strict party line vote (with Director Barbara McMorrow coming down squarely on the left), approved a resolution "recommending substitution of the term 'Commissioner' for the term 'Freeholder' in Statutes pertaining to County Government".
This lame piece of left-wing, PC crap has some real doozies of reasons why the title should be changed. Here's the text:


RESOLUTION RECOMMENDING SUBSTITUTION OF THE TERM "COMMISSIONER" FOR THE TERM "FREEHOLDER" IN STATUTES PERTAINING TO COUNTY GOVERNMENT

WHEREAS, county government in New Jersey has grown in importance and scope, handling regional needs and problems in the areas of health, human services, law enforcement, regulatory compliance, court and jail facilities, emergency management, vocational and post-secondary education, solid waste disposal, recycling, water supply, storm water and wastewater management, environmental protection, libraries, parks, planning, consumer affairs, economic development, community development, fair housing, employment, agriculture, tourism, transportation, roads, bridges, public works, and many other areas.; and

WHEREAS, the citizens of New Jersey need to have a clearer understanding of the nature and functions of county government because far too many county residents do not realize that they are constituents of their Boards of Freeholders, and they are unaware of the services and programs provided by county government; and

WHEREAS, in Monmouth County, in addition to being mystified by the use of the phrase "Boards of Chosen Freeholders" to describe the governing body of the county, many county residents believe that they cannot vote for a candidate for "Freeholder" because they do not live in Freehold Township or in the Borough of Freehold; and

WHEREAS, the term "Freeholder" is a feudal anachronism, having originated in Medieval England to designate a free white male who owned an estate or land free and clear for an indefinite period of time, as opposed to a tenant or serf; and

WHEREAS, the term "Freeholder" is incompatible with our advanced democratic form of government that welcomes the participation of citizens who do not own real property, as well as women and persons of diverse racial and ancestral origin; and

WHEREAS, New Jersey is the only state that retains the title of "Freeholder", which is equivalent to "County Commissioner" in other states; and

WHEREAS, county government in New Jersey operates under the commission form of government, with each Freeholder being assigned responsibility for particular departments and functions;

NOW, THEREFORE, be it resolved that the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders urges the New Jersey Legislature and Governor to substitute the title of "Commissioner" for "Freeholder" in the statutes pertaining to county government in order to facilitate public understanding of the role and importance of county government and the responsibilities of its elected governing officials.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a certified copy of this resolution shall be sent to Governor Jon S. Corzine, Governor-Elect Christopher J. Christie, the President of the New Jersey State Senate, the Speaker of the New Jersey Assembly, all State Legislators representing legislative districts in
Monmouth County, the New Jersey Association of Counties, and the Boards of Chosen Freeholders of all of the counties in New Jersey.

Really something, huh? First of all, the way you reform supposedly anachronistic institutions is not by changing the name, it is by changing the substance of the institution. As such, Monmouth County has elected African-Americans as well as women to the board; indeed, this and previous years have had female majorities. In colonial times, public officials were often subjected to a religious test to ensure that they belonged to the established, Protestant church. Monmouth's board has had both Jewish and Gentile as well as Protestant and Catholic members. Neighboring Burlington County recently had an African-American Republican Freeholder Director. Those living centuries ago would never have dreamed that institutions would change so.
Thus, the term "freeholder" has evolved from its original, narrow meaning to encompass the modern county governing bodies of today.
As to the resolution's assertion that "New Jersey is the only state that retains the title of 'Freeholder'", this blog has pointed out that Washington State also uses the "freeholder" title, albeit for a different office. So, if Flippy (who usually talks out of his ass) gets his way, only Washington State will have freeholders!
Republican Freeholders Lillian Burry and Rob Clifton were absolutely right to vote no on this drivel. With all that is going on these days, both the Board of Freeholders and the State Legislature have more important things to take up their time.
This crap should be repealed by the new board. The 2010 Organization Meeting on January 7th can't come fast enough.

WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?

