Millstone Township Committee
John Pfefferkorn

John Pfefferkorn

Address: He has lived in the township for more than nine years and currently resides at 15 Lyle Farm Lane.

Family information: He has been married to Anita for 19 years. The couple has three children, Andrew, Christina and Geneva.

Occupation: He is the director of cost and inventory accounting at Tiffany & Co.

Other background information: A member, catechist and lector at St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church in the Perrineville section of Millstone, he is also a member of the Knights of Columbus. He is a 10-year member of the International Shrine Clown Association and has contributed numerous hours as a Shrine Clown to raise funds for Shriners Hospitals for Children. As a past chairman for public relations of Crescent Shrine, he promoted free health-care services at Shriners children's hospitals. He is also the 2007 chairman of public relations for the American Cancer Society's New Egypt Area Relay for Life, a position he also held in 2005 and 2006. He served as a Millstone Township committeeman from 2001-03.

On deciding to run

I want to return our local government to the civil, resident-focused entity that it should be. Our committee must represent the voice of the people and not [political] party bosses.

On campaign contributions

This year, I expect to receive funds from local residents and supporters, but will not accept contributions from political action committees. (Two years ago, the primary source of my campaign funding was my own personal funds. In addition, several friends and residents made contributions as well as two local political action committees funded by local residents and contributors.) My past voting record is a clear indication that I am a "man of the people." My allegiance is to my family, my God and my country. I am not controlled by special interests or party bosses and, in fact, have worked on several investigations into corruption in Millstone Township. I will continue to expose and work to prevent corruption at every turn.

On taxes

Taxes represent too high a percentage of disposal income for many of our residents. The dream of moving to Millstone to enjoy all our town has to offer is quickly becoming unattainable for a lot of families. Most people I speak to (at all income levels) have become disgusted with the tax increases and unfulfilled promises of tax stability while watching local spending skyrocket.

Four years ago, I partnered with a dedicated Planning Board and [Township] Committee that virtually stopped all new major subdivision growth in Millstone by passing historic 10-acre zoning. We also put in place zoning that would be responsible and encourage selective ratables onto our border roads and highways.

The No. 1 problem in New Jersey is property taxes. The current committee has lost direction by failing to aggressively act to present Millstone as a desirable community for professional business. We need to identify and attract smart, clean, responsible ratables onto our border roads that don't bring additional educational costs with them.

On development

The historic 10-acre zoning implemented during my term as committeeman virtually stopped subdivision development and bought us time to plan our commercial and support ratables. My opponents' replacement of seasoned planning and zoning board veterans who supported 10-acre zoning and smart, clean ratables on our border roads was a travesty. Their actions have brought us disasters like the incinerator [litigation] while denying applications for child-friendly businesses like the batting cages. To deny an application for a local business owner who sought to bring a child-friendly business into an existing corporate park is absurd.

The only way to pay for the huge, impending school tax increases is to take a fresh approach to business ratables and put an end to the granting of political favors.

On open space and farmland preservation

Every resident has a vested investment in protecting their environment. Our passage of 10-acre zoning made it financially unviable for large subdivisions to continue and was a great complement to maximizing large tracts of open space. But the deliberate inaction orchestrated by my opponents to delay purchasing land over the past 30 months has had huge cost implications that are now coming to light as evidenced by the current committee asking for a higher open space tax.

The local annual tax burden of $600,000 in open space taxation is a tremendous cost for a small town like Millstone. We can only succeed if we continue to maximize our purchasing impact by partnership with the state and county.

On recreation

Our Little League program is outstanding, but unlike other township-sponsored sports [it] receives no municipal aid. The township doesn't even pay to help maintain the baseball fields, which are owned by the township. Wagner Farm Park, Brandywine and Abate Park were all planned to support our reasonable growth needs. And with the new middle school, we should use those available lands to add more school fields that could also be used to supplement our recreational needs.

Adding a large, centralized sports complex is a luxury we can't afford. Our township remains financially challenged as evidenced by the school budget defeats, the latest which risked the closing of our school sports programs.

I believe we need to work closely with the Board of Education to keep a strong, financially viable school sports program and partner with them on cost sharing for their fields, avoiding the capital, staffing, and maintenance costs of a costly centralized recreation facility.

On other important issues

In my opinion, we are witnessing the total and complete breakdown of local government surely evidenced by the Monmouth County prosecutor's seizure of township records and ongoing investigation.

I believe the current committee is completely dysfunctional while agreeing to a constant 5-0 yes vote on almost every issue. The tremendous increase in the amount of money our town has borrowed since the 5-0 majority came into place is astounding.

My opponents have removed responsible residents from township boards and replaced them with their own political appointees regardless of their ability or qualifications. We need someone who has the guts to drive change, challenge the status quo and be an anticorruption whistle-blower. The last thing the party bosses want is me watching, questioning and stopping their moves.

On why people should vote for me

Our town is in desperate need of unbiased, ethical and resident-focused leadership. In my opinion, [my opponents] have perpetuated an anti-children sentiment and have displayed a penchant for putting the interests of their political bosses and supporters ahead of those of the residents of Millstone.

I will bring a questioning voice, a watchful eye and a sincere desire to deliver strong, effective government to the people of Millstone.

The current committee is severely lacking in their leadership ability and the desire to effectively govern our town in the best interests of its residents. We need a strong independent voice, and I will be that voice.