Residents' quality of life is concern for candidate
BY CLARE MARIE CELANO Staff Writer

Republican candidate for Borough Council Ted Miller said officials need to keep up the fight to guarantee that Freehold's children receive a thorough and efficient education.

FREEHOLD - Republican Ted Miller is challenging Democratic incumbents Kevin Kane and Jaye Sims for a threeyear term on the Borough Council in the Nov. 6 election.

There are two council terms on the ballot in the Freehold Borough municipal election. At present, all six council seats and the mayor's office are held by Democrats.

Miller, 48, who lives on Henry Street with his wife, Lisa, and their 8-year-old son and twin 6-year-old sons, said he is running for a seat on the council to add a new voice for what he calls the "first class quality of life" that he said all borough homeowners, investors and like-minded residents desire.

"I am qualified and highly motivated to communicate solutions and motivate conclusive actions that produce a first class quality of life," said Miller, who works as a district manager for a software company.

Miller said he and his wife moved to Freehold Borough because they liked the idea of living and raising children in a small town where everything is close by. They moved to the borough from Rutherford in 1999.

Miller said he is hopeful "there are enough faithful, forward-thinking residents, new and old residents, ready to make Freehold Borough the All- American great place to thrive."

A native of Brooklyn, N.Y., Miller has been active in the Freehold Learning Center elementary school PTO since his children started school.

"I am a big supporter of public schools," Miller said. "I am a product of public schools. I feel that our schools are an essential part of the quality of life."

That is why Miller said he has been on a quest with school administrators, municipal officials and parents to prod state legislators to bring the borough's school district up to a funding level that will provide a thorough and efficient education for all students. He said he attended meetings in Trenton with legislators, school administrators, parents and municipal officials.

"Our goal was not to get money though, it was to reach a thorough and efficient education. And a first class quality of life includes a thorough and efficient education and we will fight for that, there's no denying that." he said.

Miller said his goal as a councilman would be to "communicate and motivate people to get involved."

He has attended Board of Education meetings regularly for the last two years and has been a frequent attendee at council meetings. He said he would like more people to attend the public meetings.

"I believe there is a disconnection between the school board and the Borough Council," Miller said. "I know that the council and the school board are separate governing bodies, but I believe that the dynamics of each affects the other. A first class quality of life includes those who come shopping for a home here to look at the school system. Our schools impact the families buying homes here in the borough."

Miller said the government needs new energy.

"It's not just about the downtown anymore. It's about the 12,000 people who live here," he said.

Miller said that as a councilman he would like to address tax relief for residents by looking for new areas of revenue and creating "real jobs, not just crossing guard jobs" for people in town.

He said there is potential to lessen the burden of escalating real estate taxes by establishing a business and economic development advisory committee. He believes the town needs "venues that assure accountable pathways for municipal property tax relief through creative, growth-structured revenue streams and municipal cost downs, not cutbacks."

On another topic, Miller said he is a proponent of a federal program known as 287(g) that trains local law enforcement