Now they're calling Hunterdon the new face of food stamps. Hunterdon, where the median household income is $98,000 a year, just saw a spike in food stamp usage in 3 years of 514%. Flemington, my town, is the county seat, a small town with more empty storefronts than it used to have and its anchor, the historic Union Hotel, shuttered. People who live in Flemington generally make considerably less than those in the surrounding burbs of Raritan Twp and Readington. But this has always been a middle-class town.
CNN just came to town to interview people at the Flemington Food Pantry, which has also seen a surge in use, and in usefulness. It's a wake-up call, for anybody still needing one, of what's happening to the middle-class. For some people suddenly unable to make it, it's bewildering, they're not prepared, and they never thought they'd "be there". To be sure, the numbers here started out low. And there are places in New Jersey where poverty is more deeply settled, where people have been struggling for years, for so long that some of the rest of us have forgotten to think much about that. This is what OWS has been about - and Occupy Trenton, and Newark. The census now tells us about half of us are low-income or living in poverty now, a statistic still sinking in, for me. But not for everybody.
Last Tuesday, in a Hunterdon elementary school, there was an accident involving a 5-year-old child, a kindergarten special education student. The incident involved a new employee, a Teacher's Aide hired after the school district outsourced every one of 62 Teacher's Aides following Chris Christie's massive cuts to public education last year.
I'm not allowed to tell you the specifics of what happened to the child - yet. Suffice it to say if you knew what the Teacher's Aide (now fired) did, you would be horrified. I'm happy to report the child is alright, and the parents, forgiving. But a vulnerable child was endangered, and the outcome could have been much, much worse. The TA should have reported the incident - to the teacher, the nurse, the principal. She told nobody. We only know what happened because a lunch aide saw the whole thing. And told.
Worse, teachers and community members warned about the risk of an incident like this when the decision was made last year to outsource TA's to a contract paying less, with zero benefits. Some of the TA's had worked for the District for more than 20 years, attending to the children in their care from grade to grade, one-on-one or in small groups (depending on the need) and knowing their kids - their temperaments, their physical needs, learning styles, habits, and what makes them most comfortable so their learning is optimized. It was, till outsourcing, a job good enough that encouraged the longevity of many of the TA's.
This is a political story. Tell you why after the jump:
Over the weekend, AP (via The Record) had an interesting article about 2010 census figures showing a 3-% rise over the past decade in NJ households headed by same-sex partners. Many are couples raising kids.
John and Michael Galluccio are the folks behind my currently favorite tee shirt in all of Jerseyland - WTFNJ? (a chunk of the profits fund Garden State Equality). That name sound familiar? The Galluccios won a landmark 1997 court case to become the first gay couple in NJ to jointly adopt a child - Adam, now 15.
Michael Galluccio's on his local school board. Nearly 25% of North Jersey households headed by male couples and almost a third headed by lesbian couples have related kids. Gay couples come in all flavors the same way straight couples do, but once you look up and find gay-headed families in the 'burbs, place of worship, school board, and in every job, and town in New Jersey, you get how the NJ Senate blew it big-time representing Jersey on this issue.
Disclosure: I'm on the GSE board (it's big). I'd be writing this, even if I wasn't. GSE ranked 83 NJ munis by how many GSE members (who are both gay & straight) each has. Whoa, my little town of Flemington (pop. 4500) has more GSE members than Hawthorne (pop. 18,000)? Bite me, Jeff Gardner, is my little town in crimson red Hunterdon gay-friendlier than yours?
Just a quick update on last evening's Flemington Borough Council meeting. Recall that Mayor Erica Edwards is planning on laying off as many as 4 out of 9 employees from our department of public works, without bothering to talk to the Union first about possible cost savings that don't require layoffs.
A brief recap...
1. Mayor Erica Edwards, using words like 'restructuring' when she meant to say 'layoff' continued her resistance to hearing from Teamsters representatives about what might be done to save jobs and money in the 2011 budget. She was emphatic -- oftentimes combative -- stating that she would not meet with them to talk about savings for this year's budget, but would be looking for concessions in the future.
