Members of the Board of Chosen Freeholders

[Guest]

I really don't know anything about all of them. However, I think it is important since we are facing COAH and possible school consolidation. We need to vote for people that are like minded and an added resource to the tough decisions facing Cranbury.

Middlesex County Freeholders
One 1-year unexpired term Choose

Ronald Rios (Dem) - Retired Conrail Inspector
Age: 56
City/Town: Carteret
Occupation: Retired, worked with Conrail as a Carman inspector for 30 years, while also serving as a consultant safety trainer for the AFL-CIO.
Education/Degrees: National Labor College, B.A. Degree for Occupational Health and Safety.
Experience: Carteret Councilman (1982-1984, 2001-2008), Council President (2003-2008), Former Zoning Board member. Community Involvement: Member, Governor's Ethnic Advisory Commission; Member, National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials.
Family details: Wife, Michelina; two daughters, Sandra and Jennifer; two granddaughters, Natalie and Gianna.
Party name or slogan: Middlesex County Democratic Organization Web Site: www.mcfreeholders.com

Robert D. Thuring (Rep) - Attorney
Age: 52 City/Town: Spotswood
Occupation: Attorney
Education/Degrees: B.A. degree, J.D. degree
Experience: Former Deputy Attorney General, former Assistant County Prosecutor, former Municipal Prosecutor Community Involvement: Coach for youth basketball, baseball and soccer Family details: Married for 25 years; four children ranging in age from 9 to 20.
Party name or slogan: A New Direction
Web Site: www.LowerTaxesNow.net

WHAT IS YOUR TOP ISSUE?
Ronald Rios: With these tough economic times, elected officials have a great responsibility to keep property taxes low while maintaining services. The Democratic Party’s record over several years is evidence of our commitment. We have stabilized the county share of property taxes for 16 years and helped local governments with our active shared services programs.

Robert D. Thuring: The Democrats have had exclusive control of the Middlesex County Board of Chosen Freeholders for the last 12 years. From 1998 to 2008, the Democrats have been responsible for a 62 percent increase in the freeholder budget, from $247.4 million to $397 million, and a 55 percent increase in county taxes, from $180.5 million to $281.2 million. With the current state of the economy, this tax-and-spend mentality cannot continue. It's time for a 'New Direction' of less government and less spending, which will result in lower taxes.

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http://thevoterguide3.nj.com/race-detail.do;jsessionid=4429107FB72C6DB651109EB632C51A5A?id=160640328

[Guest]

I am not familiar with both candidates. Who is better for Cranbury?

[My Central Jersey]

Crabiel, Scott, Thuring best of the bunch for freeholder

Middlesex County voters will be asked to select three candidates for freeholder on Nov. 4, two for full three-year terms on the board and another to fill the one-year unexpired term of former freeholder John Pulomena, who stepped down from the board this year to take on the job of county administrator. We urge those who head to the polls to support Democrat David B. Crabiel, the longtime freeholder director, his running mate, Mildred Scott, who is making her initial run for county government, and Republican Robert D. Thuring, a former candidate for Assembly.

Crabiel and Scott are vying for the three-year seats against Linda Woods Cleary, chief of South Brunswick's Republican Organization, and Daniel S. Kerwin, a Republican and resident of Old Bridge. Thuring is up against Ronald G. Rios, a former Carteret councilman who was appointed on an interim basis to fill the seat left vacant by Pulomena.

Crabiel, a living and breathing institution in Middlesex County politics, was elected to the board in 1978, has served on the Milltown Borough Council and was that community's mayor for 11 years. He not only has survived but prospered in public office thanks to his acumen for fiscal matters and a willingness to adapt to changing times. Both are sure to be key skills in this perilous financial period for government's coffers.

Crabiel has made it his mantra to contain costs wherever possible, consistently trimming the size of the county work force and helping to deliver one of the lowest county tax rates in the state, quite remarkable in this day and age of ever expanding public services. He has displayed an ability to be an adaptive leader, too, most notably by heading Middlesex County government away from its quest to privatize Roosevelt Care Center, the county-owned nursing home, in favor of continued county operation and the construction of two new, modern facilities, the first in Edison and the second to be built farther south in Old Bridge.

