Page 4 Thursday, August 15, 2013 The Westfield Leader and The Scotch Plains – Fanwood TIMES A WATCHUNG COMMUNICATIONS, INC. PUBLICATION
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The Westfield LeaderLegal Newspaper for the Borough of Fanwood
And the Township of Scotch Plains
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P.O. Box 250 • 251 North Avenue, WestWestfield, N.J. 07091
P. O. Box 368Scotch Plains, N.J. 07076
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The ScotThe ScotThe ScotThe ScotThe Scotch Plains–Fch Plains–Fch Plains–Fch Plains–Fch Plains–Fanwoodanwoodanwoodanwoodanwood
TTTTTimes imes imes imes imes Since 1959Since 1959Since 1959Since 1959Since 1959
Members of:New Jersey Press Association • National Newspaper Association • Westfield Area Chamber of Commerce
Scotch Plains Business & Professional Association • Fanwood Business & Professional Association
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Betsey BurgdorfEDUCATION & ARTS
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Periodicals – Postage Paid at Rahway, New JerseyPeriodicals – Postage Paid at Rahway, New Jersey
And the County of Union, NJ.
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Letters to the EditorABCDICTIONOPQRSTDECEPTIONUVWXYZ
TM
DDDDDiction Deception
State LD-22Sen. Nicholas Scutari (D)
1514 E. Saint Georges Ave.Linden, N.J. 07036(908) 587-0404
Asw. Linda Stender (D)1801 East Second St.Scotch Plains, N.J. 07076(908) 668-1900
Asm. Jerry Green (D)17 Watchung Ave.Plainfield, N.J. 07060(908) 561-5757
State LD-21Sen. Thomas Kean, Jr. (R)
425 North Ave. E.Westfield, N.J. 07090(908) 232-3673
Asm. Jon Bramnick (R)251 North Ave. WestWestfield, N.J. 07090(908) 232-2073
Asm. Nancy Munoz (R)57 Union Place, Suite 310Summit, N.J. 07901(908) 918-0414
LD-21 includes Westfield,Mountainside, Garwood,Summit and Cranford.
7th Congressional DistrictRepresentative Leonard Lance (R)425 North Avenue E., Westfield, NJ 07090(908) 518-7733
LD-22 includes Scotch Plains,Fanwood, Plainfield, Clark andLinden.
[email protected], [email protected]@njleg.org, [email protected]@njleg.org, [email protected]
12th Congressional DistrictRep. Rush Holt (D)50 Washington Rd., West Windsor, N.J. 08550(609) 750-9365[Fanwood, Plainfield and most of Scotch Plainsare in the 12th Congressional District]
[Westfield, Mountainside, Garwood, Summit and Cranfordare in the 7th Congressional District]
Union County FreeholdersElizabeth, New Jersey
(908) 527-4200Al Faella, Mgr. [email protected]
Linda Carter, [email protected]
Sebastian D’Elia, Public Info.(908) [email protected]
Letters tothe Editor
Flummoxed By IcelandTravel Article
In your Travel Section last week,there was an interesting piece on Ice-land. What flummoxed me was thecomment on how expensive steaksand burgers were. Of course, Iceland(Island is the official spelling for otherreasons) is a fishing nation. I havestayed there and found with the widevariety of fresh seafoods and prepa-ration styles (local and Continental),red or white meat was unnecessary.As far as wine, prices are high due toimportation and currency fluctuationsamong others.
In other words, going “native” isn’ta test of endurance, but it can beinexpensive.
Roger StryeskiRoselle
Party Affiliation At the LocalAnd County Level Is Irrelevant
Paving Roads in Fourth WardHas Been One of My Priorities
When one talks about politics inUnion County it could make yourhead spin. The one thing I can tell youis party affiliation at the local andcounty is irrelevant. There are noissues that are addressed at the countylevel that split the county on partylines. Unlike at the state and federallevel where gun control, gay mar-riage, troops overseas and globalwarming are all important issues, theyare not addressed locally. What splitsthe county on party lines is on how tobest govern the county and where toapply resources and most importantly,your tax dollars which represent any-where from 18-26 percent of yourproperty taxes.
However, in order to get elected inUnion County, you need party affili-ation. This has proven true in pastelections when Independent candi-dates ran and lost for a variety ofreasons.
According to the most recent NewJersey Voter Registration informa-tion, 15 percent of registered votersin Union County are Republicans, 42percent are Democrats and the re-mainder and largest portion at 44percent are unaffiliated. The greatestturnout of voters is during a presiden-tial election, followed by a guberna-torial election and then congressional/senatorial elections. The higher thelevel of office at the top of the ticketgenerates the greater voter turnout.This holds true just about everywhere.
