With Provisionals In, Looks Like Nordstrom's Out
Political newcomer defeats veteran freeholder for GOP nomination in count so far, but incumbent wants a recount.
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First-time candidate William “Hank” Lyon of Montville is the unofficial winner of the Republican nomination for Morris County freeholder, following a painstaking count Thursday of 82 provisional ballots.
Lyon, 23, maintained a 10-vote lead over 12-year veteran freeholder Margaret Nordstrom of Washington Township. After the examination and counting of the provisional ballots by the Morris County Board of Elections, each candidate picked up an additional 14 votes, bringing the primary election vote to 12,276 for Lyon and 12,266 for Nordstrom.
Nordstrom’s campaign manager, Alan Zakin, said the incumbent will seek a recount focusing on the 2,000 mail-in ballots cast during the primary.
“I’m extremely humbled,” Lyon said. He was present during the ballot examination.
He said while he felt he could win, he did not expect a 10-vote margin.
“Hopefully, I’ll be able to bring a conservative voice to the freeholder board,” Lyon said. The freeholder board is currently made up entirely of Republicans, but Lyon has said he'd bring a more conservative approach to certain issues.
The Republican winner will face Democrat Truscha Quatrone of Montville in the November general election. Quatrone ran unopposed in her party's primary Tuesday.
The election board on Thursday first examined 28 provisional ballots that were initially disqualified, to determine why that was the case. Representatives from each candidate were present during the process.
In the case of 25 of those ballots, the board found that a Democratic Party voter had tried to vote in the Republican primary, or the ballot was cast by an unregistered voter. The three ballots that were found to be properly cast were added to 54 others that were also properly cast, but had been questioned by poll workers Tuesday for various reasons.
The board of elections volunteers, equal numbers of Democrats and Republicans, then examined those 57 ballots.
Each group of volunteers then counted the other group’s ballots to ensure accuracy.
Of the 57 ballots, 28 were determined to be Republican ballots, and each freeholder candidate received 14 votes, Board of Elections Chairman John Sette said.
Counts have come slowly and with suspense in the GOP primary race for the open freeholder seat. Election night, a count of votes couldn't be completed because a voting machine from East Hanover malfunctioned. The votes that could be counted Tuesday showed a race too close to call; Lyon appeared just 6 votes ahead.
Once the votes from that last machine were counted Wednesday, the race stayed extremely close. Lyon's lead only grew to 10 votes.
Nordstrom has been instrumental in the freeholders’ budget process in recently years that has lowered the tax rate for the past three years. Nordstrom said the county has reduced its workforce by 16 percent since 2007. She has said freeholders were using program-based budgeting to reduce costs even before the state imposed a 2 percent cap on year-over-year tax growth (which prompted many other governing bodies to do the same). She helped create the board’s airport advisory board that oversees issues at the county’s airports, primarily Morristown Municipal Airport. She also helped create the board’s economic development subcommittee, which has brought together county freeholders, the Morris County Chamber of Commerce, the county college, the county technical high school and business leaders to discuss solutions for issues that confront local businesses.
She also is a member of the board’s freight rail advisory board, which is working to find ways to create more rail use in the county to reduce the amount of truck traffic and promote economic growth.
Lyon works for his family restaurant business. He graduated from The College of Holy Cross with a double major in physics and mathematics.
He said the freeholders have not cut taxes in the recent years, seeing an increase of 6.3 percent annually.
He also criticized the freeholders’ plan for a new public safety center in Parsippany, and the use of tax funds for open space purchases (a dedicated tax voters approved in 1994). He has questioned the approach the county took to create a solar-energy program that is expected to save $3.8 million in taxes over 15 years.
Stuart Lasser
9:35 am on Saturday, June 11, 2011
I am not a Republican nor a Democrat; I am an independent that is fiscally conservative and socially liberal. That said, I have followed Margaret Nordstrom's political career and can say with certainty that she is smart, incredibly hard-working, and has served county residents in an exceptional manner. She is all about 'quality of life' and as dedicated an individual as I know. While I don't know Hank Lyon, I can say that I hope Margaret Nordstrom continues to seek public office as she is the kind of person that I want representing me. Stuart Lasser, Morristown
wally
10:31 am on Saturday, June 11, 2011
Stuart: please explain how you can be fiscally conservative while being socially liberal, I can't see how it can be done. Thank you, Wally
Matt Clarkin
2:08 pm on Saturday, June 11, 2011
For instance, if you believe gay marriage should be legal and are pro-choice (something socially liberal people believe) , but at the same time believe the scope of government should be reduced and entitlement taxes should be cut (something fiscally conservative people believe). I don't see how that's difficult to understand.
wally
6:58 pm on Saturday, June 11, 2011
Matt: the way you put it isn't difficult to understand, but usually the socially liberal also believe that everyone should have the entitlements that cost the taxpayers tremendous amounts of $ and thereby are far from conservative.
