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Ocean freeholder incumbents run on record, challengers allege complacency, poor budget
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The Democratic challengers for the Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders say their opponents are secretive and unethical, but the incumbent Republicans say their experience in office has made them run an effective and efficient government.
Democrats Robert Bianchini, of Toms River, and Michael Collins, of Eagleswood Township, are running to unseat Republican incumbents Freeholder Director John Bartlett Jr. and Deputy Director Gerry Little in Tuesday's election.
The challengers have never held public office before, but argue that the incumbents' long time in office has made them complacent and that new office holders could run the county government better.
"They say they're spending our money wisely, but I just don't see it," said Bianchini, the assistant city engineer for Asbury Park, Monmouth County.
Bartlett and Little countered that their experience made them better able to guide the county through this recent recession and maintain overall financial control.
"The stability of elections has allowed us to establish that stability," said Bartlett, who is already the longest serving freeholder in county history in his 30th year.
Bartlett is running for his 11th term on the board, while Little is running for his second full term, having been selected by county Republicans in 2003 to replaced deceased freeholder James J. Mancini and then elected afterward to finish his unexpired term.
Collins argued that the Bartlett and Little have been dishonest about their financial record, stating that the tax rate has dramatically declined this decade but not mentioning how the tax levy has increased over the same time.
Collins said the board could be doing more to reduce the tax burden by further reducing overtime in some departments, which he said he thought some workers had come to expect.
"I don't think the overtime is out of the norm, but the norm," said Collins, an attorney with Sodini & Spina law firm in Freehold, Monmouth County.
Bartlett and Little and the rest of the board announced at the beginning of the year that they would be making cuts across all the county's departments in light of the economic downturn, and over the past few years they reduced the county workforce so that there would not be a tax increase this year.
"The track record of the Ocean County freeholders is second to none in maintaining the fiscal stability of our county," Little said.
Bianchini and Collins said if elected they would introduce stronger pay-to-play laws and anti-nepotism laws in the county, which they said are major concerns with the current administration.
They said that those measures would also help restore residents' faith in their elected officials.
"It just seems to be prudent to try to re-engage, to restore a sense of confidence in politicians," Collins said.
Bartlett largely dismissed the criticisms from Collins and Bianchini, saying that the issues they raised were unfounded, and he and his running mate did provide acceptable answers.
"It's easy when you've never run for office before and never held public office to say I could do it better. Well, where's the proof of that?" he said, adding, "I think you need some experience in how government works before you run for an important position like freeholder."
But Collins and Bianchini argued that they could better serve the public for roughly those reasons, saying they did not have political friends to appease.
"I think a lot of the people are just sick and tired of incumbents," Bianchini said.
Contact Lee Procida:
609-457-8707
Posted in OCEAN | POLITICS on Thursday, October 29, 2009 11:55 pm Updated: 11:57 pm.
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