How Did We Get Here: Part 3 - Their $50,000 Decision

In Part One of this series, I revealed just how the effort to change our government was initiated. In Part Two, we looked at how they executed their plan. Now, I'll show you the steps they took toward a $50,000 taxpayer-funded, low-turnout, mid-summer election.

The parade of friendly guests continued during Phase II of the hearings, as Commissioners allegedly explored the forms of local government it may consider under the Faulkner Act. Guests included Mayor Greg Buontempo, Tinton Falls Council President Tracy Buckley, 17-year Marlboro Mayor Jonathan Hornik, fourth-term Aberdeen Mayor Fred Tagliarini, 18-year Ocean Township Committee member and two-term Mayor Christopher Siciliano, and 9-year City Council member and Asbury Park Deputy Mayor Amy Quinn. As with Phase I, all of these invited speakers expressed their unanimous support for the progressive vision of the Charter Study Commissioners. There was no dissent nor were opposing points of view presented.

Even more friendly guests followed, included Charter Study cheerleaders Alan Salkind (Director Center for Government Services, Rutgers University Division of Continuing Studies) and Edward Sasdelli (State Monitor and Municipal Technical Advisor; NJ Dept. of Community Affairs, Division of Local Government Services). Both of these individuals are strong proponents of converting NJ municipalities to Faulkner forms of government and are highly biased towards the changes sought by the Commissioners.

Perhaps the single most important guest for the Charter Study Commissioners was Associate Professor Dr. Julia Sass Rubin of the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Policy at Rutgers University. Dr. Rubin’s quest is to institute non-partisan elections. Her vision of obliterating party lines became the guiding vision for the Commissioners, and they continued to advocate for their not-so-hidden agenda of imposing non-partisan elections on Holmdel’s voters. No counterpoint was provided by the Commissioners for any of her views.

There is a significant volume of academic research pertaining to non-partisan elections, and most of it concludes that non-partisan elections suppress voter turnout and leads to entrenched incumbents. The Charter Study Commissioners intentionally ignored this research and instead provided only the perspective of Dr. Rubin. Once again, the Commissioners appeared to be justifying their foregone conclusions rather than seeking and debating opposing points of view.

A second public comment forum was allowed during the April 7, 2022 Charter Study Commission meeting. During this session, public comments were more balanced than in the prior comment session and many residents expressed their criticisms and concerns. Yet, incredibly, the final report of the Charter Commission made NO MENTION of this session and made NO MENTION of any public dissent with any of the recommendations of the Charter Study Commission. This is both deceitful and dishonest. The good people of Holmdel who took the time and effort to share their critical views with the Commission deserve a voice. They deserve to be heard.

Phase III of the Commission’s deliberations occurred in a single meeting on April 14, 2022. During that meeting, the Commissioners discussed the main questions that arose during the hearings. Not surprisingly, there was zero dissent among the like-minded Commissioners during this discussion, and despite members of the public being present and asking for permission to speak, no public comment was allowed.

On May 12, 2022, the Charter Study Commission held their final meeting and filed their final report. The Commissioners had a short discussion on timing and decided to spend $50,000 of taxpayer money to schedule the election in the middle of summer on July 26, 2022.

Their brazen decision to conduct this critical election during a peak summer vacation period is shocking in its utter contempt for Holmdel’s residents. In their own final report, the Commissioners recommended that Holmdel conduct elections in November “to encourage greater voter turnout.” They also stated that “November elections also would eliminate the additional cost of holding a separate election…” But incredibly, they neglected their own recommendations and scheduled an election in July designed to suppress voter turnout and improve their odds of success.

AND YOU MAY SAY TO YOURSELF, "MY GOD, WHAT HAVE I DONE?"

For anyone following the process closely, it was clear from the beginning that Holmdel residents were being deceived by the Charter Study Commission and their advocates. A small group of politicians, activists, and operatives conspired to keep themselves in power by installing non-partisan elections in Holmdel through the ruse of a Charter Study Commission. Remember, these are the same people who began publicly advocating for non-partisan elections around May of 2020.

So, ask yourself. Are you surprised that the Charter Study Commission recommended that Holmdel scrap its electoral system and convert to non-partisan elections? Are you surprised that they recommended a system that created a four-year term for our mayor, with no term limits? A system that will continue to accrue power to the mayor year after year through an entrenched incumbency.

The fix was in from the start. The conclusions of the Charter Study Commission were formed before the first hearing ever began. The Commission was merely a tool to implement the shared vision of a small group of politicians and activists seeking to maintain their own power.

I trust the people of Holmdel to make the right decision on July 26th. I believe they will see through the deception and will vote NO to preserve the system that has made Holmdel the success it is today. I also hope, that one day, those responsible for dividing Holmdel for personal gain step back and say to themselves, "My God, what have I done?"

Please vote NO on July 26th.

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