Matt Clarkin
7:32 pm on Saturday, June 11, 2011
Well, obviously that isn't the case for Mr. Lasser, as he says he is fiscally conservative. It is true that most people who are conservative or liberal on social or fiscal values usually have the same outlook on both, but that is not necessarily true, as Mr. Lasser showed in his comment.
MadInNJ
4:40 pm on Monday, June 13, 2011
People who are fiscally conservative, yet socially liberal, are generally known as Libertarians.
Thomas Paine
2:56 pm on Saturday, June 18, 2011
Wally, a lover of liberty (a"classic liberal") would be in favor of both limited government (fiscal conservative) and against restrictions on personal liberty (social liberal). You seem to be confusing fiscal conservative with a "social conservative", the latter looking to use government to force his social values on others and therefore no lover of liberty at all.
As for social liberals wishing to impose their views on others, as do many social conservatives, I lump both together as enemies of liberty.
We would all be better off believing in natural rights, political equality, tolerance (including religious tolerance), civil liberties, and the dignity of man.
Dan Grant
2:34 pm on Saturday, June 11, 2011
It is only difficult for idealogues to understand.
Greg Lynch
2:22 pm on Monday, June 13, 2011
Stuart, Morris Twp has received $10,664,464 in open space funds. Washington Twp (Nordstrom's hometown) has received almost $20 million. Here are some other numbers: Chatham: $28,812,020, Chester:$27,782,357, Mendham: $18,896,307. Nordstrom bragged during the campaign about building the new emergency dispatch center for $30 million that can withstand a class 5 hurricane, a weather event which has never been recorded in NJ history. But between four towns, that's over $95 million out of about $330 million total open space funds. It's unfair, irresponsible, and quite frankly when you go to Freeholder Nordstrom's town, you realize how corrupt it is. Fiscally insane is more like it.
LV Moved
4:26 pm on Monday, June 13, 2011
Greg, What does this mean??"quite frankly when you go to Freeholder Nordstrom's town, you realize how corrupt it is"
Greg Lynch
1:13 am on Wednesday, June 15, 2011
The almost $20 million of open space funds spent around her home.
Dan Grant
12:09 pm on Tuesday, June 14, 2011
There is a video of this young man saying we should not have a minumum wage. Put aside the fact that Freeholders, the position he aspirers to has nothing to do with the minumum wage. You have to wonder about the though process of a 23 year old who has had every advantage in life begruding the millions of people in this country who live at or below the poverty level. Minimum wage is a reality for many seniors as well as highschool and college students who need to earn extra money just to survive. He and his Tea Party travellers want to turn back the clock to a time of slave wages and indentured servants. They are all about holding down people for their own benefit under the name of the "Free Market".
MadInNJ
12:22 pm on Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Any economist will tell you that when you artificially inflate wages through a mechanism like minimum wage, you will have a surplus of supply, and employers trying to squeeze more out of their existing employees rather than hiring additional staff. Obamacare requirements on mandatory health care spending will only exacerbate the problem because they drive up the per head cost of each employee. Socialism is great in theory, but a disaster in practice.
The minimum wage is THE major cause of high teenage unemployment.
Karl Marx
4:25 pm on Saturday, June 18, 2011
I and the proletariat are with you, comrade Grant. The greatest lie ever told is that a capitalist becomes wealthy by risking his capital to create something of value that others will gladly pay for. The capital belongs to the people at large and the workers deserve all the profits.
The NRA and WPA were the most important and far reaching legislation passed in Congress and did more to destroy the evil free market system that the bourgeois used to enslave the workers. Now its time to expand the Davis-Bacon Act and the FSLA to bring up the standard of living for labor.
Minimum wages should be raised to at least $30/hr and if the capitalists don't want to pay that wage, confiscate their capital and resources for the people and thereby make all proletariat better off under state run systems. Chavez and Cosatu have the right idea. Nationalize the banks, and all manner of industries. Only then will the worker receive a fair and decent wage to live.
