TOMS RIVER-Justin Lamb, who has been taking on town hall this week in his bid to unseat establishment Republican incumbent Maria Maruca in the town’s coastal first ward issued another release today, this time criticizing the township budget.
Initially posed as a tax increase, Lamb said a last minute budget change to show a zero tax increase was nothing more than political posturing during an election cycle.
“As the primary challenger, it is gratifying to watch the Township Council mirror the sentiments I expressed in my opening Facebook post over two weeks ago,” Lamb said. “The property tax burden placed on our residents, especially those living in our beach and bay communities has been totally unacceptable. With 50 days left until the primary, the Township Council’s posturing is obvious and the Republican voters will not be fooled. The time has come for an outside Republican voice to enter the fray and lead, rather than take a reactive position.”
Lamb said the budget is beyond numbers on a spreadsheet though. Being a resident of the barrier island, where some 600 homes have yet to be rebuilt from Hurricane Sandy nearly five years ago, he said the budget is also about the losses those residents endure and the hardships they face trying to rebuild their homes.
Lamb said many of the difficulties are the result of policy decisions made by the elected council.
“What is truly disappointing to me is hearing the stories from dozens of Ward 1 residents who faced overwhelming difficulties in dealing with our township in rebuilding after the storm,” he said. “The burdens placed upon these hardworking folks through the policy decisions by this Township Council has in itself kept the so-called “hole” in our tax base intact five years later. Our residents are simply fed-up and I do not blame them.”
Lamb invited residents to discuss the important issues facing ward 1 voters on his campaign facebook page:
