Orange Municipal Elections - May 11, 2010

Election Results: North Ward: Tency Eason INCUMBENT; South Ward: Edward Marabel INCUMBENT; East Ward: Linda Jones-Bell CHALLENGER; West Ward: Hassan Abdul-Rasheed INCUMBENT.

The people of Orange have re-elected three of the four incumbents, showing they are satisfied with the government they have and want no changes in the status-quo. As far as I know from reports given, none of the candidates was required to back their campaign promises with an oath bound by penalties of perjury, and I expect none will be sworn in with an oath subject to penalties of perjury. Good luck, Orange!

Following the suggestions of the East Orange Branch of the Tea Party, all INCUMBENTS have been marked in RED. They have had their term and their chance to make a difference. The rule is: 1. Take Back our Government. Vote Out ALL Incumbents. But this is not a blind rule. The burden of proof is on the incumbent, who has held the office for a term. If you know for a fact that the incumbent is a better choice than the other candidates for that office, vote for the incumbent. If the incumbent has actually kept all campaign promises and promised, under penalties of perjury to continue to do so, AND YOU BELIEVE THE INCUMBENT based on what you know about the person, vote for the incumbent. OTHERWISE, seek another to fill the post.

NORTH WARD

In the North Ward, Tency Eason is the incumbent, therefore the burden of proof that she has done everything she promised and that she has served Orange well during her term of office is on her and her record. She says she wants to, "Continue to put Orange First." What exactly does that mean? Make her say what it means; ASK HER. Also ask her to back up her statements with the perjury clause: "I swear under penalties of perjury that everything I have said and promised is the truth." She most recently missed the opportunity to attend the forum presented by Citizens for Responsible Government on April 25th.

Let us assume that you will not be voting for the incumbent in the North Ward, for whatever reasons. Both challengers need to be challenged. Does Antoine Desormes really have a plan to lower taxes? How does he plan to provide safer streets without raising taxes? Will his interest in Tenants' Rights conflict with Landlords' Rights? ASK HIM, and ask him to back up his statements with the perjury clause: "I swear under penalties of perjury that everything I have said and promised is the truth." He most recently missed the opportunity to attend the forum presented by Citizens for Responsible Government on April 25th.

Donald Page says he is Independent. Is he really? He says he is committed, but committed to what? What proof does he offer that he is dependable? ASK HIM, and ask him to back up his statements with the perjury clause: "I swear under penalties of perjury that everything I have said and promised is the truth." Remember also that he was formerly a North Ward Councilman, and stopped in order to make an unsuccessful bid for Mayor. That makes him a member of the incumbent's club. Check his record from the time he was on the council and see if he did what he said he would do while he had the job.

SOUTH WARD

In the South Ward, Edward Marable is the incumbent, and also has been serving as the council president during his term. This puts an even heavier burden on him to prove that he was not only a good councilman, but led the other council members well as president. He says he wants to, "Lower Taxes and make Safer Streets." Why hasn't he already done that with his precious term of office? Maybe it's time to elect someone who does what he says he will do. In any case, before you consider giving him a second chance, ask him to explain why he deserves one if he was not able to lower taxes and keep the streets safe during his term. Also ask him to back up his statements with the perjury clause: "I swear under penalties of perjury that everything I have said and promised is the truth." Informative Web site: http://edmarable.com

Derrick Griggs describes himself as young, progressive and an Orange Reformer. That immediately sends up warning signs for me. Why should we vote for him because he is young? Young usually means inexperienced. He has put the buzz-word "Progressive" on the ballot. Does he really know what it means to be a "progressive" or is it just a catch-phrase? If he is serious, you'd better make him state clearly how he defines his progressive ideas, and exactly how he will use them to "reform Orange." Definitely ask him to back up his statements with the perjury clause: "I swear under penalties of perjury that everything I have said and promised is the truth." Informative Web site: http://electderrickgriggs.com

The other two candidates are somewhat vague. April Gaunt-Butler has a nice flowery, poetic slogan, but is that who you want as a council representative? Get her to make commitments on the issues that concern you and then ask her to back up her statements with the perjury clause: "I swear under penalties of perjury that everything I have said and promised is the truth."

Murphy Wilson says he wants to work with YOU to "rebuild Orange." Make him state what that means in real terms of what he intends to accomplish. As always, ask him to back up his statements with the perjury clause: "I swear under penalties of perjury that everything I have said and promised is the truth."

