Holmdel at a Crossroads: Farm Families or Developers?

A Facebook post from the Republican primary candidates running against Kristin Celauro and Ron Emma should give Holmdel residents pause. Their criticism of the taxes on Kristin’s farm property raises a serious question: do they misunderstand New Jersey’s farmland assessment laws, or are they signaling a broader agenda that puts developer interests ahead of working farms and longtime local families?

New Jersey’s Farmland Assessment program was created to protect qualifying working farms and the families who keep them operating. It is not a special deal for one person or one farm in Holmdel. It is a statewide policy meant to preserve agriculture and open space in communities like ours.

That is why this matters. This is about more than one property tax bill. It is about the future of Holmdel and whether our town will continue down a path that favors developers over residents, clean water, open space, and the families who have helped define this community for generations.

To set the record straight, Kristin’s farm property is divided into two parcels: the farm is one, and the house is on another, and full assessments are paid every year on those properties. They pay their fair share.

Residents should also look at the broader pattern: the controversy surrounding the DePalma farm family, the disputed claims about the 60-acre DePalma parcel, and the continuing debate over the Vonage development, which many fear could harm south Holmdel and our clean water. Now, these same candidates appear willing to question a tax policy designed to help working farms survive.

In my view, that should alarm every resident who cares about the future of this town. Holmdel needs leaders who will protect our water, preserve our character, and stand with residents, not developer interests.

For those reasons, I believe Kristin Celauro and Ron Emma are the right choice in this primary. Holmdel’s future is at stake.

Prakash Santhana

Former Holmdel Deputy Mayor