This year Hillsborough’s voters are being asked to choose whether to keep their current form of government (a township committee with five members who choose the mayor from among themselves) or to change to a form with a directly-elected mayor and a separate five-member committee.
For years those in Hillsborough against government change have been fighting a so-far losing campaign to prevent the citizens from making this decision. Now, with elections on Tuesday, the people of Hillsborough are finally getting a chance to decide by voting on Question 5: Do you want to change to a mayor-council form or stay with the current township committee?
An anti-change group, apparently unnerved by the possibility of the question passing, has now activated a final all-out well-funded propaganda crusade against question 5.
They have erected “Vote No” signs from one end of town to the other, posted mailers posing as Charter Study Commission (CSC) news, cut-and-pasted bits of videotape from CSC meetings using quotes out of context and then run the results on the local TV station, funded a web site, and had group members and their families, neighbors, and friends send a steady stream of letters to the editor.
They have tried to instill fear in groups in the township from employees (You’ll lose your jobs!), to taxpayers (Taxes will sky rocket!). Playing with statistics is such a timeworn technique that I won’t even bother to go there.
They have even claimed that the new senior citizen center is in jeopardy if the change goes through. [The reasoning behind that one still eludes me. We’re Senior citizens; ergo, we weren’t born yesterday.]
They have returned over-and-over to the “bigger more expensive government cry”. Okay, we would add one part-time mayor, but there is always the possibility that having someone to oversee the township committee that is not a part of it could produce some savings.
If these crusaders were so sure that they were right, they should have been able to logically and rationally explain their position to the voters and then have confidence in the outcome.
This panic-stricken scramble of disinformation leads me to believe there is more here than meets the eye; that there is some really really big reason that the current politicians don’t want this change - and it doesn’t have anything to do with logic.
If question 5 passes, maybe all those who worked so valiantly against it can apply for a job at The Daily Prophet alongside Rita Skeeter
**
Hillsborough’s own township committee decided that a one-page CSC-designed educational flyer about the proposed change should not be mailed out, under the guise that they were heroes saving taxpayers the cost of mailing it. In actuality, the money was already in the CSC budget and had been there for almost a year.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Saturday, November 3, 2007
Hillsborough = Mayberry
Hillsborough Township has been trying to get its 39,000 residents to look decades into the future and to say what they would like to see.
Anticipating the construction of the Route 206 Bypass in some not-too-distant decade, the planning and zoning staffs have run seminars and workshops with title such as Sustainable Hillsborough and the Hillsborough Town Center Design Charette.
They asked what greenery the groups liked and what style of architecture. What material should the sidewalks be and should they be wider and where should the bicycles go and parks and lights and types of businesses and just… everything.
The result of this citizen participation is a small town center near the intersection of Route 206 and Amwell Road invariably referred to as “Main Street”.
Having studied picture after picture of the preferred building designs and parks and sidewalks and landscaping and maps, I can only announce that we have labored mightily and produced – trumpet blast and drum roll, please –Mayberry.
Yes, all this work has designed the Mayberry of Andy Griffith.
Or maybe it more resembles Mayfield, the home of the Cleavers. Or could it be Springfield, where the Anderson’s lived: Jim, Margaret, Betty, Bud, and Kathy. For those whose TV experience is more recent, think of the hometown of Darrin and Samantha Stephens of Bewitched.
We are designing the towns of the 1950s. Could it be that the boomers have overtaken America yet again?
Anticipating the construction of the Route 206 Bypass in some not-too-distant decade, the planning and zoning staffs have run seminars and workshops with title such as Sustainable Hillsborough and the Hillsborough Town Center Design Charette.
They asked what greenery the groups liked and what style of architecture. What material should the sidewalks be and should they be wider and where should the bicycles go and parks and lights and types of businesses and just… everything.
The result of this citizen participation is a small town center near the intersection of Route 206 and Amwell Road invariably referred to as “Main Street”.
Having studied picture after picture of the preferred building designs and parks and sidewalks and landscaping and maps, I can only announce that we have labored mightily and produced – trumpet blast and drum roll, please –Mayberry.
Yes, all this work has designed the Mayberry of Andy Griffith.
Or maybe it more resembles Mayfield, the home of the Cleavers. Or could it be Springfield, where the Anderson’s lived: Jim, Margaret, Betty, Bud, and Kathy. For those whose TV experience is more recent, think of the hometown of Darrin and Samantha Stephens of Bewitched.
