October 23, 2008

Republicans can stop lying on the Campaign Trail

Democrats Calling
By JOE CALIENDO

    As usual this election season, the Middletown Republican Party is into the lying.
    The same old lie is that Middletown Democrats are pro-Town Center. But that is entirely wrong. As a matter of fact, Middletown Committeeman Patrick Short, a Democrat, was in charge of the Concerned Citizens of Middletown, a group that lobbied against the Town Center years ago.
    I know that both Committeeman Short and Committeeman Sean Byrnes are both philosophically against the Town Center. But, the reality is that this township, and every other township in America, has to abide by the law from our courts. Anyone who thinks they are bigger than the courts needs to re-evaluate their desire to hold office in a democracy.
    I know that the current Democrats for Township Committee, Patricia Walsh and Jim Grenafege, also feel that way.
    As a matter of fact, the current Republican-controlled Middletown Committee wanted to put an ordinance through, defying the court's order. The problem with that is the township would have placed itself in contempt of an appellate court decision. At some point, even Mayor Gerard Scharfenberger and Deputy Mayor Pam Brightbill figured out that they have to obey the law.
    I cannot tell anyone how much money was spent on Town Center litigation, because this committee majority either doesn't make those numbers public or hides legal fees in totally unrelated budget line items, as they have been proven to do in the past.
    But right now, while I am concerned about what was spent on this litigation, I am also concerned that the Republican Machine in town is trying to make it seem like the Democratic Party is backing this project.
    But it was this township's current administrator, Anthony Mercantante, who was the one that originally conceived of the idea of Town Center. It was the all-Republican (at that time) Township Committee that first approved the plan.
    So the reality is that no Democrat in this township ever had anything to do with any decision to create, approve or adopt anyone's idea of a Town Center.
    This election, Republicans are again trying to make it seem that there is some disposition the Democrats have to this center-their project. While I have not encountered Democrats specifically encouraging the Town Center, I do know many Democrats who believe that the court system may not always be right, but it has to be listened to and adhered to in this country. And if the leadership of the Middletown Republican Party doesn't like the laws in this country, then they can go somewhere there are other courts and laws they like better.
    I do not know of any organization in this country that would run on opposing a court decision that was unanimously rendered by a state appellate court. The likelihood that the NJ Supreme Court will even hear such a matter would be distant (to be generous about it). In the meantime, the bills are mounting and it is these bills, among others, that have been the real problem for Middletown taxpayers.
    The Middletown Committee is not releasing the Town Center litigation costs specifically because they know the public will not react well about how much they spent on this failed legal campaign.
    My resolution for this whole matter is simple: Republicans can stop lying anytime they want.

(Joe Caliendo is the chairman of the Middletown Township Democratic Party. He has been active in municipal government and politics since the 1961 campaign of former President John F. Kennedy.)