Democrats trying to breathe life into town center issue In a recent letter to the Independent (“Middletown is worse off without town center,” Nov. 29), former unsuccessful Democratic Township Committee candidate Irvin Beaver decried the fact that Middletown has won another victory in court against the developer of the proposed town center mall, the latest in a string of defeats for the mega-project. The recent court decision upheld the Township Committee’s changed zoning of the property to allow for active adult housing with a small amount of commercial along Route 35. This would allow the property to contribute significantly to our tax ratable base without the enormous traffic impact that the town center mall would have brought. Beaver’s promotion of the town center mall should come as no surprise to those who have followed the saga for the last six years. During that time, one Democratic candidate after another has refused to take a stand against the massive project, while accepting the enthusiastic support of the center’s developer and his weekly publication. What should be most disconcerting to those who heaved a sigh of relief after the latest court decision is the new life that Beaver and his fellow Democrats are trying to breathe into an idea that Middletown residents had thought was dead. Recently elected Democrat Patrick Short received unprecedented exposure and support from the publication owned by the town center mall developer. With Short’s election, the Democrats are now only two votes away from attaining a majority on the governing body and reversing the years-long efforts of Republican Township Committee members to defeat a project that is far too large for Middletown to handle. The traffic that would be generated by the proposed 1.5 million-square-foot town center mall — contemplated to be as large as Monmouth Mall or Freehold Raceway Mall — would create chaos along a section of Route 35 and the associated secondary roads that are already overburdened by the current volume of traffic. Mr. Beaver — in pleading the case for the town center mall — makes the perplexing argument that although traffic has increased over the past 10 years, it is somehow Middletown’s loss that the mall — with over 4,500 proposed parking spaces — is not there to generate even more. He also cites a supposed “lack of police” in the township as a consequence of not having the town center mall, yet fails to offer an explanation as to what one has to do with the other. The fact is the Middletown Police Department is among the finest in the country — a fact that is borne out by the township recently being rated one of the safest communities of its size in the U.S. In a perfect world with unlimited funds, more police are always an enviable goal. However, it is the responsibility of the governing body to maintain the delicate balance of providing quality services with the least impact to the taxpayer. The claim that Middletown is somehow lacking because — in the words of Mr. Beaver — it does not have a “place to meet some Middletown friends” is a surprise to the 68,000 people who proudly call the township home. Moreover, visitors to the area quickly run out of superlatives in describing the beautiful layout and attractive landscape of our town as it is now. A stroll through many distinct areas does more to acquaint one with what Middletown is all about — its rich history and present charm — than any commercial architect’s ambitious plans. The “town center” in this instance is simply a metaphor for “mall.” Middletown has been and continues to be one of the most desirable places in the state to live, in large part because it does not house a major mall. In addition, the tax “windfall” trumpeted by the mall proponents would only cover a portion of the annual expenditures needed for infrastructure modifications and the increased strain on municipal services. The rezoning of the parcel will now allow development to occur at a density that is much more in line with what the existing infrastructure can bear, while contributing toward satisfying Middletown’s substantial affordable housing obligation. As the mayor and deputy mayor of Middletown, we and the rest of the Republican members of the Township Committee have been steadfast in our efforts to rein in overdevelopment and protect as much open space as is financially possible. We will continue to change our zoning and tighten loopholes to reduce the impact of traffic and overdevelopment. The continued passage of open space referendums by landslide margins here and across the state is continued evidence that the will of the people is on the side of open space and lower-density development, not shopping malls, six-lane highways, environmental degradation, and a march toward urbanization, Mr. Beaver and his fellow Democrats’ position notwithstanding. Thomas Hall mayor Gerard Scharfenberger deputy mayor Middletown