Letters
State's legacy of home rule is an ancient practice

Exorbitant taxation in New Jersey is hurting the backbone of the state's economy, the middle class and the employers who provide the jobs. There is evidence that New Jersey's high taxes has led to larger than expected migrations out of state since the beginning of this decade. Accordingly New Jersey's population growth projections are being revised downward by half. This is an alarming trend - if played out to its logical conclusion this will take a toll on the state's economic growth and exacerbate New Jersey's already grim economic situation.

New Jerseyans are overtaxed. Raising taxes rather than reducing them is unconscionable. Our neighboring state of Pennsylvania has a population that is 50 percent larger than New Jersey's and its geographic area four times greater. So how is it New Jersey's budget is some 20 percent larger or $5 billion more than Pennsylvania's? Something is blatantly wrong. The problem is New Jersey's government spends too much. The first order of business for New Jersey should be to prioritize what is important and to eliminate what is no longer affordable. Then find ways to improve economic conditions which in turn will increase revenues to the state coffers.

New Jersey's system of government needs to be modernized. The time is now for a constitutional convention in order to tackle the fundamental problems with New Jersey's governmental structure which has lead to overspending, corruption and overtaxation. We can no longer afford the duplication of effort that is prevalent in our system of government. New Jersey's legacy of home rule is an ancient practice whose time has come. We have four times the number of boards of education and municipalities than what are necessary. It is urgent the governor and the Legislature provide leadership in modernizing our system of government now.

Louis Ricchione

Hazlet

Parents need the proper skills to prevent child abuse

Monmouth families need our help. Stories about child abuse appear in the headlines when a particularly depraved incident captures our attention, such as the tragic events of a 5-week-old baby recently shaken to death in Mount Laurel, and the horrible death of 7-year-old Nix Marie Brown in New York City.

Thousands of other children will suffer in silence, out of the spotlight of the media. Child abuse happens in every community, even where material resources are plentiful. The long-term effects of emotional abuse and cruelty know no boundaries.

The Division of Youth and Family Services (DYFS) received a total of 2,176 referrals for intervention and services in Monmouth County during 2003, the most recent year for which statistics are available. They received an additional 3,294 referrals which they categorized as family problems.

Much of this suffering is avoidable when parents are equipped with the skills and knowledge necessary to raise their children. Parents must be able to find the information and support they need.

For this reason, I am proud to serve as a volunteer director on the Board of Prevent Child Abuse-New Jersey (PCA-NJ). Each day, the staff and volunteers of PCA-NJ work in communities to provide parents with the resources they require to raise their children.

Nationally, April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, symbolized by the blue ribbon. I wear a blue ribbon to display my support for New Jersey's children and hope my fellow readers will do the same. To obtain a blue ribbon or for more information about Prevent Child Abuse-NJ, please call (800) CHILDREN or e-mail info@PreventChildAbuseNJ.org.

Maybe someday we'll see headlines about communities supporting families.

Joel L. Krinksy

president

Prevent Child Abuse-New Jersey

Board of Directors

Manalapan

County Republicans too comfortable in their old ways

As we begin to enter campaign season, it looks as if Monmouth County will be a primary target for both the Republican and Democratic parties, each looking to hold onto and gain political seats. In a letter to the editor of a local publication recently, Monmouth County Republican Chairman Fredrick P. Niemann criticized the amount of money Monmouth County Democrats spent to elect county leaders in the last election and called for limits to this year's campaign spending.

It is true the state Democratic Party has been successful in raising money to support its candidates. Yet it is unfortunate this money has had to be a necessary resource for Democrats who are finding it is essential in bringing capable and energetic Democratic candidates to the attention of voters in many county jurisdictions that have been dominated by Republicans for decades. Without the support of local media, promoting freely the views of all candidates, the only alternative is to spend money to advertise these views.

