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EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP - Two seats on the Township Committee are up for grabs between two longtime Republican politicians and two Democratic newcomers in Tuesday's election. Residents also will be asked if they want to empower local politicians to lower the open space tax.

Incumbent Mayor James "Sonny" McCullough and Committeeman John Carman are running against Ernest Simmons Jr. and Solaiman Serneabad for two three-year terms. Township committeemen earn an $18,000 salary, and the mayor, who is selected by the committee, has an $18,500 salary. All four candidates say they desire to focus on keeping taxes low.

The other decision facing voters is a ballot question asking whether officials should be allowed to reduce the local open space tax on an annual as-needed basis. The open space tax, adopted in 2001, is

2 cents per $100. Township officials said they would like the flexibility to lower the tax in the future, especially during difficult budget times.

The local open space fund has generated $3.1 million since its inception, Deputy Township Administrator Dale Goodreau said. About $1.5 million has been used to buy 150 acres of land, including 62 acres along Leap Street and the property that is now the Egg Harbor Township Historical Society Museum, Goodreau said.

McCullough, 67, is a retired businessman and supervisor for the South Jersey Transportation Authority. He joined the Township Committee in 1986 and is running for a ninth term. His priorities include continuing to offer good municipal services and improving public safety.

Carman, 50, is a union carpenter. He joined the Township Committee in 1995 and is running for a sixth term. In a prior interview, Carman said he would like to make government more transparent by posting the municipal budget online and making meeting minutes available sooner.

Simmons, 58, is a Vietnam War veteran and owner of the South Jersey Builders Group construction company. His political goals include trying to slow down overdevelopment and enforcing labor laws so illegal immigrants and the businesses that employ them pay for their fair share of services.

Serneabad, 40, is an Atlantic City jitney owner, driver and secretary for the Bangladesh Association of South Jersey. In a phone interview Thursday, Serneabad said he is running because he believes the township's political and ethnic minority populations "have no voice, and it's been one party running a long time, and it's the same old song."

If elected, Serneabad said he would like to work with the township Board of Education to improve academics. He also said he would like to change the local government to a City Council format so that politicians would represent specific neighborhoods and every part would have equal representation.

Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. For more information, call the township clerk at 609-926-4085.

Contact Michelle Lee:

609-272-7256

MLee@pressofac.com

Districts 1 and 2: Scullville Fire House, 1708 Mays Landing-Somers Point Road

District 3: Atlantic County Library, 1 Swift Drive

District 4: Scullville Fire House Station 2, 1403 Mays Landing-Somers Point Road

District 5: Bargaintown Fire House Station 2, Bartlett Boulevard and Tony Mink Pagano Drive

District 6: Zion Methodist Church, 652 Zion Road

District 7: Trinity Masonic Lodge No. 79, 563 Zion Road

District 8: London Court Community Center, Old Egg Harbor Road

Districts 9 and 17: Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 7004 Ridge Ave.

District 10: Fernwood Avenue Middle School, 4034 Fernwood Ave.

District 11: Cardiff Fire Station 2, 4049 English Creek Ave.

District 12: Alder Avenue Middle School, 25 Alder Ave.

District 13: Farmington Fire House, 301 Maple Ave.

District 15: C.J. Davenport School, 2501 Spruce Ave.

District 16: Egg Harbor Township Police Athletic League Building, 2594 Tilton Road

1 comment:

• JerseyDevil (544) posts 2:32 pm

  I wonder who "Sonny"was a supervisor over for the South Jersey Transportation Authority. Who does he supervise? Come on! We all know it is a political plum,no show job that nobody knows what he does or doesn't do.A supervisor over "Ghosts" As far as John Carmen goes,They are both friendly enemies. There is no way that they will lose their election unless all the new people that moved to EHT in the past years get togeather and change things.

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