Liquor license referendum will not be on ballotBy CHRISTOPHER SOUTH

Cape May Star and Wave

WEST CAPE MAY – A proposed ref-erendum asking voters if they wouldlike to see two liquor licenses offeredfor sale in the Borough of West CapeMay will not be on the Nov. 6 generalelection ballot, Mayor Pam Kaithernsaid.

Kaithern said a “filing error” hasresulted in the referendum not beingon the ballot, but declined to say whowas at fault. Kaithern said unless aspecial election is held the referen-dum could be delayed for as long as ayear.

Kaithern made the announcement ata special meeting held Monday inBorough Hall. Kaithern was takingpart in a panel consisting of herself,borough solicitor Jennifer Russo-Belles, Cape May Police Chief DianeSorantino, and municipal auditorLeon Costello. Kaithern said the pur-

pose of the panel was to provideanswers to citizen questions on thetwo liquor licenses the borough con-sidering.

Based on population figures, WestCape May is allowed to offer for saleone C-license, which permits on siteconsumption of alcohol, and one D-license, which is for retail sales ofalcohol. The board of commissionershas said repeatedly their goal is tooffer the consumption license to anew or existing restaurant. In discus-sion of the distribution (retail, pack-age goods) license, the commissionershave mentioned the possibility ofoffering the retail license to a winestore.

The commissioners have also decid-ed to put the question of whether ornot to sell these two liquor licensesout for a public referendum. The com-missioners could decide the issue bylocal legislation rather than making ita public question, but decided against

that option. Kaithern said the public has started

to tune into the issue as Election Dayhas neared and she hoped to addressany fears or concerns about thelicense issue.

The meeting drew about 30 people,including registered votes and non-residents.

The first question asked how thecommissioners arrived at sale pricesfor the licenses. Kaithern said thecommissioners decided on minimumbid amounts based on what liquorlicenses had sold for in other munici-palities. The borough estimates itcould raise around $1.5 million. Theborough also stands to receive about$2,000 per year in renewal fees foreach license.

Asked what would happen if bidsfell below the minimum, Russo-Bellessaid the bids would not be accepted.

In response to another question,Kaithern said the borough has not

been formally approaching West CapeMay businesses with regard to thempossibly bidding on a license.Someone other than an existing busi-ness owner could also bid on thelicense. Commissioner Peter Burkesaid businesses that fail to acquire thelicense may still maintain the existingbring your own bottle (BYOB) policy.

Asked if a minimum number ofvotes (of all registered voters) wereneeded to pass the referendum,Kaithern said the issue could pass orfail on a single vote.

One member of the audience saidthe amount of tax relief given eachtaxpayer from the sale of liquorlicenses was minimal and not a wisething to do. Costello said taxpayerswould save about 2-cents on the taxrate each year for the next 12 years.

Kaithern said the borough has tofind ways to raise revenue, other thanincreasing property taxes. The bor-ough does not have the luxury of cer-

Plan isnot thecat’s meowwith state

By CHRISTOPHERSOUTH

Cape May Star and Wave

CAPE MAY – At a specialmeeting held Oct. 15 to dis-cuss a state mandated BeachManagement Plan, Cape MayCity Council adapted recom-mendations from the stateFish and Wildlife Service tomake the plan more catfriendly.

According to one source,the state didn’t find the planto be the cat’s pajamas.

A source who did not wishto be named said MayorJerry Indewies received aphone call from a representa-tive of Fish and Wildlife theday after the city approved aBeach Management Plan,saying elements of the planwere not acceptable.

Inderwies said he did notget a call, but was forwardedan e-mail addressed to PublicWorks director Robert Smith,coming from StephanieEgger of the Fish andWildlife Service.

In her e-mail, Egger com-ments on an e-mail shereceived from Smith tellingher about the changes citycouncil made to the propsedbeach Management Plan.Inderwies said Egger toldSmith she was concernedwith some of the modifica-tions to the plan, such as the1,000-foot buffer from nest-ing areas. Egger indicatedshe would have to consultwith Todd Plover of the

Please see Meow, Page A9

Cape Ma WaveStar153rd YEAR NO. 44 CAPE MAY, N.J. 50¢SERVING AMERICA’S NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK CITY

SPORTSLCMR puts 2 runners in

top 5 at county meet, B1

AREACandidates spar atLeague of Women’sVoters Debate, A4

ARTSCape May Jazz Festival

heating up, A13

INSIDE

10/25 7:34 7:57 1:02 1:4210/26 8:22 8:47 1:48 2:3410/27 9:10 9:38 2:35 3:2810/28 10:00 10:31 3:24 4:2210/29 10:54 11:28 4:15 5:2010/30 11:51 5:10 6:2110/31 12:31 12:53 6:11 7:25

OCTOBER TIDE TABLE

HIGH LOWam pm am pm

RELIGION/OBITUARIES....A6OPINION/LETTERS............A8ARTS...................................A10MOVIES..............................A13WEATHER..........................A14SPORTS/OUTDOORS.......B1,2EDUCATION/YOUTH........B3COMMUNITY/LIFESTYLE..B4CLASSIFIED.............B8,9,10,11

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2007

Democrat Van Drew looking at ethics reform,illegal immigration and government funding

By ERIC AVEDISSIANCape May Star and Wave

CAPE MAY COURTHOUSE – Assemblyman JeffVan Drew said residents inthe First Legislative Districtknow he’s a hard worker. VanDrew, a Democrat who isrunning for state Senateagainst incumbent

Republican Sen. NicholasAsselta, said he possesses a“tireless work ethic and advo-cacy” for residents.