We are designing the towns of the 1950s. Could it be that the boomers have overtaken America yet again?
Friday, November 2, 2007
Not That There is Anything Wrong with That...
It’s November and I am still picking tomatoes and planting bulbs. The azaleas and rhododendron are putting out occasional blooms.
Our woodpile is growing as we have had shorter periods during recent winters that are cold enough to justify cozying up to a fire in the fireplace. The old unused wood at the bottom of the pile is rotting.
You can tell which neighbor is hosting the family for Thanksgiving by looking to see who is cutting their grass and cleaning up the yard.
Either my memory is faulty or global warming has come to Central Jersey. I prefer to go with global warming.
##
“What is the late November doing
With the disturbance of the spring.”
-T.S. Eliot (1888-1965)
Our woodpile is growing as we have had shorter periods during recent winters that are cold enough to justify cozying up to a fire in the fireplace. The old unused wood at the bottom of the pile is rotting.
You can tell which neighbor is hosting the family for Thanksgiving by looking to see who is cutting their grass and cleaning up the yard.
Either my memory is faulty or global warming has come to Central Jersey. I prefer to go with global warming.
##
“What is the late November doing
With the disturbance of the spring.”
-T.S. Eliot (1888-1965)
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Metal Band-Aid Boxes and Dime Phone Calls
Back in the day when I was a Scout, every troop sooner or later made emergency first-aid kits out of empty Band Aid cans.
Before you youngsters go “Huh?” let me explain about olden-day bandage containers. They were metal. No I don’t know why. No, I don’t remember when they changed from metal to lightweight cardboard. I’m just telling you they used to be metal.
Now, back to these tiny emergency kits. Each kit contained bandages, aspirin, a tweezers, a tiny bottle of iodine, and a few other miscellaneous items that I can't remember, and a dime.
What was the dime for? Well, an emergency telephone call. Yes, you could make a call with a dime, and no one carried cell phones (if they even existed), and there were pay phones on every corner that hadn’t been vandalized into uselessness. Trust me on this.
You know what, this reminiscing was a bad idea. Just trust me: Bandages were sold in little metal containers and you could make a telephone call at a pay phone with a dime.
Geez.
Before you youngsters go “Huh?” let me explain about olden-day bandage containers. They were metal. No I don’t know why. No, I don’t remember when they changed from metal to lightweight cardboard. I’m just telling you they used to be metal.
Now, back to these tiny emergency kits. Each kit contained bandages, aspirin, a tweezers, a tiny bottle of iodine, and a few other miscellaneous items that I can't remember, and a dime.
What was the dime for? Well, an emergency telephone call. Yes, you could make a call with a dime, and no one carried cell phones (if they even existed), and there were pay phones on every corner that hadn’t been vandalized into uselessness. Trust me on this.
You know what, this reminiscing was a bad idea. Just trust me: Bandages were sold in little metal containers and you could make a telephone call at a pay phone with a dime.
Geez.
Friday, October 12, 2007
Silly Signs of the Season
Just in case you haven’t noticed, elections are coming up in just over a month. The signs are everywhere – and I don’t mean signs as in “symbolic evidence,” but real signs. Those irritating cardboard “Vote for Me” miniature billboards that spring up everywhere and reproduce faster than cockroaches.
In the last few years they have become so intrusive and numerous that they are irritating the voters – not the effect the candidates want.
What is this proliferation of signs saying to the voters?
* This candidate has way too much money to spend.
* This candidate has no regard for the appearance of my town.
* This candidate is not discriminating.
* This candidate is wasting his own money and, therefore, will have no problem wasting mine.
* This candidate is very insecure.
* This candidate feels the voters are incredibly stupid and will forget his name if they don’t see it every ten feet.
Well, this voter will remember that candidate’s name when pulling the levers (or pressing the lights) in the voting booth. And that candidate won’t like the results.
##
Another thing guaranteed to annoy the voters is the automated “Vote For Me” telephone calls or, even worse, the “Don’t vote for my opponent” calls or “Don’t vote for the other party” calls. Unfortunately those “Do Not Call” lists don’t apply to political advertising.
I did receive one call asking for my vote several years ago that I liked so much that I actually voted for the candidate based only on that call. It was a lady running for the Board of Education who made an in-person call asking for my vote. Her pitch went something like this:
“Hi, my name is [Jane Doe] and I am running for the Board of Education and I would really appreciate your vote. I hope that I am not disturbing you and thank you for your time. Do you have any questions that you would like to ask me?”
