DEMOCRACY RITUAL

DEMOCRACY BECOMES A NOVEMBER RITUAL!~

With 100 lawn signs, a fist full of flyer's and a pair of good shoes!

This was a very strong run for a council seat with amazing results!
I personally walked just about every street in the Borough, and on election day I continued to pound the phone for votes till 6:00 pm. There are so many people to thank. I applaud the effort of every person who voted yesterday, and appreciate the help from those who joined me going door to door. It was overwhelmingly nice that strangers and friends adorned their lawns with VOTE FOR TED signs.
I must thank everyone who invited me into their homes to meet and speak with their families, neighbors and friends. My most gratifying reflection of such a late start to campaign, I can say with certainty that all of Freehold Borough is full of wonderful families, neighbors and friends! I encourage ALL, to PLEASE come to both Boro Council and School Board meetings.
This community must continue to send a consensus from our families, neighbors and friend. Our elect representatives must address our quality of life issues. The alternative, as we see today, is allowing the outside activist to influence our elected Government. We need our council and school board to represent US with US in mind, not outside anarchist and protesters .
There are many issues that challenge and erode our well deserved First Class Quality of Life!
The incumbents have failed to offer voters the opportunity for a fair debate. It is reasonable that incumbents provide an honest forum for the voters. It is necessary for incumbents to demonstrate they truly understand issues. And we should not and do not accept the presumptive rule we have today!
This year, after hard working Mothers and Fathers where paned by incumbents as being illegitimate, and not appropriate for a debate. At the same time one incumbent held secret meetings that legitimize outside activist from “Casa Freehold”, a Freehold Township group who nominated their appointment of Juan Reyes, a resident from Howell Township, to a Freehold Borough Human Relations committee!
Ironic how our newly reelected Councilman articulates that there is a ...”divide that's being created in the town by the extreme radicals on both sides of the immigration issue”. I feel It is important that WE know in detail, who he sees as “Extreme Radicals on Both Sides”.
This is why all Borough residents must start thinking about November 4th 2008, TODAY.
We must work on restoring the two party system for Freehold Borough, we must press HARD on our most important Quality of life issues, we must stop the outside activist from “Block Busting” Freehold Borough, we must reinforce with vigor current enforcement of Rental Code and demand a permanent standing Rental Property committee, we must insist that our streets be free from aggressive day laborers and we have to fight hard to maintain the value of our homes that we work so hard for!
Freehold Borough is a great melting pot, and will become a fine all American city!
We need more “Vote For..." and less “For Sale Signs”
Lets all keep engaged and send a message to Borough Hall, we're mad as hell, and we are not going to take it any more!!!
I conclude with a concession on this years election balloting, but i will NOT CONCEDE ON OUR CHOSEN HOME, FREEHOLD BOROUGH!
Lets all stay engaged. We wikk continue to work on getting even more of resdidents united and engaged to rebuild democracy in Freehold Borough!

Best Regards to all
Ted Miller ted-miller@verizon.net

VISION AND PASSION EQUALS GOOD GOVERNMENT

I have proven over the last few weeks that I have the passionate conviction for our home town, Freehold Borough.
I have walk just about every street and avenue, from Helen to Brookwood, from Park Avenue to Braun to share my Vision of change.
*- Freehold needs new Business and Economic Vision to offset the burden of Home owner property TAX.
*- Freehold must have a better handle on School funding, a too long forgotten First Class Quality of Life issue.
*- Freehold must have better controls over the long neglected absentee landlord industry that erodes our neighborhoods.
*- Freehold needs resolute law enforcement so that we so not have a known “High Drug Traffic Area”
*- Freehold needs to address aggressive day laborers.
*- Freehold has NEVER sought the up too $250,000.00 county Parks and Recreation grant money, and this must change!
*- Freehold must inspire our population to come out, volunteer any amount of time to rebuild our civic pride.
My every door knock stepped Freehold Borough closer to the two party system that we desperately needed.
Freehold Borough must rebuild the democratic process that will dignify the revolutionary history that the name Freehold has graced for three centuries!
We must preserve the democratic process that generation of American sons and daughters have fought, and so many have sacrificed for. We need to restore the two party system that this historic municipality has been missing for far too long!

