Barnegat Democratic Primary - The Final Word

Primary day in Barnegat is this Tuesday, June 2nd. Polls will be open from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Neighbors, the jury is in. After weeks of campaigning, it is abundantly clear that Jeffrey Schenker and Fred Rubenstein are the only candidates with a realistic strategy to get OUR town out of the doldrums and back on the road to fiscal sanity and a good quality of life.

Their unworthy opponents, Marianne Clemente and Howard Effron are merely two angry radicals who are on the ballot only because they have a childish quarrel with the elders of the Democratic party. Clemente and Effron have no meritorious ideas for Barnegat.

In fact, Marianne Clemente is a known radical. An individual who has proven that she cannot exercise good judgement as evidenced by her crashing of the Memorial Day parade. Ms. Clemente has not offered up one single idea that is sane and workable.

Perhaps worst of all, Clemente publicly supports increased Parkway and Turnpike tolls. Imagine, Clemente would have YOU pay more at a time when many people are out-of-work and on the verge of losing their homes!

Clearly, Ms. Clemente and Mr. Effron do not possess the sensitivity for their neighbors that legitimate candidates must have.

Howard Effron is just as poor of a choice. Mr. Effron has zero-experience in government. This man truly believes he can turn governing Barnegat into a do-it-yourself project. And while his professional background might qualify him for his own show on The Food Channel, it disqualifies him from consideration for sitting on YOUR township committee.

Clemente and Effron are proven liars. In a vicious and below-the-belt underhanded attack, they accused Schenker and Rubenstein of "calling us names."

Friends, ET scrutinized the Schenker and Rubenstein website. We also reviewed the candidates forum on Downtown Barnegat.com and all newspaper coverage of the Barnegat primary. We did not find one single incident of name calling by either Schenker or Rubenstein.

Will YOU vote for liars???
Hell, NO!

Schenker and Rubenstein have proven themselves the time-tested, old-fashioned way. Schenker and Rubenstein stood in front of a nominating panel and answered their questions. Clemente and Effron had the same opportunity but refused. Why are they afraid to debate in front of those who know them best?

The answer is obvious to those of us who pool our experience here at the ET consortium. This cheap, petty masquerade by Clemente and Effron is being perpetrated at the expense of YOUR family. For Clemente and Effron to call themselves "transparent and accountable" and then refuse to stand the test of public scrutiny is pure hypocrisy.

Yes friends, this pathetic melodrama is the handiwork of a political cabal that could give a damn about Barnegat or YOUR loved ones. It is nothing more than a proliferation of smoke-filled room politics at their worst. Clemente and Effron deserve to be run out of town on June 2nd. Anyone who can use their neighbors as hockey pucks is despicable.

Marianne Clemente and Howard Effron are the "Dream Team" for Jeffrey "The Cigar Store Indian" Melchiondo and Alphonse "Big Al" Cirulli. Melchiondo and Cirulli know they can defeat Clemente and Effron without so much as breaking a sweat.

The truly sad thing is that Clemente and Effron know that, too. But they lack the integrity to shelve the scummy brand of politics they are playing. ET condemns their selfishness, their outright greed and blind lust for power - power they will never get.

Jeffrey Schenker and Fred Rubenstein have proven themselves deserving of YOUR vote. Schenker and Rubenstein ran their camapign honestly. They did not act like underhanded political thugs. Schenker and Rubenstein stuck to the issues.

On Tuesday, June 2nd, the choice is clear. It is also a very, very important choice.

Barnegat Democrats, join the Democratic members of the ET consortium and elect Jeffrey Schenker and Fred Rubenstein. Strike a blow for honesty. Strike a blow for integrity. Strike a blow to stabilize taxes.

On Tuesday, June 2nd

Elect
Schenker
- and -
Rubenstein

Vote for YOUR Family!

Clemente Crashes Celebration

Any trace of doubt that Marianne Clemente is unfit to serve on YOUR township committee was erased on Memorial Day.

Neighbors, Memorial Day is sacred. America mourns her patriotic men and women who died while in the service of our great nation. Memorial Day is NOT a time to play cheap and shabby political foolishness.

But this is exactly what Mrs. Clemente did. Showing no respect for the soldiers, marines, sailors and airmen whom the holiday honors, Clemente drove her personal car adorned with large campaign signs into the line of march. She didn't give a damn about the feelings of the several Gold Star Mothers who were there to mourn their children. Hell no, Clemente only cared about one thing - personal gain.

ET thinks we need to revisit just why Clemente is in the June 2nd Democratic Primary Election along with her stablemate Howie The Herb Effron. The following excerpt comes from a statement Clemente caused to be posted in a candidate's forum on Downtown Barnegat.com:

"My ONLY reason for becoming a candidate was because I did not like how things were being handled by the Democratic leadership in Barnegat."

