Edison: Politics as Usual?

The Chicken Suit takes Office

2006-01-03T08:20:00.000-08:00

Choi sworn in as mayor

(With Quips in Between by Yours Truly)

Edison inaugurates its youngest leader

Home News Tribune Online 01/2/06By JERRY BARCASTAFF WRITERjbarca@thnt.com
Jerry Barca: (732) 565-7306; jbarca@thnt.com

EDISON — A high school band playing "My Country 'Tis of Thee" opened the coronation ceremony of Jun Choi, the township's youngest and first minority mayor.

The 34-year-old Korean American was sworn in yesterday before a crowd of more than 500 people in the Edison High School auditorium. "I did not run for mayor to win a popularity contest. I ran for mayor to make a difference in the lives of everyday people. And to this end, we need a reform vision to revitalize our community," Choi said in his first mayoral speech.Yesterday's 90-minute ceremony was the realization of an outsider's run to office in a township dominated by Democratic-party loyalists.

(Reform Vision? Like hiring consultants at $25,000 a month for working "forty man hours" ? How about asking for "market rate" for himself at at whopping $90,000 a year PLUS health/pension benefits on the house? And why is the THNT still calling him an outsider - Have they not met Choi;s best friend, Doc Paterniti?)

In order to gain the mayor's seat, Choi, a first-time candidate for office, defeated incumbent Mayor George Spadoro in a crushing upset to win the Democratic primary. In the general election, Choi beat another party stalwart, William Stephens, a former council president who ran as an independent.Yesterday, leaders from the Catholic, Baptist, Hindu and Jewish communities said prayers in the auditorium adorned with red, white and blue stars-and-stripes bunting.
(No comment - He is allowed to have as many Catholic, Baptist, Hindu and Jewish priests at his inauguration as possible).

More than a dozen members of English and Asian-language media outlets took notes, snapped photos and shot video footage of the inauguration.The Asian and state political communities have also paid attention to Choi's ascent. Bong-Joo Moon, the consul general of the Republic of Korea, attended the inauguration. U.S. Rep. Robert Menendez, D-13th Dist., who is expected to take the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Gov.-elect Jon S. Corzine, was also in attendance.
(WOW, Consul General of the Republic of Korea? Menendez? Corzine? Boy!! People are paying a lot of attention to Choi's "ascent") Funny though, Someone legitimate like Dick Codey was too busy...How about some Republican leaders, Leonard Lance maybe?

"This is a great, great story for America that is occurring here today," said Corzine, who swore in Choi.In his inaugural speech, Choi pointed to a series of initiatives he plans to announce in his first 100 days in office.Without giving specific details, Choi said the initiatives will focus on education, relieving overcrowded schools, stopping residential development, luring businesses to Edison and "fiscal discipline.""Not all of these initiatives will be popular. . . . There will certainly be criticism and second-guessing," Choi said. "But . . . to seize these opportunities, what's needed is the kind of leadership to stand up to entrenched interests and to do what is right for the community."

(So Choi wants us, the "entrenched interests," to shut up? Is that what he is saying? Why do politicians say so much and mean so little? By the way, Choi has NO details for his initiatives...That is why he is always harping on generalities....Education, Relieving Overcrowded Schools, Stopping Residential Development, Luring businesses to Edison and of course, the dreaded "fiscal discipline." Wow, it is like reading his campaign literature.....The ame canned speech over and over and over...and can you spell fiscal discipline at $25,000 a month to transition consultants?)

Having beaten two longtime local leaders in back-to-back contentious campaigns, Choi asked for unity yesterday.He broke from prepared remarks to acknowledge Stephens, his general-election opponent, who was sitting in the crowd. "I'm so glad and touched you're here," Choi said. "I look forward to working with you in the future."The mayor also spoke directly to the township government. "Join me in rejecting petty, partisan politics and the politics of personal destruction. We face serious challenges, and we must assume our responsibilities seriously and cooperatively," Choi said.

(Did Choi just tell Stephens to stop being petty and engaging in partisan politics and "the politics of personal destruction." Good. Bill can stop...I am just getting started...)

