Letters Republicans moving town in right direction I disagree with Steven Sukel’s implication in his recent Your Turn guest column (News Transcript, June 8) attacking Marlboro Mayor Robert Klein-berg and the new Republican Township Council members as being part of an inherently corrupt political system. Mayor Kleinberg, Councilman Joseph Pernice and Councilwoman Patricia Morelli spoke of what they perceived as possible corruption throughout their 2003 campaign without fear of reprisal from their party. At the time I thought corruption was too strong a word even though I sensed, as Mr. Sukel alluded to, that something was amiss in the governance of our town. As we now see, the new administration was correct in their assessment. I can’t recall reading or hearing about corruption or influence peddling from any member of the opposition to include the new Reformed Democratic Club until recently, now that appears en vogue. The Republican Club did not change their name. What they did, however, was to attract new faces and ideas as a means of seeking change. Two years ago the Republicans endorsed newcomers with no political affiliation and actively sought to distance themselves from the real problem, i.e., accepting money from builders to fund their campaign. In last year’s election, the Republicans sought another new candidate with no affiliation or connection to a machine. Their stated goal was to find someone with proven experience in government and with established integrity. The candidate they chose, and who was elected, met both objectives. The new team now in place has championed change and is rapidly bringing accountability back to Marlboro. Their record should speak for itself. More has been accomplished in the past 18 months than in the last eight years, when the control of the council was in other political hands. This council has taken a proactive legislative stance in seeking to protect the residents of Marlboro. They passed one of the toughest pay for play ordinances in New Jersey. They passed an ethics ordinance and the mayor has formed an ethics committee requiring full disclosure of possible conflicts of interest for all municipal employees and board members. They passed an ordinance providing residents the right to appeal a zoning decision. They passed a sign ordinance requiring that developers display signs on any major subdivision at a proposed location. They’ve also sought to cooperate with the state to fulfill Marlboro’s affordable housing quota; and they will be voting on a new master plan to slow residential development and increase commercial space in Marlboro. This new council has heard the residents, which is demonstrated by their actions. Editorials that seek to paint members of one party or another with such a broad brush do not serve the interest of the community. It’s either naive or dishonest to think that party leadership does not control or influence the selection of a candidate. Corruption is a strong word, and the corruption we have witnessed here in Marlboro is a reflection of an institution sanction by a statewide system, and fueled by individual greed. Speaking as a resident of this town, I truly believe that the makeup of the present council and administration have the best interest of our community at heart, and are taking the proper steps and initiatives to right this ship. Michael A. Viggiano Marlboro Dems hoping to engage Republicans in debate On behalf of Michelle Roth and Tony Gennaro, I welcome Republican County Committeeman Joel Schecter’s recent letter in the News Transcript endorsing candidate debates for the Manalapan Township Committee. Michelle and Tony are eager to speak to the issues and meet with their opponents for a series of debates as soon as possible. I will be in touch with the Republican campaign manager shortly to see if they will agree to debates. If so, I will notify the public regarding time and place just as soon as we have all the information. Larry Roth campaign manager Committee to Elect Gennaro and Roth Manalapan Systems of checks and balances will aid Marlboro government Marlboro’s June 7 primary for Township Council candidates was cluttered with an array of “old guard” hacks attempting to invade the council, but voters had the good sense to elect the three candidates of the Reformed Democrats. Now the real significance of their election should be evaluated. Equally important are the obvious maneuvers the Repub-lican candidates will be employing for November. With a Republican adminis-tration in Marlboro now in power, their candidates will most probably be dedicated to peppering campaign rhetoric with a wide broad “scandal” brush. The fresh, new Reformed Democratic candidates will enter the fray with a clean political bill of health, but in politics, “any means usually justifies the ends.” Riding to victory by jackhammering voters into gaining complete Republican control of Marlboro’s government will most probably be their candidate’s goal. To understand the origin and roots of the past “Scannapieco-Spalliero Scandals,” we must examine the four year period 1994-97 when both the administration and the Township Council of Marlboro were controlled by the Republican political party power structure. It generated the breeding ground for the outrageous scandals we are now experiencing. A “checks and balances” Township Council with a new and unfettered Democratic council majority can provide a winning strategic integrity defense. Herbert Resnick Marlboro