As first reported by FAA News R' Hershel Hershkowitz Files to Run for a seat on The Lakewood Township Commitee
From Faa: Hershel Herskowitz has officially filed a petition with the Ocean County Clerk to run for membership on the Lakewood Township Committee, FAA News has learned.
R' Hershel is running as an independent candidate on the ballot for the General Election.
The deadline to file petitions as an independent candidate was yesterday. R' Hershel is the only independent candidate running in Lakewood, FAA News has confirmed.
R' Hershel emphasized to FAA News that originally he did not plan to run this year, however, he agreed to throw his hat into the ring because numerous community members highlighted to him that this year specifically there is an open seat being vacated by Mike D'Elia and therefore he would not be running against any incumbent, a factor that caused previous election runs to look like "fighting."
In other words, there are other new candidates in this election, however they are all running equally to win Mike D'Elia's empty seat.
His campaign slogan in "The People's Lakewood."
"The other candidates simply do not know the needs of our community," said Herskowitz, a veteran Downtown business owner.
"People say don't run because Lakewood is anyways a 'goner.' I feel that by saying that, the problems will only get worse," Herskowitz added. "I believe in Lakewood and I want to steer the town to fix whatever is left."
Areas of specific focus for R' Hershel is his drive to ensure that infrastructure needs are properly reviewed for all new construction approvals, and that the Township runs a lot more transparently and is answerable to the public.
Currently, Lakewood's land use boards do not have their own traffic engineers to provide rebuttals to the developers who bring their own, non-local experts who simply testify that there are no traffic concerns. In contrast, Jackson's land use boards do have their own in-house planners and traffic engineers.
This is something which can change in Lakewood.
"It's one thing to develop land, but continuing to permit unabated land construction without consultation with our own in-house experts and with no associated traffic studies and infrastructure improvements is simply not the way," R' Hershel stated.
"Transparency is a major focus for me. The Township works for the people. Not the other way around," R' Hershel added.
Finally, R' Hershel noted that unlike any of the candidates, he is a long-time major supporter of R' Aron Lang and he wants to continue to openly work with R' Aron who is working tirelessly to prevent us from getting stuck with even worse school debt despite that no one else is helping him.
Election Day is in November.
https://www.faanews.com/2023/06/first-report-hershel-herskowitz-files.html
Who is herchel hershkowitz?
ReplyDeleteWelcome to Lakewood, Harold has been trying to improve Lakewood while you were still in diapers
DeleteUnfortunately he won’t win and nobody normal ever runs so we’re stuck with the same dodos again and again.
ReplyDeleteThere will be someone new this time because the incumbent isn't running. If HH can convince enough people that he is the answer to some of the problems then he will win. If not, then he won't win. There were people who filed to run in the past and expected the seat to be handed to them because they were "taking on the establishment". That will get you a certain number of votes but not nearly enough to win. A smart, well planned, positive campaign of convincing the various constituent groups that you are willing and able to solve some of the long standing problems is what it will take. If he can do that then he has a good shot of winning.
DeleteVery smart words, a positive campaign getting the word out will win him the seat.
DeleteDoes anybody know anything about Stern or Funtes?
DeleteHe has a good chance if the olam comes out to vote. It's insane to vote in the same corrupt politicians who brought the problems in the first place. They are in power for too long. HH proved that he is the people's candidate not the vaad or any powerful people.
DeleteStern and
DeleteStern and Fuentes are no-name empty suits.
DeleteGive him a hand.
ReplyDeleteIt's a self fulfilling with such an attitude
Not one actual proposal, besides that he will 'work with Aaron Lang'. He can spew at everyone else, but he still cannot tell us his plans for the infrastructure of this town, and who will benefit from his plans.
ReplyDeleteWill there be sufficient building for natural growth? Or does he want the next generation of Bnei Torah to find somewhere else to live?
Some of us will agree with him, and others will disagree. Let us see if the majority agrees.
Yes, in the past Herschel had many specific proposals, from homelessness to downtown quality of life, there are too many to list here he's extremely informed and has worked on many of the issues,.
DeleteP. S. As for your concern about future growth in Lakewood, yes there has to be a limit on development, you cannot have every ranch being replaced with a duplex with two rentable basements in each one, for a total of 16 vehicles with only two parking spots. And even if you did build like that, at some point we will Max it out anyway and have to find alternate places to live as we see spreading to Jackson toms River Howell and brick, the same thing happened in boro Park Williamsburg Monsey etc. Where the prices became insane, and the quality of life turned horrible and everyone is fleeing, to live in some normalcy.
