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Editor, Asbury Sun,

Whomever I speak with has a different take on the three municipal questions on the Ballot. My questions is, what will separating Asbury Park into three wards accomplish, and who’s prepared to deal with consequences if passed?  

A letter to the editor author states unreasonable rent increases in Asbury Park almost five years ago is his reason for submitting the three ward question. Connection? Don’t know.  A question regarding stabilizing rent may have been more appropriate. Additionally, there’s no mention of the necessity to restructure our government in the question.

If passed, the entire Mayor and City Council must be recalled due to the reorganization.  The current structure was changed four years ago, and unlike the White House, it’s truly running like a fine tuned engine.

Every Council member works together for the common good of the entire community. This in now one Community, not three. There is equal growth in every part of our one square mile. Most are over the top pleased with the work of our current Mayor and City Council and the current structure.  

What the three ward question actually asks is, ‘are you sick and tired of the growth, diversity, popularity, performing arts, tabloid notoriety, transparency of your leaders, and the overall renaissance?’ If you’d like our city in turmoil, vote yes. If you adore living here now and are proud to have been a part of the transformation of Asbury Park, you need to vote no. Our magnificent, diverse city has been brought together by the most diverse group of City Council members we’ve been lucky enough to have. Please, let’s not fix something that isn’t broken.

Since the riots fifty years ago…yes, fifty years have passed, the current City Council is the first to have built affordable housing and commercial property, and to give the parks back to the community with major improvements. When I say ‘community,’ I mean the entire community.

Many people understand affordable housing to be low income housing, which it is not. I have a vision of Asbury Park’s growth to be similar to both Jersey City and Hoboken’s.  These were broken down communities that people did not wish to drive through, let alone live. New government came in and, just as in Asbury Park’s recent history, an explosion happened that brought jobs, new business, improvements to old businesses, increased property ownership, schools, and transportation, in general. Thus…the explosion.

Asbury Park was the last place people wanted to spend a day, let alone vacation. Now, visitors come from all over world; you can’t find a hotel room or a parking space, yet, they still come. The pedestrian traffic in season is as heavy as the vehicle traffic.

Lastly, if you want to know your neighbors or who’s in the neighborhood where your children play, vote ‘no’ on the short-term rental question. Unless you look forward to partisan municipal government, you’ll also need to vote ‘no’ on the partisan question.

Let’s resume this ‘Asbury Park Journey’ with one City Council responsible to the entire community by re-electing Mayor John Moor and Councilman Jesse Kendle, running as ‘Asbury Together.’ Let’s validate their achievements by voting them back on election day along with No on the three municipal ballot questions.

Michele Rachelson,

Ocean Avenue

[This letter represents the opinion of its writer and is not representative of any opinion of the Asbury Park Sun staff. All readers are welcome to submit Letters to the Editor to news@asburyparksun.com for our consideration. For guidelines on letter-writing and submission, click here.]

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