What does this sign mean to you? For those of us who are new to the town this sign won’t mean anything. This is a campaign sign from back in 2001 when Ken Chiarella ran for Town Council for the Ward 2 seat against Gerald Tamburro. Tamburro is now running for Mayor.
What was that campaign about?
Chiarella warned residents that major developments were coming and that our infrastructure in Monroe could not handle it.
He explained that the schools and roads could not handle the development. He explained that our schools would become overcrowded and that new schools would be needed if we allowed the developments to go up.
Chiarella talked about how taxes would increase exponentially because of the debt incurred by the Pucci administration, and because all of the students that would enter the schools due to the proposed developments. People said that Chiarella was crazy and that it was all political grandstanding, and that taxes would remain the lowest in Middlesex County. The Pucci administration laughed off Chiarella, and instead they talked about how they were for open space and keeping Monroe rural. Look it up!
Chiarella went on to explain the links to the developers. He explained that there were township construction officials and elected officials deep in the pockets of the developers and that there would be no stopping major developments from coming to Monroe because there was a cabal in charge that was actually making money from the developments.
The Pucci team laughed it off, said that Chiarella was making it all up and talked about how they were ethically above reproach.
When Chiarella talked about stopping development and instituting minimum acreage which would ensure that the rural character was maintained, he was again laughed off.
Chiarella lost and all of these signs were destroyed, except for this one.
What happened after Chiarella lost in 2001?
- Well, Gerald Tamburro went on to become Council President and Chair of the Master-plan Committee. He went on to oversee the approvals of all of the development that you see today.
- The population of Monroe grew exponentially.
- Taxes grew exponentially.
- The roads became congested.
- In 2007 township construction officials, along with many others were raided by the FBI and questioned. (Construction official, Investigation)
- In 2006 Pucci was caught with his hand in the cookie jar(Article in News) when it was discovered that he had a consultation firm set up that only had ONE client. That client happened to be a major developer in Monroe and he happened to pay Mayor Pucci $165,000 to consult. When it was pointed out that Pucci was also a sitting member of the Monroe Township Planning Board and voted on approvals for the same developer, Pucci closed down his “consultation business”.
- In 2012 the Pucci team was found to be in violation of the tax cap. The revaluations cost many Monroe residents steep tax in creases in 2014-2015. 101.5
- In 2013 Pucci was found to be making a boatload of money on the backs of the taxpayers, including a bonus for dressing for work. Here is the article.
Development in Monroe exploded. A few years later, when the schools became overcrowded and everything that he stated would happen did happen, Chiarella ran for the Monroe Township Board of Ed and spent two terms working to be part of the solution.
Here we are again! 14 years later everything Chiarella warned about in 2001 has happened. He is here again fighting for Monroe and he is sending up warnings again.
Chiarella is telling us that 4000 new units are slated to be developed over the next several years. More schools will be needed if these developments are all approved. Property taxes are going to continue to climb and the quality of life in Monroe is going to diminish. He is telling you that the professional services in Monroe are a vehicle to fleece the taxpayers of Monroe and is going to prove it over the next few months. There are employees of those same professional services that are also Monroe Township employees. Those same employees work on the political campaigns, and take part in the political machine even the ones who do not live in Monroe Township. Do you wonder how Pucci has been able to maintain control for the last 28 years? That is not democracy. That is something else and the taxpayers of Monroe are paying for it.
He will be showing you how the PACs work and how the money is taken from towns like Monroe, through the professional services, funneled through PACS to County and State machines and then how it comes back to Monroe to enable the political machine to survive and thrive. Will the people listen this time, or will the once again be swayed by Pucci propaganda?