Lucent, taxes among top issues in Holmdel race The top issues in the race for two Holmdel Township Committee seats this year are the future of Lucent, balancing the budget, and taxes, taxes, taxes. Democrats Janet Berk and Michael Sockol will try to break the GOP's majority on the committee while Republicans Mayor Serena DiMaso and Jerry Allocco hope to keep the status quo. Karen E. Bowes Janet Berk Democratic candidates Janet Berk, 56, is a former committee member (2003-05) who lost in the 2005 election by just 25 votes. The wife and mother of three is currently a nonpracticing attorney. Berk is a longtime resident and is running to "keep Holmdel as the beautiful town it was when I came here." Taxes are her main concern. "The taxes are really what's on people's minds," Berk said. "People are really concerned if they're going to be able to afford to stay here." Berk explained that although the school taxes comprise the bulk of a homeowner's tax bill, she would work to keep the municipal tax rate stabilized by looking at the budget line item by line item to eliminate waste. Berk's running mate, Michael Sockol, 48, is employed as a director of corporate communications in Laurel Park. He is the father of two sons who attend Holmdel public schools. A Holmdel resident since 2001, Sockol is a recent transplant from Massachusetts. There he served as a town meeting member and was active in other forms of local government. Michael Sockol So why run now, in New Jersey? "A couple reasons, but at the end of the day, I was approached by Larry Fink," Sockol said. "And when a standing committeeman asks you to run, you take the offer seriously." Sockol is concerned about the way the current administration chooses to balance the budget. For the past several years, the committee had dipped into the sewer surplus fund to balance the municipal budget. This practice, begun in 2005 with the removal of $250,000, was done to keep the tax rate stable. Berk was on the committee at that time and voiced her disapproval of the practice, saying it was unfair to the people who pay into the sewer program. Berk said she suggested lowering the sewer surplus rate as a way to compensate the municipal sewer users. This year, the town pulled $1.4 million from the sewer surplus fund. Two weeks ago, the committee finally agreed to lower the sewer surplus rate by 10 percent. Sockol and Berk believe their Republican rivals are now trying to take credit for Berk's idea back in 2005. Jerry Allocco If elected, both Berk and Sockol want to establish more public participation in local government. One way to accomplish this would be to allow residents to speak up at the beginning of committee meetings, instead of the end, after everything has been discussed. Also a top concern is the future of the Lucent property. Both Dems said they are against allowing residential housing on the site. "What you really need to do in this town is to keep a balance between residential and commercial," Sockol said, "so the homeowners don't have to pay for everything." Republican candidates Jerry Allocco, 40, is proud of his deep roots in Holmdel. A third-generation Holmdel resident, Allocco is married with two children. He works for Monmouth County as a mechanic. The political newcomer has never run for office. Allocco said his family has been volunteering and giving back to the community since their early days in the township. "Now it's time for me to [continue] what my family started," the candidate said. Serena DiMaso Allocco said he pines for the old days when he knew everyone in town on a firstname basis. If elected, he will strive to bring back that small-town feeling by encouraging camaraderie on the committee. The future of the Lucent tract is critical to Allocco. "We need to get this right the first time," he said. "If we make a bad decision, it will affect Holmdel for many years." Republican Mayor Serena DiMaso, 44, is married with four children. She is a non-practicing attorney. She's served on the committee for six years, and as mayor for two years. DiMaso is proud of the fact that she appointed a Lucent Advisory Committee, a bipartisan group that is currently working on strategies for the future of the large tract. She said she is "patiently waiting" for the committee to report its finding to the committee before deciding on whether to allow housing on the land. "Clearly, it's one of the most major decisions going forward," DiMaso said. "Fifty years ago, I'm sure they felt the same way. I hope to make a decision that can benefit our community for the next 50 years and maybe then some." DiMaso said that she weighs her decisions based on the present and future generations of Holmdel. "That's one of the ways Jerry and I complement each other so well," DiMaso said. "He is the children's children. He's still here three generations later." As for taxes, DiMaso stands by her decision to dip into the sewer surplus account in order to stabilize the municipal tax rate. Most of the surplus came from developers' contributions, not residents, DiMaso said. By utilizing the sewer surplus, the town was able to offer a zero municipal tax increase this year, DiMaso said. "I just couldn't in good conscience saddle them with another tax increase," Di- Maso said of the residents. Starting next year, those residents who pay into the sewer system will enjoy a 10 percent reduction in their fees, DiMaso said. This measure is up for a vote in the coming weeks, but if passed, it will lower the rate by $10 per quarter. Shared services are also a top priority for DiMaso. The mayor says she is in talks with surrounding towns on the possibility of a shared library, skate park and health services for senior citizens. For the latter, the mayor is interested in establishing a service that provided flu shots for shut-ins who are unable to get to a clinic.