Letters
Smoking ban shows N.J. politicians’ hypocrisy

New Jersey’s latest legislative event prompts me to pose two questions publicly, which come to mind far too often for comfort. The first: How gullible are the American people? The second: Why are no professional politicians ever nominated for acting awards?

For purposes of this discussion, let’s assume the unassumable — that secondhand smoke really does kill people. If true, our Legislature and former acting governor should be arrested. They are willing accessories to the ongoing homicide of a large group of New Jerseyans. Who? People who work in and frequent Atlantic City casinos.

I read the governor’s (forgive me, Mel Brooks) declarations as he signed this wide-sweeping legislation into law. He was elated that the government was protecting its citizens from a vile, stalking killer: secondhand smoke.

We can now walk freely into any and all public access buildings in New Jersey and not be felled by some mindless brute with a cigarette. Except, of course, should that building be a casino in Atlantic City. The people who work in and frequent casinos are on their own. They have been declared second-class citizens by the government of the state of New Jersey, unworthy of the protections mandated for everyone else.

Incredibly, the governor never cracked a smile or ac-knowledged the obvious hypocrisy of his misplaced joy. Nor did those legislators who are equally involved in passing this bill.

I acknowledge that [Gov. Richard] Codey and his colleagues who backed this bill are sensitive folks, caring leaders, people above the fray when it comes to the influence of big money in the political sphere. I acknowledge they are honest people.

I have always assumed they have no grudge against any New Jersey citizen they represent, they proclaim “all” the people.

This being said, I must reach some kind of conclusion about their gleefully allowing the future slaughter of thousands of Atlantic City revelers. My answer, moral outrage and bias.

Their apparent crusade (it must be such as the law has eliminated only one unworthy group from its protective goodness), must be a Sodom and Gomorrah kind of thing. They must want to punish the wicked who engage in this particularly nasty evil.

After all, it isn’t just the gambling. Racetrack aficionados are protected, the state still runs its own “numbers” racket, and my “less-than-legal” bookie can’t allow smoking in his barber shop! It is clearly something else.

After all, my initial assumptions must be correct. The New Jersey voters put these people into office time after time after time. It is well established that government people only have the best interests of the citizenry in mind.

And since we all know “play for pay” is dead in New Jersey, this oversight can’t possibly be because the casino owners have more clout in Trenton than the owner of your corner bar or café. Don’t you just love a mystery?

Eugene H. Goellner

Red Bank

Efforts by police, first-aiders are appreciated

I would like to express my sincere thanks to the English-town-Manalapan First Aid Squad and special thanks to police officers William Dutton, Ed Hedden and Dennis O’Brien of the Manalapan Police Depart-ment for trying to save my mother’s life on Dec. 28.

I would also like to thank the Knights of Columbus and the Rev. John Bambrick of St. Thomas More Roman Catholic Church, all neighbors and friends for the comfort, support and outpouring of love at such a difficult time for me and my family.

John Conlon

Manalapan

Chorus teacher took a real interest in Howell High School students

The whole Howell community and my entire family was very saddened to hear of the passing of Steve Gosewisch, chorus teacher at Howell High School. My first contact with Mr. Gosewisch was when my daughter entered the high school in 1989. Even though she was active in band, not chorus, he made all music students feel welcome.

I was very involved in the parent organization (band and chorus) and got to know him. He was always willing to talk to parents. When my youngest son was in middle school, Mr. Gosewisch helped the chorus teacher there and I would run into him while picking up my son.

One time I took my daughter, who had already graduated from high school and was in college. He recognized me and my daughter and knew my son, but had not made the connection that they were brother and sister. When David entered the high school as a sophomore, Mr. Gosewisch made him feel welcome in choir and was very supportive of him.

David was very disappointed when Mr. G. became part of the Fine and Performing Arts magnet program and another teacher taught chorus during David’s senior year.

I still saw Mr. G. at all the concerts and he would always ask about my daughter. When I told him she was involved in Court Singers at Georgian Court College, he seemed pleased. Mr. Gosewisch was very dedicated to the students of Howell High School and was involved in many symphonic organizations. He will truly be missed and hard to replace at Howell High School.

Shelly Levine

Howell

Second thoughts about establishing a new democracy in Iraq

I read the column by Gregory Bean in your newspaper which was very sobering, and the ending was very significant to the war in the Middle East and elsewhere.

