Howell Republicans complain of improper conduct by Democrat Election Commissioner

Allan Roth, Esq, a Democrat Commissioner and the Secretary of the Monmouth County Board of Elections, took it upon himself to tally the interim results of the Howell Township Council election recount on Tuesday night after all the other Commissioners and recount observers had left the building, prompting outraged Howell Republicans to alert Judge Linda Grasso Jones of Roth’s allegedly improper conduct via a letter from Attorney Jason Sena.

• Tweet

DiBella: End Nicastro Recall Effort

By Joe DiBella

Joe DiBella

I was disturbed and disappointed to learn that a group of residents have filed a petition to recall our Deputy Mayor, Rob Nicastro.

I have lived in Howell for nearly 20 years and have not seen a more hard working, devoted public servant than Deputy Mayor Nicastro. I met the Deputy Mayor Nicastro while he was leading the fight to correct an issue with how his neighborhood was being unfairly charged for water services. In dealing with the issue facing he and his neighbors he worked tirelessly with local, county and state officials and he got results. When he disagreed with a policy issue he did not try and overthrow the government or overturn a legitimate election. Instead he rallied people together and worked collaboratively to get results. He has applied that same tenacious approach while serving as an elected official in Howell. He was recruited to run for office based and at first declined the opportunity to run. Having seen him in action these past few years I for one am glad he was convinced to seek office.

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Deception and Distraction: An Inaccurate Report on Health Benefits Remains Inaccurate Nearly 4 Year later

By Joseph M. DiBella

Recently the Asbury Park Press published a story based on a widely criticized and discredited State Comptroller’s 2012 report examining the state of health benefits for public workers of municipalities, county governments and school districts. The report, which was panned by most benefit and insurance professional at the time as being actuarially and statistically invalid, also failed to accurately reflect the process local governments must use when selecting benefits for its employees. The report made for good headlines, but it didn’t make for good policy.

The takeaway of the report was that local entities in New Jersey — counties, townships, boroughs, school districts — could simply join the state health benefit plan and save the state $100 million dollars. But that wasn’t correct then and it isn’t correct now. The report overlooked the fact that benefits are collectively bargained for and can’t simply be changed on whim or all at once. It also made the false assumption that just by merging all the groups across the state, their claims history, which is how insurance policies are priced, would miraculously get better and generate savings. Finally, the report largely blamed local benefit brokers and consultants for the high cost of health care for public plans even though the cost of brokerage services is about 2% to 3% of the total cost of healthcare. The state plan is a solution for many public employers as are other private plan options. The key is to examine all of the options and align the entity with the best solution for their circumstances.

The report was largely discredited and dismissed at the time of its issuance by industry experts for being naïve and non-factual. But because it includes an eye-popping alleged savings number, the nearly 4 years old report is regularly dusted off and re-circulated by political operatives and media types looking to re-create a controversy that never existed.

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Overflow crowd urges Freeholders to save Bradley Cove

click for larger view

Asbury Park — An overflow crowd of Asbury Park residents attended the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders meeting in the city last evening to rally the county’s governing body to save the north end beachfront property known as Bradley Cove.

iStar Financial, the city’s master developer, owns the development rights to the site and has a proposal to build 15 town homes on the property. The Asbury Park Council passed a resolution earlier this month to apply for Green Acres funding to preserve the property.

The freeholders were sympathetic to the public outcry to prevent the development, but made it clear that the ball is in Asbury Park’s court.  Prior Asbury Park administrations sold the development rights to the property and approved a tax abatement to support the development.  Community members are now trying to undue that deal, and seem be hoping that Freeholder Board has the power to make that happen.

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Niemann Endorses Bennett, Says “You cannot be a Party Leader and an Elected Official”

Fred Niemann. Photo via ElderAbuseInNJ.com

Citing his personal experience on how difficult the job of Party Chairman is, former Monmouth Republican Chairman Fred Niemann issued an endorsement letter for John Bennett today.

Niemann served one term as Monmouth GOP Chair from 2004 -2006, a tumultuous time in the Party’s history that included the Operation Bid Rig arrests, raucous nominating conventions and the emergence of blogs and other new media.

While praising both Bennett and his opponent for Chairman, Sheriff Shaun Golden, Niemann argued that an elected official can not manage the conflicts or make the tough decisions a Chairman must make.

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

DiBella Takes A Pass On Challenging Pallone

Former Howell Mayor Joe DiBella issued the following statement this morning:

Over the past week I have received numerous calls and inquires related to my challenging Frank Pallone for the 6th Congressional District seat. I’d like to first thank the many people who called and encouraged me to challenge Congressman Pallone. The outpouring of support and encouragement was sincerely appreciated and I put considerable time into evaluating a run for Congress.

• Tweet

Golden Not Running Against Pallone

Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden

Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden told MMM that he will not be a candidate for Congress this year.

Monmouth County Republican Chairman John Bennett has been urging Golden to take on Congressman Frank Pallone due to the sheriff’s strong record of accomplishment and his popularity at the polls.

“I would love to see Shaun Golden run for Congress, ” Bennett said earlier this month, ‘Not only is he popular and a demonstrated vote getter, he has an outstanding record with a documented ability to get things done.”

Golden said that it is just not the right time for him to take on a congressional campaign.

Former Howell Mayor Joe DiBella said last week that he “would love to run against Pallone” if Golden doesn’t. Bennett told MMM that he received a message from DiBella expressing his interest. DiBella has not returned several phone calls inquiring about his candidacy from MMM this week.

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

DiBella Considering A Challenge to Pallone

Former Howell Mayor Joe DiBella said he “would love to” run against Congressman Frank Pallone if Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden decides against running.

Golden has been considering a run, at the behest of party leaders, for several weeks, but has yet to make a decision.  Sources close to the sheriff say he is leaning against running due to his agenda in the Sheriff’s Department and the impact a candidacy would have on his family.  Golden was reelected as Monmouth County’s Sheriff last November by a 64%-36% margin.

A 23 year veteran of the health insurance industry, the charismatic and articulate DiBella would offer a sharp contrast to Pallone, the self-professed author of ObamaCare, in matters of both style and substance during a federal election when once again ObamaCare is expected to be the predominant issue nationally.  DiBella is an Executive Vice President of Connor Strong & Buckelew, the prominent insurance broker run by South Jersey’s Democratic power broker George Norcross and Joseph Buckelew, the former Republican Mayor of Lakewood.

• Tweet

Strange Bedfellows

Unverified rumors fresh off the grapevine point to previously unthinkable alliances forming in the Monmouth GOP chair’s race.

The Howell GOP appears to be united behind John Bennett for Chairman.  John Costigan, Bob Walsh, Joe DiBella and Sue Veitengruber are all lining up behind the former Acting Governor, according to a Bennett supporter who added that Western Monmouth is “locked up” for Bennett.

• Tweet

Morrell and DiBella Endorse Walsh For Freeholder

Former Howell Township Mayors Harvey Morrell, JR and Joseph DiBella have sent a joint letter to members of the Howel municipal Republican committee urging them to vote for current Mayor Bob Walsh in Saturday’s Freeholder election.

In there letter address to “Fellow Howell Republicans” Morrell and DiBella emphasis the “historic opportunity” of  Howell having its first ever freeholder.

The mayors emphasise the demands of Howell Township and how that prepares one to be a freeholder on “day one.”  They praise Walsh’s conservative Republican credentials, his high moral character and ethical fabric.

A copy of their letter can be downloaded here.

• Tweet