2. When asked a direct question, Mike Campion, Director of Public Works, suggested that he was asked, "Can you run your department with 1 less or 2 less people". It seemed to me that the decision to reduce headcount was made first by the Mayor, then he was asked if he could maintain level of service.
Let me be clear -- it's not like the manager of this department suggested that there was redundancy or unused capacity here, and this was a way to make the budget work. The layoff suggestion came from Mayor Edwards.
3. When asked, each and every single council member committed to meet with Union representatives on how we might close the budget gap for this year's budget, to see if we can cover the shortfall without losing a position.
This is huge. As each council member spoke, you could see Mayor Edwards realize that she had no choice but to have a meaningful dialogue with the Union. We'll all be there to make sure that conversation happens, but this was a minor victory last night for our hard-working men and women.
The other thing that needs to be mentioned is that "Public Comment", and the hearing of the Union staffing issue didn't happen until 2 1/2 hours into the council meeting. The Open Public Meetings Act requires a period of public comment, but this seemed like a deliberate attempt to empty the room before this issue was heard. I'm working on another post about this; more later...
The meeting on this, Monday night, will be another where Council tries to shake off all comers. - promoted by Rosi
As I wrote about last week, Flemington Mayor Erica Edwards has refused to have any meaningful conversations with union representatives from Teamsters Local 469 about how to save money and avoid lay-offs in this year's municipal budget.
Earlier this week, after public pressure, there was a meeting with Teamsters representatives and Mayor Edwards, Council President John Gorman and Democratic Councilwoman Sandy Borucki. According to Michael Broderick of the Teamsters, Edwards stated that she would not negotiate any changes nor would she discuss the budget problems as it reflects the 2011 crisis.
Her plans are to eliminate at least one but perhaps as many as 4 employees of the 9 union workers in town.
I know that this isn't Wisconsin, but I'm asking folks to come out to the next Flemington Borough Council Meeting, April 11th at 7 PM. Stand with labor, stand up for common sense, and demand that Union-proposed budget-saving measures be considered by the Mayor and Council.
I leave it to other on Blue Jersey to talk about the rest of the map. Here's my first thoughts about the re-drawn 15th / 16th and 23rd districts affecting Hunterdon, Somerset and Mercer Counties.
To put it simply -- I think this is a far better map for the Dems than is being portrayed.
The lead story is that Princeton has been taken out of the 15th -- taken away from Trenton -- and progressive Assemblyman Reed Gusciora has no chance to win in conservative Somerset county.
But folks need to take a look at the rest of the district.
First of all, Bedminster, Bridgewater and Bernards (and environs) are no longer in the district. Neither is Assemblywoman Coyle for that matter. This takes away some of the most conservative part of the district.
Second of all -- and here's where I think there's gains to be had -- Flemington Borough, as well as Raritan and Readington townships in Hunterdon County are now in the 16th.
So the new district includes much of the Democratic core of Hunterdon County, along with Princeton, Somerville and Manville -- town centers that have voted Democratic.
Most importantly, the district is far more diverse. About 70% white, over 16% Asian and 8 percent non-white hispanic.
I'm not saying it's a lock district for Democrats, but Bateman and Biondi have a greater chance of losing to good Democrats than ever before. Reed Gusciora has announced his intensions to run and I hope doesn't try to move back into the 15th, and stays here to run with Marie Corfield.
I was at this meeting. The union wants to know what they can offer to keep their colleagues' jobs; they've done it before. - Rosi
The About 25 members of Teamsters Local 469 were out in force at last evening's Flemington Borough Council Meeting. They represent both blue and white collar workers in our small town.
Turns out that 2 of the 9 employees that are part of the bargaining unit may be up for layoff due to budget cuts. And they learned about it by reading the newspaper. more below
Last week, I wrote a long-ish piece on redevelopment efforts at the Flemington Union Hotel. Remember that two redeveloper candidates were being considered -- one who had a contract to buy the Hotel, obtain a liquor license, restore the property to its former use, and had the overwhelming support of the public. And the other candidate team, who wanted to build apartments, and was looking for tax abatements, eminent domain -- and was recommended by the committee headed by the newly-elected mayor.