Choi already is facing difficulty trying to get the Township Council to pay two consultants $25,000 a month to review the Edison government. The council approved an initial payment, but then tabled the issue when it came up again."We are going to see more disagreement in council chambers," said Robert Diehl, who was sworn in and made council president yesterday. "I welcome it all."After he was sworn in, Anthony Massaro, who was named council vice president, said he had no worries about possible disagreements. "It means people are thinking," he said.Beyond Diehl and Massaro, Salvatore Pizzi and Antonia Ricigliano were also sworn in as council members.Ricigliano, a Democrat who ran on Stephens' independent slate, served on the council from 1998 to 2001. She could be a Choi detractor, but, she said, "I'm not an unreasonable person. . . My only hope is he is up to the job."

(What do you know!!!...the THNT screwed it up again...The above resolution was in fact tabled, then amidst mass confusion because of Councilwoman Joan Kapitan's emotional state, was brought up for consideration again and passed....Kapitan took a lot of heat from residents for that.....Jerry, how could the THNT miss that? Maybe Choi was the messenger....
On Choi being up for the job, I feel the same way, Toni. Let's hope the chicken suit man has more bite than his whimpering bark...)

I have to go throw up now....This Choi-THNT love fest is making me hurl again....)

You can read the THNT article in its raw, odoriferous and unadulterated version at http://www.thnt.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060102/NEWS/601020346/1001

As the Chicken Suit Turns: The Salary/Consultant Debacle

2005-12-27T07:37:00.000-08:00

Sometimes, someone else says things so concisely that there is no need to add even a word. Please read the enclosed Editorialby Gregory Bean, Executive Editor of the Greater Media Newspapers, which owns and operates the Sentinel...

Ask yourself people...(and Jun, I know you read this blog)....Ask yourself, people, would Edison residents have elected Mr. Choi had he made his requests for a $90,000 annual salary with a full benefits package, AND consultants at $25,000 per month during his campaign?? So, how is this new "reform" guy any better than the one we just chucked out of office?

Way to go, Mr. Bean for saying it better than I ever could have said it...Happy Holidays to all, even you, Mr. Choi...

Just a few requests before taking office

Coda Greg Bean

You’ve got to give Jun Choi, Edison’s mayor-elect, credit for having chutzpah. Newcomer Choi used a guy in a chicken suit to oust Democratic Mayor George Spadoro in the primary, and he won the general election against independent William Stephens by a very small margin.
And what was Choi’s first order of business, before he even takes the oath of office?

He asked for a raise. (!)

A couple of weeks ago, Choi approached some members of the Edison Township Council with a few requests.

First, he wanted the city to shell out around $25,000 a month, for up to nine months, to pay for his transition team. Second, he wanted health benefits, something the mayor in that community has never received. And third, because he said he is going to be a full-time mayor, he reportedly wanted his compensation almost doubled — to between $85,000 and $90,000 a year.
Needless to say, the request took lots of people by surprise, but after some initial bemusement, the council last week granted the requests for health benefits and transition team costs. The salary hike is apparently off the table, at least for the time being.

This election was so close, you have to wonder if Choi would be getting ready to take office this January if he had bothered to mention his first priorities at any time during the campaign. And if you think about it, you have to conclude that enough Edison voters would likely have said “to heck with that” and voted William Stephens into office instead.
Now they’ve got Jun Choi, who is unhappy with his terms of employment before he works a single day.

I guess you can get away with this kind of thing in politics, where once you’re voted in you’ve got a measure of job security, at least until the next election or until someone gets so mad that they start a recall movement.

But it would certainly never fly in the private sector.

Can you just imagine what would happen, say at Ace Widgets and Thingamajigs, if the guy who’d been interviewing for and aggressively pursuing the position of sales manager, had been offered the job and given a starting date by the company owner. But a short time before the new sales manager was scheduled to start, he dropped by the owner’s office with a couple of requests.

That conversation would probably go something like this:
“Good morning, Mr. Smith,” the company owner might say. “I sure am glad we’ll be having you aboard. Everybody is really excited about it.”

“I’m excited about it too, Mr. Jones,” the soon-to-be new manager might say. “A lot of things are screwed up around here, and before I start, I’m going to need a few things we didn’t talk about in the interviews.”

“Like what?” Mr. Jones might say.