Under our current form of countygovernment, we elect nine membersto the Board of Chosen Freeholdersat-large based on partisan elections.No news there. In my opinion, UnionCounty is best served if the composi-tion of the Board of Freeholders is bi-partisan rather than the current all-Democrat board. Having a 9-0 partybalance on the Board of Freeholdersis politically unhealthy for the UnionCounty and has been for a decade andhalf. This 9-0 party majority createswhat is called a “super majority”where one party has total control andcan and has shut out any contraryopinion or counter position by op-posing members of the public, basi-cally avoiding discussion or debate.
By the way, debating is politicallyhealthy even if you don’t like thediscussion, tone or outcome. What isneeded on the Board of Freeholdersare opposing views.
What can I tell you about the Demo-crat party in Union County? Afterreviewing the election reports theDemocrats out spend the Republi-cans roughly 10 to1 at the countylevel. The Democrats expand a largeamount of resources to get their can-
didates elected. I have no doubt thattheir standard negative campaign lit-erature will fill your mailboxes soon.I can’t wait to see what they say aboutme, an honorably discharged combatveteran with 21 years of service.
So, what is the main problem withUnion County Board of Chosen Free-holders? When people become partycentric as opposed to Union Countycentric, Union County suffers. TheAll-Democrat board has had the su-per majority for 15 years. They servea small minority that is interested ingaining political control and reward-ing loyal party members with highpaying patronage positions withinUnion County, the party centric.
This takes me back to the seniorcitizen I met while campaigning in2009 for the Township Committee ofSpringfield. She said, “I want some-one to keep an eye on them,” and shewas a lifelong Democrat. She wasn’talone in 2009. In 2009, RepublicanFreeholder candidate Nicole Cole re-ceived 51,940 votes. There wasroughly 30,000 Republicans thatvoted in Union County in 2009, thatmeant over 20,000 Democrats andunaffiliated voters voted for a Re-publican to keep an eye on them too.Those 20,000 Democrats and unaf-filiated voters know that the currentall-Democrat board is not represen-tative of them.
So, I ask everyone. regardless ofparty affiliation. to consider votingKrauss, Martini and Geiger for Free-holder this year to bring back two-party government and a balance rep-resentation to Union County govern-ment.
Marc KraussCandidate for Union County
Freeholder
During my 2009 campaign for towncouncil, I visited every street in theFourth Ward at least twice to hear theissues that were most important toour residents. Through these meet-ings I learned controlling municipalspending, improving the conditionof our roads, and keeping Westfieldgreat were areas of paramount con-cern. As a result, my first term ontown council has focused on theseissues.
We have made significant progressimproving the condition of roads inthe Fourth Ward. In my four years oncouncil, we paved all or part ofDowner Street, First Street, GracelandPlace, Highgate Avenue, KensingtonDrive, Knollwood Terrace, NewarkAvenue, St. Georges Place, St. JohnsPlace, Summit Avenue, and TalcottRoad.
Councilman James Foerst and Icontinuously walk the Fourth Wardto identify those roads most needingimprovement. Despite our limitedroad improvement budget, our towncouncil unanimously approved our
request to pave Ardsleigh Drive, andlarge sections of Dorian Road,Shadowlawn Drive, and SummitCourt. Work will begin shortly onthese projects.
We continue to pursue grants andwork with all levels of government tofund road improvements in Westfield.Senator Tom Kean, Assemblyman JonBramnick, and AssemblywomanNancy Muñoz helped us secure agrant to pave Rahway Avenue. Inaddition, we worked with UnionCounty and the State of New Jerseyto pave Lamberts Mill Road and SouthAvenue through their respective bud-gets at no additional cost to theWestfield taxpayer.
I will continue to work hard toimprove the condition of our roads.Please continue to contact me withyour road improvement requests orto report a pothole.
Please visit my website atkeithloughlin.com for more informa-tion about my re-election campaign.
Keith LoughlinWestfield Councilman
Bills Do Nothing Re.Criminal Element ThatPreys On The CitizensToo bad New Jersey’s politicians
don’t understand that the laws theywrite only affect those who will abideby them. Criminals are going to do asthey please, but the honest citizen is alittle less safe with every infringe-ment on the right to bear arms. NJ isone of the few states that just don’tgrasp the meaning of “shall not beinfringed.”
