Growth undergoing sea change in Ocean County

As we noted in one of today's editorials, "A new era of growth," http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061129/OPINION/611290360/1029, development patterns have shifted dramatically in New Jersey over the past two years. Ocean County, which led the state in building permits issued for the past three decades, has now moved into fifth place. Replacing Ocean and Monmouth counties as Nos. 1 and 2 are Hudson and Essex, where redevelopment is in full bloom.
The growth leaders by decade by county: 1940s, Bergen, Essex; 1950s, Bergen, Middlesex; 1960s, Middlesex, Bergen; 1970s, Ocean, Camden; 1980s, Ocean, Middlesex; 1990s, Ocean, Monmouth; 2000-2004, Ocean, Monmouth.
Between 1960 and 2004, more than 23,000 building permits were issued in Ocean County. Monmouth County was a distant second, with more than 15,000.

Excessive force on a Queens street

It was nice to hear New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg concede that it appeared excessive force had been used in the fatal shooting in Queens over the weekend in which a vehicle carrying three unarmed men was fired on by police 50 times. Yes, 50 shots - 31 of which were fired by one officer - does seem excessive. Twenty one of the shots hit the vehicle. Others hit nearby homes and shattered windows at a train station.

Will it result in any charges against any of the five officers involved in the shooting? That's far from a slam dunk given the outcome of the Amadou Diallo case. Four police officers involved in the 1999 fatal shooting of the unarmed West African immigrant outside his Bronx apartment were acquitted of all charges. Diallo was struck by 19 of the 41 shots fired at him.

While the district attorneys and grand juries are sorting out all the facts in the Queens shooting, Bloomberg should sit down with Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly and discuss whether assigning seven undercover officers to a single strip club is an optimal utilization of police department resources and whether the policy of allowing the officers to have up to two drinks a piece on undercover duty needs to be amended.

Kids not the only ones being exploited

It's bad enough that toy manufacturers are increasing their profits by exploiting Third World child labor. But judging from the outrageous prices retailers are charging in the U.S., they are also exploiting parents.
I went on a toy reconnaissance mission with my 3-year-old son over the weekend, visiting stores with reputations for the lowest prices. I was stunned by how expensive everything was. Most of the stuff my son had any interest in seemed grossly overpriced - even the stocking stuffers.
About three-quarters of the toys on the shelves of U.S. stores are manufactured elsewhere. An estimated two-thirds of the imported toys come from mainland China, where wages and working conditions are abysmal. China has lowered the bar so far that it has actually taken business away from Santa sweatshops in far less prosperous Asian countries. If every toy carried a description of the conditions under which they were made, the age of the person who made it and the salary they were paid to do so, toy sales would plummet.
Toy manufacturers know how difficult it is for parents to deny their children things they want and feel they need. It's shameful they have seen fit to exploit that instinct - as well as the children who make the toys.

The joy of impulsive giving

It's been awhile since Black Friday was actually the busiest shopping day of the year. According to some studies it doesn't even come close. A survey by MasterCard last year found that Black Friday didn't even rank in the top 5. The busiest shopping day is now the Saturday before Christmas.
Most people put off holiday shopping until the last minute. Not me. I generally start right after Thanksgiving. But I usually don't complete it until the last minute. I tend to do my shopping without a list, which isn't terribly efficient. I have an idea of what I want to buy most people, but I'm always looking for something that's unique. It slows me down, but it makes shopping a lot more enjoyable - particularly when I'm certain the present will be a big hit.

Renaming a building not enough

It was hard not to notice the irony in Monday's naming of the state Department of Education building in Trenton after former U.S. District Court Judge Robert L. Carter. Carter, an 89-year-old New Jersey native, argued for the appellants in the landmark Brown vs. Board of Education case, which outlawed segregation in public schools.
Unfortunately, school segregation is alive and well in New Jersey. A study by The Civil Rights Project at Harvard University earlier this year again confirmed the state's standing as one of the most segregated in the nation.

On most segregation measures, New Jersey ranks fifth or sixth. Only 25 percent of black public school students in New Jersey attend schools in which whites are in the majority. That's worse than Mississippi (26 percent), Louisiana and Texas (27 percent), and Georgia and Alabama (30 percent). Only 28 percent of Latino students are enrolled in schools in which whites constitute the majority. Only four states have lower percentages - California, Texas, New Mexico and New York. (For the full Civil Rights Project report, click here: http://www.civilrightsproject.harvard.edu/research/deseg/Racial_Transformation.pdf)


If state officials are serious about honoring Carter and his work, they should first reread the state constitution. New Jersey's constitution is just one of two in the nation that specifically prohibits segregation in the schools. Instead of pouring more money into the state's poorest (i.e., most segregated) districts, it should start talking about ways to desegregate them. It would save money, improve academic achievement and offer more than lip service to the notion that all kids deserve equal educational opportunities.

