Well, been saying it for years - the only possibility we have to break the decades long Dem-party stranglehold on this politically-corrupt town is Wards. You can't have one-party government and expect to have any checks and balances and without any checks and balances, you can be assured that the Dem-party's interests will always override the interests of the citizenry.
The Power has to be Put back in the Hands of the People and the best way to do that is to assure the People control the agenda if you have any hope of change.
Take a look at the last 4 years under the hand-picked Dem-party 'tool' Mayor Sam Joshi. Simply an incompetent and immature embarrassment on the town.
Five demonstrable facts about Local Governance under the Last Four Years of the Joshi Administration:
- Residents have been impeded and or blocked from any Public Inquiry and Scrutiny of the Administration both at Council meetings, with the inexcusable antics of his ‘Pocket Council' and by blocking Official Council Communications from being entered into the record as well as adding a Gatekeeper to impede or delay OPRA Requests.
- The People of Edison had to Sit by and Watch their Good Town being Turned into a National Embarrassment.
- An inept and embarrassing Mayoral performance which arguably lacks maturity, experience, honesty, integrity, principles, credibility, truthfulness, political acumen and transparency.
- Turned the town into a massive amount of Ridiculous & Wasteful Spending, debt, warehouse expansion, and uncontrolled approvals of undersized lots and oversized houses, impossible truck traffic, adding to the school overcrowding and without properly addressing major infrastructure problems - and he did all this and Still Raised the Muni taxes by Some 7.4%, more than Doubled the Township Debt Yet only Raised the Ratables by a Ridiculously Low 2.6%.
- Clearly, he has no idea what he is doing but, to his credit, he is very good at it.
Here's Dave Tingle's view on Wards and unlike Joshi who supported Wards when he first ran for Mayor only to withdraw after elected - Tingle will go for it.
'Right now, Edison elects all council members “at-large.” In theory, that means they represent the entire township. But in practice, it leaves neighborhoods without a true advocate. No single council member is directly accountable for your community’s unique concerns, and residents are often left wondering: Who’s really responsible for fixing our local issues?
I believe it’s time for a change. That’s why I will put the ward system on the ballot & let residents decide whether council members should be elected by neighborhood.
Here’s what that means for you:
• Dedicated representation: Each part of Edison would have its own council member who lives in the community they serve.
• Direct accountability: If a problem goes ignored, you’ll know exactly who to call — and who to hold accountable at election time.
• Every neighborhood has a voice: From road repairs and traffic safety to flooding, zoning, and quality-of-life concerns, no area will be left behind.
Most importantly, the ward system brings government closer to the people. Instead of a name on a ballot, your representative would be a neighbor who shops in the same stores, attends the same schools and houses of worship, and shares the same daily experiences.
This November, let’s bring balance, fairness, and true accountability to Edison.
Vote by Mail ballots are out now — make sure your voice is heard early. Vote Column B & E.
Together, we can build a council that finally works for every neighborhood in Edison.
Sincerely,
Dave Tingle'
Here's a video I saw online:
Anyhoo, because I believe Wards is the only way to save Edison and believe Tingle will go for it, I happily voted for him already and hope you do the same. You'll regret it otherwise if you continue down this road.