The pride and joy of the anti-gunlobby – the terror watchlist bill –really means nothing. Terrorists havebeen getting their guns direct fromour government, and much betterweapons than I can buy in my localgun store. And of course no back-ground checks either, because Obamaand Eric Holder don’t need any.
These bills do nothing to addressthe criminal element that preys on thecitizens of New Jersey. Criminalsdon’t obey laws, get it! Our disgrace-ful legislators should be passing con-cealed carry and castle doctrine billsfor law-abiding individuals, insteadof this nonsense.
Winston Churchill: “If you haveten thousand regulations, you destroyall respect for the law.”
Mark GrabowskiClark
Garwood Meeting to Authorize SoilTesting Project Expenditure
Editor’s Note: This letter was cop-ied to the newspaper by GarwoodCouncilman Jim Mathieu
*****Honorable Mayor and Council
(Garwood):Please be advised that I have been
directed by Borough Attorney Renaudto conduct a special meeting of theMayor and Council on Friday, Au-gust 16, 2013 at 7 p.m. The meetingmust be published and the next pub-lication is Thursday, August 15, 2013.The purpose of the meeting is toauthorize expenditure for additionalsoil testing at the AFC.
The proposal for the testing is$12,500 of which the insurance car-rier has agreed to pay half and theremainder to be paid by the borough($6,250). Additional funding doesn’tneed to be raised, nor does the bondneed to be amended, as there is$100,000 contingent built into thebond. However, staff does not have
the authority to authorize a changeorder, which must be done by resolu-tion of the Mayor and Council, hencerequiring the meeting.
It is recognized it is a Friday nightin the middle of summer, however,Mr. Renaud and I do not think it’s inthe best interest of the project to waituntil August 27, 2013, for authoriza-tion. Friday is the soonest the meet-ing can be held and the authorizationis necessary before proceeding withthe testing. The soil matter is delay-ing the project and the delay canpresent other potential litigation forthe borough.
The matter will be discussed inexecutive session and then action willbe taken in regular session. Theagenda will have the one matter on italong with the one resolution. Dis-cussion for the special meeting canonly include the published subject.Therefore the meeting should beshort, however it requires a quorum.
Please advise immediately if themeeting is a conflict in your personalschedule. Thank you and have a niceweekend.
Christina AriemmaGarwood Borough Clerk
Answers to last week’s arcane words.1. Balagan – A hut built on stilts by the
Tartars2. Tantivy – A swift, full gallop3. Taraxacin – A bitter substance from
the root of the common dandelion4. Yoicks – A cry used for urging on
the hounds in fox hunting
RUNNEL1. A small channel or watercourse2. A marine fish that ascends rivers to
spawn3. A large pole used to motivate a raft
down a stream4. A small European hawk
GLACK1. Soft sleet or hail2. A narrow mountain pass3. Corn meal, mush4. Discontent
DAGSWAIN1. A type of dagger2. Small metal cuplike stand for hold-
ing hot coffee cups3. A rough or coarse cover for a bed4. A high, rocky hill
RUGOSE1. Covered with wax2. Tending to cause blisters3. Having a rough and dry surface4. Full of wrinkles or ridges
Below are four arcane words, eachwith four definitions – only one is cor-rect. The others are made up. Are yousharp enough to discern this deceptionof diction?
If you can guess one correctly – goodguess. If you get two – well-read indi-vidual. If you get three – word expert. Ifyou get all four – You must have a lot offree time!
All words and correct definitionscome from the board game DictionDeception.
For more information, seewww.goleader.com/help
IRS Targeting: GovernmentFeels It Answers To No One
We’ve received some e-mails from concernedlocal people of reports that small businesses nation-wide are receiving letters from the Internal RevenueService questioning whether they have reported allof their cash income. According to The Wall StreetJournal, the IRS has defended the move by sayingthe initiative is an effort to confront what they say isthe failure of a larger segment of the small businesscommunity to report their cash sales.
But the letter, according to the WSJ, has struck fearamong small business operators. After all, this comeson the heels of the IRS targeting conservative groupslike the Tea Party during the 2012 Presidentialcampaign.
Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.), chairman of the HouseSmall Business Committee, told the IRS in a letterhe sent to the agency, and reported by The Journal,that, “The letter (sent to businesses) implies that thisis a serious matter that could lead to assessments ofadditional tax, penalties and interest.”