As for yungerleit they can't afford a house in Lakewood anyway. This week a small ranch near Kimball sold for 780,000 and the only reason is because it can be knocked down and built million dollar duplexes. So stopping insane development will help yungerleit buy a starter home with three bedrooms for a real price, to live in not to scrap it and replace.
Interesting comment. Natural growth means importing entire communities from Brooklyn. Belz is natural growth. As are all the other Chasidishe communities. And the infrastructure to help natural growth has, of course, kept the prices of housing low. Correct?
DeleteWhy the need to obfuscate? Just come straight out and explain your position.
I have never seen actual proposals from HH, only complaining about incumbents.
DeleteIf your opinion is that yungeleit should not live in Lakewood, vote that way by all means. Others may disagree.
What does Belz have to do with anything? If HH is opposed to building for outsiders but not for insiders, let him say so. So far it seems that he is opposed to all building, something only a tiny minority are in favor of.
Are you serious? Never heard proposals from me?
DeleteI did more to improve lakewood against all odds than anyone on yhe committee. I proposed the ideas on how to close down tent city and only Isaac Akerman helped to get it done . I created the downtown parking lots and in turn saved the whole passage from clifton to cedarbridge from becoming total gridlock. I enjoy seeing people use the parking lot shortcut. As for my ideas. Here they are all in a single video. Enjoy
https://youtu.be/GKGODCT3p30
Solutions? Stop the ridiculous building We wouldn’t have the traffic, or the taxes that keep going up - fact is The building helps no one. Nobody needs to live in Lakewood you can move to The neighboring towns - they take just as long if not shorter to get to yeshiva. And if you continue building it will take even longer so that’s out the window! The point you of a committeeman is to make sure a town runs and if an issue crops up it gets taken care of without corruption - ie lining someone’s pocket. There were no issues in this town until people decided to take a home and build a duplex. Did all these duplexes make housing affordable? A town can handle a certain amount of density but at a certain point you have to say ok enough - not everyone can get a piece from the same cake!! And if you really want to continue than you open up paper streets, but instead what was done - paper streets weren’t opened developers got free reign to build wherever - wiggling themselves out of basic requirements such as building roads, playgrounds, infrastructure, etc. than there’s the back room deals where people somehow get the township to give them properties, services etc. fact is just stop the corruption and you got rid of 99% of the problems. And btw HH was very involved with the downtown which was a real problem that cropped up over time.
DeleteSo Anon 9:13 believes we should stop the building. Nice. That's one vote.
DeleteCorruption is wrong. But building is not corruption, it is a legitimate difference of opinion, and one man one vote.
There were 'no issues' in this town until people decided to take a home and build a duplex
DeleteDo you remember those days? When virtually anyone who wanted a job had to commute to Manhattan. The density brought jobs, lots of them. Offices and stores, businesses and services. All are a product of the overbuilding. Calling it ridiculous shows how little nuance you understand.
I agree that paper roads help nobody, and forcing developers to pay for infrastructure improvements is the correct thing to do. But that is not the same as overbuilding.
The jobs / services were a result of thousands of Frum Yidden moving to Lakewood - why wouldn’t you have the same result if they would’ve been spread out over a few towns? Your reasoning maybe true with non Jews but, here it was just a result of having more frum yidden in one area which could’ve been accomplished with people buying existing homes nearby Lakewood. I love when people make claims about how the world works and try to equate it to Lakewood. When Lakewood clearly runs differently.. They try doing it all the time at the planning board with traffic studies claiming people will drive here and there when they know 99 percent of the traffic will be in one direction and at very specific times…
DeleteWho is not running? The frum ones are all running and they are the most corrupt, coles who is a close second is also running.
ReplyDeleteThere are two seats up for election this year. Ray Coles is up for reelection and he is running. Mike D'elia's term is also up and he is not running for reelection. The other three seats are not up for reelection.
DeleteI will vote for you Hershel, and so should everyone else.
ReplyDeleteBruce Stern is a lawyer who works/attached to BMG corporate. HIs track record on the planning board looking out for the 'people' speaks for itself.
ReplyDeleteAckerman also came from the planning board, look how well that worked out.
