'Just Give Us a Chance,' Republicans Ask Voters

Calling the upcoming state Legislature election possibly “our best and greatest opportunity to change New Jersey for a long, long time,” several Republican candidates used a West Deptford small business Wednesday to promote their platforms.

Against a backdrop of Campbell Comfort Systems—a Kings Highway business with 11 employees—the candidates decried “Corzine Democrats” and New Jersey’s high taxes.

Elect them and there will be a vote on Day 1 in office to cut taxes 10 percent for all New Jerseyans, said Bob Vanderslice, a Salem County freeholder running for a state Assembly seat in District 3.

Vanderslice appeared with 3rd District Assembly candidate Larry Wallace, Assembly Republican Leader Jon Bramnick, West Deptford Mayor Ray Chintall and West Deptford Committeeman Sam Cianfarini at the campaign stop.

In a united front, all said Democrats squandered their opportunity to make New Jersey an affordable place for residents and business owners.

“People are leaving New Jersey because you can’t open a business and flourish,” Wallace, a Gloucester County freeholder, said. “States like North Carolina see the problems New Jersey has and they are in fact rewriting their laws to attract New Jersey citizens and business to go down there.

“That’s pathetic. That’s absolutely a disgrace that should not be happening to this state.”

As goes the state, so goes West Deptford, Chintall and Cianfarini said. Much as the five Republicans condemned previous Democratic governors, the West Deptford officials blamed the town’s current budget problems on 20 years of Democrat rule.

Hoping for a Republican majority in the Legislature, Cianfarini said state officials could enforce policies to prevent fiscal mismanagement.

“That’s how we got into $200 million of debt in a small town of 22,000 people,” he said. “It’s unacceptable. What happens is you have one-party rule for 20 years and it starts this engine going. … Everything is done for political purposes, to get re-elected.”

Businesses account for 40 percent of West Deptford’s tax base and can’t sustain much more in taxes, Chintall added.

“West Deptford cannot continue to go on tax, tax, tax, tax. The revenue stream is not a bottomless pit.”

That’s part of why West Deptford Republicans pushed through a controversial municipal budget, Chintall said, that had a flat tax rate. Opponents have deemed the spending plan irresponsible and a looming problem.

Campbell Comfort Systems's owner Bill Campbell didn't speak much during the Republicans' visit to his business, but nodded along as they talked about taxes sucking small business owners dry.

West Deptford residents ended the Democrats’ majority rule in town, and New Jersey voters should do the same, Bramnick said. He’s on a mission to win at least nine seats away from Democrats in the upcoming election, giving Republicans a majority in the Assembly.

“We’re just asking for a chance. Give the other team a chance for two years,” Wallace said. “Two years to see what we can do—what more of a conservative approach for fiscal discipline will do. Then if you’re not happy, vote the Democrats back in.”

Vanderslice and Wallace are running against Democrats John J. Burzichelli and Celeste M. Riley for the Assembly seats. The election is Nov. 5.