It was made clear at last night’s meeting of the Sussex County Board of Chosen Freeholders that the county’s representatives on both the State and Federal levels have failed to protect the basic needs of their constituents.

We in Sussex County do not get our fair share of State or Federal moneys because our Republican representatives have been ineffective in standing up for us both in Washington and in Trenton.

For example, last night, Freeholder Richard Vohden pointed out that Sussex County is not even included on the map of the planning agency that determines where federal taxes will be spent in the Northern New Jersey region. How is it that Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen and Scott Garrett have not fought for Sussex County to share in the funds available from the Federal Government to fix our county’s roads and bridges?

On the state level, Sussex County’s representatives have failed us as well. According to Freeholder Director George Graham, none of the funds collected with our telephone bills to upgrade 911 emergency dispatch centers will be spent in Sussex County. State Senator Steve Oroho, Assemblyman Parker Space and Assemblywoman Gail Phoebus owe us an explanation. Why have they been ineffective in having us included in the 911 program active in other parts of New Jersey? Is it because they are unable to deal effectively with their colleagues in Trenton? We’ve heard them talking a good game about protecting our interests, but they have been almost totally ineffectual in doing so.

There’s more. Read Bruce Scruton report of the meeting in the New Jersey Herald.