Lakewood November Elections

Early voting is underway localy Lakewood has 2 seats up for election on the township committee and 3 seats on the BOE 

The good news is that Lakewood voters have choices at this year's ballot.

R' Moshe Raitzik is running as a republican for a seat on the Township Committee.

R' Moshe currently serves on the Board of Education, and he previously served on the Planning Board until this year when he was swapped by the Township Committee in favor of Yechiel Herzel.

Importantly, R' Moshe has a proven track record of fighting for "how can we do this even better."

A vote for Moshe Raitzik for Lakewood Township Committee is truly a vote for the taxpayer. Faanews.

The incumbents for township committee  didnt  have the decency to reach out to the Lakewood community pre election.

The needs of the kehilla and quality of life are continuously ignored to a point where people have given up and are told to just accept the reality or move away.  Yet they call themselves representatives of the entire town. Any opposition is quashed in the name of not keeping the "Achdus" .

Alot went on over the past few years and there's been not a peep out of anyone besides for some election time articles, puff pieces and PR through their controlled media outlets.

Are you happy the way the township committee is still in covid mode hiding from the public by meeting on zoom once a month for 10 minutes while the mayor speed reads a few emails of public commen denying any criticism or interactions from the public?

Are you ok that municipal taxes alone went up this year by 8 million after raising it by 4 million last year?

Are you OK with the committee  giving out over 7 million on tax breaks and abatements to corperations just this year while the taxpayers are left with the bill to pay the lost revenue 

Are you ok with a committee that voted themselves a huge salary increase of 20k while raising taxes on you to pay for it

Are you ok with having your bloc vote abused by the same few always getting the public funding allocated for Lakewood and not filtering the money down to the needs of the residents and infrastructure 

Are you ok with the attitude of always shifting blame on the county and state but taking no responsibility after being in office for over 20 years

Do you enjoy the traffic now  some predict it will soon become one big parking lot

There's an opportunity for change see below on candidate Moshe Raitzik

Lakewood BOE Member Moshe Raitzik Pursues Township Committee Seat with Focus on Transparent Growth and Public Safety

Moshe Raitzik, a Lakewood Board of Education member, is running as a Republican for a seat on the Township Committee, determined to bring a fresh perspective to the town’s leadership. Drawing from years of public service and community involvement, including a five-year tenure on the Planning Board and a long career as an educator, Raitzik is campaigning on a platform of transparent governance, responsible growth, and enhanced public services. His goal is to ensure Lakewood residents have more input in decision-making processes that impact their everyday lives.

In addition to his public roles, Raitzik balances a busy schedule with a deep sense of dedication to education and Torah learning. He spends his mornings studying at Beth Medrash Govoha (BMG) and works as a teacher in the afternoons. He believes that his dual role as an educator and student speaks to his strong ties to both the spiritual and practical aspects of the Lakewood community. His experience in education, on the Lakewood BOE and as a teacher, has further shaped his view on the needs of Lakewood's families, particularly in terms of education and safety for children.

One of the key issues Raitzik highlighted is the need to bring Township Committee meetings back to in-person formats. “Many people in Lakewood don’t have access to computers at home,” he said, explaining that the current reliance on Zoom meetings limits public participation. He aims to restore the openness of meetings, a move he believes would mirror the Board of Education’s return to in-person sessions and ensure better community involvement.

Drawing on his time on the Planning Board from 2019 to 2023, Raitzik is a strong proponent of ensuring that Lakewood’s growth is balanced with proper infrastructure. He pointed to several instances where the Planning Board’s decisions were overturned by courts due to the Township Committee’s lax regulations, leading to concerns about safety and sustainability. "Many residents attend planning board meetings to voice concerns about safety and privacy in their neighborhoods," Raitzik explained. "But the Planning Board’s hands are often tied because the construction is technically in compliance with the township’s master plan."

Raitzik therefore stressed the importance of updating the Township’s master plan to address these issues. He also emphasized that the master plan needs to be updated to make sure that the township's infrastructure can accommodate its growth. “We need infrastructure improvement now, and it’s really not happening at the pace that it should,” he said. He emphasized that new development should not proceed unless infrastructure like roads and utilities are in place to support it.

In addition to growth concerns, Raitzik highlighted the need for improved busing services, especially for children who attend schools on hazardous roads without sidewalks. He proposed that the Township take on greater responsibility for hazardous road busing, which is different from courtesy busing. “It’s not safe for pedestrians, especially children, to walk to school without sidewalks,” he said, urging the Township to cover the costs of busing on these unsafe roads.

Throughout the interview, Raitzik stressed the importance of voter engagement. “Too many people say, ‘Why should I vote? There’s no choice anyway.’ But every person’s vote matters,” he said. Raitzik hopes that his campaign will inspire more residents to participate in the voting process, especially with the upcoming presidential election.

The Township Committee race also includes Menashe Miller, a fellow Republican, and Democratic candidates Meir Lichtenstein and Salvatore Frascino. Raitzik believes that his fresh perspective and hands-on experience in public service make him uniquely qualified for the role. With a focus on practical solutions and an open-door approach to governance, he hopes to make Lakewood a safer and more efficient place for all its residents.