Residents know Van Drew,a former Dennis Townshipmayor, Cape May Countyfreeholder and state assem-blyman, from his many cam-paign stops in front of localsupermarkets and conven-ience stores. When he’s notrunning for office, Van Drewsaid he’s meeting with con-stituents.

“On some issues I’m liberaland on some issues I’m con-servative. In some districtssome Democrats tend to bemore moderate or conserva-tive than others,” Van Drewsaid.

Cape May County, with itsstrong Republican base, is aconservative part of the FirstLegislative District, whichencompasses Cape May,Cumberland and a small partof Atlantic county. For a

Democrat to get elected hereis testimony to his hard workand moderate stance of issueslike gun ownership and sen-ior health care, Van Drewsaid.

“I’m proud to be aDemocrat because to me italways represented workingpeople, middle class peopleand issues of compassion,”Van Drew said.

Van Drew, a dentist, servedon the Dennis TownshipCommittee in 1991 and asmayor from 1994 to 1995 andfrom 1997 to 2003. He was aCape May County freeholderfrom 1994 to 1997. In 2003 hewas elected to the GeneralAssembly and then re-electedin 2005.

In the Assembly, Van Drewserves as the assistant major-ity leader. Van Drew alsoserves as chairman of theAssembly’s Tourism andGaming Committee, as vicechairman of the LaborCommittee and on theTelecommunications andUtilities Committee.

Van Drew and his wifeRicarda have two childrenand live in Dennis Township.

Van Drew and his fellowDemocrats running forAssembly, incumbentAssemblyman

Nelson Albano and Matt

Milam, want to urge account-ability for federal officials toenforce national immigrationlaws. Van Drew said prob-lems with illegal immigrantsare greater in Cumberlandand Atlantic counties than inCape May County.

“We need to have an intelli-

gent guest worker program.The federal government isshameful with what they’vedone with this issue,” VanDrew said. “We want to beintelligent on immigration notsoft on illegal immigration.”

Van Drew said he supportedlegislation that holds employ-

ers accountable for payingtaxes and Social Security fortheir employees and strength-ening requirements for driv-ers to register with the state.

“If they’re coming to workand taking direction fromyou, they’re your employee. Ifyou’re not paying your taxes

on them and you’re not doingthings the right way, thoseillegal immigrants have theleast legal ability to fightwhat’s being done to them,”Van Drew said. “There arepeople out there taking

Please see Van Drew, Page A2

Albano, Milam want to cut state spendingBy ERIC AVEDISSIAN

Cape May Star and Wave

CAPE MAY COURTHOUSE – DemocraticAssemblyman Nelson Albanoand Matt Milam are runningfor the state Assembly on aplatform of cutting spending,tougher enforcement ofimmigration laws and hold-ing politicians accountable.

Albano, a union shop stew-ard with VillageSupermarkets, entered poli-tics in an unlikely way. In2001, his son Michael waskilled by a drunk driver,prompting him to lobby hisstate representative,Assemblyman Jeff VanDrew, to create legislationthat cracks down on repeatdrunk drivers. Albano’sefforts resulted in Michael’s

Law, which puts third-timerepeat offenders for DWIconvictions behind bars for180 days.

Albano was elected tooffice in 2005, beating long-time RepublicanAssemblyman Jack Gibson.

Albano serves as vicechairman of the AssemblyAgriculture and NaturalResources and the Law andPublic Safety committees.Albano and his wife Debraraised two sons in Vineland.

“Nelson Albano knowswhat it’s like to be a workingperson and part of labor, apart of the working familiesto help support this state,”Albano said.

“You think you have to be adoctor or lawyer to be a staterepresentative?”

Milam works in his family

business, the FoundryService Corporation, a truck-ing company. He is also amember of the Board ofDirectors for the VinelandYMCA and vice chairman ofthe Cumberland CountyEconomic DevelopmentBoard. He lives in Vinelandwith his wife Karen and theirtwo children.

Milam said as a politicalnewcomer, he will be anindependent thinker andmake his own decisions forwhat’s best for the district.

“For 46 years I’ve thoughton my own and I can contin-ue to do that. If I think some-thing’s wrong for the peopleI’m representing or right forthem, I’m going to go bywhat the people say. I don’thave to align myself with anyparty – Democrat,

Republican or independentbecause I’m an independentthinker,” Milam said.

One of the enduring issuesof the campaign is the pro-posal by Gov. Jon Corzine tostudy the monetization orsale or leasing of publicassets like toll roads. Boththe Democrats and theirRepublican challengers inthe First Legislative Districtrace, Norris Clark andMichael Donohue, con-demned the sale of the tollroads.

The proposal for studyingmonetization was in thestate’s 2008 budget, whichAlbano and fellow DemocratJeff Van Drew, who is run-ning for state Senate againstincumbent Republican

Please see Spending, Page A2

Special FallBrides editioninside!

Happy Halloween!It was a dark and not so stormy night when Star andWave photographer Leslie Truluck photographed thisspider weaving its web in the light of the full moon. Ona lighter note, above left, Serenity Carlos, age 2, ofCape May, pops out of a teacup during the annualHalloween Parade sponsored by the City of Cape May.Serenity won second place in costume age 3 and undercategory. Lower Cape May Regional High School tookfirst place in the marching band category. At left, JoePiro, Gus Piro and Annamarie Mathis accept theawards on behalf of the school.

Photos by Jennifer Kopp and Leslie Truluck