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TUF's Director Phillip Kramer Runs
On April 10, 2006 I submitted a nomination petition for Democrat County Committee (male) for the Franklin Township Third District. My wife Laurie submitted for the female position. County Committee Male/Female
Why are We Running?
"But I thought Phillip Kramer was a Republican?"
If that's what you thought, you were wrong. I have never hidden and have even occasionally referred to my party affiliation as a Democrat. For the record, when I lived in Connecticut I was registered as a Democrat and being familiar with the local politicians I voted independent of party affiliation. I remained a Democrat when I served in the Air Force though I always put national loyalty above party loyalty. For instance President Carter's ineffectiveness led me to vote for Reagan for his first term (though not the second). When moving to Franklin in 1998 I registered unaffiliated though continued to vote for Democrats in state and national elections. In 2000 I registered as a Republican to vote AGAINST Bush and for McCain in the primary (Please no email, I mentioned this in the interest of full disclosure. I've no desire to discuss national politics in this forum). I forgot that I changed my registration to vote against Bush, until 2004 when I changed back to a Democrat to vote FOR Kerry.
The logic of his assertion eludes me. Is Mr. Grippo suggesting that my actions for the past three years as a watch dog combating inappropriate actions of both parties, including battles with Democrats who make backroom deals with developers, was a ploy to lure members of the Democrat Party to invite me to join them? I'm sorry this just doesn't make sense and simply is not true. "Is Phil Kramer Dumping TUF to Join the Democrats?"
© 2003-2010 - Taxpayers United in Franklin |
Every municipality in New Jersey is divided into voting districts, Franklin has 49. On primary day (June 6, 2006) members of both major parties have the opportunity to elect a male and female County Committee member for each of the 49 districts. It is these committee members who determine the course of their Party. The committee's primary responsibilities are to act as a sounding board for the party, elect an executive board including a municipal Party Chairperson (currently William Grippo - D and Joyce Zaborowsky - R) and to select the candidates who will run for elected offices such as Councilpersons. In addition, typically people who fill positions such as planning board and zoning board members are often selected from the ranks of committee members, though committee membership is not a prerequisite.
One reason is that we were asked to run. Recently Councilman James Vassanella called me so that we could meet to talk about several subjects related to Franklin, including local politics. On some issues we agreed and on some we did not. He also explained the local party system to me (as I did above) and then expressed to me that several Democrat Party members desire to change the style of the local party's leadership by changing the local leadership itself. This movement is rooted in the intense dissatisfaction of a rapidly growing number of Democrat Party faithfuls who are fed up with the current direction of and the lack of democracy in a party named for that very ideal. James related that in the opinion of key democrats the style of leadership and lack of leadership is the result of literally a few people making all the decisions for the Party. He encouraged me to get involved in the process and to run as the male committee member in my district and to attempt to find a woman that wanted to run. Since then other key democrats have welcomed me.
Recently I've learned the discontent has been simmering for sometime but was ignited by the incident between Ms. Ritchie and Dr. Orsini. Fuel on the fire is the perception by many of the overbearing nature of Ms. Ashley-Williams along with Ms. Ritchie as they attempt to run herd on the other council Democrats. They are followed almost blindly by McKenzie, Sumter and Eberly. Combine this with the unnecessary influence that developers seem to have on Township land use and the disgraceful way some Democrat Council members have treated other Council members and Mayor Levine at township meetings and you have a recipe for change.
When I first became interested in Franklin politics I quickly became aware of what is now distressing many other Democrats, that the party, under it's current leadership was heading in the wrong direction (Out of control taxes fueled by overdevelopment, abuse of eminent domain, and a disregard, for free speech including a lack of tolerance for differing opinions even within their own ranks). I therefore found myself supporting Republican Candidates (Township loyalty before party loyalty). Many have repeatedly associated TUF with the Republican Party despite our protests to the contrary. As director of TUF I have longed to support worthwhile Democrats if only to demonstrate that we were non-partisan. (We missed the boat by not supporting Brian Regan). Even now it is reported to us that in desperation the (hopefully) soon to be ousted William Grippo and a few others continue to lie to people, telling them that I am a Republican operative.