
Senators Sam Thompson, standing, and Vin Gopal, were the only Monmouth County legislators to vote in favor of busting the 2% property tax cap. Photo via NJ School Boards Association
The New Jersey Senate and Assembly passed legislation on Monday that allows school districts that have lost state funding for their budgets and are spending less annually than what the state considers adequate to raise property taxes above the 2% cap without voters’s consent. The 2% cap was the hallmark reform of the Christie administration. The cap busting legislation expires after the 2024-2025 school year.
The bill awaits Governor Phil Murphy’s signature before it becomes law. Murphy has indicated he is opposed to busting the property tax cap, preferring to raise income taxes on millionaires.
Of the legislators who represent parts of Monmouth County, only Senators Vin Gopal (D-11) and Sam Thompson (R-12) voted in favor of the bill.
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Posted: December 18th, 2019 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: Monmouth County News, New Jersey | Tags: 2% Property tax cap, Monmouth County News, New Jersey, NJ Property Taxes | 5 Comments »
The dirty filthy Democrat PAC that is protecting its investment in LD 11 Assembly Members Eric Houghtaling and Joann Downey woke Michael Amoroso out of his summer slumber.
The Freehold Board of Education President who is one of the GOP candidates challenging the General Majority PAC’s obedient legislators is fighting mad about the deceptive mailer the Dems sent out last week accusing Amoroso of raising taxes 22% this year.
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Posted: September 15th, 2019 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: 11th Legislative District, 2019 elections, Monmouth County News | Tags: 2019 elections, Eric Houghtaling, General Majority PAC, Joann Downey, LD 11, Michael Amoroso, Monmouth County News | Comments Off on Amoroso Fights Back Against Dirty Filthy Democrats

Rob Acerra and Victor Ashkenazi
Ocean Township Councilman Rob Acerra responded to the news of Mayor Christopher Siciliano’s threat to a constituent on social media by demanding that Siciliano apologize and consider resigning. Acerra said that Ocean Township “voters should strongly consider turning the page on the Siciliano era” in the municipal election on May 14.
“Here in Ocean we have a rich history of non-partisanship and civil political discourse,” said Acerra in a statement released early on Monday afternoon. “To see the Mayor acting like a schoolyard bully toward a constituent he is supposed to be representing raises doubts about his ability to lead. He is responsible for the commentary posted on his facebook profile in his name, period. At the very least Chris needs to apologize for these remarks, if not consider dropping out of the race. Voters don’t deserve a Mayor who solves challenges and bridges divides by threatening Ocean residents. We can and must do better.”
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Posted: April 29th, 2019 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: Monmouth County News, New Jersey, News, Ocean Township | Tags: 2019 elections, Mayor Christopher Siciliano, Monmouth County News, Ocean Township, Ocean Township Municipal Election, Rob Acerra | 1 Comment »
Ocean Township Mayor Christopher Siciliano questioned the integrity of Councilman Rob Acerra over the placement of lawn signs in a video posted on facebook on Saturday.
When a 22 year year old constituent called Siciliano “Mayor Hypocrite” for talking about integrity, he was challenged to meet up like a real man and discuss it behind headquarters.
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Posted: April 29th, 2019 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: Monmouth County News, New Jersey, News, Ocean Township | Tags: Mayor Christopher Siciliano, Monmouth County News, Ocean Township Municipal Election, Rob Acerra | 4 Comments »

GOP Freeholder candidates Nick DiRocco and Tom Arnone and Sheriff Shaun Golden are running to defend Monmouth’s great quality of life
The Monmouth County Democrats held a mini-convention on Saturday in Long Branch to endorse their candidates for Assembly in districts 11,12,13 and 30 for the June 4 primary. The also endorsed primary candidates for Monmouth County Sheriff and and two Freeholder seats.
The Monmouth GOP held their annual nominating convention last Saturday, March 9 at iPlayAmerica in Freehold, where over 400 enthusiastic Republican County Committee members came out to endorse their County and Assembly candidates by acclamation. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted: March 17th, 2019 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: 11th Legislative District, 13th Legislative District, 2019 elections, Monmouth County News, New Jersey, News | Tags: 2019 elections, Allison Tucker Friedman, Barbara Singer, Caroline Casagrande, David Lande, Eric Houghtaling, Gerry Scharfenberger, Joann Downey, Kevin Tuohy, Malini Guha, Mary Pat Angelini, Matt Woolley, Michael Penna, Mike Amoroso, Moira Nelson, Monmouth County News, Monmouth Democrats, Nick DiRocco, Rob Clifton, Ron Dancer, Serena DiMaso, Shaun Golden, Steven Farkas, Tom Arnone, Yasin Celik | 1 Comment »
Republican Assembly candidates condemn Murphy’s budget and tax hikes