“Well, first of all, I’m going to need a few assistants to help me get a feel for what needs to be done before I start making changes. I might need them for eight or nine months, and I’d like to pay them $25,000 a month.”

“What?”

“And that’s not all,” Mr. Smith might say. “I’m going to need a health benefits package, even though nobody else around here gets one. I might get sick.”

“Assistants? At $25,000 a month? And a benefits package?”
“Right.”

“It’s funny you mention getting sick. I’m feeling a little funky myself,” Mr. Jones might say. “Is that all?” “Not quite,” Mr. Smith might say. “I know we discussed compensation while we were interviewing, and I know that before you offered me the job, I might have given the impression the compensation was acceptable. But I’ve now decided that since I plan to work a lot more than the last guy, I’d like about twice the pay.”

“Twice the pay?”
“Well, almost.”

“Is there anything else?”
“No, that’s it, at least for now.”

The owner of the company would consider these requests for about two seconds. Then he’d pick up the phone. “Get security,” he’d tell the receptionist at the front desk. “There’s a crazy person in my office. Tell them to bring Mace, and maybe the dog.”

And if you doubt that’s how it would happen, you haven’t spent much time in the private sector.
As I said, Jun Choi has chutzpah. But let’s just hope someone on this transition team knows something about building good public relations.

I have a feeling the new mayor is gonna need it.
•••

Gregory Bean is executive editor of Greater Media Newspapers.

This article can be found in its entirety at:

http://ws.gmnews.com/news/2005/1221/Editorials/019.html

Barnes Saves the Day

2005-12-09T10:51:00.000-08:00

This was my most recent post in the Sentinel....I cannot wait for the Choi lobby to respond...

Letters Early Christmas magic in city hall, reader says

The people have spoken! Jun Choi appears to have the mayoral seat by 270 votes. While there is still a potential election challenge by the more qualified Bill Stephens, let’s give the guy in the chicken suit the benefit of the doubt.

Well, that is what I was going to write this week.

But then I learned that Mr. Choi not only wanted $90,000 in a salary plus medical and pension benefits as full-time mayor, he also wanted us to provide $12,500 to his new “transition team” for two weeks of service and for an unspecified period after that.

I quickly multiplied the numbers and realized that the “transition team” was to be paid at a rate of $300,000 a year! So even before Mr. Choi assumed office, he wanted a near $400,000 draw down from the city.

But that never shocked me. I knew all along that Mr. Choi’s intentions were never pure. Heck, why not get paid and spread the wealth while using the fifth-largest city in the state as a stepping stone to a real office.

So what did I do? I watched the Edison council meeting in my finely heated North Edison residence. And it was the best theater free television could ever provide.

But here is what really got my goat: Choi tried to use the pre-Ricigliano Council and lame-duck Mayor Spadoro as an appendage to further his agenda.

And he almost succeeded. Councilman Diehl apparently introduced the $12,500 ordinance, but it was mysteriously not in the usual section. And the entire council remained silent, save one brave soul: Councilman Peter Barnes III.

Barnes asked why the ordinance was not in its usual place. No answer. Barnes then asked who was going to introduce the ordinance. Again, after a prolonged silence, Councilman Tomaro finally spoke up sheepishly to say he and others on the Council supported the ordinance. Barnes then moved to table all Choi-related ordinances until after Councilwoman-elect Ricigliano took office. Sadly, Councilpersons Patel, Kapitan, Diehl, Tomaro, and the newly elected Pizzi voted NOT to table the $12,500 ordinance. Council members looked confused and betrayed that Barnes would have an opinion different from theirs.

The crowd went into a frenzy, with at least one resident expressing his profound disappointment in Pizzi and the naysayers. More questions were asked, and Choi approached the podium, defending his decision.

However, the inexperienced mayor-elect only succeeded in confirming suspicions that the “transition team” would probably be around for nine months, and thus need to be paid approximately $250,000. Once again, furious residents approached the podium and chided the council for even considering the ordinance.

The tide was turning. The bewildered council quickly realized that they were looking really, really, really bad on TV. Suddenly, Councilman Pizzi, who previously refused to table the ordinance, made a motion to deny the $12,500 ordinance. Suddenly, Councilpersons Kapitan, Tomaro and Diehl wanted to examine the ordinance with more caution.

