Restore Checks and Balances To Morris Township Government

 

Break the Monopoly of Power

Checks and balances prevent the abuse of power, encourage public discussion, enable diverse participation and make government open and accountable.

 

An 11 year string of unanimous, 5-0 Committee votes is a warning sign:  we do not have checks  and  balances in Morris Township government

 

We must enact an ordinance to open up application to boards and committees to all political affiliations. Our township has been run by the same monopoly of  power for over 30 years. This year, of 134 appointments made by the Committee to boards, commissions and committees, 85% are hand picked Republicans. Yet only about 33% of registered voters  are  Republicans. And, were we or our neighbors notified of openings or invited to apply? Let’s restore balance.

 

Let’s add a check. We must require a change in the way ordinances are adopted.   No ordinance should be proposed or go through “first reading” until after the Township Committee provides public hearing and full disclosure of  information supporting its  necessity.  Today in Morris Township, however, we, the public, have the burden of discovering that an ordinance has been proposed . Then we must scramble to dig out information and   organize support or resistance in the few weeks between first and final reading. Rarely does any individual or group manage to accomplish all of this. In Morris Township today, Committee members’ minds are made up in advance of the meager public comment process currently provided.  We, the public, get one brief opportunity to speak just moments before the unanimous,  5-0 Committee vote.

 

 

We must change the direction set by a small, exclusive group of people who have had a lock on Township government for 65 years  of  combined Committee tenure. Perhaps it’s time to consider term limits so balance can be restored! Morris Township quality of life is neither better, nor the same as when we first moved here. So, let’s change direction.  It is not a given that we must continue marching toward “densely developed, noisy, over taxed, paved over, overused and worn out.”

 

Thanks for your Vote for progressive policies on May 1st — Jeff Grazel 

 

 

 

 

Brought to you by the Committee to Elect Jeff Grayzel