Well, as they say, the people have spoken. And this time someone was paying attention.
As reported late yesterday online at nj.com, the second team has withdrawn from consideration. In a letter to the Borough Council, (as quoted in the article), they say,
"A project of this importance to Flemington must have substantial support from the town council and the community at large" and that "it has become clear to us the second group's proposed hotel concept has struck an emotional chord with the community. We also recognize, it is near impossible to combat said emotions with business proformas, charts and schedules no matter how realistic, professional and well-done they may be."
"Although we have serious concerns about the marketability of the hotel concept, we find it necessary to withdraw from the Union Hotel redevelopment process. We will put our support behind the other team and aid them whenever possible," the letter said.
Well, I never said that they had to be entirely gracious about it.
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. -- Margaret Mead
Jersey History is fierce.
Jeff is a candidate for Flemington Borough Council - Rosi
Before OJ and his ill-fitting gloves, the first 'Trial of the Century' was held right here in NJ, in Flemington. The trial (and subsequent conviction) of Bruno Hauptmann for the kidnapping and murder of the 'Lindbergh Baby' was the event of 1935.
The redevelopment of The Union Hotel, which played a crucial role during that Trial, has been making news lately -- and not all of it good.
Let me be up-front on this one: I don't care for Marcia Karrow. The most recent reason is that she was the campaign manager for my opponent for Mayor of Flemington, and printed outright lies about my record. She's also working hard right now to use her influence to regulate-away her next-door neighbor's kids chicken coop. But that's not what I'm writing about today...
The simple fact is that she has no experience directing an agency of this size, and a clear agenda to dismantle signfiicant state environmental regulations. She was, folks should also recall, Christie's campaign coordinator in Hunterdon County. She was tapped to chair his transition committee about the DEP, and was later tapped by Christie to lead the effort to dismantle COAH. She has long been an opponent of the Highlands Protection Act, dating to her time as a member of the NJ Assembly.
The Chairman of the NJ State Democratic Party wants 50-State Strategy back. And so do I.
When Howard Dean was Chairman of the DNC, the Democratic infrastructure was challenged by the paradigm shift he oversaw. Money flowed out of the hands of beltway insiders and to state Democratic organizations, some that had struggled understaffed for years, and freshly trained organizing and communications talent, trained and salaries paid by DNC, fanned out across the country. It was the first time, perhaps in decades, that DNC pulsed with a sense of mission. And during Dean's tenure, we took both houses of Congress and the White House on that, and the hard work of thousands of Democrats who were themselves ready for change. The paradigm shift Dean presided over did not always go down easy in D.C. - (then) DCCC Chair Rahm Emanuel had a temper tantrum of embarrassing proportions, but nobody put Howard Dean off his plans. Underlying 50-State Strategy was the radical idea to concede no vote, no town, no state, no election. It was fresh hope for red states full of Democrats who also wanted change; in New Jersey, it provided an already well-staffed state party with more staff that could be deployed to work miracles like this one in Flemington.
With Obama in the White House and Emanuel positioned as his Chief of Staff, it was obvious one of the elements of the change the President promised would actually be the deconstruction of 50-State Strategy.
A few days ago, Democracy for America (DFA), with more than 1 million members, endorsed Ed Potosnak for Congress in NJ's 7th congressional district. I just want to talk about that for a sec, before anything else. Full disclosure: No secret that there's crossover here between DFA and Blue Jersey. Jeff Gardner & I are two of the 5 who run the state DFA group. We helped get this endorsement. And both of us will be in central NJ Monday when DFA Chair Jim Dean joins Loretta Weinberg (a 2007 national DFA candidate), and me & Jeff, and a lot of our friends, to campaign with Ed Potosnak. Want to come? Monday's Columbus Day - a day off for a lot of folks:
11am - Woodbridge: Join us at Ed's Campaign HQ for canvass kick off followed by Door-to-Door and Phone Banking voter contact. Address is 115 Main St., Woodbridge. 3pm - Flemington: At the Hunterdon County Democratic HQ for a rally followed by Door-to-Door and Phone Banking voter contact. Hunterdon Dem HQ is 200 Main St., Flemington. Parking & entrance in back of Law Office.
