Controversial Monmouth County Republican Commissioner Ross Licitra declines to seek Re-election, what now?

A few hours ago, Monmouth County Republican Commissioner, and head of the Monmouth County SPCA, Ross Licitra, decided to retire from the board of commissioners, instead of running for re-election for a third term. Ross Licitra was known to have a bad temperament, which on occasions resulted in him berating and threatening employees with physical violence, such as when he called an employee of the Monmouth County SPCA "stupid" and a "nobody" simply for disagreeing with his organization's decision to euthanize a dog, and on another occasion when he threatened to cut the throat of another employee by saying "when people are rude ... it makes him want to cut their throat" Instead of facing backlash, and possible forced retirement from the voters, Ross has instead decided to do the honorable thing, and declined to run for re-election, and hopefully he can enjoy his retirement, like he deserves.

But make no mistake, the Monmouth County GOP is complicit in the lack of accountability, openness, and disregard for the public that they have showcased time and time again. And while newcomers like Middletown Mayor Tony Perry will preach change, and reform, the truth is he'll just be part of the status quo that will further embolden this Monmouth County Republican controlled commission, and government, that has silenced critics, by blocking them from accessing government accounts, Like Monmouth County GOP chair, and Sheriff Shaun Golden has done. By disregarding the public by not attending the only publicly held election debates in Monmouth County, which the Monmouth County Republican Slate has done, and by illegally raising their own pay, which is something the Republican controlled county commission has done a few years ago.

To put it simply, Monmouth County deserves change, and that change does not come from electing more career politicians, who only serve to embolden the blatant corruption, and lack of openness, and accountability that the Monmouth County Republican-controlled government has facilitated, and defended for years.