By Maritza Byrne
Art and Tim have the integrity to handle the tough issues. They learn all the facts BEFORE they arrive at an opinion. Art handled the Kelly bill in this fashion. Instead of just sprouting the popular rhetoric right away, he took the time to carefully weigh all of the factors involved with the issue. I have watched Art at township committee meetings all year, where he has struggled mightily and carefully to balance the cost of taxpayer's expense versus the value of the services provided. This is the FIRST year that a priority list of funding for projects has been established. Thus, instead of 50 different projects being funded at 30% a piece, with not one having any hope for completion but our property taxes going up over 11% nonetheless, this Township committee has managed to keep tax increases below 5%, pay down debt and finish some priority projects.
I have known Tim socially for a long time. He grew up in this town and has seen its government in various forms. He's learned from the good and the bad. He too is a man of great integrity who will weigh all of the evidence before coming to a decision, not one who will just promise you what you want to hear and then not carry through. He and I have disagreed on topics in the past but he has always had a rational and thoughful reason for his position.
Don't get me wrong, Dan Grant seems like a nice enough man, and his past volunteerism to this town cannot be questioned. However, it is evident that Dan is not a rational thinker. His posts on this blog are full of personal attacks and unsubstantiated "facts." In fact, the mailer I received from his campaign today contains not one reference source for the various "facts" set forth therein. Its easy to attack the people who are working hard and making tough choices but if you are going to do so, at least set forth the sources to back up your points. Dan Grant's and Mike O'Brian's mailer claims (again unsubstantiated) that "at the time Montville had the highest debt we also had the highest property values and became the number on[sic] rated Town in the state." Well, here is a news flash, property values in Morris county are still high, despite lower values nationwide (Star Ledger November 4, 2007) and Montville was ranked the 13th best place in the COUNTRY to live (Money Magazine August 2007) and the highest rated town in the tri-state area. This township committee is obviously striking the right balance and Art and Tim will continue to make the tough but right choices.
Posted by on November 5, 2007 7:45 PM
Maritza Byrne is Chairwoman of the Montville Open Space Committee
While other candidates volunteer their time to improve their community, Dan Grant writes on weblogs: Download dan_grant_nj_forum_blog.pdf.
neighbors at Changebridge condos - and lost. 
Questions that Dan Grant won't answer: Download questions_dan_wont_answer.pdf 
