CIESLA'S FAILURE TO RESPOND NO SURPRISE

I read with interest Sunday's Observer letter concerning 10th District Sen.
Andrew . Dover Committeemen John Furey and John Russo, Jr. are astonished
that Sen. Ciesla refused to answer their letters concerning dualization of
Route 9 through Dover Township.

The more you get to deal with Ciesla, the less you are astonished that he
won't even acknowledge topics he would rather not talk about. For the last
eight years he has refused to meet with my wife because the subject
concerns medical marijuana. He replies to our correspondence with answers
to questions that we didn't ask and won't deal with the questions that we
do ask.

It doesn't matter that Cheryl has had multiple sclerosis and and must lie
down in a reclining wheelchair to travel. Ciesla won't take our questions
in person because he wouldn't be able to dodge the issue in person.

Other New Jersey politicians, such as Gov. Christie Whitman, candidate for
governor Jim McGreevey, Sen. C. Louis Bassano, R-21st, Assemblymen Nick
Asselta, R-1st, Michael Patrick Carroll, R-25th, Sam Thompson, R-13th, Reed
Gusciora, D-15th, not to mention Sen. Jon Corzine, Reps. Rob Andrews,
D-1st, and Frank Pallone, D-=6th, and even the new Drug Enforcement Agency
Chief Asa Hutchinson all have taken time to talk to us -- or just me when
Cheryl couldn't make it.

Cheryl toughed it out to make the trip to Ciesla's office six weeks ago to
once again beg for an appointment to personally meet him. He has refused to
even acknowledge that visit with any kind of reply.

Unlike Russo and Furey, we were not astonished. That's just how he does
business. It's sad for Cheryl's sake that the people of Ocean County not
only tolerate this, they vote for this. Cheryl needs a new senator -- one
who is not afraid to validate his opinions.

Jim Miller, Silverton