Kane, Sims, Miller bid for seats on Freehold council
BY CLARE MARIE CELANO Staff Writer

FREEHOLD - Three residents are running for two seats on the Borough Council in the Nov. 6 election.

Incumbent Democratic councilmen Kevin Kane and Jaye Sims are seeking three-year terms. They are being challenged for a seat by Republican Ted Miller.

At present, all six seats on the council and the mayor's office are held by Democrats.

Kane, 50, is completing his second three-year term and is serving as council president in 2007. He said he is running for re-election because he believes he still has a lot of work to do in addressing issues of importance in the municipality.

He said the No. 1 priority for officials is to gain control of the number of people who live in town.

"Whatever the capacity of the borough is, that's the only number we can house," Kane said.

He also wants to continue to promote the positive things that occur in Freehold and is awaiting the completion of a downtown vision study.

Sims, 32, has served on the council since June 2006. He said his work on the governing body is not done.

"I want to serve and I care a great deal about what goes on in Freehold Borough," Sims said, adding that property taxes and the impact of illegal immigration on the town are issues to be addressed over the coming years.

"We have to find a way to bridge the gap between the cultures in our town," said Sims, who is the council's liaison to the Human Relations Committee and the Community Information Committee.

He has asked residents to come to those committee meetings and to discuss issues that concern them.

Sims also said he wants to work on bringing more manpower and donations to the Freehold First Aid and Emergency Squad.

Miller, 48, 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 homeowners, investors and like-minded residents desire.

Miller said he supports the borough's public schools and believes they are an essential part of the quality of life in town.

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