New Jersey a holiday paradise

To state workers, New Jersey has been a holiday paradise. They get 14 paid holidays a year, counting the day after Thanksgiving, which is not an official holiday but by tradition has been granted by a succession of governors. Gov. Corzine says this year is the last year that will happen.
In researching today's editorial on the topic, "Black Friday for the unions" (see http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061121/OPINION/611210332/1029), we were unable to find any other states that offered as many paid holidays as New Jersey. California also had 14 until Gov. Schwarzenegger managed to roll it back to 12. Twelve was the most we found in other states. Some had nine, and the average was about 10 or 101/2.
If the Legislature actually follows through on a property tax reform committee's recommendations to reduce the number of paid holidays, disgruntled state workers might want to consider applying for a government job in Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands, which both have 21 national holidays.
In the Virgin Islands, in addition to all the usual holidays granted public employees in the U.S., public workers can look forward to having off on Maundy Thursday, Hurricane Supplication Day, Hurricane Thanksgiving Day and Organic Act Day.
In Puerto Rico, workers get Mothers Day and Fathers Day off, in addition to the birthdays of Eugenio Maria de Hostos, Jose de Diego and Jose Celso Barbosa.

Memo to John Kerry: Give it up

John Kerry said over the weekend he was confident his remark that young people might "get stuck in Iraq" if they don't study hard wouldn't hurt his chances in any future presidential bid.
"Not in the least," he said.
Kerry says he won't decide until early next year whether to seek the Democratic nomination for president.
Stupid remark or not, Kerry should not run again. He had his shot in 2004 - what seemed to have been a clear shot - and he missed well wide of the mark. He should give someone else a chance - someone less prone to waffling, pontificating and putting his foot in his mouth.

Judge contests divorce editorial

I got a call this morning from a retired family court judge who took strong exception to today's editorial calling for modifications to a proposed divorce bill that would speed up the timetable for uncontested divorces from a minimum of 18 months to six months. We suggested changing the timeframe to one year, arguing that anything less than that could reduce the number of separated couples who eventually reconcile by giving them less time to work things out.
He said 44 other states have laws similar to the one New Jersey is considering and that there is no evidence those laws have resulted in any increase in divorces or decrease in reconciliations. He also noted that the N.J. Legislature in 1999 passed the same bill now being considered by state lawmakers. But then-Gov. Christine Todd Whitman conditionally vetoed it because she favored a 12-month timetable instead of six months. The Legislature refused to go along with it.
Here's today's editorial: http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061117/OPINION/611170402/1029.
What's your view about this, or about any other aspect of the state's divorce laws?

Corzine's take on property tax reforms

What does Gov. Corzine think about the property tax reforms proposed by the four legislative committees Wednesday? Below are excerpts from his prepared remarks for his address today at the state League of Municipalities convention in Atlantic City.
(Here's what we had to say about the recommended reforms on today's editorial page. http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061116/OPINION/611160440/1029. We will be offering our own set of recommendations on how the proposed reforms can be improved upon on Sunday's editorial page.)

EXCERPTS FROM GOV. CORZINE'S REMARKS:
Generally, I support the vast majority of the reports of the special committees. There are many excellent ideas that we need to bring to reality. But there are some key reforms that need to be included and recommendations that should be strengthened.

First, we need to think more aggressively in terms of consolidations and shared services.
Any process we create to look at government or school consolidations, whether it is a BRAC-like commission or something else, must have real power with real deadlines and real accountability for producing results. Practically speaking, funding must be put aside to create powerful incentives and disincentives to support the consolidation recommendations. We also have to recognize that consolidations or sharing of services often have up-front costs that can discourage constructive progress among local communities. These costs need to be partially underwritten with state funds so towns and school can make changes that capture the long term cash flow benefits.

Similarly, civil services rules must also be revised to facilitate voluntary local consolidations as proposed in Speaker Roberts' CORE plan.

Second, I continue to believe that a cap on annual increases in the property tax levy is essential to ensuring that our actions on relief and reform are sustainable. Last summer I proposed a 4% cap on the annual increase in the property tax bill itself that would sunset after five years. This cap would apply to all property taxing entities. I am open to ideas about phasing in the cap to provide an adjustment period. Five years should give us sufficient time to evaluate the cap's impact in encouraging structural changes that will reduce costs over time. Realistically, a cap will also help protect the immediate relief we are providing from being eaten up by extra spending.

Third, we absolutely need an independent and properly staffed statewide comptroller to provide consistent auditing, oversight and accountability. The state will spend $31 billion plus in Fiscal year 07. Local, county and school governments spend another $35-$40 billion, with independent authorities, colleges and universities spending billions of dollars more. Yet nowhere in all this spending is there a consistent, transparent and independent auditing function. No business in the world could or should operate like this; neither can we.

Finally, I believe our initiative should provide local government additional ways to raise revenue. I think we can all agree that there is too much reliance on the regressive property tax to fund local government. I am not proposing generalized taxes; we have enough of those.
But items like impact fees can only help local officials meet budget needs in ways other than the property tax. This is an area we can all work on together to bring additional tools to local officials.

