Politics as usual, come

election season in O.B.

No doubt about it, the silly season is in full swing in Old Bridge.

That’s abundantly clear when one looks at the actions of both Democrats and Republicans this month.

First, a flier was distributed to township rental complexes telling them that Richard Greene, the Republican councilman and mayoral candidate, voted against a rent control ordinance last year that capped rent increases at 2 percent. The message is a blatant distortion of the real story, which is that Greene wanted a zero increase for renters.

Meanwhile, Greene is pointing fingers at seemingly every Democrat serving Old Bridge, demanding that they resign for one reason or another.

He initially called for members of the Zoning Board of Adjustment to step down for approving a billboard on Route 9 that Greene believes was wrongfully pushed through to the benefit of parties assisting with the local Democrats’ campaign.

When Greene brought up the issue at a council meeting, a heated argument ensued and Butler wound up calling a recess just to bring about order.

Butler said Greene was campaigning from the dais; Greene said Butler was wrong to silence him when he was questioning the lack of an investigation into the billboard approval. Greene said he was acting in his capacity as councilman and not a mayoral hopeful, but why, then, has no other elected official publicly joined his fight on the billboard issue?

Of course Greene now wants Butler’s resignation as council president. Butler, who obviously has no plans to resign, asked this week why Greene is going after him when he is not even on the ballot.

Maybe it is because anything goes during election season in Old Bridge.

Regardless, we hope residents are having fun watching the political dance that is customary in this township at election time.

We certainly are.