Three Republicans want to continue making progress
BY REBECCA MORTON Staff Writer

Marlboro Mayor Robert Kleinberg (l) and Township Council members Joseph Pernice and Patti Morelli are running for re-election to four-year terms.

MARLBORO - The three Republicans running for municipal office say they want to continue their mission of stabilizing property taxes, putting the brakes on residential development and running an honest and legitimate government that is free of corruption.

Mayor Robert Kleinberg and Township Council members Joseph Pernice and Patti Morelli are seeking four-year terms in the Nov. 6 election.

In the November 2003 election Kleinberg beat Democrat Steven Glickman in the race for the mayor's seat, receiving 52 percent of the votes cast to Glickman's 48 percent.

In presenting their record to the public, Kleinberg said, "We were rated No. 33 by Money Magazine among the best places to live in the United States and that wasn't by accident."

Kleinberg said he, Pernice and Morelli have worked hard since taking office in January 2004 to put an end to government corruption, stop residential overdevelopment and bring about honesty in Marlboro's government.

"We had to turn the direction of the town when we came in. We did that. Now we must work hard for the next four years to continue the improvements," said Kleinberg, who has lived in Marlboro for 22 years.

Kleinberg said the majority of the property taxes that are paid by a property owner go to support the operations of the Marlboro K-8 School District, the Freehold Regional High School District and Monmouth County.

He said Marlboro's municipal government controls a smaller percentage of the taxes paid by property owners and from that amount it must pay the cost of government, the police department, public works and other municipal services.

Kleinberg said that over the past four years the council has tried to curtail its use of deferred school taxes to support the municipal budget. The Republicans said their actions have helped to stabilize taxes being paid by property owners and said they want to continue to hold the line on potential tax increases.

"The municipal component of the Marlboro property tax bill is one of the most stable in the county," the mayor said.

He added that previous councils' use of deferred school taxes kept the municipal tax rate at what he called an artificially low rate.

Kleinberg named a list of accomplishments that he believes warrants his and his running mates re-election to a second term. He said that during his first term he and the council have restored people's faith in the honesty and integrity of their local government; slowed residential development by increasing the size of building lots; made public works its own department, thereby increasing the efficiency of that department.

He said he and the council eliminated several no show and political patronage jobs; became the first municipality in Monmouth County to have every union employee contribute to healthcare coverage for their dependents; enacted ordinances that are resident friendly, specifically a law that changes impervious lot coverage percentages and allows residents to improve their property without going through a costly zoning board process; capped zoning board fees for certain residential applications; tightened hiring and promotion practices for municipal jobs; and cooperated with the FBI in its ongoing investigation into political corruption in Marlboro.

Pernice said when he ran for his first term four years ago the Republicans' mission was to stop residential overdevelopment and put an end to the corruption that had plagued Marlboro's government and was just beginning to come to the attention of the public.

"To think of what it was four years ago, we are now on the right course and need to maintain that," Pernice said.

Pernice said if he is re-elected to a second term he wants to work on quality of life projects such as road improvements and programs offered to residents. He said there are still issues that need to continue to be looked at.

Pernice has lived in Marlboro for almost 11 years. He said he was attracted to Marlboro because of its suburban atmosphere and excellent school system.

Morelli said she decided to run for reelection "because I am proud of the work that I have accomplished in the past four years and there are many projects still pending on farmland preservation: the former Dimeo property, the former McCarron property and one other property that the county is working on preserving.

"In the past four years this council has passed more legislation to protect residents from developers to predators," Morelli said. "You just have to drive around Marlboro and you see the difference."

Morelli cited improvements including Union Hill Road, Robertsville Road and Brown Road. Also, the instillation of a sidewalk in front of Marlboro High School, the construction of a veterans memorial garden, and a pavement roadway plan, in which she said more than 5 miles of residential roads have been repaired.

"When I was first elected I didn't realize that one person can truly make [a] difference. My record has shown that I work very hard for the residents of Marlboro, I listen to their concerns and assist them in any way I can. Over the next four years I would like to keep Marlboro moving in the same direction with honest government, land preservation, recreational space for our children and seniors and keeping Marlboro the beautiful town that I moved to 18 years ago," Morelli said.