NJ: We're No. 50!

Yet another national study has concluded New Jersey is unfriendly to business. The latest group to arrive at that conclusion is the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council, which ranked New Jersey as the worst state in the nation to operate a small business.

The council considered 29 factors, most of them related to taxation, in developing its Small Business Survival Index. New Jersey fared poorly in most areas. We have the fifth highest top personal income tax rate, the third highest top capital gains tax rate, the sixth highest top corporate tax rate and the second highest property taxes as a percentage of personal income. (We have the highest average property tax bill). We also have the 11th highest electric utility costs.

In addition, New Jersey also has the 16 highest number of government bureaucrats, per-capita. And every state that ranks higher than New Jersey but one - New York - have much smaller populations.

New Jersey fares better than the median state in only a handful of areas. We have the third lowest state gasoline tax in the nation and the seventh lowest crime rate.

Here's a link to the full report: http://www.sbsc.org/Media/pdf/SBSI_2006.pdf

Looking for some light reading?

The four committees studying ways to reduce property taxes released their reports today. We will offer our thoughts on them on Thursday's editorial page. Meanwhile, if there's nothing that interests you on TV tonight and you want to see for yourself what the committees came up with, here's the link to all four reports - and all 400-plus pages: http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/PropertyTaxSession/specialsessionpt_reports.asp

Taking a (new) toll on taxpayers

Just when you think state officials have run out of ideas on how to take more money out of your pocket, they surprise you. The state Department of Transportation is advertising for an engineering consultant and a traffic and revenue consultant to study turning free highways into toll roads. What a dreadful idea.
Among the roads under consideration are routes 78, 80 and 95, as well as the Pulaski Skyway and portions of Route 440 in Middlesex County.
The biggest outrage here is the money the state will be paying to consultants to study an idea that has zero chance of being implemented. Turning those roads into toll roads would produce the biggest taxpayer revolt since the toilet paper tax.

Looking in mirror, with help from Borat

People seem to either love or hate the Borat character. Judging from the movie grosses of "Borat: Cultural Learnings of American for Make Benefit of Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan," the people who love him seem to have the numbers.
Heading the list of those who aren't fond of his humor are the government of Kazakhstan, a former Republic of the Soviet Union for whom Borat is their worst P.R. nightmare, and all the unwitting bigots Borat's film crews have captured on tape -- gay-bashers, misogynists, anti-Semites and mindless frat boys. Some of them, unhappy with the way they come across on film before millions of viewers, are seeking retribution by filing lawsuits.
As reported in today's Press, two drunken fraternity students who made insulting comments about women and minorities in the "Borat" film, have sued 20th Century Fox and three production companies. They claim the Borat film crew took them to a local watering hole to get their tongues loosened up. The lawsuit, which will do nothing but make the students' lawyers wealthier and call even more attention to what jackasses drunken college students can be, has no chance of succeeding.
As for the government of Kazakhstan, it should be satisfied with this apology from Borat:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFVN59sR4lY

Good year for women in Congress

A record number of women will be serving in both houses of Congress come January. In the House, there will be at least 70 women, up from the current 61. Two races yet to be determined also could go to women, raising the total next year to 72. Unfortunately, none of the women will be representing New Jersey, whose 13-member delegation is all male.
In the U.S. Senate, there will be 16 women in 2007, up from 13 today.
Women tend to fare well when the Democrats do well. Eight of the 10 newly elected congresswomen and both of the newly elected senators are Democrats.
Not counting the races still to be determined, Democratic women will outnumber Republican women in Congress 58-19 next year.

Think tank targets 401(k) exemptions

New Jersey Policy Perspective, a liberal think tank that believes New Jersey's problems can best be solved by throwing lots of money at them, has come out with a new report suggesting the Legislature extract more money from the income tax - about $1 billion worth. About half of that would come from eliminating the tax exemption for 401(k) contributions.

In June, it recommended extending the sales tax to goods and services that were exempt. It provided a list of items that could generate another $5. 6 billion. The Legislature extended the sales tax to some items in July, in addition to raising the tax from 6 to 7 cents.

NJPP's latest report also suggests increasing the lowest tax bracket to 1.75 percent and adding a new bracket of 7.67 percent on income between $250,000 and $500,000, which would bring in more than $400 million in new revenue and "increase tax equity among higher income earners."

NJPP also recommends raising the tax threshold for married couples filing joint returns to $30,000 from $20,000 and for singles to $15,000 from $10,000, which would cost taxpayers about $200 million.

The report advises against giving local governments the authority to levy income taxes, but is silent on whether towns and counties should be allowed to levy sales taxes, as Gov. Corzine has suggested as an option for the Legislature to consider.