Please review this site, look through how we all can impact the needed change for Freehold Borough. Plan to participate in our government, through voting tomorrow, talking more with Neighbors, forming Block committees, attending council meetings, getting your family involved in volunteerism if you can spare 5 minutes or 5 hours. Freehold Borough is our home, lets us not forsake or forget why we moved into our homes. Refresh your vision from moving (in) day! Tomorrow start renewing with a Vote for your vision, and participate any way you can to work on attainment of our First Class Quality of Life!

We, the Voters ARE THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH WE STAND! Every voter must get out and vote with conviction, to direct and inspire the Government we elect. Tell your Government through every election, that they MUST appropriately represent us in the fight for the First Class Quality of Life we are entitled to live in Freehold Borough, our State and our Nation

GOOD HEARTED VISION AND PASSION EQUALS GOOD GOVERNMENT, GET OUT AND VOTE!

Services are Second to None, Except Our Schools

Garbage Collection Reigns Supreme Over School Funding?
According to Mayor Wilson, "It is also important to me to maintain the level of services our residents receive here," Wilson said. "Taxes are not cheap anywhere in New Jersey. It's important to maintain good services" such as garbage collection, street sweeping and leaf pickup. "Our services here in the borough are second to none. Some may take these services for granted, but it is important to us that these same services are not always handled as well in other towns."
Some take the "Quality of Life" issue of having a Great Public School system for granted. The Rug Mill Towers Project has imposed the added burden of $500,000.00 to $600,000.00 in operational costs to our schools, yet there is ZERO property tax collected as a result of this RCA program.
DO NOT LOSE SIGHT that the Rug Mill is a contributing factor as to WHY our schools have fallen bellow State Through and Efficient funding standards. The combined effect of state flat funding and how our Municipal Government has imposed a significant operating deficit on the Borough Schools has establish our school funding problems. NOW every Borough Home owner is paying for this shortfall through ever rising property Tax and this causes more loses to our schools!

Freehold Borough is on record with receiving over $11,000,000.00 RCA dollars. By FAR Freehold Borough is the states leading recipient of RCA Funds according the latest COAH published report(http://www.state.nj.us/dca/coah/annualreport/2002_2003.pdf).
Mr. Kane claims RCA has been a “benefit” to our community because on the issue of RCA Funding Mr. Kane Said, “the borough has benefited from (RCA) money it has received over the years from other towns through regional contribution agreements, the councilman said it is time for others to jump in now”.

OK I Jumped in, and now you see why Mr. Kane is ducking a debate

According to the October 30, 2007 News Transcript, Wilson said the council has "worked hard behind the scenes with our state legislators to increase funds to the school district. Although the schools did receive some of what they needed, they (the legislators) promised us that the shortfall would be made up by the next school year."
ANYONE WHO HAS WORN A "YELLOW SHIRT" OR HAS TRAVELED TO TRENTON KNOWS, THIS MAYORS COMMENTS ARE INACCURATE!

WE MUST INSIST THAT THIS MUNICIPALITY MAKE SPEED WITH FORMING A PERMANENT RENTAL BOARD COMMITTE!

Proposed Permanent Rental Board
It's been said that Freehold Borough has a staggering 1,900 rental units. We have endured absentee Landlord “mismanagement” issues for too many YEARS! Only until this election year have we heard any interest from our Municipal Government about having a Permanent Rental Board committee.
My proposed Permanent Rental Board will meet publicly once a month. Business matters for the ongoing agenda will be discussions of existing code, code improvements, wins, failures and an accountable public review of actions taken (as permissible by law) on activities conducted by Code Enforcement on behalf of Tenants, Landlords and Neighboring residents.
All interested parties, IE., Tenants, Homeowners, Landlords are encouraged to attend. This will be OUR Boroughs official venue for addressing Freehold Boroughs most critical Quality of Life issue for Home owners and Renters, respecting our homes!
A permanent Rental Board will serve to educate the community about housing standards that Landlords must uphold, the living conditions by which tenants find acceptable and lessons on “GOOD NEIGHBOR BEST PRACTICES” for those who call Freehold Borough “HOME SWEET HOME”.
I also push for an 8 year Owner Occupancy ordinance for all new construction, as well as qualifying Gut-Reconstruction projects.

