Millstone Republicans run uncontested in primary Current committeeman partners with Pop Warner organizer BY JANE MEGGITT Staff Writer "I have always been a straight shooter and have no other political aspirations other than putting residents first with completely open and honest government." - Committeeman Michael Kuczinski MILLSTONE - Two candidates are running in the June primary for the Republican party's nod to run in the November election for Township Committee. There will be two seats with three-year terms up for grabs in the November election. The Township committee has been all-Republican since 2006. No township Democrats filed to run in the primary. Committeeman Steven Sico, who has served since 2006, has opted not to run for another term. Committeeman Michael Kuczinski , who was appointed in January to fulfill the r emaining term of Ray Dilfanian when he resigned, will run in the primary with n ewc ome r Fiore Masci. Kuczinski, 47, has lived in the township with his wife and three children since 2001. He is the owner/operator of Total Wealth Enhancement Group LLC, a financial services company on Route 33 in Millstone. He has previously served on the township's Planning Board and Recreation Commission. "Opportunities to save money should be explored and implemented, as long as we do not sacrifice the quality of our services and the residents' quality of life." - Fiore Masci Kuczinski said the most pressing issue for Millstone residents is taxes. "Not so much as being too high right now, which they are, but more importantly where they are going," he said. Kuczinski said most people don't mind spending a little more for higher quality items like luxurious vacations and fancy cars and similarly will, in most cases, pay a higher price to live in a more desirable area. "In my opinion and I believe many other residents would concur, Millstone Township, New Jersey is clearly a more desirable place to live than many other areas," he said. "However, any prudent person would have to ask, 'At what point would the costs to live here outweigh the better quality of life?'" According to Kuczinski, preserving the quality of life in Millstone is interrelated to the cost of living in the township. "If you were to ask the residents why they live in this town or why they moved, most will tell you it was because of the town's rural character, open space, sprawling hills and pollution-free environment," he said. "Personally, that is why I moved to this town. Unfortunately, there is a cost to maintaining and continuing that character." Kuczinski also noted thatMillstone is facing statewide budget cuts in the midst of a national declining economy, which exacerbate the problems in town. "In my profession as a financial planner and advisor, I do not fret over things I cannot change or have little control over," he said. "I do, however, make it my business to analyze the conditions I can change or alter, research the possible solutions and use good judgment to select options and strategies that will provide the greatest probability of a successful outcome. I will use this same approach for our town." Kuczinski said his goal as an elected committeeman is to continue and expand on the good work and initiatives of the current administration. "That is in keeping our costs down, keeping our taxes as stable as can be and ensuring that our quality of life does not diminish," he said. He continued, "I will focus on the things that we have the power to change like our local finances and maximizing return on our capital. Additionally. I will foster good, can-do attitudes with all of our employees to maximize their efficiency. Most importantly, I would never tell a resident what they want to hear simply for a vote. I have always been a straight shooter and have no other political aspirations other than putting residents first with completely open and honest government. The kind of government we all deserve." Masci, 41, who lives in town with his wife and three children, has served on the township's Recreation Commission and as president of the Millstone Pop Warner organization. He is president of Fancy- Heat Corporation in Newark. Masci said Sico's decision to not seek re-election encouraged him to offer his experience to the residents of Millstone and to assist the current administration with its efforts to move the community forward. Masci feels Millstone residents face three important issues; escalating property taxes, providing adequate educational facilities for children and addressing various quality of life issues including preserving farmland and open space, having recreation facilities for all residents and coping with excess traffic. When asked how the governing body could keep taxes stable in the uncertain economy, Masci replied that he would implement prudent financial and management practices in all aspects of the local government. He said he would maximize monetary returns on township deposits, complete capital improvements on time and under budget, partner with Monmouth County to save on long-term borrowing, acquire state and county grants for farmland and open space preservation, road improvements and recreation infrastructure, continue state police law enforcement coverage, encourage interlocal agreements with the Board of Education to keep property tax dollars in the community, seek environmentally clean and neighborly ratables for Route 33 and Route 537 and implement creative methods to satisfy state-mandated Council On Affordable Housing obligations. The candidates were also asked to address Gov. Jon Corzine's push to merge small towns and/or to have them share services with each other by slashing state aid to such communities. Masci said, "Instead of providing incentives to towns that merge or finding ways to cut costs through shared services, the governor proposes to eliminate state aid for municipalities that refuse to implement his initiative. Although he claims his plan will provide cuts in Trenton, he expects New Jersey property owners to subsidize any shortfalls. Millstone officials can provide relief to local residents by sharing services with neighboring municipalities. Opportunities to save money should be explored and implemented, as long as we do not sacrifice the quality of our services and the residents' quality of life." Kuczinski said that if shared services make sense to the collective community he is in favor of working on programs that provide mutual benefits to those involved and that satisfy state mandates.