Jesse Unruh, a once popular and powerful politician from California, summarized how politics works by claiming, "Money is the mother's milk of politics."

This has always been true, especially today. So it should not come as a surprise to anyone in New Jersey that those with money control our government - and are skillful at hiding it.

Two that stumbled over political contributions are former Democratic state Sen. John Lynch and his business partner, John Westlake, who recently pleaded guilty to corruption charges and tax evasion.

Also, a parcel of local Republicans were indicted last year for a variety of corruption charges. Vice is an equal-opportunity employer and no political party has a lock on virtue.

Developers are one source of political contributions that influence local and state politics.

Stephen M. Fitzpatrick, in a letter in The Hub last week, detailed the connections of many of our local elected worthies with developers large and small, as well as the influence of construction consulting firms and pro-development lawyer-politicians. He argued that pay-to-play still corrupts our political system and also is changing for the worse our quality of life.

In a delightful coincidence, Fitzpatrick's letter was accompanied by another written by Michele S. Byers, executive director of the New Jersey Conservation Foundation. She maintained developers have constantly hyped development projects as a way to reduce local taxes. But, she notes, studies prove just the opposite. Tax ratables might increase, but so do municipal expenses for schools; police, fire, and rescue; and sewer, drinking water, and roadway construction and maintenance. Byers argues communities that control construction density by setting aside undeveloped land for open spaces have lower tax rates than their more densely developed neighbors. They also are more effective at controlling pollution.

We've been getting this same message from Mrs. Judith Stanley Coleman, president of the Monmouth Conservation Foundation, who recently compared how the development of an open space "passive" park and a housing project affect school costs. Guess what the result was? Communities that opt for open spaces will have lower taxes than over developed communities. She also recently warned us of allowing higher density redevelopment as older structures fall to the wrecking ball.

So what is the connection between Fitzpatrick's warning of local corruption and Beyer and Coleman's warnings that development increases local taxes? The influence of developers!

They "rent" politicians with PAC contributions, then over-develop Monmouth County full tilt, with their political friends cheering from the sidelines. And the people who really pay for this urban sprawl are the taxpayers.

What can we do about it? For starters, start picking off a few of these pro-development politicians this November. Second, approve a Monmouth County Freeholders referendum to fund the expansion of local and county park systems with a dedicated 1.5-cent property tax rate.

It isn't a cost, it's an investment. Otherwise, developers and their cheerleading friends will over develop the land, and we'll be paying even more in taxes.

George Moffatt

Oceanport