Marianne Clemente does not give a damn about YOU or YOUR family. Clemente has proven this many times over. Clemente and Effron are in the primary because they have an acute case of sour grapes. Two children who need to grow up and realize that the well-being of their neighbors means more than their immature selfishness.

Marianne Clemente supports Parkway and Turnpike toll increases. Clemente wrote a letter published in an area newspaper saying that YOU deserve to pay higher tolls even though YOU or members of YOUR family might be out-of-work.

Clemente and Effron both support the new tax on YOUR utility bill. How in the name of all that is holy can Clemente and Effron tell YOU they will stabilize YOUR taxes when they are hellbent on increasing them???

Clemente and Effron are playing a cheap and despicable political game. Clemente and Effron refused to stand up like mature adults and debate their opponents in the June 2nd primary. These two interlopers did not have the guts or the integrity to participate in a fair and open debate in front of those who know them for what they are.

It gets better. Read Mrs. Clemente's opinion of today's senior citizens and retirees (same source):

"The retirees of today are nothing like our parents and grandparents."

What an off-the-wall, vicious statement. ET is not making this up, neighbors. Yes, Clemente wrote it. And Effron stands by it. These two have as much business running for office as a blind person does flying an airplane!

It is clear that Marianne Clemente and Howard Effron are unfit to hold public office. People who claim they are "transparent and accountable" but then refuse to participate in the democratic process of debate are fakes and should be rejected.

Do not waste YOUR vote on immature louts who cannot even show proper respect for one of America's most important holidays. Clemente and Effron are playing a game of politics that decent citizens find offensive, crude and childish.

Jeffrey Schenker and Fred Rubenstein did participate in open and deep-reaching debate. Schenker and Rubenstein fielded all the questions. They were nominated after they passed a test of public scrutiny.

Equally important, Schenker and Rubenstein are both veterans. They understand, appreciate and respect the sacrifices our armed forces make to keep America strong and free. Schenker and Rubenstein were seen along the parade route by three members of the ET consortium. The only thing they both had in their hands were American flags.

And that takes integrity.

The type of integrity Barnegat needs.

By the way, Mrs. Clemente was summarily thrown out of the Memorial Day Parade and told to take a hike - a very long hike.

Clemente and Effron???

Their candidacy is laughable.

On Tuesday, June 2nd

Elect
Schenker
- and -
Rubenstein

Vote for YOUR Family!

On June 2nd It's Schenker and Rubenstein - Best for Barnegat

Barnegat Democrats. This column is for YOU.

On Primary Day, Tuesday, June 2nd, YOU have a unique opportunity. On June 2nd YOU can take that all-important first step to ending the reign of costly incompetency brought upon YOU and YOUR family by Jeffrey "The Cigar Store Indian" Melchiondo and Alphonse "Big Al" Cirulli. YOU can give Barnegat the best possible chance to throw these arrogant, incompetent and self-serving bums out of office.

Marianne Clemente and Howard Effron are NOT electable against the incumbents on YOUR township committee. Clemente and Effron are Bohemian wannabees who are stuck in an overly idealistic and radical world last seen in the chaotic 1970's. Their ideas come straight from The Twilight Zone. Their platform must have been conceived in fantasy land by a group of munchkins who pigged-out on some of the "herbs" Mr. Effron might have sold in his rumored to have failed former business. Do not waste YOUR vote.

Effron says "Barnegat relies too heavily on professionals." "Professionals" meaning attorneys, certified public accountants, architects, etc. "Howie The Herb" can do it better!

Does Howie really believe he can manage YOUR tax dollars on his home computer? Clearly, Effron believes that a multi-million dollar township budget should be in the hands of amateurs.

Maybe Effron thinks he can follow the lead of a few of Barnegat's local lunatics and play lawyer without a legal education or license. Close your eyes and imagine "Howie The Herb" representing the good people of The Mirage against Menk Corporation's attorneys.

Funny? No. It is scary, dangerous - and costly.

If Howard Effron really means what he says then ET knows a haberdasher where he can get a good discount on a strait jacket. "Howie The Herb" needs a better grip on reality, folks. YOUR vote would be wasted on a pathetic dreamer like Mr. Effron.

Is this the type of person to manage YOUR tax dollars? Hell NO!

Let's move on to Ms. Clemente.

Marianne Clemente is known around town as a chronic and somewhat-intrusive malcontent. A radical who can cure the ills of the planet earth with a wave of her magic wand. A former bank vice president and money manager (one of thousands where she worked) who brags of her "experience." And we all know the condition of our economy thanks to bank vice presidents and money managers like Ms. Clemente, Bernard Madoff and their like.

