TUF - The Debates are here

The Debates are Here

After more than two years, one of TUF's major initiatives has finally come to fruition. FTTV-25 is now cable casting for the first time a candidate debate. The history of this started when TUF began to petition the Council to allow candidates to debate on FTTV.

At that time the council was dominated by followers of Bill Grippo, This resulted in a wall placed being placed up by Township Attorney Louis Rainone who stated that it was illegal. He did this with full knowledge that at least 22 other municipalities were doing just that. Only Brian Levine supported the debate. The remainder of the Grippo-Democrat controlled Council, using Rainone as cover, was against it. (No reform Democrats were on Council at the time).

Then in 2005 there was a sea change, the Democratic Party in Franklin underwent a revolution led by James Vassanella. Grippo was out and the reformers were in. Slowly things began to change. As Council people such as Ashley-Williams and McKenzie left the Council more and more reformers came on. The Council Reformer-Democrats (Vassanella, Prasad, Glicklich and Francios) along with Levine were enough to tip the Council. Suddenly Rainone changed his tune and he stated that debates were legal. The only stipulation was that the taping could not occur in the council chambers (TUF takes exception to this but we can handle that another day).

With the new ordinance in play TUF's Phil Kramer received the blessing from both parties to tape the debate that occurred at Renaissance on October 10, 2007. That 2-hour video is now playing on FTTV-25 at 8:00 PM on Sunday and Saturday, 7:00 PM on MWF and 4 PM on TuTh.

Another debate will be held on Wednesday October 17, 2007 at Somerset Run and a final debate will be held at St. Matthias on Wednesday October 24, 2007. TUF plans to video both and submit them to FTTV.

TUF's goal is now beginning to be realized. We believe that in the past people did not have enough information to make a proper decision. In addition having the debates allows parties to get the message out without spending money. The less money candidates need to run then the less campaign financing and corruption will influence politics. It also pressures parties to run better people who know the issues.

Problems still exist however. Only those who get Patmedia Cable can watch. Future plans include web casting. Even with its limitation major kudos to all who contributed to this effort.

Please allow TUF a moment to pat itself on the back. We were involved in starting FTTV-25 taping of Council meetings. We were among many that applied pressure to add planning board meetings to FTTV's schedule. Phil Kramer petitioned the BOE relentlessly to televise their meetings. That became a reality in Feb 2007. Now debates are televised. TUF thanks the elected officials (primarily Nancy LaCorte and Mike Kanarek of the BOE and James Vassanella of the Council) and staff involved without whom none of this could happen.

In an unrelated story, the BOE is now under taking another initiative brought forward by TUF's Phil Kramer. They have begun talk about an outside independent review of their operational budget. Several BOE members seem in favor of it. The New Superintendant Mr. Seto comes from a school system that recently had one.