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Moderator
Board Administrator
Username: Admin
Post Number: 37
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, October 10, 2002 - 8:40 am: |     |
RESPONSES FROM ART CHRISTENSEN and MARK P. GARDNER
Q1: What role would you play as a Township Committee member in influencing the quality of education, and its cost, in the SO/M School District?
The first two questions from Profeta and Grodman are just such examples of issues that adversely affect our quality of life here in Maplewood. Their first question leads me to believe they may not understand that the school board was designed by law to be independent of the governing bodies of both towns.
As members of the township committee, we would support working towards a strong and vibrant community. This goal is best demonstrated when the residents can enjoy the benefits of a strong and well-run school system. However, the issues of cost and effect over our schools have deteriorated in recent years. As this didn’t happen over night, these issues cannot be easily remedied.
At present our school system is under great pressure to improve its ratings. In or about 1993, Columbia received the Blue Ribbon Award for academic excellence; in 1994 it ranked 48 in all NJ Schools. And now in 2002, we rank 177 out of 307 schools in the state. Therefore, the role would we would play as township committee member’s in influencing the quality of education, and its cost, in the SO/M School District is to be a stand for much needed reforms to the present failing system.
As stated earlier, by law the township committee’s only opportunity to influence the outcome of cost to our taxpayers is to appoint three members of its body to the Board of School Estimate. Unfortunately, there is no authority to pick and choose line items. Members of this panel can only vote on the budget as presented by the M/SO School Board. One course of action is always to cut the budget, however, without being able to pick and choose, we would stand the risk they might select something we don’t want cut. If our budget cut is too large, it would more than likely be referred to Trenton. Unfortunately, we’ve ever been successful down there either.
Looking back to when the school system was more successful, we believe it best to re-empower the School Budget Committee and the School Budget Liaison Committee. Although they had no power, both of these committees were proven in the past to present important recommendations.
Roughly 58 cents of every tax dollar goes to funding of our school system. That’s more than twice what we give directly to our town for local services such as police, fire, public works, etc. Yet we have very little say over the quality of the education, how the money is effectively spent, or the ability to demand a return on our investment that will sustain property values.
It’s got to change. First we, as Township Committee members, need to get the message out to the voting public that they need to demand more of their school board officials and yes, of themselves. Two years ago, almost one thousand people came out to the high school to protest that their local TC leaders were re-allocating their taxes. In many cases, people were significantly hurt by unforeseen home budget busting increases.
Yet last year, roughly the same number of people came out to vote in the school board election. Now how is that possible? The school board budget went up about 7 % this year. At the same time, there were shortages of textbooks, elimination of programs, etc and as we’ve seen here on MOL, we don’t even agree on a set of standards that can be used uniformly to determine whether our schools are getting better across the board or are in decline.
The bottom line is that the process of school budgeting is broken and it must be given careful scrutiny, the kind performed this year by the CBAC. As a Township Committee member, we would ask the officials from the school boards to come and give us periodic reports regarding how they are doing against the 58 cents we contribute. We must be supportive and publicize their successes as it leads to increased property values and yes, we should take them to task if they are failing to perform. Again , there are clear limits to what we can do in our roles, but there is nothing wrong with energizing public opinion to steer the ship in the right direction.
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Moderator
Board Administrator
Username: Admin
Post Number: 38
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, October 10, 2002 - 8:44 am: | |
Q2. What are your specific plans for easing the burden of residential property taxes, explaining how you would implement those plans?
One of our plans for easing the burden of residential property taxes would be to immediately begin to operate within our means. To implement this plan, we would vote to all but stop the present practice of floating bonds to pay for township capital expenditures. This practice only leaves the responsibility of payment to the future generations, and meanwhile puts our bond rating in jeopardy of falling from a AA Rating to possibly only an A rating. Presently our town's debt to value ration is dangerously high, and should be of grave concern to all residents. It appears our percent of indebtedness is three times the legal limit.
Fiscal responsibility and restraint is a main stay in controlling increasing property taxes. We would eliminate the purchase of expensive equipment in favor of renting it only when needed. We would also pay close attention to the CBAC, who in years past would start work on the budget in September and by January, 80% of their recommendations would be accepted. They would present a line item study report on every item within the proposed budget. No stone ever went unturned in an effort to hold or reduce expenses.