Marianne Clemente is a bit "eccentric" (talk to her if you doubt ET's words). Satire aside for a moment, Clemente truly believes she can end the energy crisis and save the planet by closing down every single power plant and replacing it with a field full of windmills. These windmills, Clemente alleges, will generate abundant power - even on days when there is no wind??? Hell, the wise citizens of Massachusetts are in court to ban the damned things after they proved quite dangerous!

YOU can thank Clemente and others like her for the new tax you began paying with this month's utility bill. That's right, Clemente and others who sing the same song convinced the state to adopt an "energy exploration tax" that YOU must pay. Let's call it the "Clemente tax." And YOU can bet your last dollar that the irrational Mrs. Clemente will raise YOUR taxes even higher if she has a chance - just so she can chase the Holy Grail at YOUR expense!

Clemente also supports toll hikes for the Garden State Parkway and NJ Turnpike! .

Yes, Marianne Clemente is going to stabilize YOUR taxes. In a pig's eye she is!

Neighbors, Clemente and Effron are clowns. Two circus performers whose only reason for running is that they are angry at the local democratic club. That's right neighbors, they have NO commitment to representing YOU and YOUR family - they are just annoyed because they cannot win the confidence of those who know them best. Vote for these two??? You have to be kidding!

Clemente and Effron do not have the interests of YOU and YOUR family at heart. They want to get ride the gravy train and reap the harvest of the expensive medical, hospitalization and prescription drug plan township committee members receive at YOUR expense.

Jeffrey Schenker and Fred Rubenstein have publicly declared that they will NOT accept the township committee benefit package. Right there alone, Schenker and Rubenstein WILL save YOU and YOUR family tens of thousands of dollars.

Schenker and Rubenstein are the ones to vote for on June 2nd.

ET urges YOU to read the candidates forum published on Downtown Barnegat.com. Digest the responses of Schenker and Rubenstein. They have concrete and sensible strategies to stabilize taxes and improve YOUR quality of life.

Clemente's and Effron's are sheer nonsense in comparison.

Schenker helped hold the cost of education in Toms River to an affordable level. His unpaid and dedicated service to students and parents is magnificent.

Jeffrey Schenker deserved YOUR vote.

Fred Rubenstein served on the Barnegat school board. He was the chairperson of the building committee when the Robert L. Horbelt School was about to be constructed. Rubenstein took the bull by the horns. As a result, the school was constructed for three quarters of a million dollars LESS than had been budgeted. And the excess money was returned to YOU via a TAX DECREASE!

Fred Rubenstein deserves YOUR vote.

Neighbors, 08005 is taking on water faster than the Titanic. And just like that great ship, Barnegat will sink into bankruptcy if YOU don't do something about it and fast.

Melchiondo and Cirulli are directly responsible for YOUR property tax bill. These incompetent and arrogant bums have raised YOUR taxes in each of the past three years since they were elected in 2006. An election that saw Melchiondo and Cirulli use despicable tactics. A campaign that was a disgrace.

YOUR property value has crashed onto the rocks. Melchiondo and Cirulli were quick to flaunt that Barnegat was the #1 place to live. Presently it is #270 - after three long and costly years of their misleadership.

The Cigar Store Indian and Big Al MUST GO. Never forget the callous arrogance of Melchiondo when he referred to YOUR tax bill as a "Christmas present."

And remember that Melchiondo and Cirulli are responsible and YOU should hold them accountable for the screwed-up property tax revaluation that raised YOUR taxes again.

Clemente and Effron are NOT the ones who can beat The Cigar Store Indian and Big Al in November. Schenker and Rubenstein ARE!

The members of the ET consortium - both Republicans and Democrats - unanimously endorses Jeffrey Schenker and Fred Rubenstein.

Take to the Polls Democrats!
On June 2nd

Elect
Schenker
- and -
Rubenstein

Vote for YOUR Family!

Barnegat Board of Education Election - On April 21st The Choice is Clear

On April 21st, YOU will take to the voting booth and elect three people to serve on the Barnegat Board of Education. Each of these individuals will have a three-year term in office.

ET believes the choice is clear. Even a person with one-inch thick glasses can see that Robert Houser, Elaine Taylor and Rafael Adorno have earned YOUR vote.

Houser, Taylor and Adorno have worked hard. It is their blood, sweat and energy that restored integrity to YOUR school system.

Remember Thomas "The Million Dollar" McMahon? This parasitical vampire was given a contract that paid him more than $6000.00 per week. That's right, neighbors - six grand a week! Now known as "The Willingboro Weasel," Thomas McMeaness is causing chaos in yet another school district.

Every penny of McMahon's ridiculous compensation package came out of YOUR pocket. Bilker, Inkhen and Ford supported that absurd contract. So much for their business acumen.