WHY?

FEB '2007 NEWS TRANSCRIPT

In a small 1.9 square mile municipality, WHY is a known "HIGH-DRUG-TRAFFIC-AREA" ALLOWED TO EXIST?

BETTER TRANSPORTATION MEAN HIGHER PROPERTY VALUE Part 1 Part 2

One alternative to M-0-M is what I call, simply a “Rt 79 Link” which connects Freehold Borough to the Matawan NE Costline Train Station .
This would be a benefit and boom for all of Western Monmouth County. The long term, high ticket solution is to propose a NEW light rail line from Downtown Freehold Borough, through Freehold Township, Marlboro, and the final connection at the Matawan Train Station. A short term, less expensive solutions is a Rt 79 “Bus Trolly” following this same route.
Who wins? Matawan Train Station Parking access is impossible. Providing a new commuter pathway to the Matawan Train Station will be a welcomed avoidance to the Parking problem. Alternative transportation may resolve a portion of AM and PM RT9 rush hour traffic. This plan will offer the needed Rt 9 Bus Route alternative, plus provide more convenient transportation to PATH trains and lower Manhattan.
Working for better access to public transportation will help Freehold Borough's real estate market, help community commuter residents, and richly add to our First Class Quality of life. We need to reach out to the NJ Department of Transportation and fellow Rt79 Committees to affect the needed transportation alternatives.
Our Municipal government needs new ideas for a renewed Freehold Borough.

BETTER TRANSPORTATION MEAN HIGHER PROPERTY VALUE Part 1

Home Markets Near Rail Lines Faring Better-Real estate study says sales in Central Jersey uneven

Asbury Park Press PAMELA MACKENZIE GANNETT

NEW JERSEY Homes along many of Central Jersey's commuter rail lines have a better chance of being sold than residences in more rural or suburban areas, according to real estate experts and housing statistics.That's one of the conclusions drawn from a study of the sales numbers, which paint an uneven picture of the Central Jersey housing market.

In some towns, the market is actually improving over last year, while in other areas, homes are languishing on the market even longer than in 2006, when the real estate bubble burst in earnest. Prices began to get soft in August 2005.In a snapshot of statistical information comparing home sales in the second quarter of 2006 with the second quarter of 2007:The number of months it took to sell homes increased in 23 Central Jersey towns, remained the same in four towns, and decreased slightly in 18 towns.In 2006 in Hunterdon County, the average number of months a home was expected to be on the market was 10; this year, it's 11.In Somerset County, the number remained steady in 2006 and 2007: The average is eight months to sell a home.In parts of Union County, the number also remained steady — about six months — while in portions of Middlesex County, it increased from four months to five.

The number of homes going unsold is fluctuating. In Hunterdon County, experts say, there were 1,115 homes for sale at the end of June 2006; this June, there were 1,440. In Somerset County, there were about 2,640 homes for sale at the end of June 2006; at the end of this June, that number was 2,582."We've been saying for four or five months now that the commuter markets are healthier than other communities," said William O. Keleher Jr., chairman of Prudential New Jersey Properties."Our offices in Summit, Westfield, New Providence and Short Hills are very strong," he said. "The Summit office is setting records, and that's in the face of a flat or less than flat market in other parts of the state."In Middlesex County, our Metuchen office is also doing well because that's another commuter market," he said.Keleher added that the company is seeing some strength in Somerset County and Morris County communities that are on NJ Transit lines. His offices in Hunterdon County, where fewer people make the commute to New York City, are seeing more challenges.