4pm - Hunterdon County: Right now, if you make a contribution of $25 you will be entered to win a seat at the table for a high dollar afternoon supper with Ed, Jim and Senator Loretta Weinberg. Location TBA in Hunterdon County.
Bonus! The runner up will receive a signed copy of Senator Weinberg's book, What's Love Got to Do With it? The Case for Same-Sex Marriage (co-authored by Sen. Ray Lesniak). So, contribute $25 to our campaign right now. Whoa ... is that Jay Lassiter in that picture?
I'll be there. Jeff Gardner will be there. People you know will probably be there. You don't need to be a DFA member to join us - did you know Ed's endorsed not only by DFA but also MoveOn? And Stonewall Democrats. And American Federation of Teachers. Have you seen this PSA Ed made for young people like Tyler Clementi?
This is a good guy challenging a first-term incumbent - Leonard Lance - who had 3 Tea Party challengers in the Primary. Voted against the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. Terrible record on financial reform and on jobs. We can do better with Ed, high school chemistry teacher who won an Einstein Fellowship that sent him to Washington to work on education policy. Now we want to send him back to Washington. And make it stick.
At sundown tonight, Jews in New Jersey will be ringing in Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year (Year 5771, hat/tip to sam dobermann for giving me the right year). It's one of the joyous holidays. Crisper air feels like new beginning so New Year's resolutions are made; conscious decisions to be better, try harder, be more responsible to the world. This also begins the High Holy Days, when even non-religious cultural Jews like the one I live with enter a period of self-reflection.
So, today's a bad day to find out, as I did a few minutes ago, that a woman living in Lambertville - one of the most progressive towns in NJ, despite its location in Hunterdon - found anti-Zionist stickers posted all over her car. She is Jewish, wears the Star of David and is outspoken about the religion she loves. Her car was parked on lovely North Union Street overnight. The only car stickered:
our troops are pawns of Zionists war mongering Jews
learn the truth about Zionism and Israel
The stickers reference a "veterans" website, but like most things furtive in the dark, their origin is shady. I probably have zero in common - besides, roughly, our ages - with her. She's (apparently) religious, I'm atheist. She may support Israeli foreign policy, I generally have trouble swallowing it. But our local Lambertville police chief, who I'm certain is operating within the standards of professional police conduct, is treating this as a "bias incident" but apparently not a threatening one. "The level of the act" (which was a few days ago) is not criminal, says Chief Bruce Cocuzza. I don't doubt. But intimidation is a slippery slope and I'd bet this woman has more nervous nights than her neighbors do. Flemington - Hunterdon's other big town - had KKK stickers on the courthouse flagpole when I moved here in 1984; today two cycles of candidates have run on "quality of life" anti-immigrant platforms. The little things mean big things. And this atheist gets nervous when minority religions are targeted so close to her house, or so far away as Gainesville, Florida where the numbskull "Rev." Terry Jones plans his Quran Burning Day Sept. 11.
You can burn books; that's legal. Stickers are no big whoop. But I think maybe there are some other folks who might take advantage of the arrival of a season of self-reflection. And maybe get straight with the world. Shana Tova.
A healthy crowd gathered today in the only wide part of the sidewalk in Flemington, in front of the tall white columns of the Historic Hunterdon County Courthouse. I give them credit; it was definitely raining.
For sure, it was a hodgepodge of message. There were people who signed on because "Fox News said it was important and I'm a Republican" and those who denied there was nothing partisan about protesting taxes. You had your anti-Corzine people - somehow CORZINE SUCKS! give me the giggles at an event celebrating teabagging... but I digress. Some of the Obama signs lamely attempted to negate his recent rescue of the captain from Somali pirates (OBAMA Admin = Ship of Fools). And some of them were pure conspiracy-theory (No Birth Cert! No President! NOBAMA).