Governor-elect Chris Christie and Lt. Governor-elect Kim Guadagno roared through Monmouth County towns last week, from Aberdeen to West Long Branch, steamrollering the Bozo-coiffed, now lame-duck Gov. Jon Corzine in an overwhelming majority of towns. One of our own will be going to Trenton.
We are well aware of what this means locally insofar as the Sheriff's office goes. Kim vacates the office upon taking office as Lt. Governor and Christie must appoint her replacement, who must run for a full term in November.
We also know that Christie will appoint an entire new Cabinet, including a new Attorney General, who the governor-elect has said will be faced with the task of fighting political corruption. This will make John D'Amico's (Flippy) ethics board much less relevant.
Christie will also have the authority to appoint county prosecutors, including a successor to Monmouth County Prosecutor Luis Valentin, who's term expires in 2010. Valentin was appointed by then-Governor Dick Codey with input from Christie, but I believe that Christie would be looking to appoint his own person, one that will be more aggressive than Valentin on public corruption. This, too, will make moot a county ethics board, no matter how distinguished its members.
Another important position to open up during Christie's tenure is that of Commissioner of Registration / Superintendent of Elections, currently held by Democrat Hedra Siskel of Marlboro. Her term expires about 2012. This is an important office, as it oversees the actual registration of voters in the county, as well as the investigation and removal of ineligible voters from the roster. With groups like ACORN and its ilk operating in the urban areas of our great county, it is important that the right person is sitting in that office, working to prevent the corruption of voter fraud.
The transition will be an interesting, bracing time for Monmouth County Republicans. But that will continue beyond the transition, into the administration itself.

THE INSPECTOR GENERAL RESURFACES; also A MALLET GAFFE

"...I'm afraid this could turn into a witchhunting tool."
...Freeholder Candidate John P. Curley

It is alive!
Just in time for Halloween, the Democrats on the Board of Freeholders have disinterred the Inspector General. Only this time they're not calling it the Inspector General.
The Asbury Park Press reported last week that the Democrats are proposing an "Ethics Board" to keep County Government in line, following the lead of Union County, which called theirs the "Economic Crime / Inspection Bureau".
The prime proponent of this is, yes, you guessed it, County Commissioner (neé Freeholder) John D'Amico, known affectionately as "Flippy". Citing two incidents involving employees, Flippy stressed the need for an ethics board, stating, "This county can not afford to have another Bid Rig".
Fine. But let's look at the two incidents. One was a case where an employee is alleged to have used a county computer for political purposes, and the other case alleges that an employee was removing one party's lawn signs from roadsides. Hardly rises to the level of Bid Rig, Flippy. Really. The county has a disciplinary code for such matters. I am sure that the two employees were disciplined or will be. Maybe even fired. I don't see what more Flippy wants, unless maybe the real issue here is that the employees dissed the Democrats? (This blog is not privy to any specific information in these cases.)
Looks like just another case of the Democrats trying to expand government.

County Commissioner (neé Freeholder) Amy Mallet, known affectionately as "Hammerhead", must really enjoy the taste of her own feet, because this past summer she stuck her foot in her mouth, calf deep. On the TV show Monmouth in Focus, a very chipper Mallet, speaking about the Monmouth County Fair, notes the "rides for the fat children".
I don't know what it is about the Democrats. Bad enough that the Bozo-coiffed Governor Jon Corzine used Republican candidate Chris Christie's weight as a campaign issue, but did Mallet really have to take a shot at the children? Really.
Just in case the county takes down the link, here's the text of what Mallet said on the video.
"You look around, first of all, the sun is shining, it's a beautiful day here, but rain or shine it's a great place to be, and it's a great place to be able to celebrate our county and all that it has to offer. And we've got folks here with crafts, 4-H; we've got rides for the fat children, for families; we've got something here for everyone. So I say everybody should just come out and enjoy the fair."
We've previously referred to Mallet as "Biden with boobs". Hey, if the shoe fits...

ASBURY PARK PRESS ENDORSES CHRISTIE (And Other Random Stuff)

"Pulling the lever for (Chris Daggett) as a protest vote will only ensure four more years of Corzine and his Democratic administration. That must be avoided at all costs."

"...Christie is the only hope for change." Asbury Park Press editorial, Sunday, October 25, 2009.



Today's Press carries the editorial endorsement of Chris Christie for governor. It outlines the Bozo-coiffed Gov. Jon Corzine's many failures and foibles, as well as cautioning voters not to turn down the primrose path of Chris Daggett, which will only lead to the poison ivy of more Corzine.

The editorial also has some criticism of the Christie campaign and how it was run, however they make no bones about the fact that Christie is the best choice for the job. Still, we believe the Christie campaign is light years better run and more aggressive than that of the mild Doug Forrester, who blamed President George W. Bush for his defeat.


This editorial is informative, well-written and analytical, although Corzine may disagree. However, it would seem that the Press has more than one individual writing their editorials. Their gushing endorsement of Democrat Sean Byrnes for freeholer last Sunday would seem to have been written by cub reporter Bob Jordan or Mike Mangan more than any impartial editor. They claim that "Byrnes does not appear to be beholden to his party's political bosses", but the very fact that he is the Democratic nominee would put the lie to that claim.

