Two Republicans, two Democrats, one independent offer their views
By JACK FICHTER/Sentinel stafff
CAPE MAY — The League of Women Voters held a candidates forum Oct. 14 in the ballroom of Congress Hall, where the five candidates seeking two seats on the county Board of Chosen Freeholders addressed a variety of issues.
Participating were Republican incumbents Jeffrey Pierson, of Upper Township, and Will Morey; Democrats Elizabeth Casey and Brendon Sciarra; and independent Ryan Troiano.
Current challenges
Candidates were asked what they consider to be the most important challenges facing the county today and why they are uniquely qualified to address the challenges.
Sciarra said the county needs to invest in infrastructure and examine the budget. He said spending has increased by $30 million since 2015.
Morey said the biggest challenge is getting residents and businesses through the COVID-19 pandemic, but responded to Sciarra’s criticism by saying Cape May County has among the lowest tax rates in the state.
“We invested, since 2017, $3.5 million into the bridge program that we just adopted a month or so ago,” he said. “If we had removed that from the tax base, we would have actually had a fairly significant tax decrease.”
Casey said the low tax rate is “really smoke and mirrors.”
“We spend more than almost any county in the state of New Jersey. We spend double of what Atlantic County spends per resident. We spend almost double what Cumberland County spends per resident and we have bridges and roads that are falling down,” she said.
Casey questioned whether building the new county jail was necessary, saying the county could have contracted within another county like Cumberland County does. Casey said she would look at spending with a “lawyer’s eye.”
“When we look at taxes per resident, it just basically says all the second homeowners don’t matter,” Morey said in rebuttal. “The fact that they are building second homes and contributing to this economy doesn’t really matter at all because the bottom line of it is we all pay taxes and the second homeowners pay taxes and the investors in the community pay taxes as well, and that’s why Cape May County enjoys the lowest or second-lowest rate, and it has for many years, in the state.”
Pierson said he sees three challenges: COVID-19, bridges and infrastructure and opioid and substance abuse.
He said the county has made great strides in addressing the coronavirus. The county-owned Crest Haven Nursing Home was closed immediately when the pandemic struck and only one resident tested positive for the virus, he said, adding that nine employees tested positive but they never returned to the facility due to restrictions. He noted the county developed a reopening plan for businesses.
Troiano said his mantra has been “people over politics.” He said the county should have been addressing infrastructure long ago.
A number of businesses will not open next year and a number of residents will be unemployed due to the pandemic, Troiano said, adding that one of his main focuses if elected would be providing additional resources for mental health.
“If we focus on the people, things will get better,” Troiano said. “As you hear, the money’s there.”
He pointed out that he is an independent and not tied to any political party or group.
Diverse economic base
Cape May County’s population is relatively small but socioeconomically diverse, ranging from owners of multimillion-dollar homes to a large number of low- to middle-income resident, seasonal workers and a homeless population. Candidates were asked how they would learn about the needs of each group and incorporate those into their action plan for the county.
Casey said meeting with the public is the best method to gauge what residents need.
Pierson said the county has many commissions and boards to deal with such issues and that each freeholder has numerous ways of dealing with the public.
Troiano said he does not believe anyone else on the stage could come close to how he has dealt with diversity. He said he is a graduate of Wildwood High School and his friendships were very diverse.
Everyone should be treated equally and like family, Troiano said.
Sciarra said children should be involved in activities and have the proper care, and that the county needs a homeless shelter and improved transportation for workers.
Morey, the wealthy co-owner of Morey’s Piers in Wildwood, said he likes to get at the origin of the problems.
“It’s fine for me to listen to a concern from an individual that comes from a whole different walk of life than mine, but I am willing to not only try and understand his or her walk, but I am willing to try to take a piece of that burden as well and understand how to do that,” Morey said.
He said there is a great amount of concern and care in the community from social service organizations.
Employment opportunities
One of the most frequently mentioned challenges for the county is the quality of employment opportunities, not just for the younger population but for all residents who are seeking better jobs or career options. Candidates were asked what steps the county should take or has taken to broaden and enhance these opportunities.
Morey said the county should continue to bolster tourism. He said the county has looked at drone technology and investing in the Tech Village at the Cape May County Airport.
Sciarra suggested forming a county economic task force. He said partnerships could be formed between the public and private sectors.
Pierson said he is working on a project to introduce high school juniors and seniors who plan to stay in the county to trades. He said he also is working on a food-to-table program that would employ locals and the homeless population on farms.
Troiano said the county’s 20 percent unemployment rate indicates it has a long way to go. He said not everybody owns an airplane, so they don’t focus on the airport or work in the amusement business.
“We need to start looking outside of that,” Troiano said.
He said the county has many jobs in the trades, suggesting education could be focused there.
Casey said the pandemic has brought owners of second homes to the area who are now telecommuting to work. As evidence, she said Ocean City’s school population increased by about 75 students this year.
“We need to market specifically to families that are fleeing our cities,” Casey said. “We need more families down here because there will be a small business ripple effect.”
She said the county needs to work with neighboring counties to market the region as a way to attract larger businesses.
Aiding the homeless and underserved
Candidates were asked what kind of programs they would promote to improve the lives of the homeless and underserved with regards to finding housing and providing for health care.
Troiano said he has focused on mental health, which he said is a factor in opioid addiction and homelessness. He said some homeless persons do not want help. He said you don’t look to a place that is an island with limited transportation as a solution.
“You look to where they can be provided jobs, where they have opportunity to have public transportation to get to work,” he said.
Casey said the county has a persistent homeless problem and needs to take aggressive action to address it. She said efforts have been made, such as the county clerk’s fee of $3 per transaction going to the county’s homeless trust fund, but the county needs to have more than a 10-year plan.