McMahon, McMonster or McMajesty (take your pick), went on record as calling YOU and every other Barnegat resident "imbeciles." Bilker, Inkhen and Ford can support a bum like this??? A bum who has zero respect for YOU or YOUR family.

Houser, Taylor and Adorno partnered to make certain YOUR children receive the best possible education. By restoring morale among the faculty, administrators and other school district staff, Houser, Taylor and Adorno helped pupils to achieve magnificent test scores. These dedicated Board members lived up to their oaths-of-office and gave little Johnny and Jane a public school environment that was free of the horrors that The Million Dollar McMahon and his gang of thugs perpetrated.

The new Superintendent of Schools Houser, Taylor and Adorno helped to hire is an educator Barnegat can be well proud of. And his compensation package is open and out-front for taxpayers to see. It is a package that is fair and will not throw the school system into the type of controversy that the Scott Bilkers and Ralph Splendorios thrive on. Even the 60-something, pot-bellied Barnegat Bag Man who craves Tammany Hall-like power more than a dry sponge craves water will find the door slammed in his three-chinned, false-bravado face.

And where was Scott Bilker? Where was Jerry Inkhen? Where was Kelly Ford?

They were busy undermining the efforts of a Board of Education that proved YOU do not need to spend a King's ransom on a windbag, egotistical, maniacal, narcissistic Superintendent of Schools who played a vicious game of politics with the future of YOUR children and grandchildren.

Have you ever heard Mr. Bilker speak at a School Board meeting? Just like swindler Bernard Madoff, this "Internet Millionaire" is one of the most arrogant individuals ET has ever listened to. Bilker's blind lust for power overshadows anything that might resemble judgement. Scott Bilker is not the type of person you can depend on to make certain YOUR children's future is protected. YOUR children do not need hostility on YOUR Board of Education.

Jerry Inkhen. Jerry is a truly nice guy. But we need people with foresight and business experience on the Board of Education. In those categories, Jerry comes up somewhat dry. Jerry Inkhen favors returning to McMahon McMadness. And that is unacceptable and just plain dumb.

Kelly Ford. Where was her voice when The Million Dollar McMahon and his press shill (the inimitable Carrier Stiers) withheld confirmed information that the potentially fatal MRSA virus had entered YOUR children's school houses? Did Kelly have laryngitis? Yes, where were you, Ms. Ford?

As R.H. Macy stated it: "you cannot argue with success." And Bob Houser, Elaine Taylor and Rafael Adorno have brought Barnegat the bacon!

These three dedicated Board of Education members reduced costs while making YOUR children's education better.

Bilker??? Hell,YOU already threw him off the Board once!

Inkhen??? YOU wisely rejected him last time around. Do it again.

Ford??? This Ford has a flat tire when it comes to the necessary moxie to sit on a School Board. Buy a Chevy.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the record speaks for itself. Houser, Taylor and Adorno did what YOU elected them to do. And they saved YOU and YOUR family tons of money along the way!

So make certain you get to the polls. ET will take a double dose of Geritol and do our civic duty by participating in this important election.

On April 21, join with the ET consortium and cast YOUR vote for the people who have done the job and earned YOUR trust.

Robert Houser
Elaine Taylor
Rafael Adorno

Vote the Blue Team!

The Tale of Two Thomases

It is early on New Years Day 2009. And the air is fresher and just a bit more pure.

When the ball dropped in Times Square, little did the throng of revelers know they were cheering for Barnegat.

Thomas "The Million Dollar" McMahon is gone.

Thomas "Hopeless" Hartman is gone.

The reign of terror and incompetency is over.

Thomas McMahon is a thug. Plain and simple, this executioner-in-educator's clothing frustrated and chased away numerous teachers who refused to kiss his ring or his butt. His sleazy brand of backroom politics caused more controversy in YOUR school district than any ten other events combined.

The Million Dollar McMahon was the Frankenstein monster of a former Board of Education led by Deborah Masol; who resigned because McMahon "had something on her." Succeeded by the now-disgraced Linda Mitchell, these well-intentioned but stupid BOE members gave McMahon a deal that cost YOU almost $6000.00 per week. These imbeciles kept throwing money, bonuses and other perks at McMahon - and for what?

Maybe it was because several of those BOE members got their spouses jobs in the school district. Hell, three mysteriously left the BOE only to get hired into full-time district employment themselves. They call it "motive."

McMahon bailed out because he knows he might be one step ahead of the Sheriff. His questionable accounting and other practices are now being examined by a BOE who understand why they were elected. A BOE that was elected by a huge plurality because YOU were tired of Mitchell, Splendorio, Kostka, Germano, Durow, Inkhen and their costly folly.

Neighbors, the BOE does not exist to make educational decisions. That is best left to those who have the degrees, certifications and experience.

