Courier Web site still down; we're still working on it

The Courier's Web site is still down (at www.BayshoreNews.com) and being worked on. Sorry for the inconvenience. We are working on it and will have it up as soon as possible. Thanks for your understanding.

Hill, Guadagno camps are mixing it up

The APP is reporting on a sexual harassment lawsuit where Monmouth County Sheriff's Candidate Jack Hill is named as a defendant. The GOP brought up the Hill case. He's a Democrat. The Democrats have brought up an unflattering Law Journal article about GOP Sheriff's Candidate Kim Guadagno.

I have been dealing with politicians in Northern and the rest of Monmouth for a long time. If either the Hill case or the Guadagno matter are as bad as some are saying, respectively, it still wouldn't scratch the surface of some of the flawed natures of some of our elected officials (many still serving) that have unpublicized skeletons regularly clanking around loudly in their closets. The Republicans want to make this election about the lawsuit.

The Democrats might want to make this about a controversial issue involving Ms. Guadagno's past. Maybe these issues do have to be weighed. But if we, as an electorate, just make this about those issues then we're going to miss an opportunity.

There will not be another time to talk about taxes in a real way before this election. Either Jack Hill or Kim Guadagno are going to be the sheriff of Monmouth County. The GOP is not so well loved in Monmouth that Ms. Guadagno cannot lose this election, sexual harassment lawsuit or not. And where it involves the Democrats, they are not so favored by circumstance that a win is for sure, controversial GOP candidate or not.

But one thing is for sure: One of these two individuals are going to be the sheriff. Taxes are out of hand. If these issues are going to get play, fine and well. But there has to be the issue of how much money their respective administrations are going to cost also.

I have tried to focus on money this election, because I am sick of sending so much to the government: Many people are being taxed out of this area and New Jersey.

I'm going to keep that up. I spoke with one of Ms. Guadagno's supporters in Ocean Grove and he asked me about doing another piece in Courier regarding Ms. Guadagno. I said I'd love to: All she has to do is pick up a phone and there it is. That article is going to be about how she intends to save taxpayers money in Monmouth County.

The show is all well and fine. But there is the small issue of Monmouth taxpayers being bled dry that is still a lingering issue for some. Click on the headline for the APP story.

Mulshine pens good column at NJ.com

Star-Ledger lead columnist Paul Mulshine wrote a good column on NJ.com. It's about national politics, but nevertheless is worth reading for political people.

The APP series on corruption is something special

Click on the headline above to go to the APP story discussing how state lawmakers hide clients as part of their alleged "private sector" jobs. This particular installment is worth more than reading; it should be framed.

Courier site temporarily down, working it out

The Courier's Web site at BayshoreNews.com is temporarily down while we are working it out with our hosting company. For those of you who have gone to our site, we regret the inconvenience and will have the site back up as soon as possible. Thanks for your patience.

A Blast from the Past

In Ocean Grove, a store owner still has a Richard Nixon event posted on his storefront window. If you look closely enough, you can find William Dowd on the slate, running for the U.S. Congress.

Sad news for a Lincroft family

Tragedy struck in Middlesex County, when a Lincroft resident died during an accident. Click on the headline and go to the APP story.

The GOP could use more economic fundamentalism

The APP posted this piece about evangelicals in the GOP. It's interesting enough.

Frankly, though, the evangelical strain of the GOP are, in my opinion, the ones who brought that party from being the party of business and commerce, small government and sensible spending, to this 'mean-nothing' faction that is more interested in side issues than economic fundamentals.

I think economic fundamentalism is a lot more important than religious zeal at this stage of the game, where our American dollar is becoming worth about what the old Italian Lira was.

It's speculative about what tradition this strain has in that party, but it certainly has co-opted the center, using an often 'Pop Theology' mantra. If the GOP wants to reclaim its traditional business-friendly reputation, at some point its elected lawmakers have to start demonstrating that.

As for Democrats, I think the more de-centralized nature of that party makes it less a total organization, in the sense of the GOP, than it is a collection of individuals, for the good and bad of that.

Click on the headline for the APP piece.

Monmouth County: Where tax money goes to die

Corruption is the single-worst problem that Monmouth County is facing today. "Corruption" often occurs with tax money, and I think taxes have hit a tipping point in the minds of most people in this county. As for me, I do not want to hear about one more penny of tax money moving upward. In fact, if a candidate on any level is not talking about real tax reductions for residents then they're not really saying much.

Taxes got too high. It went too far. It is just too much. In reality, while I might buy other property in New Jersey, I could not, with any sense of economy, buy another parcel in Monmouth County because there are just better bargains in this state where it involves tax rates. Of course, corruption in New Jersey has made taxation here a national joke. New York City may be expensive, but the tax rate is stable and the property has proven to not devalue with the ups and downs of the market. Upstate New York is a particularly good buy, in my opinion. New Jersey, for all of the great things about it, takes too big of a bite from the wallet where it involves taxation.

But, of New Jersey, Monmouth County and many of its municipalities are just off the hook with the tax rate. It's just not affordable for people who make a reasonable income. Forget 'gated communities,' Monmouth isn't that far from becoming a 'gated county.' Government doesn't have a blank check, and I really think it is time that politicians really get with that. It does not matter what realm of endeavor in government, or what compartment is discussed, there is just so much of the pie that should or can go toward taxation.

Where it involves corruption, there are too many relatives on the payroll, too many contributors to campaigns who are not the low bidders and are getting fat contracts, too many SUV fleet vehicles, too many made-up jobs for political hacks. It has just gone too far. Click on the headline and go to today's APP article about corruption. It's strong and it has meaning. Government here, in Monmouth, has to change. It has to get a lot less expensive, and the same goes for virtually every municipality in the county.