There were your odd Atlas Shruggers carrying signs reading: Who is John Galt? and stark signs in black-and-white: COMING SOON ... SOCIALISM!
There was considerable emotion but I'm not sure how many of the Flemington teabaggers were really thinking things through. For example both Flemington Councilwoman Linda Mastellone, who was most assuredly not a participant, and longtime Hunterdon Republican freeholder George Melick, made similar observations. Melick said this:
But they all want services. And the minute you take them away, they'll be all over you.
Exactly. Follow me and I'll show you a few things those tax protesters' taxes are actually paying for.
Let us know if community gardens are popping up by you too- - Rosi
Today, next to her kids' shiny new swingset, Michelle Obama will begin digging for a little vegetable garden, the first food-producing garden at the White House since Eleanor Roosevelt planted her Victory Garden.
Cilantro, tomatilloes, hot peppers. Lettuces. Spinach, chard, collards, kale. Berries. Herbs and heirloom tomatoes. That's what the Obamas will plant, alongside school children and a local-foods expert the family brought to Washington.
On Monday night, some people in Hunterdon will ask Flemington Borough Council for permission to plant on a grassy plot by one of its water towers. Iff they say yes, we'll plant an organic garden we'll call The Victory Garden.
It will be a community garden, meaning many will participate, growing things together on one blessed, slightly sloping piece of land.
How is this political? This idea emerged from a group I've worked with for five years, Hunterdon's Democracy for America (DFA). These folks have become a permanent progressive community where - believe me - nobody expected one.
The group's met in the same hip little coffeehouse since 2004 in Flemington, a red town in a red county. We've made that town a kind of workshop for grassroots action. A tipping point came one frigid February day in 2007. That same heady night, the first candidate to emerge wholly from Hunterdon DFA, announced she'd run next. And with thatwin, this town's direction shifted. Democrats now drive the agenda.
None of them owe us anything; they owe their voters more. But we hope that this new Council will see The Victory Garden as an opportunity to strengthen community bonds, improve nutrition and environmental awareness, and provide for our neighbors in need, some of whom will tend garden and some simply receive good food.
This feels like a very American, progressive and patriotic thing to do right now, and we're encouraged by how many people show up ready to work andadvise. We have a new President who speaks of self-reliance, community-building, and responsibility for the people around us. The economy is dark, and the times are challenging. But we remember our elders and the resourcefulness, how 20 million Americans on the homefront produced up to 40% of the vegetables consumed nationally.
Community gardens are popping up all over, in nearby Readington, East Amwell, maybe in High Bridge. The Victory Garden, if we get the land, will have a built-in mission of addressing some of the needs of people living paycheck-to-paycheck, or worse. If you're a local, join us Monday.
Last night, the Flemington Borough Council voted unanimously to keep their Police Department - 15 F/T and 2 P/T officers - as it is, and forgo discussions with neighboring Raritan Township for shared services. It was probably the right decision, but it probably shouldn't have been made last night. The Council was forced into calling a vote on the matter by almost 300 citizens after more than two hours of complaint in a crowded church gymnasium in front of more reporters than attend Flemington Council meetings in any six months.
The story of how they got there is one of remarkable bobbling on the part of Flemington Mayor Bob Hauck, a well-organized Fraternal Order of Police union local, and a widely-recognized lack of transparency about the Mayor's actions that created the sense in both police ranks and citizenry that there were things they deserved to know that were being kept from them. Not so smart.
Full disclosure: I live in Flemington, and at the microphone thanked police for showing up at my house many times to help my mother, who died this week, get to the ER. I also live with the man who ran against Hauck for mayor, who also attended, and has not been shy in nailing the mayor for shortcomings. So be it.
For most of the people in the room, the story began at the last Council meeting, on Dec. 15, 2008. For the police, their union and Police Chief George Becker, it's been ramping up for a little longer.
