Monmouth Freeholders Cut Taxes and Spending

DEMOCRATS TRY TO CHANGE THE SUBJECT

Freeholder Director Tom Arnone and Deputy Director Serena DiMaso at the Asbury Park St. Pat’s Parade

The all Republican Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders approved a budget which included a $18.2 million spending cut and a $4.5 million property tax cut last Thursday.

“This budget reduces the tax impact on residents and businesses and returns the amount to be raised by taxation to the 2010 level,” said Freeholder Director Thomas A. Arnone. “In January, I called for a roll back of last year’s 1.4 percent tax increase and we have achieved that.”

“Cost cutting and belt tightening over the past six years and the sale of the two County care centers have made it possible for this Freeholder Board to present a budget that resets our spending to below the 2007 amount,” Freeholder Deputy Director Serena DiMaso said.

Monmouth County’s government now spends $5.5 million less on salaries than it did in 2008 and has 1000 fewer employees than it did seven years ago when the Republican Party won control of the Freeholder Board back from the Democrats.

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Pryor Wins Neptune City Special Election, Monmouth GOP prevails over bus loads of Democratic canvassers

Neptune City Councilman Richard Pryor, center, celebrates his reelection with Neptune City and Monmouth GOP leaders. Click photo for larger view

The streets of Neptune City were reminiscent of Newark, Jersey City or Chicago on election day Tuesday as out of town canvassers worked the town to get Democrats to come out and vote in a Special Election for a Council seat that was vacated as a result of a tie vote last November.

The State Democratic Party emailed Democrat activists statewide, imploring them to knock on doors and make phone calls in Neptune City, “because it is the home of Monmouth County Freeholder Director and Republican Leader Tom Arnone, who previously served as mayor.” U.S. Senator Cory Booker made a robocall for the Democrat candidate. An estimated 30 out of towners were bused in on Tuesday to to find Democratic votes to drag to the polls.

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Sen Jen Beck: Christie should lead or quit

photo via facebook

Senator Jennifer Beck (R-Red Bank) told the Asbury Park Press Editorial Board today that Governor Chris Christie needs to choose between campaigning actively for Donald Trump or leading the State of New Jersey.

“If he is going to go on the campaign trail with Donald Trump, he cannot continue to serve as our governor,” she said in an editorial board meeting Wednesday with the Asbury Park Press. “The governorship of the state of New Jersey is more than a full-time job.”

Beck noted the success Christie had during his first term while he was engaged and leading the the way in Trenton. “I think he can lead if he is here,” she said.

Assemblywomen Amy Handlin echoed Beck’s sentitment, according to APP.

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Monmouth GOP endorses Brent Sonnek-Schmelz to challenge Pallone

Brent Sonnek-Schmelz

Freehold Township- The Monmouth County Republican Committee endorsed Brent Sonnek-Schmelz, a member of the Atlantic Highlands Board of Education, to challenge Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr in the November 8, 2016 election last night during their annual nominating convention at iPlay America.

Sonneck-Schmelz, 39, is an Eagle Scout, attorney, Wharton educated MBA and entrepreneur who announced to the world that he likes to wear short shorts in the summer when he won $100,000 as a contestant on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire.  He currently works as the General Counsel and Chief Financial Officer of The Soccer Post, a family owned franchise system of soccer stores with 33 locations nationally, and as Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel of City Sports, a Boston based sports apparel retailer that he is working to relaunch.

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Golden, Peters, Arnone and DiMaso Announce Reelection Campaign

Sheriff Shaun Golden and Freeholder Director Tom Arnone

Before an enthusiastic crowd of over 600 Monmouth County supporters at the Eagle Oaks Country Club in Farmingdale, Sheriff (and County GOP Chairman) Shaun Golden announced that he, Freeholders Tom Arnone and Serena DiMaso, and Surrogate Rosemarie Peters are all running for reelection in November.

“We don’t need to make Monmouth County great again,” Golden declared with a reference to Donald Trump’s campaign slogan, “Monmouth County is great!”

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Monmouth and Assembly Republicans Support Marlboro GOP

Assembly Republican Leader Jon Bramnick (center-right) presents a check to the “Positively Marlboro” GOP candidates, Sui Allex for Council, Ira Goldberg for Mayor and Council candidate John Dwyer, far right, as campaign treasurer Mario Giudice licks his lips in anticipation in the background photo bomb.