To read the full report, "If It Ain't Broke...New Jersey's Income Tax Makes Dollars and Sense," go to: http://www.njpp.org/rpt_aintbroke.html

CIA looking for a few good spooks

Driving into work the other day, I was surprised to hear an ad on WFAN for the CIA - or the National Clandestine Service, as they called it. Seems they have some jobs that need to be filled - plenty of them. I checked out the CIA Web site, and it has job postings to match virtually any occupational skill. Among the scores of available jobs: accountants, attorneys, computer programmers, bookbinders, engineers, clinical pyschologists, translators, polygraph operators, physicians, librarians and customer service representatives. Oh, yes, they also are looking for spooks - "core collectors" in intelligence community jargon.
Here are the minimum requirements for the job, which pays between $50,839 and $70,558. Maxwell Smart need not apply.
"... a bachelor's degree and an excellent academic record, with a strong interest in international affairs and solid interpersonal and communications skills. Foreign travel, foreign language proficiency, prior residency abroad, military experience, a background in Central Eurasian, East Asian and Middle Eastern languages, and degrees and experience in international economics and business, as well as in the physical sciences, are preferred. The 35-year maximum age requirement could be waived on a case-by-case basis."
No wonder they're having trouble filling the jobs. Not even James Bond would qualify.
If you want to find out whether your personality is well-suited for the job, you can take the CIA's funky "Personality Quiz" here: https://www.cia.gov/careers/CIAMyths.html You gotta love the soundtrack.

Bush finally heeded our advice on Rumsfeld

I guess President Bush finally got around to reading our editorial calling for the resignation of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld - published May 16, 2004. The editorial came in the wake of the reports of prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib. That was just one reason we felt it was time for him to leave.
In part, here's what we had to say nearly 30 months ago:

"Over the past two years, the International Red Cross, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have all raised concerns about patterns of mistreatment of detainees by U.S. interrogators in Afghanistan, Iraq and Guantanamo Bay. Rumsfeld's explanations for how the abuses were allowed to occur, and how they escaped his attention for so long, have not been convincing. Punishing only those directly responsible for the inhumane acts is not enough - not given the gravity of the offenses and the damage it has done to our nation's reputation and our ability to win the war of ideas in the Arab world.
"There are many other reasons why it would be in America's best interest for Rumsfeld to step aside. As defense secretary, he has mismanaged the war in Iraq every step of the way. He helped sell the idea that Saddam Hussein posed a clear nuclear and biological threat to the United States, and was working in concert with al-Qaida. He ignored the advice of many of our long-standing allies and top Pentagon officials to continue what had been a successful strategy of isolating Saddam while continuing our search for weapons of mass destruction.
"Rumsfeld failed to anticipate the hostile reception we received following the 'liberation.' He miscalculated the troop strength needed to stabilize the country. He left Baghdad and other major cities unprotected from looters and thugs. He left museums, hospitals, government ministries and facilities essential to a functioning civil society unguarded. He failed to provide the necessary support, in manpower and materiel, for our military. And he allowed our military prisons to operate with inadequate staffing, training and oversight.
"After the fall of Baghdad, instead of trying to internationalize the occupation and the rebuilding effort, Rumsfeld and other administration leaders chose to go it alone, putting virtually all the costs associated with the occupation - financial and human - on America's shoulders.
To date, more than 770 American soldiers have died in Iraq; another 4,100 have been wounded. We have committed more than $160 billion to the invasion, occupation and reconstruction of Iraq. Estimates suggest the cost could easily reach $600 billion, even if the June 30 deadline for handing over political control to the Iraqis is met - a dubious proposition.
"Our leaders in Washington need to send a clear message to the world that we have not abandoned our ideals. Rumsfeld's resignation would help underscore the point. More important, our leaders need to reinforce that message with the American people, who are growing increasingly fearful that we have lost our way."

I am not sorry to see Rumsfeld go.

Greens say they'll be back

Earlier in the week, I wondered aloud why the Green Party of New Jersey only had one candidate in the entire state on the ballot in this year's elections - someone running for county clerk in Hunterdon. A phone call to the state chairman, George DeCarlo, seeking an explanation went unreturned. He called back today, and assured me the Green Party remained active.
He said the Greens decided to expend all their energy on local races next year. His definition of local includes state races. He says the party hopes to field candidates for all 80 Assembly seats next year. It also has been working with the Libertarian and Conservative parties to improve ballot access.
The most candidates the New Jersey Greens ever fielded was 51, in 2003. Last year, Brian Unger won 18 percent of the vote in his bid for a freeholder seat on the Monmouth County freeholder board. The Green's gubernatorial candidate last year won more votes in Monmouth County than any county in the state.

Libertarian tops also-rans in U.S. Senate race

Libertarian Len Flynn was the top vote-getter among the seven third-party candidates in the U.S. Senate race in both Monmouth and Ocean counties. He received 1,219 votes, or 0.75 percent of the total, in Ocean County and 1,663 votes, or 0.91 percent, in Monmouth.
Socialist candidates brought up the rear. Gregory Pason of the Socialist Party USA picked up 117 votes in Ocean County - 0.07 percent - and Angela L. Lariscy of the Socialist Party drew 178 votes, or 0.10 percent of the total.