Last December the Democrats were criticized for going to out of county political bosses to try to fill appointed county jobs. County Commissioner (neé Freeholder) John D'Amico, Jr., a/k/a "Flippy", was a prime mover and shaker on that fiasco. If not for his fellow Democrat, Director Barbara McMorrow reaching across the aisle and siding with Republicans on certain issues, things would have been a lot worse. And who could forget the dalliance with Gloucester County initiated by County Commissioner (neé Freeholder) Amy Mallet, a/k/a "Hammerhead". Gloucester County is led by none other than the double-dipping Democratic-State Senate Majority Leader-3rd District Senator-Freeholder Director-Ironworker Union Boss-Stephen Sweeney-Billygoat-Legs.

If Byrnes wins, Flippy will be the Director of the Board, and would provide a third reliable vote for D'Amico and his cronies. This must not happen.

THE DAGGETT FACTOR

This year's gubernatorial race looks to have become a three man race, featuring the Bozo-coiffed incumbent governor Jon S. Corzine, our GOP standardbearer Chris Christie and Independent candidate Christopher J. Daggett.
But is it a three man race?
In fact, there are no fewer than twelve gubernatorial candidates this fall. The other nine are Jason Cullen, Libertarian Kenneth Kaplan, perennial candidate Joshua Leinsdorf, Alvin Lindsay, Jr., David R. Meiswinkle, Socialist candidate Greg Pason, Kostas Petris, Gary T. Steele and Gary Stein. In addition, there are at least three declared write-in candidates, including "Uncle" Floyd Vivino.
Sooooooo, why all the attention on Daggett?
Having kicked back here at The Blog Cabin and watched last week's gubernatorial debate and seeing him in action, as well as hearing what the pundits and pundints have been saying since, it's obvious. Chris Christie has consistently run ahead of Corzine in the polls. Corzine has had little traction, but he can count on a solid base of support among minorities, public employee unions, academia and other liberal constituency groups who would elect a Cow Chip as long as it were running as a Democrat. This base, however, does not put Corzine over the finish line.
Corzine must either (1), win over Christie supporters or (2), divide the anti-Corzine vote among other candidates besides Christie. Remember that he need not get 50% + 1 to win, he just needs to have the most votes. If he can do that with 40% or even 35%, if that's more than Christie gets, Corzine's got four more years.
Since it is unlikely that Corzine will win over many Christie supporters he must divide the opposition and conquer the state. Now, we're not saying that Daggett entered the race at Corzine's behest, indeed it would seem that his Republican credentials are solid. He was involved in the gubernatorial campaigns of both Raymond H. Bateman and Tom Kean, Sr., as well as the presidential campaign of George H. W. Bush. He worked as a regional administrator of the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency in the Reagan Administration, and worked as DEP Commissioner under Gov. Kean.
Still, his campaign, while appearing to stay "above the fray" as a populist reformer, is essentially that of a liberal Democrat. Pro-choice and pro gay marriage, Daggett proposes to offset property taxes by "expanding" the sales tax to items now exempt. Now, that sounds good on the surface, but both Corzine and fellow Democrat Jim Florio already did that. (remember the Toilet Paper Tax?) And the State Income Tax, instituted by Democratic Governor Brendan Byrne, was supposed to offset, you guessed it, property taxes! If it ever did it doesn't now, we now have the highest property taxes in the nation and among the highest income tax rates to boot. So expanding the sales tax is a non-starter.
As a former DEP Commissioner, Daggett comes from (he ran it!) the very regulatory apparatus that has helped slow down New Jersey's business climate. No business, no jobs.
Daggett is the darling of the media. After the debate, many mainstream media pundits were singing the praises of Daggett, while continuing to call Christie "vague" even when he is specific on issues.
While one would hope that most if not all readers of this blog would support Christie, we must reiterate that whatever his personal reasons for running may be, Daggett has become a stalking horse for Corzine. Knowing that Daggett will not pull off a "Jesse Ventura" and win on an independent candidacy, we must be concerned that he will pull off a "Ross Perot" and act as a spoiler, ensuring the reelection of Corzine.
We must prevent the reelection of Corzine, not only for the sake of having a Republican governor, but also for the sake of stopping the Democratic überbosses like George Norcross and others from increasing their already immense power.
New Jersey depends on it.

CONSOLIDATION OR CENTRALIZATION II

Sen. Sean Kean has written an article on the Bozo-coiffed Gov. Corzine and Education Commissioner Davy's attempt to centralize power. Click here!