Everyone found their voices again. The $12,500 ordinance was defeated.

For that fleeting moment, the council actually became the counterbalance to the mayor it was supposed to be all these years. It was Christmas magic, albeit a little early.

And we all have Peter and Councilman Massaro to thank. The rest of the waffling council ought to make way for braver souls.

ON ANOTHER NOTE, I found this clever little poem (regarding the above events) posted on www.nj.com by (PolNotPeople). What great talent! Bravo!!

Christmas in Edison - 2005
by PolNotPeople, 11/26/05 10:46 ET

Twas' a month before Christmas and that sly little elf,
Edison's Mayor-Elect Choi, labored to benefit himself.
Not caring a wit how the people might feel,
he sought a huge pay raise through puppet-boy Diehl. A

And putting his thumb to the tip of his nose, he said
"it's done elsewhere and what I say goes."
He thought a $90k salary and free health insurance was easy to meet,
But didn't count on the angst of Councilman Pete.

He wasn't concerned that we might protest,
since he gave up the pay raise and hoped we'd forget the rest.
He wants $300k for his consulting friends, making no-bids a must,
and shamefully tried to cover it as transition with his unearned trust.

But while we take cutbacks or raises quite small,
and one out of a hundred has no job at all,
He continues to fund his coffers to the max,
knowing there's already an 11 cent increase to our property tax.

He says he will work to get taxes down,
but uses his Pay-to-Play friends from out of town.
Of course our taxes will rise more and more,
no-bid contracts is the way Choi re-pays each contributor.
He's using our tax dollars to fund his next campaign,
and hoping our apathy and ignorance will result in his gain.

In this season of giving, Mayor-elect Choi starts out by taking.
We all know it's the people of Edison he is forsaking.
With an election in dispute and Stephens in a bit of a tid,
he's already using our tax dollars for his next office bid.

If in this feeling I'm not alone,
take up your pen or pick up the phone.
Let him know that using our tax dollars this way,
comes at the expense of an assembly seat next election day.

With a budget soon to be full with Jun Choi perks,
the Democrats celebrated and all with big smirks.
And I heard them exclaim with party-boss donations in hand,
Merry Christmas to us, and let the people be scammed!

Stephens Loses Narrowly: Welcome to Another Era of the Machine

2005-11-11T06:59:00.000-08:00

On Election Day, Bill Stephens, my choice for Mayor lost narrowly by 191 votes. I am absolutely sickened. There is a level of disgust in me that I cannot explain. I am sick, tired, and I hate how things have turned out. Part of me wishes I never got involved in this debacle. But I feel worst for Bill Stephens, who has gotten up every day to do good for Edison for the better part of two decades. And this is the gratitude he gets - Some newbie with a MIT degree, money in his wallet, loans from friends and amily, and as learned most recently, connections to John Lynch and his PAC, New Directions beats out Stephens' experience and loyalty.

I was at campaign headquarters the night we almost won. Stephens campaign headquarters is a meager one, no bigger than 20 X 80. And people were packed in like sardines. But it was festive. We were all family. No whites, no blacks, no browns, no asians, just Edisonians looking for a better day.

It was magic. At one point we were up by 800 votes. 800!

And then the districts predominantly populated by Asians began to be counted. Choi was suddenly up. A jubliant atmosphere suddenly turned confused. Key members of Stephens campaign began to confer. Slowly, the realization that Stephens was about to be narrowly defeated spread in the small room. Confusion turned to controlled disgust and anger. I saw people crying. Disgusting. I cannot say that word enough today.

I heard Choi was at the lush Pines Manor awaiting his ushering into the machine. But who cares. The guy is going to abandon us in no time. And I for one cannot wait to pull the old "I told you so" on Choi voters.

Now, Suleman Din wrote an excellent article a couple of days ago about Stephens' comment that Choi used the race card to win the election. I know Stephens, I know who he is, and I know how much he resents the machine, and how badly he wants to turn Edison around.

Stephens is a good man, who like me, was incredibly disappointed in the outcome of the election. Incredibly disappointed and sickened.

http://www.nj.com/elections/ledger/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1131602798109930.xml&coll=1&thispage=1

Edison Police: Choi's New Whipping Boy

2005-09-15T06:53:00.000-07:00

Edison's Police Department has received a lot of negative press lately. And suddenly Jun Choi has found a new cause to grandstand about.

Today's politicsnj.com article by Suleman Din (http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/middlesex/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1126764634235780.xml&coll=1&thispage=1) chronicles the Department's latest woes. For effect, I want to quote relevant portions of the article

"On Tuesday, the Middlesex County Prosecutor's office said three Edison police officers, including at least one supervisor, face disciplinary charges for attempting to cover up an accident involving an off-duty officer. Ionnis Mpletsakis, 26, of Edison, was charged with assault by auto and hindering apprehension for running away naked from a July 20 collision on Route 27 when his BMW struck a delivery truck."

...

"The same day, Edison's Police Chief Edward Costello said the department would be clearing three police officers accused of racial bias and brutality by members of the Indian American community. The allegations were made after the Aug. 13 arrests of two Indian-Americans who were putting up flags for an ethnic parade. Costello said an internal investigation into the actions of officers Michael Dixon, Michael Dotro and Leonard Mitchell found they did nothing wrong.

...

One officer was suspended without pay and another was put on desk duty after they were charged with assault for getting into a barroom brawl while off- duty. Jonathan Mackenzie, 24, and Evan Werrlein, 24, of South Plainfield, filed assault charges on Wednesday against officer Clinton Vickery, 28, and Sgt. Alex Glinsky, 42, in connection with the Aug. 25 incident at JB's Tavern on Woodbridge Avenue in Edison. Vickery was charged with aggravated assault, while Glinsky was charged with simple assault. "

...

"And one police officer is back on the job after he was arrested, along with a friend, when witnesses reported seeing both of them naked in a window of an Ocean City, Md., hotel in late July, according to police. A Maryland judge dismissed the charges against officer David Salardino, 32, after he pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and served one day of probation. Brian Rossmeyer, 28, of Edison, was cleared of all charges."

...

"Both candidates said that the incidents aren't on the scale of scandals that rocked the Edison police department in the past, such as the 2000 conviction of officer Robert Spinello for robbing a bank less than an hour before he went to work, or the 1995 conviction of Sgt. Charles Fekete for raping a drunken woman in her apartment, then covering up the crime by filing a false report that tried to make the woman look like 'a mental case.'"

Add to that the Champs fiasco several years ago, which found CBS "60 Minutes" knocking at our door.

Wow...Some of Edison's finest have been a bit troubled of late. And as stated above, Choi has found a new whipping boy. Din reports that Choi said in his conversations with Edison police officers, he learned of a "broken culture" in the department, the result of different factions of officers. It is the result, Choi said, of politics.

Politics? First, I would like to know how many police officers Choi has "conversed" with.

"This police department has been overpoliticized over the years and (has) suffered from a lack of strong leadership," he said. "I've campaigned against politicization of public employees, which leads to bad government and a lack of professionalism. Choi said the recent incidents were unfortunate, but that there were many officers in the department who wanted to bring about change. 'I'm not interested in the blame game, I'm interested in how to fix it,' Choi said. 'This sort of behavior cannot be tolerated.'"

Ooh I likey when someone wth absolutely no concept of governance talks tough! So far, the only person overpoliticized is Choi, in my humble slanted opinion.

So what does Choi propose we do? Bring in "new leadership?" Maybe Choi would like to appoint two of his own boys or girls into those leadership positions?

"We need to get a new, strong leadership team in place," Choi said. "We need to empower that team to enforce the goals of accountability and discipline on the force. There has to be a clear understanding of what is appropriate behavior on duty, and off duty."

You don't say, Chicken suit man?!! Does he say anything that does not include the words "empoer" or "accountable"??

To be fair, Bill Stephens also wants to reform the police department by changing leadership. I respectfully disagree. Changing police brass will do nothing more than add more salary liability to our township.

Reform is from within. Bottom line: Edison police is good people. Period. The E.P.D. knows it needs to shape up. Give the brass the opportunity to do so.

So Shut up Jun Choi, find a new whipping boy, and try not to throw the term "overpoliticized" around too much. Unless you want to tell us how you earned your job as "Executive Director of NJ SMART"?

Want to see your next leader in action, Edison??

2005-08-30T07:02:00.000-07:00

Jun Choi has been long hailed in the press for assisting the Edison Dems successfully defeat the ward initiative. For those who recall, the ward initiative was defeated by 33 votes. Would you like to see what Choi said??

http://www.fusionticket.com/default_videos.asp

Click on Choi on Wards in the middle right of your screen. And then you tell me whether this fellow should be Mayor of the fifth largest municipality in the state.

Choi: "The Budding Politician"

2005-08-16T07:13:00.001-07:00

This clip was found from the May 2004 politicsnj.com archives:

One especially ambitious New Jersey politician is JUN CHOI, a young appointee of Governor JAMES E. MCGREEVEY at the state Department of Education who has formed his own PAC to help finance a fledgling political future. Friends of Jun Choi has raised more than $22,000 over the last eighteen months and has funded his attendance at numerous political and charitable events. Last month, Choi filed a campaign committee to seek the Democratic nomination for State Assembly in the 18th district.

Insiders say that Choi, the Executive Director NJ SMART (Standards Measurement and Resource for Teaching), an initiative that is described as a "critical component of the Governor's education agenda," wants to run if five-term incumbent PETER BARNES retires. Barnes turns 76 in September.

In November 2002, Choi filed a continuing Political Action Committee, designating GORDON MACINNES, a former State Senator who is now the Assistant Commissioner of Education, as Chairman. The PAC is described as being created "to assist Jun Choi as a future candidate for public office" and that funds would be solicited inside and outside New Jersey.

With the money, Choi has paid his registration to the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce Washington trip, and to attend dinners of the League of Municipalities convention, Edison Chamber of Commerce, Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional studies, Leadership New Jersey, Friends of Grace Seniors, and Committee on the Centennial of Korean Immigration, as well as for professional photography at Sears, postage stamps, office supplies and signs.

Choi's PAC, largely financed by large checks from friends and members of the Korean-American community, has enabled the would-be Assemblyman to attend campaign fundraisers without having to pick up the tab personally. His PAC gave $1,000 to the Middlesex County Democratic Organization, $500 to the Edison Democratic Organization, $200 to the Metuchen Democratic Organization, $1,000 to New Directions -- the political action committee of former Senate President JOHN LYNCH, and to the campaigns of presidential candidate JOHN KERRY, State Senator BARBARA BUONO, Assemblymen PATRICK DIEGNAN and UPENDRA CHIVIKULA, East Brunswick Mayor WILLIAM NEARY, Mercer County Executive BRIAN HUGHES, State Senate candidates ELLEN KARCHER and ANTHONY "SKIP" CIMINO, the 2006 mayoral campaign of CORY BOOKER in Newark, and others.

Last year, Choi took on a leadership role in fighting a referendum in Edison that would have created ward Council seats and increased the size of the governing body. As the head of Responsible Taxpayers Against Wards, Choi helped raise a reported $25,000, and Friends of Jun Choi spent $11,291 on direct mail opposing the referendum. Edison voters rejected the initiative by just 33 votes out of more than 11,000 cast.

Choi told PoliticsNJ.com that he draws a clear line between his work for the state and his potential candidacy for elective office; he says he does not accept donations from contractors or potential contractors who do business with the Department of Education.

Blame the guy in the chicken suit....

2005-08-05T07:26:00.000-07:00

This was recently posted in the Sentinel....

Blame the guy in the chicken suit, reader says
Your Turn Vik Advani
Guest Column

A recent editorial read: “Edison politics are never dull.” Forget dull. Quite frankly, I think it is lifeless. A boring primary with a chicken suit, a few racist remarks by a bunch of idiots, and whoa! Spadoro goes vamoose. And now for some more blather and colored brochures.
Civic leaders tell us to get involved when we feel politically immobilized. But I work 80 hours a week and my idea of getting politically involved is hollering at the Township Council meetings on Channel 22 in my finely air-conditioned North Edison residence. And I need some real-time political excitement without expending substantial effort or calories.

So, just now, I thought up a little exciting political contact sport for you, the average Edison guy/gal.

