Pubdate: Tue, 23 Oct 2007
Source: Asbury Park Press (NJ)
Copyright: 2007 Asbury Park Press
Contact:  http://www.app.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/26
Author: Tristan J. Schweiger Toms River Bureau
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)

10TH DISTRICT CANDIDATES WEIGH IN ON ISSUES

Democrats And Third-Party Contenders Challenge Republican Incumbents

Three longtime incumbent Republicans in the 10th Legislative District 
are facing challenges by Democrats and third-party candidates.

Sen. Andrew R. Ciesla, Assemblyman David W. Wolfe and Assemblyman 
James W. Holzapfel, all R-Ocean, have each represented the district 
since the early 1990s. And, as is usually the case in GOP-dominated 
Ocean County, the incumbents hold a significant fund-raising 
advantage over their opponents.

Ciesla, for example, has raised $261,368 thus far, according to the 
latest filings with the state Election Law Enforcement Commission. By 
contrast, his opponent, Democratic Lavallette Borough Councilwoman 
Britta Forsberg-Wenzel, has raised $28,318, a figure which includes a 
$19,500 loan from herself to her campaign.

Despite the fiscal disparity, and the fact that the Republican 
candidates tout their records on issues like property tax reform and 
the environment, their Democratic challengers say the incumbents are 
vulnerable largely because of their tenure in the Statehouse.

"Unfortunately, our current representatives are living very much in 
the status quo," Forsberg-Wenzel said. "They're not at the top of the 
issues, and in fact, most of the people I talk to don't know their 
names. That's pretty sad for leaders who have been there for so long."

Forsberg-Wenzel, along with her Democratic running mates in the 
Assembly race, Point Pleasant Councilman John Kaklamanis and attorney 
Sal Martino, argue that although Ciesla, Wolfe and Holzapfel say they 
support good environmental policy and alleviating property taxes, the 
health of local waterways has continued to deteriorate and New Jersey 
property taxes continue to rise.

However, the Republican incumbents are running on many of the same 
issues as the Democrats. With regard to the environment, they point 
to their opposition of relicensing the Oyster Creek nuclear power 
plant, support for increasing developmental buffers around the 
Metedeconk River and the installation of vessel pumping stations 
around Barnegat Bay.

They also agree with their opponents that property taxes must be 
addressed and say that part of problem in doing this is that 
Republican proposals are often stymied in the Democratically 
controlled state government. One such issue is the idea of an 
equalized funding formula for public schools.

"That is the key. We've been waiting for a year-and-a-half now for a 
formula from the governor and from the (state) Department of 
Education, and that hasn't come," Wolfe said.

Ciesla said the current formula gives disproportionately to urban 
districts. This leaves suburban taxpayers paying a larger bill than 
they should, the senator argued.

"The school aid formula that exists in the state of New Jersey is 
seriously flawed to the point where it punishes suburban districts 
and unfairly enriches urban districts," Ciesla said.

Holzapfel said the property tax burden has become so great for some 
New Jersey homeowners that they are leaving the state.

"Eventually, people are just throwing up their hands and saying, "You 
know what? I love New Jersey, but this is something I can't handle 
anymore,' " he said.

Holzapfel added that a key issue for him in the coming term would be 
fighting "asset monetization," Gov. Corzine's proposal to help cover 
transportation costs and other needs by selling or leasing toll 
roads. Critics say tolls could increase as a result.

Holzapfel said this would make New Jersey even less affordable, 
particularly for residents of the 10th District. He said Ocean County 
includes the longest stretch of the Garden State Parkway in the state.

"If (monetization) happens, it's going to have a tremendous impact on 
the people of the 10th District," Holzapfel said. "We have to get 
that message out."

Kaklamanis said his focus in the Assembly would be reducing taxes 
through cutting expenditures. In his first term on the Point Pleasant 
Borough Council, Kaklamanis said, he and other council members were 
able to shrink the size of last year's tax increase by meeting with 
each department head and going over budget requests in detail.

He said the state budget should also be closely scrutinized each year.

"You have to work with the unions and the public employees to try to 
downsize spending, not to spend what you don't have," Kaklamanis said.

Kaklamanis' running mate, Sal Martino, said he would crack down on 
public corruption, an issue that most of the candidates for 10th 
District seats said needed to be addressed.

"Clearly, there's a perception in New Jersey now that people in 
government office -- it's business as usual if someone in office is 
caught doing something wrong," Martino said.

The 10th District Assembly race also features two Green Party 
candidates -- Liz Arnone of Brick and Matthew Q. Dimon of Toms River. 
Both said they were running out of frustration with how entrenched 
the two major parties have become, and said a third party would help 
combat problems such as corruption.

Arnone, for instance, said the Green Party forbids accepting 
corporate donations, which would make politicians less beholden to 
powerful interests.

"I'm very disappointed, and very frustrated, and very disgusted with 
the two-party system," Arnone said. "They no longer represent the 
interests of the people. They represent the interests of corporations."

Also running for state Senate is Libertarian candidate Jim Miller, 
55, of Toms River. Miller is running primarily on a platform of 
improving health care and legalizing medical marijuana.

Miller's late wife, Cheryl, suffered from multiple sclerosis, one of 
many disorders Miller said the drug can be used to treat.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman