Thank you to the voters who supported our efforts. Election day was not the finish line for us, but it took us closer to the goal of restoring Muhlenberg Regional Medical Center.
With the election of Chris Christie, changes in Trenton will replace many of the people who refused to listen to our concerns and failed to follow legal requirements that a community needs assessment and an impact study must be conducted prior to closing a hospital.
Hope Thompson and Karen Gielen should be proud of the support they received as first-time unfunded candidates. Through this process, we discovered old friends and made new friends for life. We'd like to thank everyone who encouraged us, offered assistance and helped make our issues a vital part of this election.
Deborah Dowe
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Campaign events
The Muhlenberg Independents Call For Bi-Partisan Support And Cooperation
Think Independently, Work Together
Think Independently, Work Together
Deborah Dowe - Mayor of Plainfield
Hope Thompson - County Freeholder
Karen Gielen - County Freeholder
Sunday, November 1st,
Community Rally and Press Conference
Monday, November 2nd,
Debbie Dowe and friends present
The Truth About
&
Her Vision for
(Jobs, lower taxes, education, healthcare)
The Du
(Light refreshments served)
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Plainfield Parking Meters
Did you know that the Plainfield parking meters use batteries? They behave the same way clocks do when the batteries are weak. They don't keep time, but you end up with a $35 dollar ticket that can cause the registered owner to lose their license to drive if it is not paid.
We could also be vulnerable to a class action suit.
I buy Halal (Islamic Kosher) food downtown Plainfield, outstanding yogurt and my favorite restaurant where you can watch your food prepared. I also like to watch African movies while they braid my hair on Somerset Street where I got a ticket soon after putting the maximum of two hours on the meter.
When I went to the police to complain, I learned I could beat the ticket by a legally requesting the maintenance records. By the way the meter by the police station was so jammed with money it couldn't be used.
Why does this matter? It discourages people from shopping downtown. Its not right. We don't get the proper revenue from the machines and we get unjust revenue and penalties from the tickets. Loss of your drivers license can limit access to healthcare as well as work.
What happened to 'truth, justice and the American way'?
Are we participants, or are we prey?
Deborah Dowe
We could also be vulnerable to a class action suit.
I buy Halal (Islamic Kosher) food downtown Plainfield, outstanding yogurt and my favorite restaurant where you can watch your food prepared. I also like to watch African movies while they braid my hair on Somerset Street where I got a ticket soon after putting the maximum of two hours on the meter.
When I went to the police to complain, I learned I could beat the ticket by a legally requesting the maintenance records. By the way the meter by the police station was so jammed with money it couldn't be used.
Why does this matter? It discourages people from shopping downtown. Its not right. We don't get the proper revenue from the machines and we get unjust revenue and penalties from the tickets. Loss of your drivers license can limit access to healthcare as well as work.
What happened to 'truth, justice and the American way'?
Are we participants, or are we prey?
Deborah Dowe
League of Women Voters Questions
1). What strategy will you advocate for economic development in the next four years?
Plainfield has valid needs and underserved markets that can create the jobs and economic vitality that fuels the broader goal of community development. Services and social interaction bring universal benefits, while residential expansion strains all resources. Incentives should go to supermarkets, hotels, banquet halls, game rooms and jazz clubs instead of more homes.
Plainfield is a medically underserved community with a substantial population of insured residents willing to invest in wellness, natural cures and programs that integrate alternative and mainstream medicine. Restoring rapid access to acute care and expanding access to chronic care and lifestyle medicine will create more jobs than the 1100 that have been lost.
2). What is your stand on tax breaks for developers?
Taxpayers deserve to know the extent of tax breaks that are currently in place, including an inventory of tax free properties that are in use or vacant and eligible for development. Programs that allow seniors to work in lieu of a modest portion of their property tax debt need to be investigated for compliance with New Jersey laws.
3). How do you intend to enforce property code ordinances, such as those banning satellite dishes visible from the street?
Residents need common standards and a commitment to equal treatment of property, citywide. Compliance with state and federal regulations requires a review of local ordinances. For instance, FCC regulations negotiated by satellite providers, give single users of residential and commercial real estate wide latitude in the placement of satellite dishes on private property. If the Plainfield ordinance was legal when passed, it may not be legal now.
For the assembly candidates:
1). How would you bring back acute medical care to Plainfield?
Court action to return the Muhlenberg donations, scholarships and endowments along with income from Muhlenberg’s extensive rental properties will greatly subsidize charity care and make the hospital more attractive to buyers.
Plainfield’s size and complex population are ideal to nurture demonstration projects in the fusion of medical technology, traditional, native cures and ethno-pharmacology that will impact the next decade of medicine.
Plainfield is a uniquely diverse, medically underserved community in the heart of the pharmaceutical state. We can actively seek partnerships with the Integrative Medicine community as they seek to establish fundable protocols for preventive care and wellness programs.