“Each day, the list of casualties and fatalities grows, and each day we become a bit more accustomed to that awful reality, a bit more disassociated from the real sacrifices being made on our behalf.”

We hear it every day and see it every night and sigh with the reality of it all.

I read an article in History Channel Magazine the other day and it was about the dilemma of Vietnam. One could write the same article today and substitute Iraq for Vietnam.

We can pinpoint a pebble on a beach with our satellites, we can fire missiles to the moon, and yet we have to sacrifice the blood of our youth to shove democracy down the throats of countries whether they want it or not.

Michael J. Glynn

Manalapan

New Jersey can have open space & affordable housing

With the [recent] announcement that 28 New Jersey towns failed to meet the deadline for submitting affordable housing plans, now is a good time to review one of the most blatant abuses of New Jersey law — the so-called “builders’ remedy.”

With the “builders’ remedy,” developers use the state’s mandate to provide affordable housing as a way to force towns without approved affordable housing plans to accept new sprawling development.

While the underlying intent is good, to encourage towns to provide affordable housing, developers’ lawsuits typically force thousands of expensive homes along with a small percentage of affordable homes upon towns. And even when there’s no merit to the lawsuit, the threat and looming costs of litigation can prompt the most courageous local officials to settle and cave to the development.

Towns that don’t want to be threatened and bullied have an option. They can proactively meet their affordable housing obligations through a variety of strategies and can protect natural resources and open lands at the same time.

The Coalition for Affordable Housing and the Environment (CAHE) has just published a brochure to assist communities in doing just that.

Under the state laws that grew out of the famous Mount Laurel court case, every New Jersey municipality must provide a specific number of affordable housing units.

Developers have used the law to their advantage for years and the ensuing “builders’ remedy” effectively advanced sprawl with very limited benefit to low-income families.

Affordable housing is critical to the future of our state.

Our communities are stronger when local business owners and employees, municipal workers, young families and senior citizens can afford to live in the same town. Living close to our jobs reduces the pollution and lost time that comes with long commutes.

The new brochure lays out some options for towns that include lots of environmentally friendly ways for towns to meet their affordable housing targets without sprawling over new, open land. One is to redevelop existing neighborhoods. Affordable housing can be built within the existing boundaries of development.

Towns that are proactive with affordable housing obligations stay in control of how and where new building occurs and avoid the “builders’ remedy.” That means local elected officials determine the future of your neighborhood, not the courts or a big developer.

What can you do to be sure your town is providing affordable housing and protecting the environment while planning for future growth?

Begin by attending important local meetings, like your planning board and environmental commission meetings. You can volunteer to help too. Contact your town hall for more information.

In addition, you can contact the Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) at (609) 292-3000 or visit their Web site at www.state.nj.us/dca/coah to find out if your town has an approved affordable housing plan; if your town doesn’t have this at least in process yet, encourage your local officials to make a plan.

Michele S. Byers

executive director

New Jersey

Conservation Foundation

Far Hills

Cheerleading coordinator makes girls feel special

We write to say thank you to Trish Gilburn, coordinator for Manal-apan Pop Warner cheerleading. Trish willingly volunteers her time not only for practices, football season and cheerleading competition, but also throughout the year by attending state and local board meetings, taking phone calls and handling any other related issues.

Trish happily does all of this while balancing the demands of a professional career and taking care of her most cherished family. Her kind professional manner allows her to effectively coordinate games, volunteers and competitions, but more importantly she leads by example.

A guess would say there are close to 100 young girls involved in Manalapan Pop Warner cheerleading.

“Miss Trish” (as the girls refer to her) manages to consistently greet each girl by name, with a smile and make each one feel special. Her positive attitude and fun-loving philosophy sets the tone for all involved. This enables the Manalapan Pop Warner cheerleading program to provide our girls with an organized, fun, positive experience.

Thank you, Trish, for all you do and all you have done.

Charlene McLaughlin

ToniAnn Sparano

Stacy Spinelli

Tanya Druzbik

Eileen Higgins

Theresa Whitehead

Arlene Horlick

and other parents of

Pop Warner cheerleaders

Manalapan

Time to start collecting taxes from illegal immigrants

We continue to read in all the local newspapers that New Jersey is operating in the red. Many alternatives are being looked at to put us back in the black, one of which is estimated at approximately $3,000 per resident.

The one alternative that I have not heard is getting to the contractors who are hiring illegal immigrants and to the illegal immigrants themselves.