DeleteWHat is Akerman to do with four other who oppose him? Akerman is waiting for someone to work with him.
DeleteThat is simply untrue. Look around and tell me what projects he questioned or stopped. You can see videos of him supporting totally damaging projects , saying that he trusts the developers so he will vote for it. Nobody can say they did for the klal, when they did nothing of the sort. He may be a nice guy. But he has no track record of making sure to do what is right for lakewood
DeleteHershel, allow me to give some free and unsolicited campaign advise
DeleteI think you may have good ideas for Lakewood but this comment right here is exhibit A for why you might have a hard time gaining traction. There is absolutely nothing for you to gain by going after IA or any of the others (even MM and ML) personally right now. IA is not up for reelection so who cares if someone made a positive comment about him and who cares how he voted when he was on the planning board. Your takedown of that comment does nothing to promote your candidacy and just solidifies the opinion that some may have of you being the "anti" guy. You're going to have to focus on ideas, not people if you want to expand your appeal to more than the "anti" crowd who were already predisposed to support you.
Take it or leave it, I remain available here on HV for more unsolicited advice.
Bruce Stern chaired the APPROVAL on the planning board for dense development on the Eagle Ridge golf course to have Cross Street and Massachusettes be turned into a parking lot monstrosity!!
DeleteI wish hershel good luck, but he's gonna have a hard time in this town. He has moderat leftist leanings politically across many issues, while the most voters in Lakewood hold more conservative leanings.
ReplyDeletemoderate left regarding what?!
Deletecorporate fascism?
Anti-slumlord Robber barons?
DeleteHe's a Bernie Bro
DeleteHaven't been a Bernie fan since he hugged Linda Sarsour 6 years ago. Also don't agree with socialist economics. I just liked his ideas on taking on big corporations getting government freebies. But hugging an anti semite was inexcusable. I don't support anyone blindly. If you know what I Mean
DeleteWhy has Hershel defended the rosha mike moskowitz? Does he defend hamas terrorists as being confused? As a public servant, all his public positions should align with the tzibbur.
ReplyDeleteYour current Mayor insisted on allowing a person that made threats to the Jewish community to have a BLM March on Saturday. He marched with him. Does that align with the tzibbur? If I didn't speak up about the March and get the right police protection that Saturday who knows what would have happened.
DeleteIt is impossible to prevent a march from taking place. That's in the constitution. Nobody could have stopped that, even if they wanted to
DeleteThe only way he has a chance is if he gets the chassidim to support him which is unlikely. Otherwise we will have the same result as every election before.
ReplyDeleteIt would be pretty funny to have him sitting on the same table as menashe and Meir.
ReplyDeleteThey dont sit at a table any longer, it's all remote with audio only.
DeleteI want to run. Where do you start? Does anyone know the process?
ReplyDeleteBruce Stern on the planning board voted for every yeshiva and project from developers. Bruce ignored the taxpayers when they spoke up. Bruce let them speak and be heard but 99% voted against the people. Bruce is well connected.
ReplyDeleteI know Harold as far back as his LA years, and he's a great guy. However, running on a policy of just saying no, is not beneficial for a town. Being right doesn't matter. The ability to get along with others, and navigate complex issues is a skill that not all posses. You may have great ideas but need practical solutions. This is where the left has failed, they had ideas but the results are failures. You can say no new building, but then people will move out and the economy will fail in years down the road. The massive growth of Lakewood has fueled massive economic health. We have jobs for women that pay amounts that allow yingerleit to learn. We have offices local, so that people don't have to travel hours for work. We have the most beautiful shuls and schools. Yes we need to also improve infrastructure around town, but a blanket no is not the answer.
ReplyDeleteOur cost of living has risen to the point that women are working far more hours than they did 20 or even 10 years ago, which is detrimental to their health and their families. Our local traffic is so bad that many are now spending hours commuting to their local offices.
DeleteIt takes just as much time for me to go to my office every morning in Lakewood, as it used to take for me to go to Brooklyn.
DeletePut a temporary blanket up until things are sorted out
DeleteAgree.A temporary blanket injunction against construction
DeleteHershel’s blog speaks for itself. It’s professional, dispassionate, and articulate. He has my vote, and I will do my best to get everyone I know to vote for him.
ReplyDeleteWill he allow shuls in wg?
ReplyDelete