This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

CANDIDACY ANNOUNCEMENT - MAYOR OF MANCHESTER


From Manchester resident Kenneth T. Palmer

I am excited to announce my candidacy in this November’s election to serve as the Mayor of Manchester Township.

Manchester Township’s quality of life, communities, schools, and amenities are Ocean County’s best kept secret. Unfortunately, if we stay on the same administrative and financial path, our residents will no longer be able to afford to live in this town.

Over the past eight years, our annual municipal budget has increased seven times. The only time it did not increase was in 2010, the last mayoral election year.

My family moved to Manchester Township in 1986 when I was 13 years old. Coming off the heels of a recession, my parents both worked multiple jobs to make ends meet. They moved to Manchester because of the lower cost of living and significantly lower property tax rates.

Moving from Jackson Township, they were willing to forgo a number of services like trash pick up and sidewalks for more affordable taxes. A few years later my aunt retired to Leisure Ridge because of the favorable cost of living. Since that time, property taxes have doubled and Manchester Township no longer can boast about its tax advantages.

Ironically, over the past eight years, Manchester Township’s municipal budget has increased 20 percent, while Jackson Township’s budget has increased three percent and other neighboring towns have managed smaller increases.

At one time Manchester had one of the lowest property tax rates in Ocean County. Currently, we have the third highest property tax rate. This trend has to end!

Manchester Township is a great place to live for all of our residents. As your Mayor, I will tirelessly work to ease the ever increasing tax burdens on all of our residents. As a small business owner, I understand the importance of a budget and living within our means.

In order to keep Manchester Township an affordable place to live, we must make a change and the time is now! I look forward to the campaign and hope to earn your vote on November 4. To learn more about my positions on important issues impacting Manchester residents, please visit my campaign website, PALMER4MAYOR.com. Kenneth T. Palmer 101 Conrad Court Manchester, New Jersey.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?