To the editor: As I near completion of my senior year at Moorestown High School, I wanted to thank and publicly acknowledge the support from the community, local businesses, the local press and the following individuals who have donated 317 ponytails since the inception of the Wigs for Kids Moorestown Challenge 10 years ago. (See the attached PDF for the full list of donors.) I started the initiative as a third-grader at Baker School hoping to get 50 ponytails donated. Ten years later, these generous and brave individuals have helped Wigs for Kids make a tremendous amount of wigs for young …

To the editor: April is Autism Awareness Month in New Jersey and across the country. It’s a time to bring attention to the millions of people who live every single day with autism and to move toward eliminating the stigma and misconceptions surrounding Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs). There are many ways for individuals to get involved for Autism Awareness Month—and organizations, clubs, schools and service providers in our region do amazing work throughout our state to make this month successful in its mission. Here in Moorestown, many of our friends and neighbors live with autism and …

To the editor: On Monday night, the Republicans of Moorestown Town Council reaffirmed their commitment to the revitalization and inclusion of the Lenola section of town. At the meeting, Councilwoman Victoria Napolitano announced she will be leading the formation of a Lenola Advisory Commission. The commission, to be chaired by lifelong Lenola resident Jamie Boren, will gather together leaders from throughout the western portion of town to review, analyze, find solutions, and make recommendations to council on the issues and problems facing Lenola residents. “As a resident of Lenola, I’m proud…

To the editor: During his life, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. fought for a society rooted in equality, opportunity and justice for all. His vision for America was one of unity, without division by race, religion, social status or gender. Today, as our nation honors the life and legacy of Dr. King, we are proud to be serving as elected officials of a town that remains on the front lines of continuing his work. Every day, Moorestonians from all walks of life find ways to give back to the town we love. Whether it’s coaching a sports team or educating our children, caring for our open spaces or …

To the editor:It was my daughter’s birthday the other day. She and her sister are the love of our lives. Of course, there was a party at our house. The whole family was there, four generations. The house was overflowing with good wishes and cheer. Much needed in my case. The events of the last two months have given me much to be thankful for, much to ponder, much to reflect upon. The whole day came together with the big birthday cake, the chides about “how many candles there were,” then the wish, and the 3-year olds blew out the candles with the two smaller ones watching with great amazement—…

To the editor:As 2012 draws to a close and my term on town council reaches an end, I’d like to share a final township update with you that will summarize our journey over the past four years and let you know where we are as we approach 2013, with a bright future ahead of us.When my colleagues, Greg Gallo, Michael Testa and I took office, the economy was changing rapidly and we encountered a budget deficit approaching $4 million. Understanding there were going to be significant challenges attributable to the changing economy and previous operating decisions, we embarked on a quest to …

To the editor:With the official election results less than a week old, I would like to convey my deepest appreciation for my election to the Moorestown Board of Education. I am honored to have been elected and I look forward to serving come January. In addition, I would like to thank everyone who supported me.Furthermore, I would like to congratulate both David Weinstein and Sheryl Sawin for being elected as well, and to all who were interested enough in the community and schools to run for office. I am looking forward to seeing the work accomplished by both the newly elected and existing …

To the editor: With the final votes counted, we are humbled and honored to write to you as your councilmembers-elect. We are proud of the vigorous and issue-based campaign we ran, and we are unbelievably grateful for the outpouring of support we received over the last eight months from all parts of town. We are especially thankful to our families, friends and campaign volunteers whose support never wavered and who stood by us through thick and thin. As we transition from campaigning to governance, we are acutely aware our town is at a critical crossroads. Our town faces difficult challenges, …

To the editor:I have known Mark Hines and his family for many years. I have pictures of them, even when their children were very young, helping with STEM's Natural Area Care projects, as well as with our special events. Many people don't know Mark has been contributing his time and energy to the well-being of Moorestown in many ways. He has served on the library board and is currently on the board of the Moorestown Improvement Association. I have observed him at town council meetings advocating for transparency in our local government for years. When the current council attempted to use the …

To the editor:When we were both campaigning in 2010, we ran on a promise of keeping taxes as low as possible, maintaining the quality of our town’s services and moving forward with solving the town hall debacle.Since then, we have worked diligently to ensure these promises would become a reality. Along with our council colleagues, we have worked toward a fiscally responsible budget, and this year, council was able to put forward a budget that had a zero increase in the municipal tax levy. We have worked to move forward with improvements to our town’s many athletic facilities and theChurch …