Ocean County GOP weathers storm

Despite gains by Democrats nationally, Republicans held their own in Ocean County. Tom Kean Jr. carried 57 percent of the vote there, the freeholder board captured both seats and the incumbent GOP sheriff won another term. In local races with Democratic competition, the GOP won 19 seats: Barnegat (3), Beachwood (3), Lacey (2), Lakewood (1), Lavallette (1), Little Egg Harbor (2), Ocean Gate (3), Pine Beach (1), Plumsted (2), Seaside Park (1),

They lost 13 seats to Democrats: Lakewood (1), Lavallette (2), Pine Beach (1), Point Pleasant (2), Point Pleasant Beach (2), Seaside Park (2), South Toms River (3),

Most registered Shore-area voters stayed home

The nasty U.S. Senate campaign helped keep a lot of registered voters home. Voter turnout in Monmouth County was 46 percent; in Ocean County it was 48 percent.

Rough night for Monmouth County GOP

In addition to losing a seat on the freeholder board for the first time in 21 years, the Monmouth County Republicans took an uncharacteristic beating in many municipal races. In contests with Democratic competition - many towns had none - they lost 38 seats and won just 15.

The GOP lost seats to Democrats in Atlantic Highlands (2), Belmar (2), Eatontown (3), Freehold Borough (3), Hazlet (2), Highlands (2), Holmdel (1), Keyport (3), Lake Como (4), Manalapan (1), Manasqan (2), Matawan (2), Middletown (1), Neptune Township (2), Oceanport (2) , Red Bank (3), Sea Bright (1), Shrewsbury Township (1) and Spring Lake (1)

They won seats against Democrats in Colts Neck (2), Millstone (2), Oceanport (1), Sea Bright (1), Spring Lake (1), Spring Lake Heights (2), Union Beach (2), Wall (1) and West Long Branch (3).

Last year, Democrats won 29 of 105 available municipal seats. In 2004, they won 17 of 74 seats.

Shore-area congressmen in a breeze

As expected, the Shore-area's four congressional incumbents, Frank Pallone Jr., Chris Smith, Rush Holt and H. James Saxton, barely worked up a sweat in once again dispatching their opposition. The four of them combined have won 40 consecutive elections, led by Smith with 14 in a row. Saxton won his 11th term, Pallone his 10th and Holt his fifth.
Statewide, all of the congressional incumbents won - again; an incumbent hasn't been defeated in eight years.

McMorrow nearing winner's circle

With more than 95 percent of the votes counted, Barbara McMorrow is poised to become the first Democrat to win a freeholder seat in Monmouth County in 21 years. She has a 4,600 vote lead. It doesn't look like her running mate, Greg Gibadlo, or Democratic surrogate candidate, Beverly Bova Scarano, will make it. Gibadlo trails by about 3,500 votes; Bova Scarano is about 5,000 votes behind.

Voters say 'yes' again on state public questions

Voters in New Jersey just can't say "no" when it comes to statewide ballot questions. The last 32 state public questions that have been presented to voters have been approved, including three more tonight. Voters haven't said "no" to any question presented to them since 1990; they've said "yes" to 43 of 44 dating back to 1988.

Your vote DOES count

Every vote counts is more than a cliche. If you need proof, just check the preliminary results in some of the Ocean County municipal races tonight. Here are some of the margins of victory:
Tuckerton mayoral race: 6 votes; Surf City council, 9 votes; South Toms River council, 3 votes; South Toms River mayoral, 11 votes; Seaside Park council (unexpired 2-year term), 7 votes; Seaside Park council (three-year term), 5 votes; Lavallette council, 3 votes; Lavallette mayor, 7 votes; Barnegat committee (3-year term), 11 votes.

Plenty of suspense in Monmouth, none in Ocean

With more than 70 percent of the vote counted, the races for the two freeholders seats and surrogate seat in Monmouth County are nail-biters. Democrat McMorrow holds a 3 percentage point lead over Lucas for the three-year seat, and Republican Little holds a 3 percentage point lead over Gibadlo. For surrogate, Republican Peters has a 3 point lead over Bova Scarano.
In Ocean County, it was over early. The Republican freeholder incumbents, John Bartlett Jr. and Gerry Little, breezed to wins. Incumbent sheriff William Polhemus, who will be 81 when his three-year term expires, won his eighth consecutive election.

Menendez-Kean race over early

So much for a tight U.S. Senate race in New Jersey. CNN declared Menendez the winner only 40 minutes after the poll closed, with just 3 percent of the vote counted. AP also projected Menendez as the winner before 9 p.m.

Neck and neck in Monmouth freeholder race

With more than half of the ballots counted, Monmouth freeholder candidates Barbara McMorrow (D) and Andrew Lucas (R) are running almost dead-even for the three-year seat. Freeholder Anna Little (R) has a 5-point lead over Greg Gibadlo for the one-year seat. If McMorrow wins, she will become the first Democrat to win a freeholder seat in Monmouth County in 21 years.