Passively, we can wait till over 100 new cardiac drugs require clinical trials on diverse populations and evaluate the options this opportunity will present.
2). What sorts of shared services could lower the local property tax burden? Be specific to the towns in the 22nd District?
Shared services need to begin within Plainfield. A system needs to enable City government, the school system and PMUA to share specialized staff starting with Public Information and Communications. News and events need to be scheduled and promoted in a cooperative effort.
3). What will you do to rein in state and local taxes that are driving people out of New Jersey?
County school systems are a good start. Currently New Jersey pays a segregation tax to enable residents to live and go to school with people that are alike, more so than any other state in the nation. We must face this issue and chose efficiency over separateness, or not.
Please send your photo, bio and responses to the aforementioned questions by October 10, 2009.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
League Of Women Voters Campaign Coverage
The Short Story
A number of campaign supporters have expressed concern that none of my political commentary appeared in the Courier News Plainfield League of Women Voters ad that stated my submission was too late. My computer froze and had to be replaced, requiring all information to be completely reconstructed.
Instead of the usual word limit for a general statement, candidates were given specific questions and no word limit. Questions directed to candidates for Mayor did not include the Muhlenberg issue, even though it was included in questions for Assembly Candidates. I took the time to answer them all. The League decided that 18 minutes past midnight, of the date for submission, was a vaild reason to reject my responses and advertise that my submission was too late to be included.
Consequently, I did not expect any of my information, or my image to appear in their ad. Their use of my picture and blog address occurred after I questioned and accepted their decision and verbally withdrew permission to use my information on the League website.
I prefer no coverage to partial coverage that is subject to their judgement and control.
Instead of the usual word limit for a general statement, candidates were given specific questions and no word limit. Questions directed to candidates for Mayor did not include the Muhlenberg issue, even though it was included in questions for Assembly Candidates. I took the time to answer them all. The League decided that 18 minutes past midnight, of the date for submission, was a vaild reason to reject my responses and advertise that my submission was too late to be included.
Consequently, I did not expect any of my information, or my image to appear in their ad. Their use of my picture and blog address occurred after I questioned and accepted their decision and verbally withdrew permission to use my information on the League website.
I prefer no coverage to partial coverage that is subject to their judgement and control.
If you want to hear me speak in a public forum. Make sure you attend the:
Plainfield Area NAACP Candidate Forum
300 Central Avenue
Whitney Allen Young Community Room
Plainfield, NJ 07060
Please Park On The New Street Side
Sunday October 25, 2009, 5:15PM
Any groups or individuals who would like to hear my vision for Plainfield should:
email me at DNV.Dowe@verizon.net, or call 908-756-7273.
Deborah Dowe
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
League of Women Voters' Questions
My computer froze,I reconstructed answers to questions that the league posed to the Assembly Candidates, as well as questions for mayor that did not directly address health care and the Muhlenberg issue.
The answers were emailed 18 minutes past midnight. If anyone wants to challenge my decision not tofurther participate in League Campaign Coverage. I will research copies of League campaign coverage, dating back to 1999 and break my rule against pointless negativity.
The Courier was helpful, and even provided copy from prior submissions. I did not expect that there would be a problem with information submitted eighteen minutes past midnight. I simply could have not answered the additional questions that were intended for the Assembly candidates, but the Muhlenberg question was not put before the candidates for Mayor.
I have posted the information that would have appeared in the League newspaper ad. If anyone has additional questions or would like me to adress a group, feel free to call me at 908-756-7273.
If you want to hear me speak, please attend the:
For the mayoral candidates:
1). What strategy will you advocate for economic development in the next four years?
Plainfield has valid needs and underserved markets that can create the jobs and economic vitality that fuel the broader goal of community development. Services and social interaction bring universal benefits, while residential expansion strains all resources. Incentives should go to supermarkets, hotels, banquet halls, game rooms and jazz clubs instead of more homes.
Plainfield is a medically underserved community with a substantial population of insured residents willing to invest in wellness, natural cures and programs that integrate alternative and mainstream medicine. Restoring rapid access to acute care and expanding access to chronic care and lifestyle medicine will create more jobs than the 1100 that have been lost.
2). What is your stand on tax breaks for developers?
Taxpayers deserve to know the extent of tax breaks that are currently in place, including an inventory of tax free properties that are in use or vacant and eligible for development. Programs that allow seniors to work in lieu of a modest portion of their property tax debt need to be investigated for compliance with New Jersey laws.
3). How do you intend to enforce property code ordinances, such as those banning satellite dishes visible from the street?
Residents need common standards and a commitment to equal treatment of property, citywide. Compliance with state and federal regulations requires a review of local ordinances. For instance, FCC regulations, negotiated by satellite providers, give single users of residential and commercial real estate wide latitude in the placement of satellite dishes on private property. If the Plainfield ordinance was legal when passed, it may not be legal now.