Support the Monmouth-Ocean-Middlesex (MOM) Passenger Rail Line Now! Welcome to the "Say YES to MOM" Coalition’s website and thank you for visiting. Please take your time to review the site and learn more about the proposed Monmouth Ocean Middlesex passenger rail service and how you can help support the Monmouth Junction Alternative. This is a critical time in the life of the project and your opinion matters. If you support the Monmouth Junction alternative and want to get involved, join the coalition now by clicking the "SIGN UP" button now.http://www.sayyestomom.com/

Boro Recreation for ALL

One of the issues that I find crucial to our town is recreation. I know we have a wonderful committee, little league, and a number of other outlets already doing good work. In a town such as ours, it is very important that recreation constantly remain on our minds. Parks and recreation are one of the issues people look at when they consider moving to a Freehold Borough. Recreation is without doubt one of the fundamental basics when seeking a first class quality of life for all of our residents. As a parent with three school aged children, I can not help but to understand how vital it is for families to have easy access to quality recreation. Two ideas that I have begun to look into are right here on our door step.

The first is very evident in that we are the county seat. Monmounty County has an award winning, nationally recognized park system. I have been in contact with Lillian Burrys office, the Freeholder liaison to the Monmouth County Park System. They have been quite informative and directed me to the appropriate contacts in the Park System itself. The Park System has a plethora of activities, aids, and programs that are great for a town like ours that is very lacking in open space. I have reached out, and as a councilman, will seek to work with own recreation committee with the goal of giving our residents better access to quality recreation and programs. As the county seat, we should absolutely work with the county park system. They have much to offer that would enhance our own recreational opportunities such as the Mobile Recreation Programs and Grant Matching for our Municipal Parks.

The second idea I am currently pursuing TODAY, is to have even more AFFORDABLE Athletic Programs to augment current ventures in our town. This valuable program gives children access to good role models and helps steer them clear of gangs and other negative influences. This program will offers residents and children further opportunities and will build better relations and trust all around. More information will be available after November 6th, regardless of the election results.

Please email me for more details!

COST DOWN FOR FREEHOLD BOROUGH Part 2

Voice-Over-IP Could Save Big Tax Bucks, Study Says
Federal, state, and local agencies could cut costs by $4.5 billion annually by making calls over the Internet.
By Paul Travis InformationWeek
If government agencies at all levels started making voice calls over the Internet by using voice-over-IP technology, they could save around $4.5 billion a year, according to a research report being issued next week by the Alexis de Tocqueville Institution, a research firm in West Lebanon, N.H.
"Governments are spending more per phone per month than residential or business customers," says institution president Kenneth Brown. "The savings from implementing VoIP could be used to assist law enforcement, health care, and other government programs."
Institution researchers studied phone use and phone systems at more than 300 federal, state, and local agencies and concluded those agencies could save between 25% and 60% by switching to VoIP.
"Governments are getting pretty active in deploying VoIP," Brown says. "There are a number of cities, school systems, and other government departments that have deployed VoIP and are very happy at making the switch." A task force in California has recommended deploying a statewide VoIP system, he says.
In many cases, government agencies have replaced dozens or hundreds of standard phone lines with a few high-speed data connections over which they route voice calls, producing substantial savings. Says Brown: "More government at every level should be studying this option."