Welcome to Toms River Township

With more than a third of the votes counted in Dover Township, the name change to Toms River Township appears well on its way to approval, by a 61-38 percent margin. In Lacey, it looks like a portion of the rail-trail will be paved over, with the "yes" votes outnumbering the "nos" 62-37 percent with 70 percent of the ballots counted.

Stock prices still rising, gas prices still falling

Will the aftermath of the elections mark the end of the upturn in the stock market and the end of the downward trend in gasoline prices? Let's hope not.
The Dow hit a new record high today of 12,196 before closing at 12,156 - up 15.5 percent from a year ago. Gas prices in New Jersey - the lowest in the nation, according to the AAA Fuel Gauge Report http://www.fuelgaugereport.com/sbsavg.asp - are $1 a gallon cheaper than they were in July and 25 cents cheaper than they were a year ago. The average price in New Jersey dipped below $2 yesterday, according to newjerseygasprices.com. http://newjerseygasprices.com/
Gasoline prices are falling everywhere in the U.S., but they remain stubbornly high in Hawaii ($2.87), and Alaska, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon and Washington state ($2.40 a gallon or more).

Voter turnout records not in jeopardy today

When U.S. Senate and congressional races top the ballot in an election year, voter turnout is generally far lower than during a presidential or gubernatorial year. In 2002, the last time the ballot was topped by Senate and congressional races, only 46 percent of registered voters in New Jersey turned out. In the 1950s and 1960s, the turnouts for such races averaged about 70 percent.
With control of Congress at stake in this year's election, turnout is likely to be higher than in 2002. But it will still be embarrassingly low. The all-time low voter turnout for a general election in New Jersey was in 1999, when the ballot was topped by state Assembly races. Only 31 percent of registered voters showed up at the polls. That figure is even more pathetic when you consider that 20 to 30 percent of eligible voters aren't even registered.
New Jersey's all-time high voter turnout? In the 1960 presidential contest between John F. Kennedy Jr. and Richard M. Nixon, a remarkable 91.1 percent of registered voters cast ballots.
Turnout for the presidential elections in 1964 and 1968 was in the high 80s.

Grass 'Greener' elsewhere in U.S.

The Greens in New Jersey are conspicuous by their absence in this year's elections. Only one Green candidate is on the ballot - a woman running for county clerk in Hunterdon. Last year, there were 16 candidates; in 2003, there were 51.
Nationally, the Green Party is still very active. There are 380 candidates seeking seats in 38 states - nearly double the number from last year. The states with the most candidates on the ballot are California (68), Michigan (29), Wisconsin (27) and Pennsylvania (21). Last year, Greens won 57 seats. Their best year was 2002, when they captured 81 seats.
I called the Green Party of New Jersey phone number listed on the party's Web site to find out why the Greens didn't field more candidates this year, but it went unreturned.

More candidates who weren't endorsed

As promised, here's part two of anecdotes about eccentric political candidates who have appeared before the editorial boards of the nation's newspapers, seeking endorsements. The stories came from posts on the list-serve of the National Conference of Editorial Writers last week.

From the Milwaukee Journal: A candidate for County Board had cooked up an array of imaginative ideas, including a downright visionary plan to enlist the Post Office's help in spying on welfare recipients because letter carriers, he claimed, know what's going on in everybody's house. This guy was way ahead of the Patriot Act. We didn't endorse him. He managed to get himself elected anyway, and not long thereafter acquired the nickname "Bones" for his visionary proposal to require organ donation by all county jail inmates - presumably dead at the time of harvesting, although Bones hadn't worked out all of the details.


From the Omaha World-Herald: A candidate for a legislative post a few years ago showed up with what he described as the most important credentials in the race. He then displayed two photos: one of his mother and the other of his champion show dog. "Here's my mother and my bitch." Editorial board members were momentarily speechless as we stumbled to figure out what the next question should be.


From the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette: We had a candidate, Sam Houston Melton, who was a candidate each year down in Louisiana in the '90s. Whether it was governor or Guv Lite or whatever, he always ran for something. Forgot what his platform was, but I'll never forget the interviews. Always came dressed in full Confederate uniform. Folks, I'm talking the outfit, the boots, the hat, the sword, everything. But he was better than the guy who tried to legally change his name to None Of The Above.

From The Leaf-Chronicle, Clarksville, Tenn.: This year, we have a mayoral candidate (it takes only 25 signatures to get on the ballot) who thinks the city should go into the casket-manufacturing business. I haven't been able to quite follow his line of reasoning, but it has something to do with the fact he lived in a cemetery for months as a boy after running away from home decades ago. Sadly, he was not among the 11 mayoral candidates we chose to bring in for an editorial board interview. His name probably will, though, be in the office pool when it comes to guessing how many votes he'll be able to garner on Tuesday.