This latest IRS scandal reminds us of action by theNew Jersey Department of Treasury in 2002 whenthey sent investigators to canvass DowntownWestfield business owners to “get the word out”about the state’s Tax Amnesty Program. The inves-tigators were there to, “audit businesses that weredelinquent on their taxes and to get businesses toturn in other businesses that were not registered orthat may not be in compliance,” said Communica-tions Spokesperson Ralph Siegel at the time.
The investigators entered The Westfield Leaderoffice flashing badges – arrogant — and offered thepublisher the chance to turn himself in. The investi-gators started to roam around the office, searchingwalls for the Leader’s business tax I.D. certificate.Horace Corbin, publisher, then asked the investiga-tors to either produce official paperwork authorizingtheir actions or leave the office, which they did. Theythen entered other businesses in the downtown.
Neither town officials nor anyone from theWestfield Police Department knew anything aboutthe investigation being conducted.
Mr. Siegel said, “We do not give the town orbusiness owners the heads up on our visits or the taxcheats would avoid us,” he remarked.
That encounter with government treasury agentsin 2002 left an indelible impression with everyone inthe office of just how arrogant they can be.
We believe the IRS’ recent actions are clearlysimilar, an effort to go after what they see as moretaxable income/profits through scare tactics; as-sume everyone is guilty in an effort to flush out the“crooks.” The IRS’ recent action also appears to
promote the administration’s political agenda – hor-rifying for a “government of the people, by thepeople and for the people.”
This type of reasoning is more than just damagingto the small business community, which is the heartof the U.S. economy and certainly the local economy.Will businesses now back away from capital im-provements, larger purchase orders and expansionplans for fear of harassment from the tax man?
We encourage anyone who received these lettersto not take this sitting down; fight back by contactingyour Congressman.
Rep. Leonard Lance’s (R-7th) office is located at425 North Avenue, East, Westfield, N.J. 07090. Hisdistrict includes Clark, Cranford, Garwood,Mountainside, part of Scotch Plains and Westfield.
Rep. Rush Holt (D-12th)’s office is located at 50Washington Road, West Windsor, N.J. 08550. Hisdistrict includes Fanwood and most of Scotch Plains.
The IRS letter targeting small businesses repre-sents the worst of government. Congress needs to actsoon to limit this type of targeting by an agency thatclearly feels it answers to no one.
On the other hand, if you’re a crook, we hope youget caught.
N.J.’s Supreme CourtFree-For-All
Things haven’t been right in New Jersey’s ap-pointment process of judges for some time due topolitical meddling and an archaic feudal systemknown as “Senatorial Privilege.” Now the diseasehas spread to the appointment process of New JerseySupreme Court Justices.
This week, Governor Chris Christie surprisedeveryone by not reappointing 20-year veteran Jus-tice Helen Hoens for lifetime tenure on the stateSupreme Court. There may have been rational rea-sons for this, and it is within the Governor’s powerand duty to do so.
What we can’t understand is that Governor Christiesaid this was necessary because State Senator RayLesniak of Elizabeth told him it would never get pastthe Senate. Since when has Sen. Lesniak becomeKing?
Perhaps it is time for New Jersey to elect theirjudges like so many other states do. It couldn’t beany worse than what’s going on now.
And we’re tired of this “Senatorial Privilege”balderdash.
Kean’s StatementOn Fernandez-Vina
“When it comes to New Jersey’sSupreme Court, Gov. Christie hasgone above and beyond his duties togive this Senate the opportunity toignore politics and confirm the mostbalanced and diverse slate of Justicesin state history.
“Camden Assignment JudgeFernandez-Vina stands out on the listof uniquely qualified Supreme Courtnominees that the most-successfulU.S. Attorney for New Jersey has putforth for this Senate to confirm.
“Assignment Judge Fernandez-Vina has an impressive track-recordthat has earned him a pair of over-whelming New Jersey Senate confir-mations, appointment to the stateSuperior Court by a Democratic gov-ernor and resounding praise fromChief Justice Stuart Rabner.Fernandez-Vina brings diversity as aHispanic man who stands to be theonly Supreme Court Justice fromSouth Jersey.
“Senate Democrats have in an un-precedented manner denied thepeople what they wanted when theyelected Gov. Christie: a constitutionaland unprejudiced state SupremeCourt that will interpret the law andnot create and uphold excessivespending mandates that burden ourovertaxed residents. They must endthe political games that are hurtingour people by holding an immediateconfirmation hearing for JudgeFernandez-Vina and overdue hear-ings for supremely qualified nomi-nees Bauman and Hanna.”
HERE COME DA JUDGE