Rather, the BOE is there to provide oversight into the operations of the school district. The BOE is YOUR personal watchdog. They are charged with the critical responsibility of making certain that the Superintendent of Schools and certain other executive level administrators and outside professionals act in the best interests of Barnegat.

Helping to rid YOUR school district of a monster like Thomas McMahon earns the majority of the Houser-Becker BOE an A+ on ET's report card.

To the credit of the Robert Houser - Lisa Becker led BOE currently in office, hundreds of thousands of dollars of YOUR sweat-laden tax money has already been saved. And, most importantly, the quality of education has risen.

The ET consortium offers a hint to Houser, Becker and the responsible members of the current BOE. If you want a school district free of the barroom politics and treachery, then hire a Superintendent who never so much as heard of Barnegat. Please, do not hire from within. The same vermin who slither through the Board office like worms and rats infecting the schools with political hijinx do not deserve another welcome mat.

When you want a fresh apple, don't go to the basket - go to the tree!

In ET's opinion, Thomas McMahon's deplorable legacy centers on three"achievements."

First, The Million Dollar McMahon was directly responsible for hiding the fact that the potentially deadly MRSA virus had been brought into YOUR schools by a student who simply did not know she was ill. Had it not been for the magnanimous courage of this pupil's mother, Barnegat never would have known. McMahon and his press shill, Carrie Stiers, had placed a Pentagon-like information lockdown on the district. MRSA can KILL people on chemotherapy and those with compromised immune systems.

Second, Thomas McMahon's apparent bias against women. YOUR school district has numerous female educators who have proven themselves over the years. A wise and gallant lady named Roslyn Ribaudo was left to retire when she was definitely the most qualified educator who should have succeeded the esteemed Dr. Robert Horbelt as Superintendent. McMahon made her life uncomfortable after he took over.

Ribaudo is far from the only woman who felt McMahon's penis-superiority. No less than five female teachers were brought to their knees emotionally and resigned less they suffer a breakdown or stroke. Former Edwards School Principal Judy Mazzeo brought a meritorious lawsuit against the district. Highly experienced female professionals in the BOE office also left. People who had served YOUR children well for years but were unwilling to kiss The Million Dollar McMahon's feet.

Last on McMajesty's list of accomplishments comes a toss-up. Was it his burning lust to waste $750,000.00 of YOUR tax money to carpet the playing fields with the now proven-to-be-toxic Astroturf? Or was it the undeniable fact that YOUR school district shelled out record amounts of YOUR tax money for litigation costs brought about by McMahon's arrogance and false bravado? Take your pick.

ET will be watching the headlines from Willingboro once McMahon goes to work there. We will wager our Social Security checks that it will not take long before McMahon has that district in chaos as he did with Barnegat and Plumstead. By the way, do you remember McMahon calling YOU and the entire town "jerks" in the media?

Hey McMahon, don't let the door hit you in the caboose on the way out!

In just a few hours, the annual love fest of the township committee will convene. The "love" here lasts about as long as an Elizabeth Taylor - Richard Burton marriage. The Republican machine will re-anoint Jeffrey "The Cigar Store Indian" Melchiondo as YOUR mayor.

Barnegat taxpayers (YOU!) have no voice in who represents their town as the mayor. The sweetheart system has the township committee do that unilaterally. Once the Republicans can count to three - as in majority - another lethargic twelve months of Melchiondo becomes a certainty. It is a system that makes a mockery of democracy.

One year ago today, Melchiondo began his first mayoralty. The Cigar Store Indian proclaimed "the year of cooperation."

ET will not regurgitate Melchiondo's multitude of failures. We do invite all of you to reread our past columns and search the online newspaper morgues. Melchiondo's track record speaks for itself.

The ET Consortium knows Melchiondo to be a pathological coward and liar. Want proof of that harsh characterization? All you need do is compare this year's tax bill (Jeffrey's "Christmas Present") to last year's. Remember, Melchiondo announced no tax increases. And he lied. Once a liar, always a liar.

Pressing forward, the next Thomas to talk about is the failure in lieu of a man. A person who has lost more jobs than Susan Lucci lost Oscars.

Thomas "Hopeless" Hartman.

Twice fired from private employment in less than eighteen months, Hartman sold his soul to the Republican Clubhouse in Toms River. A man whose engineering skills might be equal to a first year draftsman was hired by Ocean County at an exorbitant salary and benefit package.

The Republicans knew Hartman is a loser (takes Gilmore and Dasti awhile to wake up as they are busy counting their $$$). Therefore, they compromised The Hopeless One. They bailed him out with the job they knew he needed. The Republicans gave no consideration to Hartman's likely incompetency. They just seized on a political opportunity.

Once they bought Hartman, they owned Hartman. Knowing Hartman had no chance to be reelected, they ordered him to drop out of the election. Hartman had no choice but to obey or face a third firing.