These contractors are not paying their fair share of taxes, nor are the illegal immigrants.

Imagine if the 11 million illegal immigrants in the United States today, and the contractors who are hiring them, started paying their fair share of taxes. Our federal budget would be overflowing.

Marie N. Chapman

Freehold Borough

Manalapan voters should look for a change in Nov.

Manalapan took a huge step backward at its reorganization meeting on Jan. 2. Last year a fragile coalition between the mayor, a Democrat, and the two newly elected Republicans agreed that a change in the string of pro-fessionals that were embedded in Man-alapan for too many years was long overdue. These changes saved Manalapan residents thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of dollars. How soon the voters forgot.

The Democrats have been in control in Manalapan for six years and have now broken the fragile coalition that existed in 2005. Drew Shapiro, Michelle Roth and Anthony Gennaro are looking to take “all the people’s” tax dollars as they returned CME Associates to be the township engineer in Manalapan.

The firm has made millions of dollars in Manalapan over 30 years and will once again make millions from the residents.

Why? Because CME contributed heavily to Gennaro’s and Roth’s campaign and proudly admitted to doing so.

Residents ignored the coalition that brought the town two replacement ambulances that were badly needed for the residents’ well being; the tax decrease they got after years of increases; a new innovative plan to preserve our open space; as well as other changes that benefited the residents.

Voters were turned off by the lies told by the Democrats during the campaign and ignored the record of positive accomplishments. I hope voters realize their mistake this year and continue to look for a change.

Alexander Cedeno

Manalapan

Director offers thanks to those who help town’s seniors

At the start of a new year it seems most fitting to reflect on the kindness and generosity of others. The spirit of caring and compassion that was showered throughout 2005 upon the senior citizens who live in Howell by businesses, the school community, and agencies is both heartwarming and overwhelming. Goodness abounds in our township, as is evidenced by the time, the talents and the donations that have been offered by so many.

Special thanks to the Howell PBA, Southard Fire Department No. 1, the Howell Women’s Club, Howell Elks Lodge No. 2515, the Howell Chamber of Commerce, the Howell Optimist Club, the Howell Sports Federation, Miles of Smiles, the Howell Township Public Schools, the Freehold Regional High School District, local senior citizen clubs, the local religious organizations, the business community and the medical community for your ongoing support of and assistance with our senior center members, our Just in Thyme Senior Cupboard, and our Meals on Wheels program.

In addition, thanks must be extended to the many individuals in Howell, including our senior center members, for your volunteer hours, your donations and your endless commitment to both the older adults in our community and to the community at large. Though too numerous to list here, I hope each of you can feel the gratitude being expressed for all that you do to improve the quality of life for others.

Blessings abound right here in our township. How fortunate Howell’s senior citizens are to experience the generosity of so many and how grateful I am to be able to witness the miracles created by each of you.

Best wishes for good health and peace in 2006. May you be as fortunate as the recipients of your kindness.

Carol L. Zur

director of senior services

Howell

Center’s director makes plea for blood donations

In recent years, New Jersey has had to “import” more than 50,000 units of whole blood annually because our population does not donate enough blood to cover the needs of New Jersey hospitals. Our state faces an immediate shortage for select blood types, and this will likely be the case for the coming winter as inclement weather — snowstorms — could force the cancellation of scheduled blood drives.

In working to recruit current blood donors to donate more, we need to build a new generation of blood donors, for the ultimate goal of all New Jersey-based blood services is to create a self-sufficient and self-sustaining blood supply for New Jersey.

January is National Volunteer Blood Donor Month and a great time to start the new year off right with a blood donation that will help save lives.

Readers can donate through New Jersey Blood Services (NJBS). Interested readers and donors can call (800) 933-2566 or go on-line at www.nybloodcenter.org to locate blood drives convenient to their homes and workplaces. Donors must be 17 years old, weigh at least 110 pounds, and be in good health. Healthy donors can actually donate whole blood every 56 days, while residents age 76 and older can donate if they have a physician’s permission.

Since 1973, NJBS has been running blood drives in New Jersey. Blood is our only business. To supply blood products to the hospitals we serve, NJBS runs blood drives seven days a week. We also seek companies and organizations that want to hold blood drives in support of their community’s health. Interested parties can call (732) 220-7184 or (732) 220-7096. Help address our state’s blood supply shortage — donate today.

Maggie O’Shea

executive director

New Jersey Blood Services

New Brunswick