EAST WARD

In the East Ward, Lisa Perkins is the incumbent. She proclaims herself "The People's Choice," and wants to "Continue the Fight." To me, anyone who makes such bold statements better be able to back them up. Was she really the choice of all the people of the East Ward when she was last elected to the office? Has she really been fighting for the people of the East Ward in a way that they want her to continue? Make her prove her statements, and then get some real commitments from her about why she should go back and be given a second chance. As usual, ask her to back up her statements with the perjury clause: "I swear under penalties of perjury that everything I have said and promised is the truth." She most recently missed the deadline to have her statements published in the Orange Transcript of 4/29/10. She also missed the opportunity to attend the forum presented by Citizens for Responsible Government on April 25th.

Daryl Harrington is a mystery candidate, making no statements and no promises. No thank you. Unless he can explain why his slot on the ballot is blank in a way that makes sense to the people of the East Ward, I would not consider him a candidate. He also did not meet the deadline to have his statements published in the Orange Transcript on 4/29/10. Finally, (5/6/10) Daryl Harrington gives an interview to Local Talk News. Read it HERE.

Linda Jones-Bell promises to "Make Orange Safer and Protect Tax Payers." She doesn't mention lowering taxes in her quest to make Orange safer, just to "Protect the Tax Payers." I would ask her plenty of tough questions about what she means to do if she gets elected to office. As usual, ask her to back up her statements with the perjury clause: "I swear under penalties of perjury that everything I have said and promised is the truth."

Remember, if you don't like the incumbent and don't like any of the other candidates, there is always the Write In Ballot, but you will need to organize your neighbors to actually elect someone using that method. Seek a candidate that you all believe in and then get the word out to everyone in your ward (this applies to all the other wards as well) to write in that name when they vote. You may have to go door-to-door along with the write-in candidate to make it happen.

WEST WARD

Hassan Abdul-Rasheed is the incumbent and calls himself, "Your Consistent Public Servant." Has he truly been consistent? Has he truly been a public servant? Only you know from his actions and public record while serving his term of office. If not, it's time for a change. However, don't throw him out blindly just because he is incumbent. The burden of proof is on him to account for his term in office. Also ask him to back up his statements with the perjury clause: "I swear under penalties of perjury that everything I have said and promised is the truth." He most recently missed the opportunity to attend the forum presented by Citizens for Responsible Government on April 25th. Informative Web information: The Essex Times Page 8

The challenger is Andrea Elliott, who is running on the slogan "The Positive Change We Need." Someone else recently made a lot of campaign promises to bring about "positive change" and we have yet to see the results. Make her explain in very clear terms what changes she is proposing and why she believes them to be positive. Make sure she knows you will hold her accountable for any promises she makes and as always, ask her to back up her statements with the perjury clause: "I swear under penalties of perjury that everything I have said and promised is the truth." She most recently missed the deadline to have her statements published in the Orange Transcript of 4/29/10. She also missed the opportunity to attend the forum presented by Citizens for Responsible Government on April 25th.

Resources: This is what Mayor Eldridge Hawkins, Jr. and The City Council claim to have accomplished from July 2008 - May 2009

Do you agree or disagree?

On April 25th, 2010, The Citizens for Responsible Government held a forum for all the candidates at the First Presbyterian Church in Orange. Seven of the twelve candidates attended the forum and answered questions to residents of Orange in attendance. The seven candidates who attended were: NORTH WARD: Donald Page. SOUTH WARD: Derrick Griggs, Murphy Wilson, April Gaunt-Butler, and Edward Marable, Jr. EAST WARD: Darryl Harrington, Linda Jones-Bell. WEST WARD: No candidate from this ward attended.

The five candidates who did NOT attend the forum were: NORTH WARD: Tency Eason, Antoine Desormes. SOUTH WARD: All candidates attended. EAST WARD: Lisa Perkins. WEST WARD: Hassan Abdul-Rasheed, Andrea Elliott.

Statements and comments of the candidates in attendance were summarized in articles in the Orange Transcript of 4/29/10.

Also in that issue of the Orange Transcript (4/29/10) were statements solicited by the newspaper by phone and/or in personal conversations by the editor and published in a special section of the 4/29 paper called "Candidates Corner." Three of the twelve candidates failed to submit statements by the deadline given to all (4/26). Candidates who did NOT submit statements were: EAST WARD: Darryl Harrington, Lisa Perkins. WEST WARD: Andrea Elliott.

The Orange Transcript published editorial endorsements and staff-written stories of each candidate's platform and goals in the May 6th issue. Election results were also published on the Orange Navigator Web site on May 11th, and in the printed newspaper on May 13th.

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