From The Truth, Elkhart, Ind.: I had to interview two Libertarian candidates this time around. The one running for county council said that he believed in transparent government. Fair enough. But then he went on to say that he believed all county council candidates were being paid under the table, but that he was afraid to say that because his car might be blown up (ostensibly with him in it). Needless to say, I quoted him. His Libertarian buddy running for state representative doesn't believe in kindergarten at all. Says it's just a plot to keep kids away from their parents and another way this is becoming a Communist country. That's Elkhart County for you.

From the Fort Worth Star-Telegram: A Democratic candidate for comptroller was wearing a shoulder holster with a snub-nose .38 - despite the warning signs all over the building that prohibit even concealed carry permit holders from bringing a firearm onto the property (I leave mine in the car while at work). When I challenged him on it - "Uh, Mr. Head, they call it concealed carry for a reason. No one is supposed to know you have a gun" - he launched into a speech about how he's never going to be a victim. He's never going to be comptroller, either. From the Star-Tribune (Minnesota): We interviewed a fellow in the primary whose son had dropped out of high school. When asked why he was running he said his son had told him that he wouldn't go back to school unless his dad ran for state Senate. So he did. (He lost in the primary.)

Kean-Menendez: the war vs. ethics?

Almost all the polls in the past few weeks, including the Monmouth University/Gannett poll that appeared in today's paper, show Menendez with a slight lead, within or near the margin of error. And 10 percent of the likely voters have yet to make up their minds.

What is likely to decide the race? According to an Eagleton-Rutgers poll last week, it may come down to the war on terror and ethics. Those issues ranked one-two as the most important by likely voters.

Asked whether the candidates were "honest and trustworthy," 39 percent said "yes" about Kean, compared to 24 percent for Menendez. To the question, which of the candidates would you prefer to "coach your child or a child you know in sports," Kean was preferred 37 percent to 20 percent.

Asked which candidate "shares your view on the War in Iraq," 49 percent chose Menendez and 34 percent picked Kean. The respondents also gave Menendez a big edge on a question about which candidate was most likely to stand up to leaders in their own party when they disagreed about an issue - 48 percent to 34 percent.

One of the most surprising - and disturbing - poll findings was that fewer than half the respondents knew Menendez is now a U.S. senator.

New Jersey fickle about gay marriage

Back in June, an Eagleton-Rutgers poll showed that a majority of New Jersey residents supported gay marriage - 50 percent to 44 percent. In the wake of the recent state Supreme Court decision that backed full rights for gay couples but left it up to the Legislature to decide whether to legalize gay marriage, many residents have had a change of heart.

In a poll released yesterday, only 29 percent of New Jerseyans supported gay marriage. Forty percent supported civil unions and 16 percent favored giving gay couples no legal recognition at all. The most stunning turnabout of all: By a 54 percent to 38 percent margin, most state residents polled support a state constitutional amendment defining marriage as the union of husband and wife.

Meet some of the candidates who weren't endorsed:

The silliness on the list-serve of the National Conference of Editorial Writers, of which I am a member, started yesterday with this post from an opinion writer from Mobile, Ala.:
"OK, we're almost on Election Day and we've had enough candidates troop through the office for endorsement interviews to keep us from getting any work done for the last six weeks. So, what was your editorial board's Twilight Zone moment? Our hands-down winner in Mobile was a criminal court of appeals candidate who, in the course of decrying political labels, informed us that he was NOT the Antichrist. Top that."

Editorial writers from all over the country, weary of interviewing scores of political candidates - many of whom are even more unfit for office than those presently serving - responded to the challenge. Over the next two days, I will share some of those anecdotes with you to give you better insight into some of the characters newspapers don't endorse.

From the Daily News-Record, Harrisonburg, Va.: There was a candidate in Florida running for governor some years ago who had spent time in a mental institution. When his opponents pointed this out, he got his release papers, waved them in front of reporters and said, "Some of the finest doctors in the state of Florida have certified I'm in good mental health. I challenge my opponents to prove the same."


From the Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch: Some years ago, a candidate for common pleas judge showed up with the customary glossy, full-color handout literature detailing his background and qualifications. Included was a family picture with wife, kids and dog, all looking like the perfect embodiment of "Leave It To Beaver." One of us said something about the dog and the candidate, sheepishly but without hesitation, admitted he had rented the dog for the picture.

From the Tri-City Herald in Washington state: A recently divorced candidate for Kennewick City Council last year told us he was running because he thought it would be a good way to meet women. He lost the race; not sure how his social life is going.

From the Detroit News: For years, we have for years ended every endorsement interview by throwing out a verbal fishing line: "What are you glad we didn"t ask you about? Any skeletons in your closet? Anything that could come out that will embarrass us if we decide to endorse you? Might as well tell us now." The Secretary of State, who enforces traffic laws, fessed up to two recent speeding tickets. A county commission candidate told us his kids didn't know their mother was his second wife and he had never figured out how to tell them. And a guy running for Congress, after a long pause, let tumble, "Look, I know what it says in the court papers but I never beat those kids. And that bankruptcy was a one-time thing. I'll square those IRS issues, too, if I get elected."