Just a few days heads-up that shared services were on the December agenda was enough time to fill most of the seats in the tiny borough meeting room in the Hunterdon County seat.
But that 12/15 meeting turned ugly when Mayor Bob Hauck tried to eliminate the meeting's Public Comment section. It took a member of the Flemington Planning Board, sitting in one of about three dozen seats the room holds, to read to the Mayor the standard line printed on every Council agenda:
The Mayor can't shut down public comments, whether he likes what the public's likely to say or not. You'd think a Mayor, particularly one who served for years as the same borough's Clerk, would know that.
Tuesday was all about Hunterdon County, and I was overwhelmed by the warm response everywhere we went. We started the day in Flemington visiting with Main Street business owners. I had such wonderful guides in Councilwoman Brooke Leibowitz and Bob Flisser. We popped in everywhere from the Shaker Café to Kries Jeweler to Main Street Bagel, meeting lots of local folks at every stop. Several business owners shared with me their economic concerns. As Americans are struggling to afford the higher cost of everything from gas to food to healthcare, small businesses are feeling the pinch. The Bush Administration has really left our economy in shambles, and we need change in Washington to bring real relief.
We then traveled to Friendly Grounds Coffee House - where we took part in a meet n' greet with Flemington supporters. It's always nice to see old friends, and I also had the opportunity to meet a few new ones eager to join our campaign for change. It'll take all of us working together to ensure victory in November! Then it was on to Clinton, where Council members Michelle Harrison and Gene DeCleene walked with me downtown. Thank you to Michelle and Gene for introducing me all around town! As I stopped in businesses such as JJ Scoops, Krauses Flowers, and the Clinton Book Shop, I again heard from voters who are worried about making ends meet.
Next up was High Bridge, where I was joined by Councilwoman Mary Murdock and Joe Despivera, who leads the High Bridge Business Council. I was thrilled to talk with so many supporters exited to learn how they could get involved in our campaign or change. I stopped in to chat with a local florist who told me the high cost of gas has forced him to increase delivery charges. The Bush economy really is hurting all of us in ways we might not even realize.
Tuesday finally wrapped up at a house party in Tewksbury. It was a beautiful summer evening, full of good conversation and friends. The huge crowd was made up of supporters and undecided voters, so it was great to talk with folks about the real issues in this election.
Last night was one of the highlights of the week. We had a wonderful crowd at the Victory '08 Open House in Martinsville - in fact, it was a full house! Somerset County Chair Peg Schaffer did a terrific job making sure the night was a success. It was also great to see Rob Angelo - Director of the New Jersey Democratic State Committee - not only in attendance but energizing the crowd. And of course, thank you to our Somerset County Freeholder candidates Cecilia Birge and Doug Singleterry, as well as all of the local candidates who joined us. It's great to have such strong support at the local, county, and state level.
Folks from Somerset and Hunterdon County came out in droves to celebrate the official opening of the new Victory '08 HQ. I was amazed at the energy and enthusiasm in this standing room only event. As I walked around meeting with supporters, it was so great to hear everyone eager to knock on doors, make phone calls and generally help in any way they can.
It will take a strong grassroots effort across the 7th District to ensure we win in November. And events like last night's open house really prove the strength and depth of our operation. It's important that we run a top notch program in places such as Martinsville, where voters are hungry for change and want to get involved. I know that every time I listen to a volunteer making phone calls on behalf of the ticket, it personally pushes me to work even harder.
Our week-long tour will continue to roll on today and tomorrow with stops in places like Edison, Woodbridge, and Summit. I know we will wrap things up as strongly as we began! I hope to see a whole bunch of you out on the campaign trail, not only over the next few days but in the months ahead, as well.
Something interesting is going on at the Courier News' blog section.
Joan Greiner, the wife of defeated Flemington Borough Councilman Phil Greiner, has got herself a blog. And, boy is she using it to paint an interesting picture of Flemington.