Hartman had "so much going for him (sarcasm very much intended). Hopeless had enlisted Anthony "Lightfingers" Gorman to be his campaign manager. Birds of a feather they are, Gorman had been recently fired from his long-term employment for stealing his employer's property.

So much for integrity.

Thomas Hartman manifested an air of superiority and indifference. When this year's ballot question of going deeper into debt to build a recreation complex that the Republican machine defaulted on doing was defeated by a landslide, Hartman was quick to ignore the clear will of YOU and spoke about doing it in 2009. "Doing it," as used here, means inflicting (according to prominent Republicans Jerry and Sue Harper) "a tax you will pay till you die."

ET has no respect for the cavalier pomposity of Thomas Hartman. We think he is a hemorrhoid on the backside of Barnegat. Obviously, we are ecstatic to see him go.

Martin Lisella gets sworn onto the TC today. Hating to be pessimists, ET reluctantly confesses that we have little-to-no hope that Lisella will be anything more than the third stooge of the Republican Party in Barnegat.

Lisella is a commercial real estate salesman. ET believes he will protect his hind quarter by voting straight party line.

The first thing Lisella could but will not do is to follow Len Morano's courageous lead. Stop dispensing patronage to the same old lawyers, engineers and others who have milked the good cow of Barnegat till its utters moan in pain.

Go out for competitive bids. There are hundreds of competent professionals available. Republican honcho George Gilmore's firm was reported to have billed more than $9,000,000.00 last year. That is outrageous. Nine million bucks to a law firm???

Next, stand up like a patriot and call for an end to medical, hospitalization, prescription drug, pension and other benefits for township committee members. It is an insult to every taxpayer that committee members receive these costly perks when they "work" less than nine hours per month!

Of course, Lisella won't do that. Will you, Martin?

What the hell, McMahon and Hartman are history. A pitiful and disgraceful chapter in the annals of 08005 is closed.

Happy New Year!

The Morning After

If you offend easily, stop reading now and click away from this page. Today's column is going to be one of the most bare-fisted monologues ET has ever written. And we guarantee it will anger many of you.

But that is too darn bad. The ET consortium has a problem with a town that plays home to people who objectively manifest their ignorance of the actions and affairs that negatively impact on their quality of life. ET has seen many unexplainable, boneheaded things happen in 08005. The glaring contradictions shown via the result of last night's township committee election serves to reinforce the Barneghetto image 08005 has earned and so richly deserves.

If the level of stupidity in Barnegat could be turned into cash, America could cure the national debt in the blink of an eye. Perhaps if more of the electorate dared to read, think and analyze, the same type of "change" that happened nationally could have benefited 08005.

Nope. Not in Barnegat. Hell, this damn paradise of ours is either drunk, stoned or so divorced from reality that we would, in fact, buy the oil well in downtown Philadelphia.

How anyone could waste their vote on candidates offered up by a party that has raised Barnegat's taxes by the highest margin in the history of this town astonishes ET. Congratulations, Barnegat has entered the Twilight Zone. Perhaps if some of the people who live here spent as much time getting fluent in the affairs of the town as they do scheming someone else's spouse, the result of the township committee election would have credibility.

There are people to blame. And we intend to dump the septic tank right in their laps.

Where the hell was Dorothy Ryan? Ryan knocked out a Republican incumbent whose campaign outspent her's by more than 10-to-1 in 2007. While Melchiondo the Mayor had his name on just about every campaign flier the Republicans sent out, Ryan was invisible.

ET once referred to Ryan as "Dynamic Dorothy." From this date forward, the cowardly Mrs. Ryan will be befittingly known in these pages as "Dotty The Dud." Shame on you Dotty old gal. You buried your head in the sand and turned your back on many of the people who put you into office when you never got off your keister to do your own campaigning. You are a disgrace to those of us who made an investment of faith and trust in you - an investment we will never repeat. Hey Dotty, next time you try to eat pizza, remember to put your teeth in beforehand.

And where in the hell was that big-mouthed, lame-brained, workers compensation milking load Beer Belly Bill Coulter? Coulter is the democratic municipal chairman. With all the disarray in the local democratic party, he is about as effective as a hairbrush for a bald man.

Let's not forget his bride, Dolores. The once queen of Barnegat disgraced her legacy by not being visible and vocal in the campaign. Like Thomas Hartman, Dolores was bought off with a cushy public sector job. In the finest traditions of cheap politicians, Mrs. Coulter sold her integrity to the highest bidder. Hell, even the pigeons won't take a dump on her now.

Next we have the Barnegat Bimbo Brigade, Marianne Clemente and Rose Jackson. The supposed titular heads of the local democratic club did everything they could to sabotage their candidates with contradictory soapbox diatribes that undermined the campaign. Beware the enemies within. Yes, in this case at least, Brutus wore a brassiere.

