Former WMUA rep. will support Pezzullo

From 1987 until 2001, I was one of Manalapan's two commissioners on the Western Monmouth Utilities Authority (WMUA). During those 15 years, I voted to raise rates once and voted to lower rates twice.

When we raised rates, our meeting was packed with irate Covered Bridge residents who demanded our resignations. Covered Bridge residents then petitioned both the governor and state Legislature to stop the increase.

However, we were under court order to expand the sewer plant, and we needed the revenue. The rate increase went into effect.

When we lowered rates, nobody came to thank us. When I fought to create a special discount for needy seniors, nobody came to support me. Is there any chance that this was because we were Republicans?

For the last five years the two WMUA Manalapan commissioners have been Democrats. They have raised rates four times, totaling about 40 percent.

Why wasn't there any massive turnout from Covered Bridge residents to protest these increases?

Why didn't these residents demand that Sen. Ellen Karcher and assemblymen Michael Panter and Robert Morgan and then-Gov. James McGreevey put pressure on these commissioners? Is there any chance that it was because they were all Democrats?

On Jan. 31, 2007, the term of one of these Democrat commissioners will expire. Only one candidate for Manalapan Town-ship Committee has promised to vote for a new commissioner who will not raise rates. That candidate is Nikki Pezzullo.

Can Richard Klauber promise the same thing? He has not addressed the WMUA's extraordinary rate increases. One has to believe that his silence is an indication of his approval of all those rate hikes.

As a Manalapan resident and a former WMUA commissioner, the choice for Manalapan Township Committee person seems clear. On Nov. 7 I will cast my vote for Nikki Pezzullo.

Joel Schechter

Manalapan