Her husband lost the election to me. Close-I won by about 4 votes. And now the Council has a Democratic majority. Mrs. Greiner feels that, somehow, I have ruined the whole temperament of Council, since 2007 was a productive and fairly cooperative year. She labors under the delusion that the three Republicans who were up for re-election were somehow entitled to their seats, and that I got in the way of that lovely peace by seeking to disturb the beauty of a 3-3 even split.
Before addressing the specifics of the question of whether Democrats can make some gains in Ocean County, one of the last GOP bastions in the state, consider the following:
We've been talking on Blue Jersey for some time about the level of corruption and pay-to-play scandals that plague the Ocean County GOP and how political boss George Gilmore has, until recently, been able to dole out contracts for development to whomever he pleases.
Further, in a rare moment of possible Democratic victory, Richard Strada, who ran against Jim Saxton a few years ago, has a chance of winning the mayoral race in Toms River. Further, if nothing else, Steven Morlino is running a spirited race against Robert Singer for state senate in District 30 and fighting against party bosses and special interest groups, as are other Democratic candidates running for Assembly and Senate in Ocean County districts. On the congressional level, part of Rich Sexton's cutting into the margin of Conaway's loss to Saxton included gains in Ocean County, and the DCCC is already running anti-Saxton ads there in preparation for Adler's challenge of the Bush Republican.
Then there is the case of Dems either coming close to winning seats in special elections in the past two years, or our outright victory in the South Toms River council election last year in Point Pleasant in 2004. The website cited in the previous post is called Ocean County Politics, and it does a superb job of highlighting corruption issues in the county.
To be perfectly frank, we may not win anything in Ocean County this election, but at least we'll build further grassroots efforts and infrastructure for Democrats there. But the optimist in me also says: Why the hell not make a go for it in Ocean County and direct some resources there?
That is the idea the NJ Democratic State Committee and the Democratic
National Committee are striving to accomplish; working from the
grassroots up to establish a sense of unity among the Democratic
Party. As part of the DNC 50 State Partnership program, my colleague
and I have been able to truly engage ourselves into the local and
grassroots level of New Jersey politics.
After working closely on the Flemington council special elections and
the two specials in Ocean County -- South Toms River and Lavallette --
it is apparent that there is a strong sense of party for the Democrats
in these typically Republican towns. After winning two council seats
and falling only a few votes short in a mayor's race where Democrats
are outnumbered almost 6 to 1, the sense of accomplishment and passion
to fight against Republican control has grown immensely.
Picking up council seats in Flemington and South Toms River proved to
the Republicans that voters are ready for a change. Voters want to be
heard. They expect their local officials to be responsive and find
solutions for the needs of the communities; to help the people. This
is what the newly elected council members are working to accomplish.
With help from Democracy for America (DFA), College Democrats from across
the State and local and county volunteers the Democratic Party has
been able to make big strides in small areas.
One exceptional volunteer and devoted Democrat, Rosi Efthim, from the
Hunterdon County DFA did not only help in the Flemington Special
Elections but traveled across the state to be an important volunteer
in South Toms River (Ocean County). Without people like Rosi or the
other DFA members that have been beyond supportive of the 50 State
Partnership Program and building Democracy at the grassroots level,
none of this would be possible.
Our next project is a Township Committee special election in Morris
Township where we are working with the dedicated team of Morris County
Democrats to elect Jeff Grayzel. The Republicans have all five seats
on the township committee, but Jeff has been fighting hard for the
past four years, gaining inroads. His tenacity paid off when he won on
Election Day this year. However, his election was then challenged and
ruled to be a tie. Now we face the task of "re-electing" Jeff Grayzel
on May 1.
Because this is a larger race than the past elections, we will need
your help. We need at least 35 to 40 volunteers for weekend walks and
calls, as well as 100 volunteers for Election Day. Please come out and
support Democrats from across the state! As Bill Clinton once said
"There is nothing wrong in American that can not be cured by what is
right in America." It is the little strides we take as Democrats that
create Democracy.
Mary Campbell is a regional field organizer for the New Jersey
Democratic State Committee and a liaison to the DNC's State
Partnership Program.
