FORKED RIVER, NJ: With early voting beginning October 29th and Election Day just three weeks away, Lacey Township Committee candidate Barry Bendar is appealing to voters to look beyond the major party labels and vote for a candidate who truly cares about them.

The Green Party candidate has been running his campaign on how the all-Republican controlled Committee has been disconnected from the residents they are tasked to represent and the usual Democratic “alternative” being disengaged throughout the years and only showing up during election cycles. “The people of Lacey Township have an extraordinary opportunity to make it clear they want their Town Hall back,” says Bendar. “In recent years, we have seen the residents of this town take a backseat to political interests, builders and developers, and old-fashioned cronyism.” Bendar’s disconnected argument includes the lack of Committee assistance in helping waterfront residents advocate for more beneficial insurance zoning to help save money, plans to sell off Township owned property on Route 9 and build an unnecessary new Town Hall building, and allowing for more and more development leading to increased stress on the town’s infrastructure and an already problematic traffic situation along Route 9. “The Committee has put Lacey up for sale,” declares Bendar. “There is nothing in mind to bring meaningful property tax relief for residents, but there are plans to enrich their developer friends with residents paying in both a financial price as well as a steep sacrifice in the quality of life category.”

As far as Bendar’s criticism of his Democratic opponents, he makes a very simple case. “Where have the Democrats been while all of this has been going on?,” questions Bendar. “I’ve attended a lot of Committee meetings over the past 20 years…I haven’t seen any of these Democratic candidates at meetings, let alone any spirited opposition from any major party leaders.” Bendar is seeking to re-establish the resident’s voice to the Township Committee and represent all Township residents. The 34-year resident isn’t naive about the campaign—he knows it’s going to take a lot to overcome the amount of money being spent by the two major parties as well as the stigma of being other than the “R” or the “D”.

“It’s time for Lacey residents to look beyond the two parties,” says Bendar. “It’s time to send one of your own to Town Hall to represent you…I’m ready to represent all of us.”