As the chairman stated in his letter, campaign laws must allow people to speak their mind. Yet, the Republican Party has stifled many Democratic voices in past elections by refusing to have their candidates participate in public debates. Debates are perhaps one of the least expensive and most informative means by which candidates can express their views and voters can obtain information. Debates can be held in public venues and covered by local news outlets at little or no expense. The Monmouth County Democrats would welcome the opportunity to have their candidates attend a public debate with Republican candidates in an effort to reduce the amount of money needed to win elections.

In fact, the Monmouth County Democrats are actively engaged in one of the least expensive forms of campaigning available, grassroots voter contact - walking door-to-door to talk to voters about issues they care about, holding candidate forums, and attending public functions to communicate their ideas. The majority of this grassroots campaigning is done by volunteers, residents of Monmouth County who are tired of one-party rule and are looking for fresh faces, without ties to the "good ol' boy" system that has dominated and corrupted Republican rule in county government for too long.

If the Republican Party were truly concerned about the rate of spending on campaigns in Monmouth County, they would have taken the opportunity to write their own campaign finance rules - an opportunity they have had under the Republican-controlled county government but have neglected to implement. It is still not too late for them to take action.

It is my belief that political parties and voters alike would like to see limits to the amount of money spent on campaigns. Unfortunately, in our county's environment of single-party domination, Democrats have had to rely on money as one way of bringing their ideas and perspectives to voters. We believe spending of this sort does not hurt democracy, but enhances it. It gives voters a choice in representation and provides a check on Republican leaders who, up to now, have gotten too comfortable in their old ways.

Don Watson

Middletown

Descriptive marker returned to Terry Park

Having recently visited the Thomas A. Edison Memorial State Park & Memorial Park & Museum in Menlo Park, I was invited to walk the wooded path where once Edison strolled. But that I would not read the many descriptive markers because they had been vandalized and removed. It reminded me of our own Terry Park and its descriptive marker, which was removed on Halloween night 1999.

Our park's marker was installed in May 1991 to mark the historic location of the famous shipbuilder, Benjamin C. Terry who constructed more than 100 various kinds of boats and ships within a 25-year period of his life. The most famous was the River Queen, which was used by President Lincoln during the Civil War.

The very good news is the descriptive marker was returned to its stand where I discovered it March 30, seven years and seven months after it was removed. Within 24 hours, two "life-member" volunteers, Michael Palmisano and Roger Goedtel, cleaned up the marker and reinstalled it on its stand in front of the clipper ship anchor in Terry Park.

All who love and hold Keyport dear as a historical destination thank the "returner" of the descriptive marker. The descendants of the Terry family also surely join in thanks since they collectively purchased the sign for all to read. If anyone wants to read it, drive to the end of Myrtle Avenue off First Street, and you will see it beside the historic anchor.

Sidney Becnel

Keyport

Keyport police officer was strong and good-hearted

I really don't know how to start this letter. Keyport will be losing a law enforcement authority through retirement April 28. Capt. John Dayback - who has worked for the borough of Keyport 30 years - rose through the ranks of patrolman to captain. John Dayback was an example of what you expect of a law enforcement authority. Someone who was responsible, honest, hardworking, strong, but a good-hearted police officer.

As a kid, I remember Officer Dayback telling me "Hey kid, straighten up or I will bring you to the big guy," which was my father, and I surely didn't want that. For those that knew my father, you know what I mean.

John Dayback, you have touched many lives in the past 30 years. I want to say you will be missed by many. Keyport now has an opportunity of a lifetime. We have an opportunity to answer the many letters and phone calls we receive regarding leadership within the Keyport Police Department.

Many years ago, I was one of a very few in Keyport that opposed the hiring of a civilian police director - boy was I wrong. It was the best decision that council at the time made. Frank Miele was a communicator, and person who kept everyone in the loop not the dark. Keyport, we need a strong new leader, not fake muscle. We need a police director now more than ever.

I wish Dayback the best in his retirement, and all I could say is, John, you couldn't have left at a better time. You were an asset to the many residents of Keyport.

Mayor John Merla

Keyport