LD 11 Assembly Candidates Matt Woolley and Mike Amoroso
Matt Woolley and Mike Amoroso, the presumptive Republican nominees for Assembly in the 11th legislative district denounced Governor Murphy’s “reckless state budget proposal”in a statement released on Tuesday evening.
“Despite Governor Murphy’s characterization, there is nothing ‘responsible’ or ‘fair’ about his budget proposal. His irresponsible plan will continue to force residents to flee from New Jersey to low-cost states, amplifying the financial burden for those who remain and already struggle to live here,” said Woolley, 29, of Ocean Township. “$1.2 billion in new spending, in addition to last year’s $2.7 billion budget increase, only hurts the state’s middle class.”
“New Jersey taxpayers should be very worried today,” said Amoroso, 50, the President of the Freehold Township Board of Education. “Instead of adding more taxes on the backs of hardworking residents, our leadership in Trenton needs new, creative talent to finally work toward solving the current tax and spend frenzy.”
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Posted: March 6th, 2019 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: 11th Legislative District, 2019 elections, Monmouth County News, New Jersey, News | Tags: 11th Legislative District, 2019 elections, LD 11, Matt Woolley, Mike Amoroso, Monmouth County News, New Jersey, New Jersey State Budget, NJ Assembly, NJ Assembly Republicans | 10 Comments »

Pearl Lee
Pearl Lee, the Republican candidate for Red Bank Mayor last month, told MMM that she reached out to Monmouth Republican Chairman Shaun Golden to express her interest in challenging Democrat Assembly Members Eric Houghtailing and Joann Downey in the 11th legislative district next year.
Lee, 64, a retired small business owner, had never sought elected office before securing the Republican nomination for Red Bank Mayor last year as a write-in candidate in the June primary. She sought the nomination after learning that the local party failed to field a candidate to challenge Democrat Mayor Pat Menna.
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Posted: December 4th, 2018 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: Monmouth County, Monmouth County News, New Jersey, News | Tags: 2019 elections, Caroline Casagrande, LD 11, Monmouth County News, New Jersey, NJ Assembly, NJ Legislature, Pearl Lee, Red Bank, Rob Acerra | 1 Comment »

Josh Welle and Amber Gesslein could run for the Dem nominations for Assembly in LD 13 next year.
Assemblywoman Amy Handlin’s announcement that she will not seek reelection next year inevitably creates speculation on who will run to replace her. While party leaders on both sides of the aisle would rather their troops stay focused on the election coming up next month, the jockeying has started given how infrequently a vacancy occurs in the 13th district.
Democrats, who normally lose badly in the district will likely have a contest for the two Assembly nominations next year, given Handlin’s vacancy and Serena DiMaso serving her freshman term. DiMaso put something of a target on her back with the Dems when she made a robocall criticizing LD 11 Assemblymembers Eric Hougtaling and Joann Downey for voting for Governor Murphy’s tax increases. Houghtaling and Downey responded to DiMaso’s robocall with an ethics complaint.
With the Assembly on top of the ballot next year, Dems will likely be motivated and funded, even in LD 13.
Potential Democrat Candidates for LD 13 Assembly in 2019 who are running for other offices this year:
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Posted: October 8th, 2018 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: 13th Legislative District, Monmouth County News, NJ Politics, NJ State Legislature | Tags: 2019 elections, Amber Gesslein, Amy Handlin, Danielle Walsh, John Curley, Josh Welle, Larry Luttrell, LD 13, Lorna Phillipson, Monmouth County News, NJ Legislature, Sean Byrnes, Tom Giaimo, Vincent Solomeno | 2 Comments »

Assemblyman Eric Houghtaling said the Democrat Neptune Township Committee candidates have always used police vehicles to promote themselves in parades and that he does not understand what the big deal is when MMM asked him to comment about why he was using taxpayers’equipment for political purposes as depicted the attached photo.
“You don’t need me to send me the photo, we’ve always done that in Neptune. We march with the police,” Houghtaling said. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted: July 19th, 2018 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: Monmouth County News, Neptune Township | Tags: Assemblywoman Serena DiMaso, Eric Houghtaling, Monmouth County News, Neptune NJ, Neptune Township Committee, Serena DiMaso | 4 Comments »
With 93% of the precints reporting, Vin Gopal is leading Senator Jennifer Beck by over 3300 votes.. 53% to 47% .
Senator-elect Gopal will join Assemblyman Eric Houghtaling and Assemblywoman Joann Downey in Trenton. Houghtaling and Downey have comfortable leads over Rob Acerra and Michael Whelan
Posted: November 7th, 2017 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: Monmouth County | Tags: LD 11 | 6 Comments »