Soon you will hear a knock on your door, and not so familiar face, with political ambitions far exceeding the paltry square mileage of your town, who will ask you to vote for Choi in November. For those in the target area, you may actually see Choi in the flesh. For those in the secured vote districts, you may encounter a college student with party lines and even more colored brochures.

Invite him in — He won’t bite, unless you want him to. Remember, he needs your vote. Always remember to be polite. Let him and/or his supporters do their shtick. Act dumb, play possum and dimwitted. A foe is most unsuspecting when he thinks he is winning.

Hear ‘Wal-Mart,’ ‘progressive’, ‘fresh perspective’ and ‘new era’ 90 times in three minutes. Endure. Breathe.

And then, just like Rocky Balboa in the second round against Ivan Drago, start swingin’ with purpose. Ask the following questions: What was Choi doing when sprawl took over? What has Choi done in the past to prevent this town from turning into a creeping mess of overdeveloped McMansions?

Does Choi remember when a young family could afford to move into this safe haven without paying half a million dollars for a fixer-upper Stephenville ranch in the ‘desirable North Edison area?’ Then, ask about Choi’s plans for making South Edison ‘desirable.’
Ask about Choi’s plans to curb congestion, and to fix traffic snares and never-ending potholes. Ask about Choi’s plans for lowering the township’s property taxes, and pretend to wait for an answer.

He’s cut! He’s cut! ... And it is a bad cut, and now it’s Rocky Balboa going after Ivan Drago!
Expect your foe to be smart and formidable. Expect Choi to blame Spadoro for everything.
Expect to hear about his detailed Web site, www.junchoi.com/issues, which sets forth an elegant itinerary, and hear it regurgitated. Hear about televising Planning and Zoning Board meetings on Channel 22; upgrading the master plan; implementing less intensive zoning requirements and more long-term sustainable development principles; and appointing Planning and Zoning Board members committed to implementing the upgraded master plan and soliciting greater community input working with coalitions of education advocates statewide to secure our fair share of state aid; professionalizing municipal services; mandating competitive bidding of all city business; and of course, my favorite, attending council, planning and school board meetings on a regular basis.

Pace yourself, the painful generalities are almost over. Deliver Tyson-like, near-fatal uppercuts:
Has Choi ever attended Edison township council meetings with any regularity before? Where was he when televising the Zoning/Planning Board issue was hotly contested at the town hall meetings? Was he at the relevant community meetings when Wal-Mart was being debated? And how did Choi oppose Mayor Spadoro’s plan to charge $40 a dinner plate for the State of the Town address at the Clarion?

Ask how Choi’s itinerary is any different from Stephens? Ask how he hopes to includes Republicans and other ‘non-Dems’ in his plan.

Now you have the guy in the chicken suit reeling. Punch-drunk with newfound excitement, go in for the kill, the jugular, the heart-punch, the pile driver, the people’s elbow.
Ask where Choi wants to be four years from now, and whether he views the Edison mayor’s post as a stepping stone to higher office. Ask if Choi is willing to declare publicly that he wants to be Edison’s mayor for a really, really, really long time (two or more terms). Ask why he was inquiring about running for assembly and county freeholder slots prior to his run for mayor.

Knockout.

And as the door shuts behind Choi and/or his aide, loudly yell, ‘‘Adrian!,” and kiss your wife/husband/mate passionately. Expect to be vigorously cross-examined about “Adrian” while you wait for Choi to mysteriously appear on Channel 22.

Editor’s note: Advani is a longtime Edison resident, attorney and adjunct law professor. He said he has no immediate political ambitions for state, county, local, federal or international office. However, he said he is considering forming the political action committee, Friends of Vik Advani, which will solicit donations for a possible run for something in 2037.

When will the madness end?

2005-08-05T07:14:00.000-07:00

Inner Musings of Jun Choi....

I want to run for Assembly......No wait....I want the Board of Education slot...Nahh too small......wait......Freeholder? Nahh....Hmmmmmmm.....Mayor? How about Mayor? Is Mayor OK? Yeah...Mayor could work....and from there...Assembly.....Wait...No Congressman...Yeah Congressman Choi!!! Wait....Senator would be nice......Today....I declare my quest to be the President of the United States!!!!

So...who do I call to be Mayor?