COST DOWN FOR FREEHOLD BOROUGH - Part 1

Cooking Oil Could Power Jersey Town's Plows
When a Westwood, N.J., snowplow rumbles down borough streets next winter, it may leave behind a whiff of doughnuts or french fries, but not from snacking by the crew.
The borough is planning to experiment with converting public works trucks to run on biodiesel fuel. Its source? Oil that local restaurants use to fry their customers' breakfasts, lunches and dinners. The project is the brainchild of Borough Administrator Bob Hoffmann and Councilman Gary Conkling, a longtime auto mechanic who said he has seen the success of biodiesel fuel.
The council recently gave a unanimous thumbs up for the "veggie truck" plan. Conkling and Hoffmann are working to get it off the ground, starting with one public works truck and expanding to other diesel trucks if the conversion works well. "If we can get the restaurants in town to donate used vegetable oil, we can get our vehicles to run on it," Conkling said. "You are taking old vegetable oil that they cooked with and burning it in the diesel engine. It really works. It will save us a lot of money on gas and fuel. It also doesn't pollute the air as much as regular fuel does."
Once some restaurants agree to dish out their used oil, the borough needs to purchase and install the conversion apparatus to refine the oil on the diesel truck that will be used in the experiment, Conkling said.
The apparatus costs anywhere from $800 to $2,500, according to industry experts.
Hoffmann said the greener fuel will not only cut costs for the borough, it will also help restaurants rid themselves of an undesirable byproduct. "Usually they have to have their grease byproducts hauled away in a tanker truck," he said.
Mayor Thomas Wanner said there are no projected figures on how much the borough will save, but the project "should help in making us more environmentally conscious, and increase local french fry sales, with the associated aromatic exhaust."
Biodiesel can be made from used or unused vegetable oils, such as soy, sunflower, canola, coconut and hemp. Even animal fats such as beef tallow and fish oil can be used to make biodiesel fuel. Its use dates back more than 100 years to the invention of the diesel engine by Rudolf Diesel, whose first engines ran on peanut oil. With prices at the pump soaring, the idea is having a revival.
Among the advantages biodiesel offers is that it reduces carbon dioxide emissions, is made domestically and does not pollute the environment. It also does not require any diesel engine modifications. Hoffmann said he's heard of this system being used in Europe and got the idea from reading an account of a car owner who opted to run his vehicle on his own used vegetable oil. "There's no reason it can't be done here. We need to do a better job in recapturing waste."
At least one local restaurateur said he's on board. "Our garbage could be fueling the borough trucks. I wouldn't need to recycle my old oil. How great would that be?" said Lee Tremble, owner of the Iron Horse Restaurant, who notes that it costs roughly $25 a barrel to recycle the oil..... FROM http://www.snowmagazineonline.com/

FREEHOLD BOROUGH Version 2.0; Release Date NOV 6th

I enjoyed reading the article about my candidacy today in the News Transcript, and I would like to make clear that .... My platform is built on MANY more issues.

Forming an Economic and Business Development Committee, that the FCP for example will have to report to, is critical for the Borough. We must maintain a forward thinking agenda that will assure homeowners that they are not the sole source of income for the Borough of Freehold. Retail and restaurants are nice, but we need more links in the the chain of economic and business development. Another forgotten plus will be the jobs that will be created. We need more jobs for our fellow residents, and not just restaurant jobs.

The abandoned Bennett street building is a prime example of neglected development. Why have we not reached out to Centra-State for example, to use this site as a satellite medical arts building, perhaps with a focus on geriatric medicine? This would be a tremendous win for our community, we develop a dependable rateable, we create good jobs and we serve the greater community.

Last June I ask our Borough Council to reach out to ICS and start to plan for 287g implementation! We must empower our Local Law enforcement to become vigilant in the prosecution of repeat offender illegal aliens who believe they need not follow OUR laws, and continue to engage in criminal conduct. The Mechanic Street "ILLEGAL RESTAURANT IN A RENTAL HOME" (a Wall Cop was the absentee landloard) issue is the poster child for why repeat offender Landlords and TENANTS must not be tolerated. There is no excuse for these reoccurring instances. We must challenge criminals by making a crystal clear statement, Freehold Borough is NOT tolerant of those who do not follow laws. Freehold borough will not be weakened by those thinking they can come here to do anything they want! The current perception of our borough must change by action not just by strong words.

Borough police are still receiving complaints about aggressive day laborers swarming cars. One recent complaint involved a woman in the car with her young daughter. The woman stated she was intimidated and frightened. I have witnessed aggressive day laborers too. Today this is NOT being re-meditated as it should. The fact is, there are "BAD" contractors who profit by using contraband labor and cheat their competitors by not complying with our fair labor laws. This must be addressed through the combined, coordinated effort of local-municipal, county and state agencies. As a council member I will reach out to fight for the rights of honest contractors and their honest hard working laborer-employees who deserve a fair and competitive labor market.

I grew up in rental apartments. I know the difference between a good landlord and a creepy landlord! I propose aggressive prosecution of slumlords that have infested our Borough. These landlords have shamefully been allowed to drive down our property value and our most precious quality of life. We can no longer afford to suffer as we have all been suffering with the tepid actions of code enforcement. This Borough must take strong actions. Seizure of the criminal slumlords bank accounts will aid with needed funding of the relocation of tenets living in deplorable conditions, as well as the necessary and immediate remediation of code violators. We must stop the abuse of tenets and the homeowners that have been enduring too much for too long! A permanent Rental Board must be established and the position of rental commissioner should be evaluated.