Van Pelt has the makings of a real back bencher

By Wally Edge

Michele Rosen is a political veteran who started out in politics as a 14-year-old volunteer for John F. Kennedy. She was elected to the Toms River Township Committee in 1977, and won a seat on the Barnegat Township Charter Study Commission in 2004. Now she's running for State Assembly, mounting an uphill battle as a Democrat in the heavily Republican 9th district. She probably won't win, but she's impressed Democrats by receiving endorsements from the Asbury Park Press and the Press of Atlantic City.

And so far, Republicans are unimpressed by the person who will likely win that race: Ocean Township Mayor Daniel Van Pelt. Van Pelt is the GOP candidate to succeed Christopher Connors, who is running for State Senator. Van Pelt has seemingly under whelmed editorial boards. He told the Asbury Park Press that he would not resign as Mayor if he wins the Assembly seat, and may also keep his day job as Lumberton Administrator. "Van Pelt was the only Republican legislative candidate to have met with the Press editorial board who was unable to discuss the details of his party's nine-point campaign platform. He hadn't read it," the APP editorial said.

WALLY EDGE can be reached via email at politicsnj@aol.com.

Related topics: Christopher Connors, Daniel Van Pelt, Michele Rosen

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Comments

A real knucklehead

posted by commonsensenj

I don't care whether the Dems actually win here or not, but they desperately need to start playing for real in the 9th. Just having the other party breathe down their necks should help improve the woeful level of representation that the Republicans have chosen.

Van Pelt doubled the population of his Pinelands town because he was convinced it would lower taxes. Guess what? Under his leadership, property taxes have skyrocketed. Great. So all residents have to show for the doubling of their town is a bunch of lousy drivers who go less than 25 MPH on Route 9!

Oh, and don't forget the privilege of their mayor making a fool of himself before he even has the Assembly as a platform for his nonsense. Imagine running a campaign by not doing your basic homework before showing up at an editorial board meeting. Or announcing that you're going to be the only guy in the Assembly who is looking forward to being a triple dipper. Lovely.

No surprise -- he's the same guy who stuck to his guns and tried to force DEP to give "redevelopment zone" designation to a section of town that had never been developed in the first place, but happened to be pristine Pinelands habitat for numerous endangered species. Brilliant.

10/22/07 11:40 am

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Sure let her handle the checkbook!

posted by ucallthisjustice

She can't even run her personal life.

“OCEAN TOWNSHIP - Michele Rosen, a Democratic candidate for 9th District Assembly, is being sued by her landlord for more than $14,000, due to several issues including a failure to pay rent and writing bad checks.

Thomas Randazzo, of Montville, filed a lawsuit worth $14,784 (plus interest and legal fees) against Rosen and her husband, Gerald, on Aug. 2, after the couple did not pay the rent or water-and-sewer fees for their Bradley Beach Way residence. Included in the suit are bad check fees and legal costs. On Friday, Randazzo said that the Rosens still live in the property, which he purchased as a second home, but they were "more than a few months behind" on rent when he filed the suit………..

Rosen said she was angry that the lawsuit was made public.

"To be honest, we have gone through a lot of problems financially. We try our best, but sometimes that is not good enough. A lot of other people in this state have the same problem," said Rosen, who claimed the suit was dismissed under the condition that she paid the balance.

"We've been paying our rent every month since, but we still owe him some money. I put the check in the mail today and he should have the money in a day or two."” (Spahr, Press of Atlantic City)

http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/campaign/story/7510747p-7408986c.html

10/22/07 4:55 pm

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Wait, wait I know this one!

posted by commonsensenj

Wait, wait I know this one!

If she was collecting two public salaries like Mr. Van Pelt, she wouldn't have to worry about paying her rent!

And if she still ran into trouble from time to time, then she could just do what Van Pelt is doing and run for a third public salary!

Someone should calculate what kind of pension abuse these three Van Pelt salaries (mayor, administrator, assemblyman) -- none of which he has agreed to give up -- are wreaking.

10/22/07 4:55 pm