Bellew says she’s not the Bayshore Tea Party Group’s candidate

Republican challenger for State Senate in the 13th Legislative District told MoreMonmouthMusings that she is not the Bayshore Tea Party Group’s candidate, as we have been reporting.

“While Bayshore will likely support me, I am not their candidate,” said Bellew, “I have a professional team running this campaign and much of my support will come from outside the tea party.”

Bellew is running against Senator Joe Kyrillos for the GOP nomination in the June 4th primary.

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Bennett: Tea Party Primary Challenge Is “Ludicrous”

Monmouth County Republican Chairman John Bennett said that “it is ludicrous to me that these individuals are being challenged” in the primary.  Bennett was speaking to MoreMonmoutMusings about the primary challenges to his 13th legislative team of Senator Joe Kyrillos, Assembly members Amy Handlin and Declan O’Scanlon, as well as Sheriff Shaun Golden and Freeholders Tom Arnone and Serena DiMaso.

John Bennett

“I have no idea what their agenda is,” Bennett said of the Bayshore Tea Party Group and their slate of candidates who filed to challenge the incumbents today,” our candidates are doing great jobs and are conservatives.”

“We will treat this challenge like any other election against our good, strong incumbents and return these good people to office with every resource at our disposal.”

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Bayshore Tea Party Candidates for Legislature in LD 13

Former Congressional candidate Leigh-Ann Bellew of Union Beach filed petitions to run for the Republican nomination for State Senate in the 13th legislative district this afternoon.  Her petitions included 154 signature.  Bellew is attempting to unseat incumbent State Senator Joe Kyrillos.

Edna Walsh of Middletown and Stephen Boracchia of Atlantic Highlands are challenging incumbent Assembly members Amy Handlin and Declan O’Scanlon for the Republican nominations to be decided in the June 4 primary election.

The 13th district challengers and the county candidates for Sheriff and Freeholder are running together under the slogan Republicans for Conservative Leadership.

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Bayshore Tea Party Files County Slate In Monmouth GOP Primary

The Bayshore Tea Party has filed a slate of candidates to challenge the incumbent Republicans seeking reelection on the county level in Monmouth.

Daniel Peters is running against Sheriff Shaun Golden.  Brian Largey and Edward Pekarsky are challenging Freeholders Tom Arnone and Serena DiMaso.

All three Tea Party candidates reside in Middletown.

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Monmouth County Police Academy Update: Becoming the best in New Jersey

By Monmouth County Freeholder Director Thomas A. Arnone

            Under the direction of the current liaison to The Monmouth County Police Academy, Freeholder Lillian Burry along with the help of the newly appointed Director of The Monmouth County Police Academy David Morris and me who currently serves on the Executive Board, The Monmouth County Police Academy is flourishing with numerous activities. Currently the following recruit classes are in session: Basic Course for Police Officers – 84^th Class has a class size of 68; Special Law Enforcement Officer Class II 39^th Class for part time officers. currently has a class size of 64; Park Rangers Recruit Class has 16 officers – 4 from Burlington County and 12 from Monmouth County. As of this writing there are 148 law enforcement recruits being trained at this Academy. These are unprecedented numbers and have required the assistance from various law enforcement entities to ensure quality training. Certainly this has been a logistical challenge, but it has created true partnerships and outstanding commitments by so many.

            Upcoming additional scheduled recruit training classes are Special Law Enforcement Officer Class, Corrections Officers Basic Recruit Class and School Resource Recruit Class. The latter is a one week course held to train officers who work within the various school systems.

            Along with the recruit training classes, the Academy hosts numerous in-service classes for the veteran law enforcement officers. The Academy also continuously updates new training and promotes this through the use of its website, www.monmuothcountypoliceacademy.com and FACEBOOK membership. The Academy is pleased to have representatives from International, Federal, State, County and local law enforcement agencies provide quality training to our constituent base.

            Additionally, The Academy also has private outside vendors who provide valuable public safety training. For example, Meridian Health trains their security personnel here during the summer months. The Joint Insurance Companies provide safety training to veteran police officers.

            The activity levels at the Academy have increased significantly. Compared to 2010 attendance and enrollment are up and revenues have more than doubled. The Board of Chosen Freeholders are committed to continuing to make improvements to the programs being offered at The Monmouth County Police Academy and to the building as well. The Board’s ultimate goal is to see that the Academy becomes the best in the state, and as it appears The Monmouth County Police Academy is well on its way.

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Former Candidate Preparing To Challenge Golden for Monmouth County Sheriff

Dan Peters

Dan Peters of Middletown has twice in the past filed to run in the Monmouth County GOP primary for Sheriff.

In 2007, Peters filed petitons to run for the seat which was being vacated by Joe Oxley, but he did not meet the residency requirement for the office.  Monmouth Beach Commissioner Kim Guadagno was nominated by the GOP and was elected Sheriff.