Despite being stunned by the politeness and personal touch of the entire call, I recovered enough to ask a question about her stand on one item, which she politely answered. But her answer didn’t even matter at that point. She already had my vote.
In the last few years they have become so intrusive and numerous that they are irritating the voters – not the effect the candidates want.
What is this proliferation of signs saying to the voters?
* This candidate has way too much money to spend.
* This candidate has no regard for the appearance of my town.
* This candidate is not discriminating.
* This candidate is wasting his own money and, therefore, will have no problem wasting mine.
* This candidate is very insecure.
* This candidate feels the voters are incredibly stupid and will forget his name if they don’t see it every ten feet.
Well, this voter will remember that candidate’s name when pulling the levers (or pressing the lights) in the voting booth. And that candidate won’t like the results.
##
Another thing guaranteed to annoy the voters is the automated “Vote For Me” telephone calls or, even worse, the “Don’t vote for my opponent” calls or “Don’t vote for the other party” calls. Unfortunately those “Do Not Call” lists don’t apply to political advertising.
I did receive one call asking for my vote several years ago that I liked so much that I actually voted for the candidate based only on that call. It was a lady running for the Board of Education who made an in-person call asking for my vote. Her pitch went something like this:
“Hi, my name is [Jane Doe] and I am running for the Board of Education and I would really appreciate your vote. I hope that I am not disturbing you and thank you for your time. Do you have any questions that you would like to ask me?”
Despite being stunned by the politeness and personal touch of the entire call, I recovered enough to ask a question about her stand on one item, which she politely answered. But her answer didn’t even matter at that point. She already had my vote.
Friday, September 7, 2007
And Coming in at Number 23 ...
This year Money Magazine’s list of 100 Best Places to Live for small towns included Hillsborough at number 23.
It’s fun to be included in this group, to look through the winning towns’ descriptions, and to see what the magazine has to say about Hillsborough and compare us to the other 99 choices.
Notice that I have used the word “fun.” It’s important to understand that these choices are not objective scientific studies designed by mathematicians and sociologists at recognized universities or research companies.
These largely subjective choices are made by the editors and writers of the magazine’s staff. The 100 change from year to year and are relatively evenly scattered in locations across the United States.
The main reason for the existence of this apparently popular annual feature article is to sell copies of Money Magazine by entertaining its readers with some general information while garnering free advertising for itself. [What a concept!]
Hillsborough puts a moving banner across its website with the Money Magazine name, the magazine's name and logo appear in our online e-news, and a wooden plaque publicizing the list hangs in front of the mayor during the televised meetings. More magazines are sold in the area, its name gets repeated over and over, and reprints are ordered. The same thing is happening in the other 99 towns.
Most of the adults who read the article are realists [or cynics] and understand what is being offered, but there some residents who are acting as though this is a serious scholarly study and are attempting to use the article politically.
With Hillsborough voting on a possible change of government in November, there are those opposing the change who are actually making the argument [ad nauseum] that our citizens should vote to keep our current form of government based on Hillsborough’s rating in Money Magazine. I can’t judge if they are serious or just funnin’ us. It’s scary and pathetic if they’re serious, so I’ll try to believe it’s all in fun.
I believe. I believe. I believe…
##
In 2005 the list’s top 25 contained Moorestown, Chatham, and Princeton and in 2006 it contained Parsippany-Troy Hills. None of them are on this year. So just have fun with this, let our township officials do some light-hearted boasting, and enjoy the 15 minutes of fame.
It’s fun to be included in this group, to look through the winning towns’ descriptions, and to see what the magazine has to say about Hillsborough and compare us to the other 99 choices.
Notice that I have used the word “fun.” It’s important to understand that these choices are not objective scientific studies designed by mathematicians and sociologists at recognized universities or research companies.
These largely subjective choices are made by the editors and writers of the magazine’s staff. The 100 change from year to year and are relatively evenly scattered in locations across the United States.
The main reason for the existence of this apparently popular annual feature article is to sell copies of Money Magazine by entertaining its readers with some general information while garnering free advertising for itself. [What a concept!]