Len Morano and Gene Chiarelli did a superb job of pounding the pavement and pressing the flesh. Clearly, they were the best choices for Barnegat. And, again, Barnegat goes true-to-form and shoots itself in the foot by electing another player from the clubhouse and maintaining the balance of power in favor of the very same bums who are taxing us to death.

Perhaps the one saving grace and cause for hope is the remarkable ad hoc, bipartisan coalition of supporters who stood behind Len and Gene. Many townspeople put aside their political preferences and campaigned and voted for the best candidates. If there is any leadership left in Barnegat, it will quickly reconnoiter and marshal these forces. But that isn't going to happen. Too many of the mental midgets are still arguing about who kicked whose grandmother in the bustle fifty years ago.

Neighbors, it makes no sense when you see a local question that was exposed as a new tax go down by more than 2-to-1 and then see the same political party that proposed the tax stay in power. If Barnegat takes World Class honors in anything, then it must be for its illogical and patently moronic actions. If they ever illustrate the word "jerk" in the dictionary, a picture of Barnegat's gazebo will serve nicely.

Barnegat made this mess and will pay the price for it. And to a better bunch of knuckleheads it couldn't happen.

Obviously you have NOT had enough. So spread your back cheeks and prepare for more. Just don't forget to smile as it violates you!

New Tax and Those Who Support It

ET begins today's column with a warning. A warning that a new tax is lurking behind Local Question #1 that will be on the November 4th ballot.

"The high-powered sports lobby maneuvered our township committee into approving the following referendum (Local Question #1). This is a permanent tax-you'll pay till you die."

Those are not ET's words. They are the words of two prominent Republicans. Jerry and Sue Harper sent them in a widely distributed email to warn townspeople about the current attempt to flim-flam voters into swallowing a new and costly TAX. Jerry Harper was the 2006 campaign manager for the local Republican ticket. ET congratulates The Harpers for having the civic responsibility to breakaway from the tax-and-spend philosophy of the Hartman-Matthews-Lisella clubhouse and stepping up to the plate as part of a bipartisan effort to control the cost of living in 08005. The Harpers know that Barnegat must live within its means.

Neighbors, the undisputed FACTS are that Freeholder "Diamond" Jack Kelly stood in Barnegat town hall and promised YOU and YOUR family that the county would build a recreation complex along Barnegat Boulevard at no additional cost to Barnegat taxpayers. Like so many other promises Kelly has made in the past, it was a LIE.

Think back and remember Jack Kelly. Kelly is the pot-bellied load who mounted an unsuccessful attempt to win the Republican nomination for the congressional seat vacated by Jim Saxton. Kelly was creamed by Chris Myers (an honest man) in the primary after it was learned that Kelly was given a $75,000.00 job at an area airport even though he (Kelly) did not meet the minimum qualifications. One of the bums who voted to give Kelly this political plum was the Ocean County Clerk Carl Block.

Hey, remember when the Hartman-Matthews-Lisella clubhouse told us it would take $13.6 million to build the complex? Then they reduced their guess to $6 million. Now, these great miracle workers are talking $2.5 million. Perhaps they can work some magic on the federal and state deficits. Better yet, maybe a local dealership will hire them to sell used cars.

ET thinks it is worthwhile to take a look at several of the people who are supporting this not-too-subtle attempt to pull the wool over YOUR eyes and raise YOUR taxes.

Thomas "The Sinister Minister" Kostka. This is the self-anointed honcho of Project Playground - or should we say "Koradigo Cove?" Thomas Kostka cannot account for more than $28,000.00 of money that YOU donated to build the playground. Hell, the certified public accountant who donated his services to the project condemned Kostka for his abominable record keeping. Kostka failed to produce even one single receipt for the money (YOUR money) he spent. Thomas Kostka was kicked off YOUR Board of Education this past April after YOU and thousands of your neighbors had a bellyful of his costly fiscal mismanagement. Kostka was part of a Board that levied the highest tax increases in the history of the Barnegat school system. Kostka approved of paying Thomas McMahon more than $5000.00 per week plus a benefit package that would choke a horse.

Anthony "Lightfingers" Gorman. Gorman was the former campaign manager for Thomas "Hopeless" Hartman. Gorman was canned from his former job after his employer learned that he "acquired" company property without company permission. Gorman lost the Republican nomination for township committee in 2006 when he confessed that he was in it for "selfish reasons." Gorman worked with The Sinister Minister during the controversial Project Playground debacle. Gorman is the "go" in Koradigo.