Peters threw his hat into the ring again in 2010, mounting an unsuccessful challenge to Shaun Golden who had replaced Guadagno when she became Lt. Governor.

Peters created the Dan Peters for Sheriff facebook page on March 1, 2013.  It would appear that he is preparing to make another run against Golden.

Bayshore Tea Party Group co-founder Barbara Gonzalez would not confirm or deny that Peters has the group’s backing.  She offered to ask Peters to call MMM.

Sheriff Golden is unopposed for the Monmouth Republican County Committee’s endorsement which be be formalized at the GOP convention at Colts Neck High School on Saturday morning, March 23.

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Anna Little, David Corsi won’t be Tea Party candidates in GOP Primary

Photo credit: genehoyas.com

Since they formed in 2009, the Bayshore Tea Party Group has supported three campaigns that have defeated the Monmouth County Republican Organization in primaries.

Former Highlands Mayor Anna Little won the 6th Congressional District nomination twice.  In 2010 Little defeated the MCRO’s endorsed candidate Diane Gooch.  In 2012 Little defeated newcomer Ernesto Cullari.  Cullari had won the Monmouth Republican organization’s endorsement. Little won the Middlesex County Republican Organization’s endorsement and won the primary handily in both counties.  Little went on to lose twice to incumbent Democratic Congressman Frank Pallone.

Oceanport real estate executive David Corsi beat Princeton venture capitalist Scott Sipprelle in Monmouth County during the 2010 primary for the 12 Congressional District nomination.  Sipprelle prevailed on the strength of his support in the Middlesex and Mercer portions of the district.  Sipprelle lost to incumbent Democratic Congressman Rush Holt.

Both Little and Corsi were supported by BTPG’s grassroots activists.

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State Committee Seats To Be Contested At Monmouth GOP Convention

Incumbent Christine Hanlon is being challenged by Eileen Kean of Neptune Township for a two year term on the New Jersey Republican State Committee.

The Committee is comprised on one male and one female from each New Jersey county.  The members are elected by Republican voters in the June primary.  Primary challenges are rare with the members typically being chosen by the County Committee.

Hanlon and her fellow State Committee Member John Bennett squared off in the race to replace Joe Oxley as Monmouth Republican Chairman last June.  Bennett prevailed by 3 votes out of 615 cast.  Since then, Hanlon has been the consummate team player.  She is an attorney with Archer & Greiner’s Shrewsbury office, serves as the Deputy Municipal Attorney of Tinton Falls, the Atlantic Highlands Prosecutor and a Commissioner of the Monmouth County Board of Elections.

Kean, the sister of Assemblyman Sean Kean, is a lobbyist with Komjathy and Stewart. She is president of the Neptune Township Republican Club.

Bennett, who is treasurer of the State Committee, is not seeking a new term.

Middletown Municipal GOP Chairman Peter Carton and Howell Municipal Republican Chairman John Costigan are facing off to fill Bennett’s seat.

The nominations will be decided by ballot during the Monmouth Republican Convention, Saturday morning March 23 at Colts Neck High School.

Bayshore Tea Party Group co-founder Bob Gordon told MoreMonmouthMusings he is considering a run for the committeeman seat in the June 4 primary.

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Arnone Addresses The Monmouth County Budget

By Monmouth County Freeholder Director Thomas A. Arnone

As I enter the third year of my first term as a Monmouth County Freeholder, I would like to share the following information regarding the county budget. The 2013 budget plan as presented today totals 481 million which is 6.35 million lower than last year’s adopted budget, and has a flat tax levy for the third year in a row.  This spending plan is $12,400,000.00 lower than the spending plan adopted in early 2010, which is where the budget peaked prior to the reduction in the budget over each of the last 3 years.

      The 6.35 million dollar reduction was accomplished by utilizing additional fund balance, anticipated greater levels of revenues that performed well in 2012, a reduction in total salaries based on reduced payroll expenditures, reduction of capital which will lower new debt authorization, reduction in health benefits due to new legislation, as well as, improved benefits management with the new provider, and a reduction in utility expense due to energy efficiency improvements.  All of these items closed the gap to balance the budget, as well as, offset some additional revenue losses that were not expected originally when the budget process started.  These include Medicaid cuts for the Care Centers, reductions in Division of Social Services revenue, reductions in Federal Inmates and a loss of trust fund revenue due to Super Storm Sandy. As the liaison and a strong supporter of shared services, I am extremely happy to report that Shared Services has been a huge success for Monmouth County. As promised we used revenue from Shared Services to offset tax increases. Shared Services generated revenue in excess of $3.6 million which also went a long way in balancing the budget.

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Christie to attend Monmouth GOP Convention

Monmouth County Republican Chairman John Bennett announced this morning that Governor Chris Christie will be on hand to accept the party’s nomination for reelection when the Committee convenes at Colts Neck High School on Saturday, March 23.

In an email to County Committee members, Bennett said that he was hopeful that all members would be able to join him in nomination Christie, Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno and all incumbent legislative and county candidates.

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