Scott is long on experience as well after having served 12 years on the Piscataway Township Council. Those years of service haven't blunted either her enthusiasm or imagination, however. Among her best ideas: Creation of a senior day-care network for elderly county residents who can't be left home alone, especially during the day.

Thuring would be an especially useful member of the board, given his professional resume as a former state deputy attorney general, his knack for delivering unvarnished, incisive opinions, and the mere fact that he hails from a party that hasn't won a seat in county government since 1995. The freeholder board's actions have suffered more than occasionally over the years due to its lack of debate, to its single-minded majority, and is long overdue for a countering voice, a fresh point of view. Thuring fits that bill.

By comparison, Rios has shown himself to be a competent placeholder, but we wonder what new talents, if any, he brings to the board that it doesn't already have? Kerwin and Woods Cleary would do better to battle for office in their own towns, gaining the public policy and political experience that both desperately lack.

Crabiel, Scott and Thuring stand out as the best choices.

http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20081023/OPINION01/810230312/-1/newsfront

[Guest]

Why hasn't COAH been their #1 concern is what I wonder.

[Guest]

[Guest]

The entire Middlesex Freeholders are democrats. COAH is a democrat issue.

I find it interesting that our own county has been so quiet on this issue. Hunterdon County spent 10K to fight COAH in a lawsuit.

http://www.nj.com/hunterdon/index.ssf/2008/09/county_adds_10k_to_suit_agains.html

Where does our county representative stand on this issue? My guess they are afraid to go up against their own party and have sacrificed townships like ours.

[Guest]

Open space funds among top issues in county race
BY JESSICA SMITH Staff Writer

Six candidates are vying for three seats on the Middlesex County Board of Chosen Freeholders. Next week, voters will choose among them to fill two three-year terms and a one-year unexpired term.

A 27-year board member, Democratic Freeholder Director David Crabiel is running alongside retired county Sheriff's Department Chief Millie Scott and incumbent appointee Robert Rios, who is looking to hold on to the seat left by now-county Administrator John Pulomena.

The Republicans are looking to gain some representation on a board that has consisted solely of Democrats for 13 years. They are Lynda Woods Cleary, a financial services consultant for her own firm; Daniel Kerwin, director of the New Jersey Association of Railroad Passengers; and Robert Thuring, a Spotswood attorney who has practiced law at the municipal, state and county levels. Thuring seeks the unexpired term.

Crabiel said one of his major goals is to see the completion of a 180-bed extendedcare facility in Old Bridge, which, combined with a similar new facility in Edison, will bring a total of 360 beds for county residents in need of care.

"I'm proud of that, because it's very much needed to help the seniors," Crabiel said.

The 13-year freeholder director said more than 7,000 acres of open space have been preserved throughout the county, and he hopes to bring that total to 10,000.

While Cleary agreed that preserving open space is a laudable goal, she expressed concern regarding changes to the way open space funds are used.

"I guess deep down inside, I'm a conservationist," Cleary said. "The way the funds are being distributed, I think, needs to be reviewed."

According to Cleary, the money gleaned from taxpayers for open space is being used more often for improvement projects at recreational facilities instead of preserving areas for passive recreation, as was the original intent.

Crabiel refuted her claim, citing voter referendums that allowed for open space acquisitions at first, and then for use of the funds for other projects.

"We adhered to the vote of the people," Crabiel said. "At this point, we're doing more of the acquisition part, and less of the improvements."

Kerwin, a public transportation advocate who supports the MOM (Monmouth- Ocean-Middlesex) rail line, said of the $33 million collected this year for the county open space fund, about $18.5 million will go toward purchasing land for preservation. He questioned an additional $5.65 million earmarked for "other expenses" and said he wants to ensure that open space funds are used for their intended purpose.