Hillsborough puts a moving banner across its website with the Money Magazine name, the magazine's name and logo appear in our online e-news, and a wooden plaque publicizing the list hangs in front of the mayor during the televised meetings. More magazines are sold in the area, its name gets repeated over and over, and reprints are ordered. The same thing is happening in the other 99 towns.
Most of the adults who read the article are realists [or cynics] and understand what is being offered, but there some residents who are acting as though this is a serious scholarly study and are attempting to use the article politically.
With Hillsborough voting on a possible change of government in November, there are those opposing the change who are actually making the argument [ad nauseum] that our citizens should vote to keep our current form of government based on Hillsborough’s rating in Money Magazine. I can’t judge if they are serious or just funnin’ us. It’s scary and pathetic if they’re serious, so I’ll try to believe it’s all in fun.
I believe. I believe. I believe…
##
In 2005 the list’s top 25 contained Moorestown, Chatham, and Princeton and in 2006 it contained Parsippany-Troy Hills. None of them are on this year. So just have fun with this, let our township officials do some light-hearted boasting, and enjoy the 15 minutes of fame.
Monday, September 3, 2007
No Wards...just June, Wally, and the Beav
Unfortunately no matter which way Hillsborough’s change-of-government vote goes in November, wards will not be part of the result.
I say “unfortunately” because I was a little disappointed when Hillsborough’s residents voted two years ago against a change that, among other things, would have created ward representatives on the township committee.
Why did I support wards?
First, Hillsborough is physically large – 54 square miles – with several very different regions with different needs. Each area would have had its own representative on the township committee. The problems of the Sourland Mountain region can be very different from those of the PUD area.
Second, wards would have given residents who were willing to try government service a manageable way to dip their toes into the political pool. They only would have needed a few hundred signatures to run and could have started off slowly, gaining knowledge and confidence while serving the people of their own district.
Third, the current members of our committee seem to be residentially clustered in one area of the township giving the perception that other areas are underrepresented.
Those honest people who supported the continuation of the township committee form without wards because they sincerely thought it was best for Hillsborough had to have been disappointed that their victory was tainted by a “win” based on an anonymous groups use of an organized misinformation campaign to convince uninformed voters to vote against wards. They would have felt more vindicated if voters who clearly understood both choices voted to continue the current form. Their feeling of accomplishment had to have been tempered by the knowledge that it was not an entirely honestly won fight.
For those of us who liked the ward concept, it would have been easier to accept the “no” vote if the decision had been made by educated voters after careful deliberation based on their knowledge of the true merits and weaknesses of the two forms of government.
But, that is now a moot point. The attack on wards was so devious and thorough that the water in that well has been poisoned and wards are not included in the upcoming Charter Study Commission recommendation.
##
“There is a right kind and wrong kind of victory, just as there are wars for the right thing and wars that are wrong from every standpoint…” - Harry S. Truman (1884-1972)
I say “unfortunately” because I was a little disappointed when Hillsborough’s residents voted two years ago against a change that, among other things, would have created ward representatives on the township committee.
Why did I support wards?
First, Hillsborough is physically large – 54 square miles – with several very different regions with different needs. Each area would have had its own representative on the township committee. The problems of the Sourland Mountain region can be very different from those of the PUD area.
Second, wards would have given residents who were willing to try government service a manageable way to dip their toes into the political pool. They only would have needed a few hundred signatures to run and could have started off slowly, gaining knowledge and confidence while serving the people of their own district.
Third, the current members of our committee seem to be residentially clustered in one area of the township giving the perception that other areas are underrepresented.
Those honest people who supported the continuation of the township committee form without wards because they sincerely thought it was best for Hillsborough had to have been disappointed that their victory was tainted by a “win” based on an anonymous groups use of an organized misinformation campaign to convince uninformed voters to vote against wards. They would have felt more vindicated if voters who clearly understood both choices voted to continue the current form. Their feeling of accomplishment had to have been tempered by the knowledge that it was not an entirely honestly won fight.
For those of us who liked the ward concept, it would have been easier to accept the “no” vote if the decision had been made by educated voters after careful deliberation based on their knowledge of the true merits and weaknesses of the two forms of government.
But, that is now a moot point. The attack on wards was so devious and thorough that the water in that well has been poisoned and wards are not included in the upcoming Charter Study Commission recommendation.
##
“There is a right kind and wrong kind of victory, just as there are wars for the right thing and wars that are wrong from every standpoint…” - Harry S. Truman (1884-1972)
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