Gerald Inkhen. Inkhen is not a bad guy. But he continually hitches his horse to the wrong wagon. Inkhen ran for YOUR Board of Education in April of this year. YOU rejected his candidacy by an overwhelming margin when it was shown that he had the same tax-and-squander mentality as Kostka and Kompany. If Inkhen ever "smells the coffee," he might be a good public servant.

"Smiling" Sally Germano. Smiling Sally is the mother of the overpaid athletic director of Barnegat high school. YOU threw Smiling Sally off the Board of Education this past April after it was proven that her son was appointed even though he might not have met the minimum qualifications. YOU recognized that Smiling Sally used her influence to realize personal gain for a member of her immediate family. By doing this, Smiling Sally caused another person who had worked hard and did meet all job requirements to be cast aside. Yes, YOU saw through tax-and-spend Sally's three-dollar bill smile and defeated her by a landslide.

"BLL" of the Barnegat Little League. Actually, there is no "BLL." A dumb email was sent (see the viewer's comments section of downtownbarnegat.com) by some schnook that was represented to be an endorsement of Local Question #1. The perpetrators of this unforgiveable fraud clearly endorsed, as the Harpers properly labeled it, "a permanent tax you'll pay till you die."

David "Body Shop" Breeden. Breeden is the current township administrator. Breeden is the guy the Republican clubhouse used as a sacrificial lamb when Len Morano exposed the clubhouse's conspiracy to give select township employees a 49% raise. Breeden is also the guy who was the focus of an intense police investigation when he worked in Camden. Camden cops learned that Breeden was dealing with "friendly"auto body repair shops even though Camden had a contract with other establishments. Hey, the clubhouse only hires the best!

Neighbors, there is one simple and clear issue before YOU. Do YOU want higher taxes??? If YOU do then vote in favor of this question. Just don't come crying to ET when the bill comes in.

The members of the ET consortium will be voting NO on Local Question #1.

Barnegat already has playing fields so little Johnny and Jane don't have to play ball in the gutter. Open up the fields at YOUR high school for the various leagues to use. Take a walk behind the Brackman Middle School. You will find acre-upon-acre of good, usable playing fields that only need minor, inexpensive improvements. Why must we build new ones before using what we already have? This is Barnegat - not the Meadowlands.

The same irresponsible bozos who are pushing for this new TAX are the very people who advocated to have the playing fields covered with Astro-Turf at a cost to YOU of greater than $1,000,000,00. When does it stop?

Friends, this is what Len Morano and Gene Chiarelli are talking about. Every one of the people pushing in favor of this new TAX are members of the Hartman-Matthews-Lisella clubhouse. Some of them have questionable backgrounds. They have been picking YOUR family's pockets for years.

Have YOU had enough???

Kostka, Gorman, Inkhen plus Kenneth Matthews and Martin Lisella are all magna cum laude graduates of the Thomas Hartman school of raising taxes. They all believe in digging YOU and YOUR family deeper and deeper into debt. It is the Hopeless Hartman method that resulted in Barnegat going from the #1 place to live down to #270 - and slipping. This is what lowered YOUR property value.

Thomas Hartman leaves the township committee in disgrace at the end of 2008. Hell, even the so-called "developer tax" that was supposed to pay for recreation was written so defectively that it was stricken by the courts. Talk about the Gang Who Can't Shoot Straight!

Barnegat took a major step forward when we cleaned house on the school board just a few months ago. The immediate benefit of that housecleaning was a savings to YOU and YOUR family of over $500,000.00 in the school budget. No negative affect on the kid's education. Just a trimming of the pork barrel school budget. Something that the Kostkas, Gormans and Inkhens would not do.

Are YOU going to listen to a guy (Kostka) who cannot account for over $28,000.00 of donated taxpayer's money (YOUR money) that was entrusted to him? Can YOU believe a character (Gorman) that was fired because he stole his employer's property? How about a clubhouse-appointed administrator who was closely investigated by the police and thought it was fine to give his pals a 49% pay hike? Or a scheming former school board member (Germano) who took care of her own son by disenfranchising another mother's child? Do YOU have faith in the people who have driven the cost of living in Barnegat to the point where many of YOUR neighbors have lost their homes to the tax man?

Neighbors, do YOU want to buy the Brooklyn Bridge?

Good friends, living beyond our means and mortgaging the future is what got the United States into the financial crisis YOU and YOUR family currently face. Barnegat is not the U.S. Congress. We cannot wave a magic wand and come up with millions of dollars to bail Barnegat out of debt. We have to learn and honor the basic common sense ideals of not buying something unless we can pay for it. Each and every person reading ET's words owes this to themselves and their children and grandchildren.

Join with ET and thousands of YOUR neighbors in striking a blow for common sense and fiscal sanity. Vote NO on Local Question #1.

And while you are at it . . . .

Re-Elect Len Morano
Elect Gene Chiarelli