there are tax appeals because they are too high !! thats like saying the peasants are out of bread, and these cndidates say let them eat cake. and y'know what happened to Marie Antoinette and that ilk ?? Revolution !! How about every single home appeal? Then what 's your answer ? If i don't have money, i don't buy stuff. but politico's answer is just don't go to the mailbox and pick up your bills !! that's how they solve stuff eeessh !!

Why does the link to the other candidates above go to an old puff piece on Effron, and not the one where he lies about no longer being the "real democrat" in the race. This is unfair to Committeeman Lisella and all the good conservative people in Barnegat. Good luck Marty, many of us reject the far left propaganda we read here.

If there were even a drop of consideration remaining for Mr. Lisella, his remarks above flush that drop into the nearest septic tank.

Mr. Lisella's income is down so that justifies his taking benefits? Tell that to the person whose job was eliminated and is out of work, out of unemployment benefits and has no medical plan.

Mr. Lisella, you are one of the most selfish people in Barnegat.

Yes Marty you have accomplished alot. We now have recycling picked up every other week, less township meetings, but your not getting less money, a softball field and new sod and sprinkler system at town hall. Oh and one more thing Higher taxes.. Thank you Marty for all you have done.

Erik,
Not saying that I agree with him or will vote for him but Atleast he admits that he takes them. It has been pulling teeth to get a straight answer out of any of the council members on this issue.

My personal income since I’ve been elected has fluctuated 30 to 35 percent in a downward trend,” said Lisella. “Some of that is related to the economy, but a large part is because of the time and effort put into the township.”

Before going into the voting booth, just remember what this guy just said.....he thinks because he SERVES the town YOU have caused his business to fall 30%.....he is blaming YOU.......he is also believes YOU should pay for his benefits......HE SERVES HIMSELF !

Martin Lisella proved, beyond any doubt, that he is running for reelection for personal gain. Mr. Lisella thinks it is "no big deal" that people in Barnegat who might be out of work and on the verge of losing their homes pay for HIS medical benefit package to the tune of almost $20,000.00.

That takes gall, Mr. Lisella. You are gainfully employed. There is no way a thinking person is going to believe you work a full-time job and then work an additional 35 + hours for the township.

Let us not forget, it was Mr. Lisella who made the motion (passed by the committee) that cut the number of township meetings in half. It was Mr. Lisella who led the charge to cut recycle pickups to every other week.

Hooray for me - - to hell with you. That is Martin Lisella's way of doing business.

Martin Lisella does not deserve to be reelected. His arrogance and greed are clear. If he needs medical benefits then let him earn them and not live, like a parasite, off your sweat and mine.

Well I attended the debate last night, and to put it bluntly, it turned into the Marianne Clemente, Rose Jackson show. It was without a doubt the worst run debate I have ever seen. The LOWV were used as a democratic tool. As far as the comments made above about Mr Lisella, he was the ONLY one whose answers showed he had a true grasp of the issues. As far as the medical benefit question, the only honest answers came from Lisella and Morano. You people who whine and complain about benefits are only trying to champion their candidates. Howard and Efron have benefits from their police pensions, which by the way we all payfor. Hyprocritical at best. No one benefited from last night since everyone had their cheering sections there. Lisella and Morano get my vote.

i feel bad Lisellas business fell off 35% because he was on the council......EVERYONE should do the right thing and vote him out so his business will get back that 30% .....its not fair of the taxpayers to hurt this great man, so please please please let him go back to his business......how selfish are all of you , that you expect man to serve you, costing him 35% of his business

Eric Thomas: Nice to see you at the debate. You really need to get your facts straight before making crazy unfounded rants. First off Mr. Lisella's entire household is Mr. Lisella and his medical package is not the 20,000 that you pulled out of your head, it is more like 7,000. I am sure Mr.Lisella will be happy to verify those figures should you have the courage to call him direct.

As a "newcomer" to Barnegat.... Here are the issues I see :
1. There is too much building and proposed building of new residences. Barnegat is in danger of overpopulation. And new building is going to hurt the older neighborhoods by causing abandoned/forclosed homes to stay on the market.

2. Recycling costs the Barnegat taxpayers. In Woodbridge NJ , it makes money. WHY is this?

3. Concern over what size and types of businesses will be allowed in the new Development Zone on Rt.9

4.Use of "Open Space" funds for fireworks displays (7,500 per year) and new baseball and soccer fields. Most residents I have talked to want the funds used to purchase and clean up new open space areas for nature areas or small simple parks that can be enjoyed by all.

5. Keeping West Bay Ave,to a small town/ historic town design east of Barnegat Blvd. Same for the area along Rt.9 From for at least two miles on either side of West Bay Ave.

