Life's A Journey
A response to
post number 1858 on nj.com/forums/union
by Joe Renna
Dear Curious,
Life is a journey
not a destination. The rewards of running for office is in the
campaigning not the win. Though it would be nice, the voters ultimately
decide who wins. I understand that I'm a huge underdog in November
but the
experience of running is invaluable. I want to hear every side
of every issue.
There is no downside to sharing information and opinions. There
are many
valid viewpoints that I may not have considered. The more knowledge
we
gain the more fulfilled we become.
Previous posts
suggests that I hate the Freeholders. This is not true. I've
worked for them for ten years. I've known Dan Sullivan and Mary
Ruotolo's
families my whole life. My criticism of the County transcends
the individual
Freeholders and goes to the heart of the system. I believe that
the individual
Freeholders are capable of much more than they have exhibited
but they are
stifled in the system in which they operate.
When it comes
to political ideology, there is no diverger on nine member
Freeholder board. Their loyalty to the Democratic party is understandable.
The strength of the party is why, like you said, "the incumbents
will run away
with this election". There is no incentive to explore alternatives
to the
decisions that are made for political reasons. In fact, the fear
of retribution
from the party is a real consideration. The Freeholders are more
indebted to
their party than they are to the voters. Consciously or not, I
think this has
stifled their leadership capabilities.
If I were to be
elected Freeholder, I would not pose a threat to their power.
I
would be just one vote against eight. I do think I will stimulate
debate that
can only result in a more enriched government. If I may wax poetic,
I would
be a ripple on a stagnant pond.
My challenges
and criticism of the County government focus on the
administrative procedures being practiced. The fine line that
separates
ethical and appropriate behavior has been blurred beyond distinction.
It is a
natural occurrence that is inevitable when there is an absolute
power in
place for as long as Union County has had. I'd like to bring definition
back to
that line. I would like to do so in a position where I could be
most effective,
and that is sitting as a Freeholder.
I like Union County.
I lived here my whole life and chose to raise my family
here. There has been and will be decisions made by the County
government
that can have irreparable effects on our quality of life, economy
and
ecology. There is still six months left to this year and, as always,
I pray that
my elected officials have the fortitude to make the right decisions,
regardless
of political affiliation.
The best way to
support our elected officials is to share whatever knowledge
you have concerning an issue and offer your opinion and advice
on making
a decision. The more information that is shared between the public
and its
government the better it is for everyone.