Better reasons needed
for local housing rallies

One thing that residents who come before their local governing body with a request for action should understand is the limit that governing body can take.

Solving the problems of the state, nation or world is certainly not in the realm of what a municipal governing body can do.

The Lakewood chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, under the leadership of President James Waters, held a march and rally in September that called on local officials to do more in the areas of affordable housing and living wages.

It was not clear exactly what the rally’s organizers believed the Township Committee could do.

That, however, did not stop Waters and other supporters of the event from turning up the rhetoric as they sought action from local officials.

Anyone with an ounce of compassion would support affordable housing and a living wage for themselves and others. It is not the fault of Lakewood residents — or any other town in Monmouth and Ocean counties — that these two counties have housing costs that rank among the highest in the United States.

While more talk and more rallies may focus attention on the issue, it will not solve the deep-rooted reasons that are at the heart of the housing and employment issues.

With all that, the story got a bit stranger this week when Waters, a former president of the local Democratic Party, said he had personal reasons for inflicting embarrassment on the committee members, four of whom are Democrats.

In a nutshell, Waters believes he has been snubbed by the Democrats on the committee after helping them to gain their positions.

While we firmly support the Lakewood NAACP and any other organization that casts light on the affordable housing and employment issues, this should not become a personal battle rooted in small-town politics.

It was inappropriate to exploit the rally participants for what appears to have been self-serving reasons.

The critical issues facing Lakewood and other central New Jersey towns require serious attention, not staged rallies designed primarily for political retribution.