[Pineygirl]

Courier Post Endorses Phyllis Scapellato and Dan Roberts
October 23, 2008

We endorse Democrat Stephen Sweeney and Republicans Dan Roberts and Phyllis Scapellato for county freeholder.

Stephen Sweeney is the director of the freeholder board in Gloucester County. He's also the majority leader in the state Senate. He is a politician who wields a lot of power, perhaps more power than any other single elected official in South Jersey, and certainly more power than anyone else in Gloucester County.

Voters in the county should be concerned about having so much power consolidated in one person. It is a far from ideal situation, and it is exactly why this state now has a ban on holding dual offices, a ban which we support.

Still, in weighing the choices in the race for Gloucester County freeholder, it cannot be ignored that Sweeney has used his power and his savvy about how things work in political circles both inside and outside Trenton to get things done for Gloucester County. For that reason, he should be re-elected.

The cargo port planned for Paulsboro that should bring thousands of jobs and millions of dollars in business in a few years, the long-needed Route 322 bypass in Mullica Hill, the expansion of the courthouse complex in Woodbury -- these are projects that Sweeney, more than any other figure, spearheaded and made a reality. And by taking the lead, he has probably cut through years of red tape and delays on all of these projects.

With those three projects all in various states of work or preparation, Sweeney deserves to go back to the freeholder board for one more term to see them through to completion or near completion -- particularly the port project in Paulsboro, where the county government, not the state, has taken the lead to make sure it gets built.

After he was named majority leader of the Senate, Sweeney said he wouldn't run for another freeholder term. A few months later, Sweeney changed his mind, in part because he said he still had work to do, and he does. So one more term, no more, is what Sweeney should serve.

Unlike his fellow Democrat, U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews, Sweeney didn't recklessly disrupt the Democratic process by putting a family member on the ballot to hold a spot for him. So Sweeney changing his mind wasn't deceptive in the way Andrews' move was.

As for the other freeholder seats, we're endorsing Republicans Dan Roberts of Monroe and Phyllis Scapellato of Franklin. They are smart, sensible and enthusiastic candidates who understand the problems facing taxpayers. They would add refreshing new voices to an all-Democratic board.

Taxpayers would be well served by having Roberts and Scapellato live up to their promise to thoroughly examine the county budget and look under every stone for where money can be saved.

On Nov. 4, vote for Sweeney, Roberts and Scapellato over incumbent Democrats Warren Wallace and Frank DiMarco and Republican challenger Larry Wallace.