From The Anniston Star, Texas: We asked an appellate court candidate why he was running for a spot on the court. "I got tired of bitchin' about that court," he sighed. Asked about campaign cash, he said, "I couldn't raise money with a pistol." In summing up, he ran through the prerequisite Alabama ritual of speaking of his humble roots and deep religious faith, then paused and added, "I'm Baptist, OK, but I go in the supermarket and buy my own damn beer. I don't somebody else in after it."

From the Post-Star, Glen Falls, N.Y.: We had a Green Party candidate for mayor - a 19-year-old community college student who rode in here on a skateboard and whose platform consisted entirely of getting the city to legalize hemp. When we informed him the mayor couldn't legally do that, we just kind of looked at each other, said thank you, and he got up and left.

From the Olympian, Olympia, Wash.: The county coroner is retiring after 20 years. Two deputy coroners are running to replace her - one a Democrat, the other a Republican. The coroner is a Democrat and is endorsing the Democrat to replace her. We endorsed the Republican. I knew the coroner would not be happy so was not surprised two days later to see a letter with her return address marked "personal" arrive in the mail. The card simply said, "Mike, No warm slab for you! Judy" This is the same coroner who held a fund-raising auction and served wine via an IV line.

From the Wisconsin State Journal: In Wisconsin we have a kindly old gentleman, still much beloved, who has been in the Legislature so long that the constant exposure to mindlessness has left him, well, mindless. At one point in the interview, he went on a three-minute trip through unrelated sentence fragments, none of which had anything to do with whatever we asked. We then turned to his opponent and asked her to respond. She paused, then said: I'm not sure what he said. The rest of the interview was superfluous.

Two of our favorites from previous years: We had a lot of trouble getting a state Assembly candidate to come in for an interview. When he finally agreed, we asked him why he had been so reluctant. He explained that he had a metal plate in his head, which the FBI used to monitor his thoughts. He was concerned that we were in cahoots with the FBI. Our editorial page editor at the time made some heaving sounds, said he was having an asthma attack, and excused himself from the room. We next heard gleeful cackling from the hallway.

On another occasion a candidate for school board brought his young son to the interview. When it was over, we discovered the boy had drawn many lovely pictures on our publisher's teakwood desk in purple magic marker.

No defense for political ads that lie, distort

Negative political ads are actually good for the public and the political process, a Vanderbilt University political science professor argued in an op-ed piece in Sunday's Press. I think he needs to revise his research methodology.
John Geer, who has written a book called "In Defense of Negativity," says the party in power needs to be held accountable, and the opposition party is responsible for that. "In any choice that people make," Geer says, "whether you're voting for a candidate or you're buying a car or a home, you want to know the strength and the weaknesses. And negative ads provide those weaknesses." No argument there. But what about ads that intentionally distort or outright lie, as is commonly the case with political advertising? How does that serve the public?
I also strongly disagree with his contention that negative advertising doesn't turn off voters or erode faith in government. He says it often tends to "activate" them. The only ones it may activate are those who are so disgusted with the negative ads of one candidate that it inspires them to vote for the other one.
Am I wrong about this? Do the negative campaigns make you feel good about our democracy? Do they make you want to run to the polls to vote?
Here's the full text from the op-ed: http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061029/OPINION/610290366/1030

Hold your nose in Ocean sheriff's race

The Press isn't endorsing in this year's Ocean County sheriff's race because the two candidates couldn't agree on a date to meet with our editorial board, which uses the meetings with candidates to help decide which candidate to back. If they had showed up, it would have been a tough choice to make: Neither has any credibility.

The incumbent, Republican William Polhemus, told us at an editorial board meeting three years ago that if he were re-elected to a three-year term, it would be his last. He lied. At age 77, he's seeking another three-year term. He says he changed his mind because many people encouraged him to run again. Right.

His opponent, Vincent "Ray" Greene, a retired police chief from Harrison, also lied - at least four times in one day. He wrote a letter to the editor endorsing his candidacy that was signed "Ramon Verde" - Spanish for Ray Greene. When we got a little suspicious, particularly since "Verde" had the same phone number and address as Greene, we contacted Greene to confirm the letter. He told us Ramon Verde was an uncle who was living with him. Later in the day, when a Press reporter approached Greene at his home in Barnegat, Greene said "Uncle Ramon" was in Atlantic City.

Apparently recognizing how absurd that explanation was, Greene came up with another one: Verde, he said, was a pseudonym for a friend who was visiting him from Florida. The friend, Greene said, was not at his house at present. And he again refused to fess up that he was lying. That didn't come until later that same night.

"It's just bizarre,'' said Barbara Truncellito, a board member for the Democratic Club of Long Beach Island. "We have a whole letter-writing campaign in Ocean County. We have people to write letters for him."

The episode doesn't speak well for Greene's intelligence or his integrity. If he had even a shred of the latter, he'd pull out of the race now.