Quality

To the Editor: 
Quality is defined by Webster as a degree or grade of excellence (high standing). With regard to and based on recent statistics, our American system of democracy is limp, meaning low election turnout allows a minority to dominate.
It’s an American presidential election year; therefore, we do expect to see a majority of voter turnout. Yet it should not only be in a national election and every four years that people exercise their given right. A (N.J.) state election had produced less than significant democratic turnout. What resulted? A renegade like Christie was elected. He now has an approval rating of 29 percent. Countywide there’s a one-party dominance. Why? Lack of challenge.
Locally, in 2014 the voter turnout in Lower Township was only 6,000 for a population of about 23,000 residents of the township. Thus the challenge is lessened and you have a puppet government run by the party leaders. Eventually there will be no challengers and your puppet government will allow stupid things to happen. Specifically, your taxes will increase when secondary entities no longer bail you out. Inept decisions and elections will install a poor quality of leadership. Already we’re witnessing duplication of services and cost increases. To cite an example, the secondary entity (MUA) has an engineer and an attorney on staff. So does the township. The Republicans like to consider themselves as conservative, meaning lower taxes and less government. However, duplications such as those mentioned spells hypocrisy.
Cost savings are ignored as long as the party in power defied progress and change. When I look at the majority in both the township and the secondary entity, I don’t see quality. I see waste and more waste. I see party payback and selfishness, thus the taxpayer be damned. Forget quality, it no longer applies here. Over time everyone suffers while the “good times roll.”