Dan Grant
6:02 pm on Saturday, June 18, 2011
LOL, Karl I can understand why you would want to post without your real name. It may suprise you that I have made what income I had by buying something using my judgment and selling it for a profit. (hopefully anyway.) No paycheck no company support to carry me through tough times. Just me and my experience. I think that is the essence of Capitalism and the free market isn't it? I also understand that without labor the only people making money are banks and they won't make that for long if the average wage earner can't make a living.
Dan Grant
1:14 pm on Tuesday, June 14, 2011
No, any ecconomist will not tell you that. Some do but then some also worked under the ENRON principle. The greatest period for family growth in this country came after the imposition of a minumum wage, 40 hour work week and when we had a higher number of people in unions demanding better working conditions and a fair wage. It came with "Social Programs" like the GI Bill and the public works projects sponsored by government. It is easy for Capitalism to work when you have slavery but it isn't morally right. In this country we need the greatesty number of people having the disposable income to fuel the ecconomy not $3.00 a day workers in China.
Morris Voter
2:19 pm on Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Yes, any economist will tell you minimum wage laws don't work, and hurt teens and others with limited skills the most.
The more government regulates business and interferes with the market price of labor, the more jobs will flow out of the United States. Supply and demand always wins.
Greg Lynch
12:55 am on Wednesday, June 15, 2011
About half of all minimum wage earners work in restaurants. Dan why don't you try opening a restaurant. Theres a 90% chance it will go out of business within the first year. In other words, the minimum wage earners in those failed businesses earn more money than the guy who risked his neck to give them jobs. But your position is based purely on emotion, not on logic and reason. And what in the world does Enron have to do wth any of this?
Greg Lynch
12:58 am on Wednesday, June 15, 2011
The funny thing is that I noticed a picture of Truscha Quatrone in another Patch article, taken from the Montville Town Committee debate at the Fairfield VFW outpost...Lyon and Grant moderated that debate. Way to stab him in the back, Dan.
Dan Grant
7:49 am on Wednesday, June 15, 2011
LOL Greg, The moderators were not a team but representatives from both camps. It is called fairness. I can see that is a foreign concept to you. The facts are simple. This young man won an astounding victory but he has lived his life with the benefit of the umbrella of his family. From that protection he calls for the end of a minimum wage. It is all part and parcel of the Tea Party mentality.
Greg Lynch
9:15 am on Thursday, June 16, 2011
The problem with this concept of "fairness" governing society is that there can never be an objective standard for it and everybody always thinks they are getting the unfair end of the deal. And so things like the minimum wage and income tax both tend to go up because the bottom half on the economic ladder will always believe its unfair that they earn less than the top half. This is why we implemented federalism via a constitution - to protect the freedoms (primarily economic ones) from tryanny of the majority. So the question becomes - should the standard we govern by be a constantly moving target (fairness), or one set in stone: limiting gov' to the role of protecting our most basic rights (primarily private property)?
Dan Grant
2:11 pm on Thursday, June 16, 2011
Only the greedy think they are getting an unfair deal. Most people on the lower end of the scale just want a reasonable life. a fair wage and reasonable medical care. They want to know when they get old and can't work that they won't be living in a shelter or even out on the street. It is Governments role to insure that there is a safety net and of course it is a constantly moving target and not set in stone otherwise owning slaves would be one of those private property rights you want protected.
wally
8:41 pm on Thursday, June 16, 2011
Dan: A little inappropiate supposing that Mr. Lynch approves of owning slaves, isn't it? For all the preaching you do on different blogs about being civil I would expect better from you.
Dan Grant
10:20 pm on Thursday, June 16, 2011
That wasn't the point at all. The point is that the Constitution is not carved in stone. That it is a living document with plenty of room for an expansion of rights. Remember that the framers also owned slaves, women didn't have a role in government and don't pretend that you expect anything from me.
Thomas Paine
6:46 pm on Saturday, June 18, 2011
No, Mr. Grant, the list of natural rights does not include freedom from want. The creator has imbued upon man the necessity of making a living and thus man has a natural right to pursue his living free of undue restraint, to enjoy the fruits of his labor and to retain the means thereof so long as he does not impinge on the rights of others to do the same.
