In the next few days Lakewood residents will be inundated with robo calls mailings flyers and PR articles promoting the Vaad and its backed candidates for next weeks elections. They will tell you how they were there for us as a kehilla and how important it is that we show a unified force. They will tell you how they are working to lower taxes alleviate traffic etc.
The last few months following the primary elections, the town was in the process of creating a master plan for the future development of Lakewood. Meetings were held by various committees in town hall over a 5 months period. Hundreds of Lakewood residents showed up weekly and voiced strong opposition to the master plan. Residents spoke up about the traffic and density issues how it affects the quality of life. Young and old, Kollel guys, baal habatim, Rebbeim, morah's all took to the podium pleading with township officials about the traffic impact on their daily life as well as the proposed density with no infrastructure. (The few who spoke up in favor were almost all related to developers or had a financial gain from it.) Many residents who dont show up are just as frustrated the silent majority may not want to vote against the vaad but the vaad does not seem to represent the best interests. They claim the density is needed to keep homes affordable but contrary to that statement young couples can no longer afford to buy in Lakewood. Homeowners are watching their taxes sky rocket again and again. As was recently proven all this density is benefiting outsiders who are moving to Lakewood from NY and other places.
You would think that through the whole ordeal the Vaad would at the very least issue a statement or show some sympathy to the community it claims to represent.
However the Vaad was silent not one word about what was going on in town. Vaad affiliated media were silent at times and did not report or provide information to the public. Should we trust them now when they say they have the public's best interest in mind? after they were silent all along.
And if the vaad is pro the density than they for sure dont represent the best interest of the community.
During the highly publicized arrests and public witch hunt of Lakewood residents paraded in front of cameras for the world to see the vaad was silent! when they finally issued a statement they threw residents under the bus and called them "bad apples". Even the LA Times called out the well publicized raids targeting the community. Ironically the Vaad recently issued statements on other matters not related to Lakewood. This makes it even more surprising that nothing was said or done about the master plan. Some claimed that members benefited from the proposed zoning changes, that's claim is up to speculation and not verified, but the silence in light of everything else is deafening.
The last few months following the primary elections, the town was in the process of creating a master plan for the future development of Lakewood. Meetings were held by various committees in town hall over a 5 months period. Hundreds of Lakewood residents showed up weekly and voiced strong opposition to the master plan. Residents spoke up about the traffic and density issues how it affects the quality of life. Young and old, Kollel guys, baal habatim, Rebbeim, morah's all took to the podium pleading with township officials about the traffic impact on their daily life as well as the proposed density with no infrastructure. (The few who spoke up in favor were almost all related to developers or had a financial gain from it.) Many residents who dont show up are just as frustrated the silent majority may not want to vote against the vaad but the vaad does not seem to represent the best interests. They claim the density is needed to keep homes affordable but contrary to that statement young couples can no longer afford to buy in Lakewood. Homeowners are watching their taxes sky rocket again and again. As was recently proven all this density is benefiting outsiders who are moving to Lakewood from NY and other places.
You would think that through the whole ordeal the Vaad would at the very least issue a statement or show some sympathy to the community it claims to represent.
However the Vaad was silent not one word about what was going on in town. Vaad affiliated media were silent at times and did not report or provide information to the public. Should we trust them now when they say they have the public's best interest in mind? after they were silent all along.
And if the vaad is pro the density than they for sure dont represent the best interest of the community.
During the highly publicized arrests and public witch hunt of Lakewood residents paraded in front of cameras for the world to see the vaad was silent! when they finally issued a statement they threw residents under the bus and called them "bad apples". Even the LA Times called out the well publicized raids targeting the community. Ironically the Vaad recently issued statements on other matters not related to Lakewood. This makes it even more surprising that nothing was said or done about the master plan. Some claimed that members benefited from the proposed zoning changes, that's claim is up to speculation and not verified, but the silence in light of everything else is deafening.