For the assembly candidates:
1). How would you bring back acute medical care to Plainfield?
Court action to return the Muhlenberg donations, scholarships and endowments along with income from Muhlenberg’s extensive rental properties will greatly subsidize charity care and make the hospital more attractive to buyers.
Plainfield’s size and complex population are ideal to nurture demonstration projects in the fusion of medical technology, traditional or native cures and ethno-pharmacology that will impact the next decade of medicine.
Plainfield is a uniquely diverse, medically underserved community in the heart of the pharmaceutical state. We can actively seek partnerships with the Integrative Medicine community as they seek to establish fundable protocols for preventive care and wellness programs. Passively, we can wait till over 100 new cardiac drugs require clinical trials on diverse populations and evaluate the options this opportunity will preset.
2). What sorts of shared services could lower the local property tax burden? Be specific to the towns in the 22nd District?
Shared services need to begin within Plainfield. A system needs to enable City government, the school system and PMUA to share specialized staff starting with Public Information and Communications. News and events need to be scheduled and promoted in a cooperative effort.
3). What will you do to rein in state and local taxes that are driving people out of New Jersey?
County school systems are a good start. Currently New Jersey pays a segregation tax to enable residents to live and go to school with people that are alike, to a greater degree than any other state in the nation. We must face this issue and chose efficiency over separateness, or not.
The answers were emailed 18 minutes past midnight. If anyone wants to challenge my decision not tofurther participate in League Campaign Coverage. I will research copies of League campaign coverage, dating back to 1999 and break my rule against pointless negativity.
The Courier was helpful, and even provided copy from prior submissions. I did not expect that there would be a problem with information submitted eighteen minutes past midnight. I simply could have not answered the additional questions that were intended for the Assembly candidates, but the Muhlenberg question was not put before the candidates for Mayor.
I have posted the information that would have appeared in the League newspaper ad. If anyone has additional questions or would like me to adress a group, feel free to call me at 908-756-7273.
If you want to hear me speak, please attend the:
NAACP Candidate Forum
Sunday, October 25, 2009
5:15PM
Whitney Allen Young Apartments
300 Central Avenue, Community Room
(enter from the New Street side, through parking lot)
Plainfield, NJ, 07060
For the mayoral candidates:
1). What strategy will you advocate for economic development in the next four years?
Plainfield has valid needs and underserved markets that can create the jobs and economic vitality that fuel the broader goal of community development. Services and social interaction bring universal benefits, while residential expansion strains all resources. Incentives should go to supermarkets, hotels, banquet halls, game rooms and jazz clubs instead of more homes.
Plainfield is a medically underserved community with a substantial population of insured residents willing to invest in wellness, natural cures and programs that integrate alternative and mainstream medicine. Restoring rapid access to acute care and expanding access to chronic care and lifestyle medicine will create more jobs than the 1100 that have been lost.
2). What is your stand on tax breaks for developers?
Taxpayers deserve to know the extent of tax breaks that are currently in place, including an inventory of tax free properties that are in use or vacant and eligible for development. Programs that allow seniors to work in lieu of a modest portion of their property tax debt need to be investigated for compliance with New Jersey laws.
3). How do you intend to enforce property code ordinances, such as those banning satellite dishes visible from the street?
Residents need common standards and a commitment to equal treatment of property, citywide. Compliance with state and federal regulations requires a review of local ordinances. For instance, FCC regulations, negotiated by satellite providers, give single users of residential and commercial real estate wide latitude in the placement of satellite dishes on private property. If the Plainfield ordinance was legal when passed, it may not be legal now.
For the assembly candidates:
1). How would you bring back acute medical care to Plainfield?
Court action to return the Muhlenberg donations, scholarships and endowments along with income from Muhlenberg’s extensive rental properties will greatly subsidize charity care and make the hospital more attractive to buyers.
Plainfield’s size and complex population are ideal to nurture demonstration projects in the fusion of medical technology, traditional or native cures and ethno-pharmacology that will impact the next decade of medicine.
Plainfield is a uniquely diverse, medically underserved community in the heart of the pharmaceutical state. We can actively seek partnerships with the Integrative Medicine community as they seek to establish fundable protocols for preventive care and wellness programs. Passively, we can wait till over 100 new cardiac drugs require clinical trials on diverse populations and evaluate the options this opportunity will preset.
2). What sorts of shared services could lower the local property tax burden? Be specific to the towns in the 22nd District?
Shared services need to begin within Plainfield. A system needs to enable City government, the school system and PMUA to share specialized staff starting with Public Information and Communications. News and events need to be scheduled and promoted in a cooperative effort.
3). What will you do to rein in state and local taxes that are driving people out of New Jersey?
County school systems are a good start. Currently New Jersey pays a segregation tax to enable residents to live and go to school with people that are alike, to a greater degree than any other state in the nation. We must face this issue and chose efficiency over separateness, or not.
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