The government's role is rather to protect natural rights - the abolishment of slavery and equal suffrage being two examples given by you - but it is not the government's role to provide a "safety net" and to ensure freedom from want. Such an idea necessitates the taking by force the sustenance from one to give to another, which is theft. Want becomes limitless under such a system and there will be no end to the theft until we are all bereft of the motivation to work, thereby too poor and destitute to have anything of value remaining to steal.
Meredith Mascitello
8:37 am on Sunday, June 19, 2011
Why is it that only the rich can be greedy? Is it not greedy for people to feel entitled to other people's money? Entitlement money comes from the government and the government takes it's money from the taxpayers. Without the government there to legitimize it, people in "safety net" programs are taking and expecting money from their taxpaying neighbors. I think it is a greedier person that expects the money that I worked hard for just because they live in the same country. We have 47% of the nation not payin any income taxes. How are they not greedy? They are not contributing at all to the benefits of security that the Federal Govt provides.
I am not arguing for no government - just that it act within its outlined capacity. Community programs (religious and secular) are supposed to be the means for people to find a safety net. The safety net of welfare is now generational--how is that a safety net?
Each of us was given life and liberty by our creator. It is our personal responsibilty to prepare oursleves for our needs and wants in that life. It is also our personal responsisbility to care for those less fortunate - but that is a responsibility that should be fulfilled through charity not government spending. Who know best how to efficiently take care of the less fortunate than their neighbors?
Soccer Fan
7:26 pm on Thursday, June 16, 2011
The "safety net" has become a hammock.
Everybody wants a "reasonable life", a "fair" wage, and someone else to pay for their medical care. But too many people don't have the skills or the work ethic to earn those things.
Dan Grant
10:25 pm on Thursday, June 16, 2011
I don't buy that soccer fan. Look at what has happened to us as a country. There was a time when medical care was affordable or provided as a part of a persons compensation package and they exchanged their efforts for a reasonable life. The belief that there are all these people out there that just want something for nothing is wrong in my opinion.
MadInNJ
3:09 pm on Friday, June 17, 2011
Since Medicare and Medicaid were created, there's been an explosion of treatments, drugs and surgical options that have extended people's lives. Additionally, governments have mandated more and more treatments as required under health insurance. And you also have many more vultures (aka Lawyers) looking to score big anytime a doctor makes a mistake. Finally, you have public sector workers who want Cadillac HC plans that someone else funds. Add all those factors together, and you have an explosion of health care costs that are slowly bankrupting towns, counties and the US.
The only way to solve the impending bankruptcy is to stop providing open ended commitments like traditional fee for services health care plans, and defined benefits pension plans, which are really just Ponzi schemes.
Robert Catalanello
1:05 pm on Friday, June 17, 2011
Spend some time in Athens Greece Dan you will see plenty of people who want something for nothing. And then you will see them riot when you take away their (free) toys.
And if you want to get medical costs down, start with tort reform. How in the world do you expect a new Doctor, a couple hundred thousand dollars in debt and with a $75,000 a year malpractice insurance premium to offer services inexpensively?
The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew and act anew.
Abraham Lincoln
CoolBreeze
1:30 pm on Friday, June 17, 2011
“You cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the wealthy out of freedom. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for,that my dear friend, is about the end of any nation. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it.”
Dan Grant
8:52 am on Saturday, June 18, 2011
The three last posters take the view that it is better to push those on the lowest rung of the latter off the the last rung and save those who have benefited the most from society. I don't know where they get the belief that people just don't want to work or that they expect others to take care of them. I don't care if it is a community or a country we are all in this life together. Social Security, medicare and public education are all benefits of living in a society that is supposed to care about what happens to others. No one says that there won't be a top one percent. The issue becomes how much does the top of the food chain want to pay to stay there. They didn't get there by themselves. They get there off the labor of others.
wally
10:01 am on Saturday, June 18, 2011
Where they get the belief is by paying attention to the world around them, open your eyes! Go to Newark and tell me how people living in ramshackled public housing have a Lexus or BMW out front. These are the people who don't want to work and are getting free gov't $, and on the side are making a lot more than us by selling drugs and guns. This is the worst example, there are others that are just happy to be on the free lunch list.
By the way; it's "ladder"
Working Stiff
9:43 am on Saturday, June 18, 2011
Didn't get there by themselves? Excuse me?