Cleary also said a more prudent approach could be taken in terms of open space acquisitions. She cited the purchase of properties that included large portions of wetlands, which environmental regulations would preclude from being developed anyway. Unless the price is right, she said, county officials should hold off on purchasing tracts for preservation for the time being.

"During these tight economic times, I don't think we should be out looking to purchase more land," Cleary said.

Both Rios and Scott said county residents have made it clear that they want officials to preserve open space, which the Democrats plan to continue. According to Scott, available grants will help officials to make further acquisitions.

"I think people have voiced their opinion on that, and that's what they wanted," Scott said. Thuring said considering the current economic slump, open space funding should take a back seat to more pressing matters. He proposed suspending the county open space tax for a period of time, until people have a chance to get back on their feet.

"You've got to prioritize where you're spending, and some of the nice-to-have items might have to be put off," said Thuring, a former deputy attorney general.

Crabiel called Thuring's proposal to suspend the open space tax "unsound," adding that voters would have to decide on it through a referendum.

The candidates also disagreed along party lines on taxes. While the Republicans said spending must be reined in because taxes are too high, Democrats touted a record of stabilizing taxes.

"Our freeholder director, he runs a tight ship," said Rios, who is employed as a car man for Conrail. "And he's very mindful. Fifteen years in a row, we've been able to stabilize taxes — that says something in itself."

Thuring pointed out that the county tax bill has increased every year for the past decade, a total of 55 percent higher than it was at the beginning of that time period. The budget has increased by 62 percent over that time, he said.

"That just can't continue in the current situation we're facing," Thuring said.

Crabiel held to the position that taxes have remained stable during his 16-year stint as chairman of the finance department. He said the equalized property tax has gone down for each of those years, and although Middlesex is the second largest county in the state, it has the second lowest taxes.

With increased taxes and a growing population, the cost of government naturally increases, Crabiel said.

He noted that the county has a triple-A credit rating. "Very few counties have that," Crabiel said. "We do."

Cleary, who said she wants to educate more people on what freeholders do and get them involved in the county government, pointed out that the board presides over a budget of $397 million. She stressed the importance of proper budgeting, which entails matching expenses with revenues, she said.

"It is not good public policy for a board to go on a spending spree ... when everyone else is tightening their belts," Cleary said.

http://suburban.gmnews.com/news/2008/1030/front_page/040.html

[Guest]

[Guest]

Are the Democrats all currently in office? If so, we need to vote Republican. If it's a mix, who is in office today so we know who not to vote for at the county level.

[Guest]

The Freeholders are consisted solely of Democrats for the last 13 years. Time to have a mix representation at the county level.

[Guest]

It is a 6 member board and there are 3 seats open that will be voted on this tuesday.

David Crabiel (D) - current Director of Freeholders
Ronald Rios (D) - current Freeholder
Millie Scott (D)
Lynda Woods Cleary (R)
Danile Kerwin (R)
Robert Thuring (R)

Ronald Rios is up against Robert Thuring for a 1 year unexpired term. The others are fighting for a 3 year term (choose two).

[Guest]

What exactly to the Freeholders do? I've never really understood their purpose.

[Guest]

[Guest]

They are our Middlesex County Representatives. Just like our Township committee but at the county level.

Q: What is a Freeholder?

A: The term Freeholder, based in English common law, originally referred to all men who owned or held property free of any debts or encumbrances.

This term is now used by New Jersey’s 21 counties to describe county legislators. The residents of Middlesex County’s 25 municipalities elect seven (7) persons to serve as members of the Board of Chosen Freeholders. The Freeholders are elected at-large to staggered three-year terms in the November general election.

In January of each year, the Board reorganizes, selecting one Freeholder to be Freeholder Director and another to be Freeholder Deputy Director. The Freeholder Director appoints Freeholders to serve as Chairpersons and members on the various committees which oversee county departments.

You can see Cranbury's county representative at the following link.

http://www.co.middlesex.nj.us/county-officials.asp

[Guest]

Just an FYI, these are pretty well paid positions. In Mercer County they make 20,000 plus for their limited time.