Honestly, I was hoping for a 2014 rematch. Even against the local Democratic party/D’Jais machine, with all the patronage votes and with Frank Sementa admitting that people working with the club hand delivered 250 messenger ballots, Mike Seebeck came within a couple of dozen votes of beating Brennan when he ran against him that year.
I think Mike would have won easily this year. D’Jais has been largely defanged by reforms to the messenger ballot law. Brennan has been useless as a councilman, spending his time on issues not many people care about, and dutifully voting with the mayor on all sorts of bad stuff, including last year’s Pay to Play fiasco. (I should add that Democratic councilmen are permitted to vote against unpopular ordinances on years they are running for re-election.) Then Brennan got himself tripped up on liquor license votes, voting for a full year on them…including on licenses for clubs he did paid gigs at…and then suddenly, in the hopes of not being seen as part of the anti-Harmon brothers conspiracy, decided to start recusing himself on these votes. He was named by Salt in the $10 million racketeering lawsuit anyway.
Seebeck would have been a great candidate, would have won and would have been a great councilman. Unfortunately he decided not to run this year. I would like to see him run for mayor in 2018.
So what about Josh? It’s no secret that both last year and this, I would have preferred candidates and a candidate from within the reformist group colloquially known as the Element. Although we can not walk around each other’s houses blindfolded (inside joke), we all know each other very well after the years of fighting side by side, and I am certain of the purity of motive for every one of them. Last year I voted for Mark and Josh simply because they weren’t Brian and Janis. This year, although I did grumble about Josh’s lack of participation at the meetings, and did comment once or twice that I planned to vote for myself, I ultimately planned to vote for Josh simply because he isn’t Tom Brennan.
The last few weeks have changed my mind. I am not voting against Tom Brennan anymore, I am voting for Josh Vallario. He’s been out there talking about issues that really matter, highlighting ethical lapses within the administration, talking about the lack of transparency and talking about the wasteful spending and spiraling debt that come as a result. He put it all out there and that’s important.
I know Josh to be an honest and honorable person. If he’s out there talking about these issues as a candidate, I have no reason not to think he will do something about these issues as a councilman. For this reason I will be voting for Josh Vallario for Belmar Council in 2017.
For governor I don’t like either major party candidate and plan to vote for the Libertarian candidate, Peter J. Rohrman.
I also don’t care who wins the County and Legislative races and might not even bother voting in those.
On the public questions I will vote no on the library bond because we are bankrupt, yes on dedicating the winnings from environmental lawsuits to the environment because using lawsuits as a revenue tool does not serve the interests of justice, and no on the County open space question because it only serves the wealthier people who live near open space and get to see it. I always suspect that people who own developable land are behind these initiatives because by taking more and more land off the market it increases the value of their own properties. Or maybe it’s just part of the socialist/globalist/environmentalist plan to push everybody (but themselves) into high density urban jungles. Whatever the motive, I’m against it.
I guess I should remind that I’m hoping to relocate to New Hampshire next year. That’s why I don’t really care who wins the State and County races. But I’ll always care about Belmar because my friends live here.
17 Comments
Josh has stepped it up and now deserves our votes…..
Hopefully Josh will win by a landslide so he doesn’t have to worry about the rigged mail in ballots. Goodbye Tom!
Admin: a very lucid and articulate endorsement. I agree with you and my old friend Summer Timer that Josh has gotten his act together and is a promising candidate. I also care about Belmar even after moving to Florida. Your inclusion of the importance of next year’s election of a Mayor can not be understated and all attention needs to be focused there. The future of NJ is dim indeed. Even if Kim Guadagno was worth voting for, Chris Christie so poisoned the electorate against a Republican that soon NJ will join California as a “Sanctuary state”. God help you all. I mean that. On the bright side the Doherty/Moran combo will be on Phil Murphy’s gravy train which will move them out of Belmar. Bill and I have greatly increased our quality of life since moving here and for someone with Bill’s disabilities and handicaps it is truly an affordable, obstacle free paradise. I hope New Hampshire has the same liberating qualities for you and Karen.
I have read the mailers by both parties and in my opinion the Democrats of Belmar have only themselves to blame for the criticism and probable loss of this election.
You as Mayor and Council represent the residents of Belmar not the other way around.
Making decisions that were found illegal and being sued is not the fault of the residents .
Its time you all take responsibility for your actions and stop the hidden agendas and grow up!
Saluted to Mike Seebeck last year and we will continue to respect him. I, among many, always Salute Dave because of the thrill we get by his powerful honesty. Plus he give us the best, darn forum known to Man/Woman, honestly, allowing all anonymity without prejudice or judgment in his news delivery!
We all have our own styles and those that choose not to follow previous canned scripts may be on to something in terms of running for office. Showing your cards to your opponents backfires. Strategy on the other hand is simply based on strategic analysis. We need to have a pulse on all of the people and their issues which Josh has done by listening to them and questioning them. It’s the people after all folks not the mayor and his council who more often times than not refuse to answer any questions because they “don’t have to”.
It just that, overexposure doesn’t work all the time.
A vote for Josh is a vote for hope, civility,transparency.
Josh,young man,you have earned it.My family is voting for Josh.
Every one must go out to vote and Josh is the person you must VOTE for. Belmar needs JOSH on the council. Please vote for JOSH
Dave if you ever get tired of the snow up there in NH you will always find an open door for a little R & R in warm sunny Fla.
I agree- Mike Seebeck would have easily won. Mike, if you are reading this, please consider running next year. You know the problems our town faces and you’re a gentleman to all. You already have my vote.
Maggie Moran, on NJN last evening, stated in so many words, that the week before election day is when most impressions upon the electorate are made. Josh seems to have known that and has conducted his blitzkrieg in a timely fashion. I sure as hell hope he is successful. And I also hope that the supreme gentleman Mike Seebeck runs for council again or mayor.
Mike Seebeck and Jim Bean are great people to have as our “people” in Belmar. Hope to live long enough to see it happen.
Seebeck for Mayor!
I am humbled by all of your support. Thank you so much and I am looking forward to Tuesday and beyond.
Admin, after you leave, will you continue running this blog?
Haven’t decided yet. If I did I would need someone local to tape the meetings for me.
I volunteer Eugene
VOTE FOR JOSH
PLEASE
We need the change
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