“We treat this world of ours as though we had a spare in the trunk.” This quotation came out of a fortune cookie I ate at a Moorestown restaurant this past Sunday, hours before New Jersey began to feel the monstrous impact of Tropical Storm Sandy.    I read it silently, then read it out loud to my husband, as we both wondered: What would tomorrow be like? And how about the tomorrows beyond tomorrow? We thought of the death toll, the suffering, the days without power, the hours of anguish that would follow the destruction of private property, the damage to the economy ... We asked ourselves: …

To the editor:Debating the issues, in front of voters, is a time-honored tradition in American politics. Voters want to make informed decisions, and debates are always an effective means to help voters make the right decisions on how to use their voting power. Most recently, the three presidential debates in 2012 were watched by tens of millions of voters eager to hear directly from the candidates.In Moorestown, debates have always been part of this tradition. On our ballot for Nov. 6, there are contests for president, the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House of Representatives, Burlington County …

To the editor:On behalf of the YMCA of Burlington and Camden Counties in Mount Laurel and SNAP (Special Needs Advocacy Parties), I would like to invite all children with special needs and their families to join us for a Halloween Party.  This event will be held from 2-4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 28, at the YMCA on Centerton Road. There will be a DJ/dancing, face painting, crafts, a photo booth and treats to eat. Participants are encouraged to wear costumes. It is free of charge to enjoy this fun-filled event. Parents/guardians are required to remain at the party.  If you would like to join us, or …

To the editor:As we enter October, with less than a month until the upcoming election, I wanted to share another township update that, hopefully, will be helpful in understanding what lies ahead for council in 2013 and beyond. In essence, here is a consolidated view of the “state of our community” at this time:Savings, Ratables, RevenueFirst and foremost, let’s look at our financial health and the tax outlook going forward. It should be noted that Moorestown’s tax rate is low relative to comparable towns in New Jersey. Over the last four years, Greg Gallo, Michael Testa and I have worked hard…

To the editor: As we have spent time knocking on thousands of doors in our town, the three of us have had an opportunity to hear firsthand about the issues that Moorestown voters care about. Not surprisingly, nearly every person places taxes on the top of their list.   Lots of politicians talk about reining in taxes and cutting government waste. Our team actually has a plan to do it. If elected, we will: Review the municipal budget for efficiency improvements and cost reductions Work to revive our local business districts by encouraging redevelopment of commercial properties that are not …

To the editor: As the current president of STEM (Save The Environment of Moorestown), I want to thank everyone who spoke up, put signs out, beat the bushes, etc. to help save the Open Space Trust Fund. One thing I would like to make clear is that STEM was never opposed to improving athletic fields. Our children deserve good fields and lighting. They are our most precious resource. They are our future.We were opposed only to the proposed source of funding—the Open Space Fund. That said, I hope we can all get back to continuing to make Moorestown a special place. I do want to publicly thank all…

Governor Romney sits on his high horse, towering above us all, dancing on the head of a pin.  Below him are 47 percent of the American people, for whom he has no respect because they pay no income tax and are dependent on the federal government for all kinds of benefits to which they feel entitled. These people, he said, are not likely to vote for him. So, if elected, he’ll cut them off, which should force them to take responsibility for their own lives, especially the ones dependent on Social Security and Medicare.  Maybe Governor Romney should take a long, hard look at his own reflection in…

To the editor:The Newcomer Sattinger Hines team strongly supports economic development in Moorestown. Economic development generates revenue, and relieves the burden on residential taxpayers. Economic development revitalizes our retail districts. Economic development creates prosperous retail districts and fills empty storefronts. Retail dollars are spent in Moorestown, not in other communities, and Moorestown residents benefit by having valuable retail services close and convenient.The Newcomer Sattinger Hines team is about results. We are about Results for Moorestown, thus our website, …

To the editor: We believe government works for the people and not the other way around. To that end, we have pledged to strengthen the relationship between the taxpayers of Moorestown and the individuals they elect to town council and increase our accessibility to the public. As council members, we pledge to: Hold regular constituent relations “office hours” at the Moorestown Library or other public buildings We pledge to have members of council set aside time outside of town council meetings to hear from constituents one-on-one, answer their concerns, and receive their feedback in a more …

To the editor:Today, we pause to recognize and thank the men and women who work hard and make our community stronger. These people include the fine teachers in all Moorestown schools, our library employees, our public works employees, our water and sewer employees, EMTs, our police, school crossing guards, recreation department employees, and all township employees. Your dedication to Moorestown is greatly appreciated.We will also take the chance to thank our firefighters. They do it, without pay, yet show up when the alarm rings, day or night.All three of us are longtime residents of …