Republican Hopefuls Speak at Candidates Forum

The four candidates in next Tuesday's Republican freeholder primary addressed the public during a forum held at Gloucester Township-Blackwood Rotary Public Library Tuesday night.

Helen Hart-Magobet, Eugene E. T. Lawrence, Fernando Powers and Joshua Rocks are seeking the two Republican spots on the ballot in the Nov. 8 general election.

The nearly two-hour forum was hosted by government watchdog group South Jersey Citizens and the Camden County League of Women Voters.

"Basically what this is all about is getting information to the people and making sure that you can make an informed decision and an honest decision next week about these four fine people," SJC Executive Director Tom Crone said at the beginning of the forum.

About 30 people attended the event.

Lawrence and Rocks are running in the primary with the backing of the Camden County Republican Committee.

"I can tell by your being here tonight that you're fed up and you're tired of politics as usual," Rocks, a transportation planner with the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, said. "I'm tired of it, too."

Lawrence, a self-employed business consultant who served three terms on Gloucester Township Council, is the lone Republican primary candidate to have previously held an elected office.

"I believe that I will do the things that you will be satisfied with and comfortable with," Lawrence said. "I will fight for you. I will fight for what each one of us believes, not just as Republicans but as citizens, as residents of Camden County."

Lawrence and Powers both are Gloucester Township residents. Rocks lives in Haddon Township and Hart-Magobet in Winslow Township.

Hart-Magobet, who indicated she switched parties more than 10 years ago, implored the audience to support her next Tuesday, telling them she knows she can win in November and deliver "strong, firm, compassionate" leadership to the freeholder board.

The candidates did not significantly disagree on any issues discussed during the forum.

All railed against eminent-domain abuses, pay-to-play practices and out-of-control spending.

"Bonds are an easy way of buying it now and paying for it later," Lawrence said. "It's a government credit card."

The four candidates indicated they would support a measure that would require the freeholder board to put all proposed bond ordinances to the voters.

Rocks, who vowed to resign his position with the planning commission should he win the November general election, hammered the freeholder board for failing to shop around for bonds.

Despite it winning the support of Gov. Chris Christie, the four candidates agree the freeholder board's proposal to consolidate public safety in the county is a bad idea.

"I'm against centralizing the police," said Powers, a disabled Gulf War veteran who previously worked as a salesman with Safety-Kleen Corp. and for Emery Worldwide Airlines. "I want the local towns to maintain a police so that they may maintain their sovereignty, and this way they can maintain safety in their own communities."

The candidates called for increased transparency with the freeholder board.

SJC was unable to get the four Democratic candidates for nomination to attend the forum.

Crone did say on Tuesday that SJC has received a commitment from the Camden County Democrat Committee to have its two primary winners debate the Republican candidates in the general election at least once.

Incumbent freeholders Louis Cappelli Jr. and Scot McCray are opposed by Amy LaConte-Smith and Thomas J. Stearns Jr., both of Gloucester Township, in the Democratic primary.

One audience member asked the four GOP candidates about Cappelli's much-publicized property-tax delinquency in Collingswood.

"I believe in paying all of the taxes that I have to," said Hart-Magobet, a homemaker who described herself as a founding member of the New Jersey Science and Technology Committee. "It's up to you all. You decide whether or not you want someone in office who pays their taxes or does not pay their taxes."

Deborah Macmillan, president of the East Windsor-Hightstown League of Women Voters, served as moderator of Tuesday's forum.