Republican activists and leaders from throughout Monmouth County and beyond gathered with the Marlboro Party faithful last night at the Bella Vista Country Club, providing the “Positively Marlboro” GOP slate of Ira Goldberg for Mayor and Council Candidates Sui Allex and John Dwyer with a boost of enthusiasm and campaign cash for their uphill battle to unseat Democratic Mayor Jon Hornik and his “Right Team” slate of incumbent council members Randi Marder and Mike Scalea.

“Two hours ago I was in the Governor’s backyard,” Assembly Republican Leader Jon Bramnick, the headliner of the event, said as he started his remarks. “Where are you going?,” Bramnick said the Governor wanted to know as he prepared to leave.”  “Marlboro.”  “Why?” “Because Selika Josiah Gore (Chair of the Marlboro GOP) called me an wouldn’t get off the line until I agreed.”

“This is the most energetic Republican event I have seen this season,” Bramnick said during his remarks and announced that he would write a check to the campaign from his own account on the spot.

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Happy Gerri Popkin Day!

Today is Gerri Popkin Day in Monmouth County!

Well, officially it will be (will have been?) tonight when the Monmouth County Board of Freeholders declare it so in a proclamation honoring Gerri’s nearly 30 years of public service.  I never understood why the Freeholders honor people with a day in their name at the end of that day.  Gerri has made a deep enough positive impact in Monmouth County in both her professional career and her political activism that the Freeholders should name an entire month or a building, at the very least a conference room, in her honor.

Popkin is retiring as Monmouth County’s Director of Purchasing after 28 years on July 1.  As Director of Purchasing, she supervised a staff of 12 and was responsible for acquiring $100 million in goods and services annually. Prior to becoming Director of Purchasing, Gerri was the Director of Consumer Affairs. For two years in the mid-1980’s, she was a executive with the New Jersey Lottery.

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Atlantic Highlands Mayor Fred Rast Encourages Republicans and Independent Voters To Vote For Lou Fligor on June 2

Dear Citizens of Atlantic Highlands,

Over the past seven years that I have been your Mayor, I have made sure that politics played a very small role in operating our town. The successes we have had during these years are 100% due to the fact that I, as Mayor, and most of our Council, have worked together to protect and enhance our town.

I have also never allowed political interference in my appointments and actions. As a matter of fact, approximately half of my appointments have been people who are not registered Republicans.

The County, as is their prerogative, have chosen to support the request of the Atlantic Highlands Chair of the Republican Party to place Jack Archibald as the “Party Line Candidate”. The vote of the local Republican Committee between Lou and Jack was a split vote of 4 to 4. We believe the people should have a choice so the Atlantic Highlands Republican party will have a primary on June 2, 2015.

Lou Fligor is his own man. He is the most dedicated public servant of the people of our town, a champion of our town’s people. He has led the battle to force the Gas Company’s clean-up operations. He spearheaded the committee to dissolve the Atlantic Highlands/Highlands Regional Sewer Authority, which has saved us hundreds of thousands of dollars over the last year alone. Lou is the person we all see working for our town 365 days a year, not just during election time. He is a self-made man, who keeps his actions above political considerations. He is a true, loyal friend to all of our town’s people. Lou wants the job, not just the title as Mayor.

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Edith T. Nowels: Rest in Peace

It is with great sadness that I report the death of Edith Thorne Nowels.

Edith was tireless, passionate and loving advocate who dedicated herself completely to causes she believed in. Edith T. Nowels was a patriot who loved America, and loved the men and women who fought for our freedom in our military.

Edith was a member of the Monmouth County Republican Committee for 41 years. For many of those years she was the Municipal Chairwoman of Brielle.

Edith spent much of her last years making sure that the Veterans of World War II were honored as those who survived the war aged and met their natural deaths.

She was forever promoting the memory of her brother, Cpl. Horace “Bud” Thorne, who sacrificed his life in Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge.

Below the fold, please view the videos of Edith parachuting last November with The All Veterans Group and the video tribute to her brother Bud’s life and sacrifice.

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Golden: The Next Generation is a Republican Generation

Chairman Shaun Golden

Monmouth County Republican Chairman Shaun Golden released a statement this morning announcing that his slate of municipal candidates this year included six Young Republican Leaders under the age of 35.

Candidates for local office filed to run with their respective Municipal Clerks all across Monmouth County on Monday. It is clear by the two parties’ selection of nominees, that Republicans in Monmouth County are the only ones offering voters a chance to elect a new generation of leaders with fresh, bold ideas for the future.

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