On July 19, I asked the Ocean County Board of Freeholders, at the public portion of their meeting, to acknowledge that with increasing road congestion and overdevelopment, it is time to declare taxpayer acquisition of open space and farmland for millions and millions of tax dollars as a failed strategy, to be replaced by clarification of land use rights and zoning with an outcome declaring that the smallest property size must be 6 acres, 5 of which must be used for open space and agrarian purposes, and 1 contiguous acre must be used for the family homestead or business and industry.

Their response of "stay the course" was predictable, as it might be with any other freeholder board in New Jersey. Change comes hard. Freeholder John C. Bartlett Jr. insisted that we can't stop overdevelopment, but the fact is that the 6-acre tract stops overdevelopment instantly without the expenditure of millions in tax dollars.

Freeholder Bartlett went on to state that the people voted for the current program, while failing to tell his audience that clarification of land use rights and zoning to secure open space and farmland was prevented from going on the ballot.

Freeholder John P. Kelly stated that the board does not do zoning; all the board has to do is support zoning.

Finally, Freeholder Little said that 6-acre homesites would be very exclusionary. Quite to the contrary, anything less than 6 acres would be exclusionary. Universally, it is understood that a family can survive on 5 acres. Add one more acre for the homestead and you have the 6-acre concept.

Ray Kalainikas

Manalapan

Howell recall committee followed rules established by state law

This is an answer to the Howell mayor regarding recent statements about the recall. The recall process allows an individual registered voter to make a statement, the ultimate negative political statement. Politicians may not like the recall process; however, it is a right the state of New Jersey preserves for registered voters and it is legal.

Over the past year, registered voters debated issues in Howell; individual rights vs. public rights have been at the heart of many issues. Eminent domain or redevelopment authority and skyrocketing taxes were two of the key issues registered voters gave as reasons for signing the recall petition.

Often Mayor Joe DiBella has stated that the people on the recall committee were seeking power, using the recall as a political smear; [that] the people on the recall committee are political motivated frauds or worse.

The fact is the majority of the politically savvy people within Howell did not help collect signatures. Another fact is that the people on the recall committee are not running for office and will not accept an appointment to any township committee. So which group is Mayor DiBella speaking about? He is generally speaking about his opposing set of politicians. This is how politicians speak. Issues are damned as long as you can reuse the same old set of political statements.

During the petition drive voters described different fears, questionable representation and decision-making. If Mayor DiBella and [the Township Council] were listening to the people, there would not be a fear in Howell that some of the residents will lose their property with eminent domain. Devaluing farmers' private property to reward builders to build high density for political campaign contributions is wrong. Haven't we had enough building?

Skyrocketing taxes continue to force the middle class out of Howell. Bonding is another form of tax that you and your children will pay for. [They also] accused the police of collecting signatures while on duty and involving the police in an investigation.

The founding fathers were forward thinking. Elections will always represent the will of the people. But what happens when campaign promises during an election differ with the representation after the election?

We now know the recall pro-cess and we will be watching. We will all be watching. We will be back and do it again. The committee thanks all the registered voters who sacrificed to help collect signatures and those registered voters who signed the petitions.

John Pearson

for the Committee to Recall

Mayor Joseph M. DiBella

Howell