Your Turn Incumbents claim town continues to move ahead
Beth W ard
Michelle Roth

In the editorial column of the Aug. 11 issue, the editor stated that none of the four candidates [for Manalapan Township Committee] has written a letter to this newspaper. We thank the editor for this opportunity to address not only the issue raised in his editorial, but as well as other statements that our political opponents have made and our vision for the township.

Here are the facts that this campaign should focus on:

• Fact — the township is in no danger of insolvency or anything remotely approaching financial hardship. Manal-apan is in the strongest financial condition in its history as evidenced by the large surplus balance of $7.3 million at year-end and by receiving the highest bond rating ever for the township from Moody’s Investor Service.

As the township has already had an audit by a certified, licensed auditor, a licensed CFO and a review by the state of New Jersey, we do not feel that another audit, costing taxpayers between $40,000 and $60,000, is necessary or a good use of our taxpayers’ dollars.

Instead, we invite any member of the public to town hall to examine the audits performed by the township’s independent auditors over the past several years, as well as the audits reviewed by the state of New Jersey. They will show anyone who is interested in the facts — not unsupported rumors — that we have been excellent stewards of the township’s finances since the Township Committee changed to Democratic control.

• Fact — Both Democratic and Republican administrations have used deferment of Freehold Regional High School District tax levies to maintain a stable municipal tax rate.

Back in 1992 when the Republicans controlled the township, their budget had a deferred school tax balance of $3.1 million and a surplus of only $2.3 million. If you use [our opponents’] math, this would have left the town with a negative balance of $800,000. Was the township insolvent at that time? Absolutely not.

• Fact — During this past year, we passed the municipal budget with a nominal tax increase ($26 per average household). In exchange for this increase, residents of Manalapan have received four new police officers, two new police cars and one new DPW employee.

• Fact — Since the Democrats were elected to the Township Committee, we have been instrumental in preserving just over 913 acres of land as open space. The previous Republican administrations preserved zero acres during their 15 years in office.

• Fact — For the first seven months of 2004, only 10 percent of the building permits issued by the construction department were for new construction. Most of these were for developments approved before the town downzoned, which now requires larger lots for residential housing ... The vast majority [of the permits] were for alterations and additions to existing homes.

We believe the increase in construction permits reflects the significant rise in property values which have enabled people to borrow on the additional equity in their homes to make their improvements.

• Fact — We are constantly working to improve the quality of life. On May 10, 2002, we acquired the Dreyer tract adjacent to the recreation complex. The recently unveiled plans for the expansion of the recreation center will add more athletic fields and courts, hiking trails, a skate park and a dog park. We have also identified a site for a new home for the first aid squad, which has outgrown its present location.

Our vision for the future focuses on continuing to streamline municipal operations, while maintaining a prudent approach to fiscal management in order to keep our tax rates stable. It is our intention to run our campaign on the issues, our accomplishments and quali-fications and our visions for the future.

Beth Ward is serving as mayor of Manalapan in 2004 and Michelle Roth is a member of the Township Committee. They are the Democratic candidates for Manalapan Township Committee.

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