Skudera announces run for T.F. Mayor
January 15, 2009
BY LAYLI WHYTE Correspondent
TINTON FALLS — With nearly four years of experience as a borough councilman,
Michael Skudera has announced his candidacy for mayor in the upcoming May
municipal election.
Currently deputy Borough Council president, Skudera said that the filing
papers for officially running for office will not be available from the
Borough Clerk's Office until Jan. 15 and that he plans to pick up those
papers on that day in order to begin his campaign as soon as possible.
He said that his main focus in running for a higher office is transparency.
"I want to see better communication with the Borough Council," he said. "I
want to see the mayor and council work together to make sure that the
borough is a better place."
Tinton Falls has a non-partisan style of government, which means candidates
run on platforms rather than as candidates of an established party.
Skudera said in an interview earlier this week that although his platform
has not been completely solidified, it would be based on lowering property
taxes, keeping development in check and opening communication between the
Borough Council and the public.
"A lot of people have encouraged me to run," said Skudera, "and I've been
considering running for some time. I've talked with my family about it. It's
not something I took lightly."
Skudera was first elected to the council in 2005 on the campaign message
"Tinton Falls - Taxpayers First." He has previously served as council
president and is currently the deputy council president.
Skudera's term as councilman is coming to an end, and he must give up his
seat on the council to make the run for mayor, the post currently held by
Peter Maclearie.
Skudera's running mates are Nancyanne Fama and Scott Larkin, who will run
for Borough Council seats.
"I have two great running mates," he said, adding that because they live on
opposite sides of the borough, all perspectives of residents will be
represented if they are elected.
According to a press release announcing Skudera's run for mayor, Fama is the
assistant vice president of human resources for Food Circus Super Markets
and formerly worked for the New York City Mayor's Office of Operations as
productivity manager. Fama lives in the northern sector of the borough.
Larkin, according to the press release, is the assistant principal of
Monmouth Regional High School in Tinton Falls and also serves as director of
student activities. He also serves on the Project Graduation Committee,
which provides a drug- and alcohol free graduation experience for Monmouth
Regional students and also acts as a liaison between the high school and the
Tinton Falls Police Department.
Larkin lives in southern Tinton Falls
and is a lifelong resident of Monmouth County.
"We have four exits on the parkway," said Skudera. "We have a lot of issues,
and different issues in different parts of town. With this platform,
everyone is covered."
"Skudera's ticket has garnered early endorsements from borough leaders,"
according to the press release, "including Councilman Paul Ford and former
Councilwoman Kim Barrett who both ran with Mayor Peter Maclearie in 2005.
"Also endorsing the Skudera-Fama- Larkin ticket is Peter Karavites, the
Tinton Falls Board of Education president."
Skudera and Karavites have been working closely together in the fight to
stop civilian children from being added to the rolls of the Tinton Falls
Public School System after 300 military housing units on Earle Naval Weapons
Station are privatized in 2010. Although the borough has traditionally
educated the children of naval personnel based on Earle, the school board is
arguing that since the public housing is within the borders of Colts Neck,
the Tinton Falls district is not responsible for educating those students at
the expense of Tinton Falls taxpayers.
"What's happening on Earle, and what will happen when Fort Monmouth closes,
are important," Skudera said. "We have to be careful about our development."
(Source:
http://hub.gmnews.com/news/2009/0115/front_page/006.html )
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Skudera, Fama,
Larkin to:
Skudera, Fama & Larkin
c/o James Allen/Treasurer
26 Society Hill Way
Tinton Falls, NJ 07724
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