I suggest that some folks have had enough of the 'everything is great here and nothing needs to change.' This political party nonsense is, in my mind, about as played out as it can be; and now there has to be some talk about money and how government is going to spend less of it right here, right now.

Candidates wanted: First come, first serve!

I spoke with a few candidates today in Ocean Grove, and think I want to reiterate policy again: Courier does stories on any and every candidate who comes forward and wants one done, calls and schedules a time to come to our building. We do not go after people, because the main job of a candidate is to explain their positions. I guarantee most of these campaigns have more staff than Courier.

Appointments can be made by calling me, at (732) 957-0070, ext. 6116. Leave a day and time when you can come down and we'll make it happen.

As an aside, what I really want to ask every candidate is a simple question: How are you going to reduce my taxes and make government smaller and less expensive? Don't want to hear about 'holding any lines,' want to know how taxes get smaller, business gets encouraged and a long term plan about dealing with debt (e.g. generating revenue outside taxation).

SCHIP Program was something important, left undone

The SCHIP Program is not a frill. It's about the basics of health care for U.S. children. I keep hearing about how this party or that party understands money, but the reality is that the Federal Government is being run by two parties, neither of which have a real sense of priorities where it involves spending.

SCHIP is about childrens' health care, which is the most significant responsibility this nation has (right alongside Medicare and Social Security). When did this program became disposable?

Click on the headline. The APP has a good editorial about it today.

Clean Elections Program: Is it still a joke?

The Clean Elections Program has traditionally, in my opinion, been a joke. When it was practiced here in Monmouth two years ago, in the 13th District, it was the most ill thought-out program I have seen relative to campaign finance thus far.

That is no reason to give up, though. At the end of the day, if elections were free of special interest money, there would be a greatly reduced presence of special interest in government. APP Reporter Jason Method has penned a nice piece about the new Clean Campaigns program out there. Click on the headline and go there.

A word about Courier's Web site

Courier's Web site has not been updated for a few weeks because our editor, Ms. Somdatta Sengupta, has proven that she is truly indispensable. Right now, Ms. Sengupta is on a very well-earned vacation, and she will be returning next week. Then everyone here can work her so hard she'll need another vacation.

I am sorry for the inconvenience this has created for our Online readership. But it's one of the perils of having a relatively small staff. One of these days we may even get that function cross trained. But for right now, I'll have to leave it off with the apology.

Some of what is in this week's Courier...

In this week's Courier, there is a story about Democrat for Monmouth Clerk Amod Choudhary, which I wrote. He is a very educated, interesting gentleman whose background and campaign focuses are highlighted in the feature.

There's also a good story about the AH harbor skate park, written by Senior Staff Writer Alyssa Passeggio. Meanwhile, Courier Staff Writer Alexis Nulle wrote a fine story about some Locust (Middletown) kids who got together and did something to help the March of Dimes.

There is also a new addition to the writing staff here at Courier, who wrote her very first story. Ms. Katelin Wilson, an undergraduate intern from Georgian Court University, filed a feature about the town-wide yard sale in Union Beach.

Lastly, but by no means least, Courier Copy Editor Christopher Blaszczyk wrote the story about the Courier-Georgian Court University partnership up. He'll also be sending a version of it to INPRINT, the in-house newspaper for the NJPA, for their consideration.

Merla brother admits to money laundering

Greater Media Staff Writer Karen Bowes wrote a strong piece about Joseph Merla in last week's Independent. Click on the headline to go to their Web site and see the story.

Ms. Bowes is a veteran reporter who has obviously done the work on this. Congrats on a good story.

And no -- nobody arrived to court via horse-drawn wagon. I just liked the picture. Actually the photo is from a Colonial Williamsburg vacation I took this past summer. Great experience.

Click on the headline and go there.

Volpe, Prado Roberts hit nail on the head

The APP's Gregory Volpe and James Prado Roberts have a great article Online today about Pay to Play. Nothing fluffy about it, this piece lays out how elected officials, candidates and their parties are getting around Pay To Play laws. Personally, I think political party affiliations are more about who makes what than what anyone believes in.

I really do not see an actual difference between reformers of either political party, who are generally trying to clean things up, or their "mainstream" counterparts (who are basically looking for jobs or payoffs). Either people want to get something done for their community or they want to get something done for themselves.

Click on the headline and go there.

Olympian admits to blood doping

Marion Jones is an icon for many athletes. This is very regrettable. But, it should be remembered she did the right thing in admitting to this. Nevertheless, it is a let down for many.

Click on the headline and go to the AP story.

OPRA needs to be over-hauled

The APP is spot on about OPRA. In my opinion, access to public records is still relatively easily manipulated by the municipalities and the county, and OPRA's provisions are regularly abused by government to hide and manipulate, rather than actually just turn over documents to citizens.

When there is no other way to hide a document, government will simply ask a petitioner to give the form number and exact date of an action. Of course, very often the only folks who would have an exact date or form number would be government itself. So there are many "Catch 22s" that are, as of yet, unaddressed.

Click on the headline and go there.

Guardsmen may be assuming new mission on border

N.J. Guardsmen may have a new mission within the nation's borders. Click on the headline and go to the Yahoo News! story by the AP.

Government should invest in childrens' healthcare

There really isn't a reason not to invest in health care for children. This is a real issue in the U.S. Things are not always black and white. But this one is. Click on the headline and go to Yahoo News!