Time to dump political machines and elect fresh talent

After reading Ocean County Democratic Chairman Frederick Potter’s May 27 letter in the Bulletin, I was so incensed that I had to sit down and write this letter. Let’s analyze some of the statements in Mr. Potter’s self-aggrandizing letter, as paraphrased below, to root out the true meanings.

1. Statement: "61,000 seniors will see a 50 percent increase in their Homestead Rebate check, from $775 to $1,200."

Meaning: The state is providing a tune-up, oil change and tank of gas at the local gas station for 61,000 seniors — maybe with a little left over for a movie.

2. Statement: "Ocean County taxpayers with incomes below $125,000 will receive an $800 rebate — triple the current average of $250."

Meaning: We are giving you an $800 rebate, so you don’t have to struggle quite so much to pay the $8,000 property tax bill for the home that has been in your family for over 40 years. Whoopee!

3. Statement: "Just one quarter of 1 percent of the taxpayers in our county will be assessed the new "millionaire’s tax."

Meaning: We’ll rob from the rich, give a bit back to the middle class and senior citizens, and spend the rest. Sounds fair to me!

Mr. Potter should wake up and smell the coffee. New Jersey taxpayers don’t want these "throw-them-a-bone" rebates (but wait, it’s an election year, isn’t it?). What taxpayers want are lower taxes — period. And we don’t want it done through accounting magic; we want the size of government reduced, "pay-to-play" stopped, corruption ended, duplicate government functions merged, no more $600 toilets, nepotism in government agencies ended, etc., ad nauseam.

After Mr. Potter wakes up, he should then wake up the rest of the Democrats. When they are up, they should all run over and wake up their favorite Republican.

I, for one, am tired of both parties; they are, in fact, the same. I refuse to vote for either. If need be, I’ll write myself in for each and every position that is up for election. I am fed up with RepubliCrats. I’m tired of Tweedledum vs. Tweedledee. How about you?

Let’s dump these two political money-making machines and elect some fresh new talent.

Brian Johansen

Brick