Mr.Souveroff, as per your item #1, Walters inc does all the deciding on the where/why/what. they have the town in their pocket.geez, where ya been???they'll build where THEY want !! the TOWN keeps "yes, boss"n them. It's pathetic. follow the money. but try to have a hot dog cart on your yard,and mayor"look at me, i got mayor license plate"Boss jeff will shut it down asap

how bad a candidate is Lisella, a retired cop is a better option than he is

the comments about all the candidates is a testiment to the pitiful array of whiners we have in this town. Here's a bulletin, running a town is work, and until you have experienced it, I suggest you all keep your political spin to yourselves. I don't agree with all the candidates, but at least they are putting their names on the ballot to try and do something for all of us. It's always the same names that appear in the comment section of the Patch. Here's a suggestion, "GET A LIFE"

Although few things were as important to the Hellene of yore as civic responsibility, in the name of beloved honesty I must reveal that I did not attend the discussion of October 27 due to unfortunate personal circumstances. Even so, after reading Mr.. Lisella's bio, interview, and the commentary on it, I feel I can comment responsibly. As Ken Banks so aptly put it, raiding the open space fund and swinging the bat for Mirage softball must have taken a lot of Lisella's time and energy. It is clearly his greatest failing. For a self proclaimed conservative to delude himself that more and more fields are a necessary service the town must provide even in these terrible financial times for old and young Barnegaters alike, is pure self deception. No one has a right to special fields, or in fact any fields. These are a luxury at best; at a cost of raiding the open space fund, such an expense is unethical even if not illegal.
Many residents don't want a "bigger, better town" because it means more expensive, less responsible, and increasingly less pleasant. Let the people make their desire to keep the sleepy town on the bay they moved to just that. Not snazzy, not upscale, not competing for number one status. Plain and simple is less costly, less complicated, quieter, slower, and all around better. Mr. Lisella, if you can't give up the game, please pick up your softball and go home.

Mrs Harper, (yes your sudo-name Diogenes cover is blown) your axe to grind with Mr Lisella is well kown, if your going to throw stones at least be courageous enough to do it openly.

Peter Cannon, I think you confuse yourself with Peter Gunn, the TV detective of the last century. But your sleuthing is faulty, as is your spelling, it's pseudo, not sudo, Relating to a pen name it is neither; the correct term is nom de plume. But lets not nit pick. In reference to Mr. Lisella, you must not have read the comments on these pages, that I read before I wrote my own. In addition to Ken Banks' pithy comments, which I mentioned, Mr. Souveroff referred to the openspace issue and the noise and traffic accompanying more sporting fields. I should have mentioned his name, but did not remember how to spell it. No, I am not who you think. Just one of many who share the same thoughts and sometimes the same words, which frequently appear in the Patch's pages.

Mr. Lisella, With all due respect regarding emails. I have sent to you and the other Committeemen various emails with no response. If there is another email id to use other than the Barnegat id please advise. Thanks!

Mr. Lisella, Thanks for the call and responding. I do hope the Committeemen will also have the courtesy.

After how bad Marty and Effron did at the debate, you would think they would call everyone and apologize.

Mr. Lisella, I have asked the Committeemen previously about web casting or providing via TV public forms. Do you have a position on such? Thanks!

This is a non issue. The channel is coming. Good thing we have people like Phil Checchia and the people at the school working on this. See what happens when you have people doing something for the town, and none of them needed to be elected to get this done. Good job Phil and BHS.

Bob, thank you for your compliments to the school officials who are working very hard for the future of Barnegat's students and residents . Go Bengals beat Holmdel frosh on Thursday!!!!!!! Grandpa

For those that asked, Mr. Lisella did respond to my email and he is very supportive of webcasting and thinks it may be available in April.

Does anyone else find it's interesting that Lisella is a Real Estate Broker ? Someone who would benefit by rising home and land prices , and more homes in a more developed market to sell.

Most residents of Barnegat do not want to see more developement , more noise , more ball fields , more traffic , more trash , more crowds. Barnegat is a small shore town. We don't need or want politicians with grand plans and aspirations. We need responsible small town government concerned with keeping the streets clear of snow , the garbage being picked up , and property taxes down.

And where ARE all these politicians when it comes to things like the inner town streets needing repaving ? Like Hillside Ave. between Blue Claw Drive and West Bay Ave. ? And WHY IS Blue Claw Court called Blue Claw Drive ? lol

Asbury Park Press reports the cost of the benefit package to be $17,000.00 per committee member per year. Add to that another $4k per year and the fact that they get a taxpayer funded pension after a mere 10 years.

And that is not even close to what Mr. Lisella stated at the candidates' debate. He just played to the crowd telling them what he thought they wanted to hear.

Will Mr. Lisella question the integrity of the APP reporter who exposed the truth for all of us to see? No, I doubt it.

This duplicitous politician needs to go - - now!

The same 5 or 6 people every day, you sound like a bunch of wash women. Here's a suggestion, get away from your computers and either "GET A LIFE" or "PUT YOUR NAME ON A BALLOT"

Mr. Bank, what the chronically angry critic omits is that either many who read this website remain reticent and do not voice their perspectives or few read this website and all voice their perspectives.

Either interpretation aside, the remarks are best left undignified via a riot of silence. I simply remind The Last Angry Man that "Natures" spelled backwards is "Serutan."