Plenty of people did exactly that, I know that I did. I grew up in a poor city in Middlesex County and went to its well below average high school. I had parents who valued education and service and I worked my butt off to get into one of the service academies. . the ultimate public school. I paid back the government for my education with long years of service. When I left active duty, I went to work for a Fortune 50 company and while raising a family and working well over 40 hours per week, I also went to graduate school and held a command position in the reserves. Eventually, I was rewarded for my efforts with higher positions and salary. With the high positions came greater responsibility and lots and lots of living out of a suitcase which includes lots of 12 and 14 hour days.
I compare that to someone who I went to High School with and hear from frequently. He was much more of a carefree highschool student and cut school frequently for concerts and other priorities. After high school, he enrolled in a local college but only lasted a year or so. Now, in his mid fifties, he is a route salesman and continues to work on his Bachelor's Degree. He spends much of his spare time ranting and raving about the "evil conservatives" who are holding him down and he constantly complains that the "rich" don't deserve to keep their earnings.
Dan Grant
10:24 am on Saturday, June 18, 2011
I will skip Wally, his largely racist stereotypes aren't worthy of discussion. But you could start with your public education as a beginning point of the Government helping hand. Add to it the subsidised transportation system, government highway system, government support for military education, medicare and social security for parents and you have had alot of goverment intervention in your life. I am not saying you don't deserve the rewards of all you have put into it. I am saying that people are not generally poor because they are lazy. Right now we have an unemployment rate that adds about 8 million people who were working hard and now can't find jobs even close to what they were making. Right now we have a middleclass homeownship that has lost $trillions in value off of their greatest asset and some that will lose it all. That doesn't mean that they deserve it.
wally
4:45 pm on Saturday, June 18, 2011
Dan: Not racist or a stereotype; very factual. It's not a race thing at all as there are whites, blacks, hispanics all bellied up to the bar. It's not only happening in Newark, it's happening right here in your backyard.
Dan Grant
5:49 pm on Saturday, June 18, 2011
I'm so sorry Wally. I must have gotten confused by your use of Newark, BMWs , Lexus, ramshackle, guns and drugs. I assume you went door to door to take a survey of those in public housing and on public assistance. The fact is that there are more people seeking assistance here in Morris County then ever before and it has nothing to do with their work ethic.
wally
9:53 am on Monday, June 20, 2011
Seems like you are always confused. Also like how you change the topic, the topic isn't that there are more people today seeking assistance, that fact is well documented, the topic is that there are plenty of people that are on the public dole, with no intention of ever leaving. Quite frankly they have no incentive to leave, that's the biggest problem with the welfare state this country has created.
Robert Catalanello
7:50 am on Monday, June 20, 2011
Dan, I was talking about tort reform and the absurdity of the socialist European Welfare State(s). I don't want to see anybody starve or die because they can't get proper healthcare. But I have come to the realization that tort reform is the only way to prevent ridiculous strike suits, etc, and get costs down. I want to push ambulance chasing lawyers off the ladder.
And the modern European welfare state is simply ridiculous. All of Europe (and the USA for that matter) is bankrupt, and yet the citizens continue to demand more.
There is no free lunch.
Dan Grant
11:58 am on Monday, June 20, 2011
Robert, You have to get past the talking points and Faux news. Tort Reform while it might be a very small percentage of the problem isn't going to reform the problem. It really becomes a problem of the best outcome for the most people. European Style heathcare works well it just doesn't produce a handful of billionairs like ours does. All along America's great history you have had government intervention that has helped private inovation that has led to greater employment opportunities. From the building of the numorous damns that have supplied both power and water to transportation systems to an interstate highway system and of course the numerous grant based research foundations at colleges and public health organizations.
MadInNJ
12:04 pm on Monday, June 20, 2011
To see the future of "European Style" health care and public pension plans just Google "Greece" and "riots" and "Financial Collapse."
That is our future if we follow the "sage" advice of Mr. Socialism, aka Dan Grant.
Robert Catalanello
12:31 pm on Monday, June 20, 2011
Well, show me another country in the world where I can win a lawsuit because I burned myself trying to open a cup of coffee by attempting to gently squeeze the lid off with my knees while driving a car and I will agree that tort reform is 'faux news'. Tort reform might not be the cure all for our woes but it sure is the right place to start.
The co-founder of Whole Foods presented a fantastic plan to addresss the health care problem in 2009, but then he became the target of the left for suggesting a plan other then Obama Care.
Here's the link: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204251404574342170072865070.html
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