Ocean Ice Palace purchase belongs on the ballot

I believe that a township community center is needed, but of what magnitude and at what cost? Is the Ice Palace the best choice for it?

Too many questions are being left unanswered. Do we have current estimates of the total costs involved? Do we have the purchase costs, the bonding costs, the costs of renovations and the cost of additions to the property?

The bonding of $9,900,000 will be quite a burden on our present taxpayers. The original cost for the proposal as announced by Mayor Steve Acropolis was $5,200,000. How did it get to $9,900,000 without any public discussion or any council discussion?

Is this what we want for Brick Township? Is it the hope that the ice rink will attract nonresidents to offset the cost of building the facility that will be paid for with our tax dollars, grants and bonds? Will this not change the character of our town and the community center?

Is this the best place for our community center? Could it be built on property we already own but on a smaller scale to meet the residents' needs and let the Ice Palace property be sold to a private developer who would pay township taxes?

In today's economic climate, in the face of rising taxes and soaring costs, with the Board of Education struggling to find a budget to properly educate our children, what are our best priorities?

Finally, should not this massive project, which affects all of us, go out for referendum?
Richard Gross
Brick