Organizations such as Cape Hope and Family Promise need to be funded, Casey said, and in the long term the county needs to consider creating a homeless shelter.
Sciarra suggested the county build a homeless shelter in the Crest Haven complex. He said the county budget needs to be examined to find money for homeless programs. Sciarra also suggested forming a veterans advisory board.
Morey said he is pleased with the county’s Workforce Development Program, which he called critical for training workers for technology jobs but also for those who have fallen on hard times.
“Our understanding is that homeless shelters are not really the best practices or the best direction at this point,” he said.
He said the homeless community needs to be integrated into housing with job opportunities.
Pierson said the county spends hundreds of thousands of dollars on organizations that help the homeless.
“We have actually reduced the homeless rate over the past five years. It has reduced by 25, which is significant,” he said.
At last count, only two homeless persons were found, both veterans, Pierson said. He said a homeless trust board was set up to determine how to spend money accumulated by the county to get the homeless off the street.
Casey said she appreciates that money has been spent on the homeless but that the county needs to spend more.
Children’s mental health
Data from more than one source has concluded that the county needs the most improvement for children’s mental health and certain other health outcomes in the state. Candidates were asked what plan they have to improve children’s mental health.
Pierson said the county works with a number of organizations including Acenda Health to provide the care. He said the county has many mentally challenged children who have attended the technical school and special services system.
Troiano said without taking care of children, the county’s future would be very grim.
“I can’t harp on it enough, mental health is the main focus with me,” he said, adding that the county should throw every resource it has at the issue.
Morey said the county is in a very sound financial position and may have to look at its funding for mental health assistance. He said often data is expressed as part of the total population versus the resident population and statistics, such a crime, can look worse than the actual situation.
Casey said the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation ranks the county 17th out of the state’s 21 counties in terms of health outcomes.
“We’ve fallen. We used to be 15 and since 2015, we’ve dropped even farther down,” she said. “COVID is going to push us even further down.”
Children in the county need to be protected from food insecurity and homelessness, Casey said.
Sciarra said the county needs to inventory its spending and what programs are funded.
“I also called on the governor not to eliminate the Youth Based Services in schools,” he said.
County zoo revenue
The county zoo would appear to present an opportunity for the county to generate revenue by charging admission. When the issue has been raised in the past, the public was told more money is generated through donations than would come through paid admissions. Candidates were asked if it would be possible to have a trial period of paid admissions.
Sciarra said he did not favor paid admissions to the zoo.
Morey said an alternative would be to charge for prime parking spaces.
Casey said a nominal fee for the zoo should be examined.
“Is there something that could be done differently by the private sector?” she asked.
Pierson said the county is working with Aramark to build a new restaurant at the zoo that would offer a view of the animals for diners. He suggested there could be a parking fee for buses.
Troiano said he would like to examine the zoo’s budget.
COVID-19 and the economy
Candidates were asked what their plans are to combat the effects of the pandemic on the economy and how the county could better prepare for any future pandemics.
Casey said the county needs a strong voice in Trenton advocating on behalf of businesses here to further open. She said she and Sciarra advocated early on in the pandemic for indoor dining and for small mom-and-pop shops to open.
Infection rates in the county have remained low and openings could be handled by region rather than the entire state, she said.
Pierson said COVID laws are directed by the state and there are things the county could not undertake, but said the board has been in contact with the state.
“There have been phone calls daily to the Governor’s Office,” he said. “We are constantly pressuring them to do more here in Cape May County.”
Troiano said as a firefighter/EMT, he has been on the front line of COVID since it began.
“We’re here to represent Cape May County, we’re not here to represent New Jersey,” he said. “The people of Cape May County have been relatively sheltered from this disease (but) the people of Cape May County aren’t going to be sheltered from its aftereffects.”
Sciarra, who is the county Democratic Party chairman, said he could reach across party lines. He said he served on the state restart advisory council and called most of the businesses in the county to find out their needs and problems.
Morey said the freeholders dove into the health sector to make sure when they presented a reopening plan to the governor, it would not be against the advice of health experts.
Nepotism in county hiring
Candidates were asked to state whether they believe there is a nepotism problem in county government.
Morey said in the past, in politics generally, there was more nepotism in New Jersey than should have been permitted.
“The time I’ve been on the freeholder board, I don’t see that in a substantial way,” he said.
The county is a small community, Morey said, and someone should not be removed for consideration for a county job because a relative works for the county.
Sciarra said nepotism has always been an issue with the county workforce, saying he has witnessed a “good ol’ boys network” for 20 to 30 years. He said it must be examined on a case-by-case basis and that if elected, he would speak with every county employee from the bottom to the top.
Pierson said there “may be one, two, three cases, very small” of nepotism but the county hires those who meet the standards of the position.
Troiano said there is a bigger problem than nepotism.
“Nepotism isn’t a problem in the county, political patronage is a problem in the county,” Troiano said. “You have a better chance of getting a job or a position if you’re part of a party, rather than if you’re part of a bloodline.”
He said people have been appointed to county positions because they are part of a particular political party, have donated to the party or “may benefit you down the road.”
Casey said nepotism and cronyism continue to be a consistent problem in county employment.
“We have people who have jobs in Cape May County who fail miserably at their jobs, and because they’re family members are moved throughout the county. It’s horrible for our employees, it’s horrible for the morale. It exposes the county to potential lawsuits and that has to stop,” she said.
All county employees need the opportunity to advance in their positions, she said.
“That’s where cronyism comes in and cronyism puts a ceiling for our employees where they can go no higher, because there is going to be a political appointee who’s going to be coming in making $100,000 or $14,500 a month, and we need to put an end to that,” Casey said.