Speak Out: Check The Facts, Choose Electable Candidates in Column 2, Not Authors of A Distorted Mailer

This post has been submitted by the Committee to Elect Le & Beggiato. 

The Democratic primary election is only a few days away and voters have a choice between two very different sets of candidates. 

In Column One on the ballot, there are two people who have never served in elective office, including one who has lost two elections. That same person describes his community service as a township attorney and counsel to the Hillsborough Municipal Utilities Authority; paid political positions that are funded by taxpayers.  

The two candidates in Column One just sent out a predictable last-minute mailing, which is a desperate and divisive attempt to win votes by promulgating lies. The reason that the two candidates in Column One claim to pay over $70,000 in combined taxes is because one of them owns a commercial building valued at $2.67 million in the Town Center district.  

Having a commercial interest in the Town Center does not directly equate to understanding the tax burden on homeowners, which their mailer implies. Their mailer is nonsensical and statements are taken out of context. Beggiato and Le stated in an issue of the Hillsborough Beacon1 that, “homeowners pay 80% of the taxes” but they are definitely not “OK” with that. Tax increases impact all of us tremendously.  The statements made by the Column One candidates have no credibility and neither do they.  We believe that all of this speaks to the lack of ethics and integrity of these two attorneys who are candidates in Column One. 

In Column Two, John Beggiato and Thuy Anh Le have demonstrated their integrity and commitment to the community over 30 collective years of true service as volunteers.  They have received no taxpayer dollars for any of their work.  They are founding members of Friends of Hillsborough Open Space, which was instrumental in last year’s defeat of a referendum that would have diverted Open Space Trust Funds to other purposes.  Individually, John Beggiato has served as President of several organizations, including BoroGreen and the Roycefield Swim Club after many years as a trustee.  He has coached Little League Baseball, Mary Mother of God CYO Basketball, and Youth Lacrosse.  His business, technology, and leadership skills will be valuable on the Township Committee.  Thuy Anh Le has served with distinction in elective office, having won with the largest vote total of all competitors in 2010.  During her time in office, Board of Education tax rates actually went down significantly, from 2.032 to 1.467 per hundred dollars of assessment.  All of her decisions were based on the best educational, financial, operational, and sustainable considerations.  Her background as a scientist and collaborator will improve the workings of the Township Committee.  She led two Girl Scout troops for over 14 years, volunteered as a Service Unit team member in several roles, and was a Trainer for leaders. 

She was honored as Somerset County’s Woman of the Year in the Environmental Initiatives category for her efforts to help the town receive Bronze certification while serving in leadership roles with Sustainable Hillsborough and BoroGreen. John Beggiato and Thuy Anh Le deeply believe in active citizenship; that is why they are running for office.  As elected officials, they will respectfully ensure that the public’s interests are served, that all voices are heard, and that all issues are carefully weighed. 

We strongly suggest that you recycle our opponents’ misleading mailer and focus on what is important to you in your elected representatives.  With thoughtful consideration, we hope you will vote for John Beggiato and Thuy Anh Le on Tuesday, June 3rd.  Polls are open from 6 AM to 8 PM. Thank you. 

The Committee to Elect Le & Beggiato

1 Hillsborough Beacon, May 1, 2014