It is easy to sit here and state that we want to reduce our property tax burden. Every one of us running for the Township Committee is interested in that. But the real quandary is trying to come to terms with the balance between providing adequate services and holding the line or ideally reducing taxes. Honestly, there is no magic bullet. While there may be some degree of “fat” in the Township budget (the 25%), and we should certainly get the CBAC to go over it with a fine tooth comb, it is pretty clear to me that the one area where there is an insufficient return on our tax dollars is the 18 cents we give to the County. We need to be represented at every county budget committee meeting.
Mark and I will work our hardest to raise the value of our ratables in the Springfield Avenue area. We should even take a serious look at the Rent Control issue and determine once and for all whether it is artificially holding down property values in certain areas of town, but going after that 18 cents offers our best hope. I am confident that with Candy Straight in office, a businesswoman who has no vested interest in continuing a “machine”, that we can make some headway.
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Moderator
Board Administrator
Username: Admin
Post Number: 41
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, October 10, 2002 - 8:56 am: | |
Q3. What kind of economic development would you like to bring to Springfield Avenue, and what are your specific plans for achieving that?
The kinds of economic development we would try to bring to Springfield Avenue are too numerous to list in this forum. However, for openers we would go after an anchor store such as a large food market, chain drug store, or similar business with high customer traffic. This is a necessary evil that must be done to provide a high volume customer base which would in turn attract other businesses to move in, and/or invest in nearby properties. There are no less than three areas on the Avenue that could accommodate such expansion.
Specific plans to achieve this must come in the form of several possible additions to the town’s management team. The first would be to change the Economic Development Committee to an Economic Development Commission. This would create an EDC with power to increase our ratable levels. The second would be bringing on board a Grants person, and finally we would hire a full time tax assessor. Without going into great detail, each of these changes would provide a basis to take control of the future of the Avenue. The new EDC would then be in a position to purchase and assemble, or lease, and sub-lease properties that would complement forthcoming businesses.
I have been participating with the group working on revamping our master plan and it’s pretty clear to me that this is a full time job that will more than pay for itself when we once and for all get Springfield Avenue to a point where it attracts business and customers without any negative perceptions.
Let’s be honest, getting Springfield Avenue to the endgame is going to be a difficult negotiation-filled process. As we’ve seen recently with the KFC proposal, the homeowners directly adjacent to the Avenue are going to need to be consulted from the get-go on any and all initiatives. We’ve got to make sure that what’s good for Maplewood vis-a-vis Springfield Avenue does not adversely impact those homeowners who contribute greatly to our tax base.
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Moderator
Board Administrator
Username: Admin
Post Number: 42
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, October 10, 2002 - 9:01 am: | |
Q4. What is your position regarding Maplewood taking over the ownership of Springfield Avenue from the State of New Jersey, and what is your opinion of the work that has been done on the Avenue to date?
A major reason for us seeking seats on the Maplewood Township Committee is our disappointment over the way many of our important municipal projects have been managed.
One of the foremost examples is the takeover of the full responsibility for Springfield Avenue. A state highway during all of Maplewood’s history it is now our sole responsibility for future maintenance and snow removal, etc. We’re sure there was a big celebration at the State Highway department when they unloaded this millstone on the backs of Maplewood taxpayers.
In compensation for Maplewood’s assuming the responsibility of Springfield Avenue forever, the state gave us a repaving job and a dubious cosmetic re-do. What input did we have into the quality of the job, because it is a poor job at best? As the recipients of this “gift” from the state forever we should at least have demanded and secured an excellent job. We did not get it!
We all suffered through the past five years of the old Springfield Avenue roadbed. The thumps and bumps as we traversed more than 170 poorly repaired street excavations were shocking to strangers and a nightmare for daily users.
The new paving job could be expected to eliminate this mishandling of quick fixes and miserable results. Somehow, and sadly, the governing body must have been asleep at the switch.
The re-do of “The Avenue” has barely opened for use and already the excavations have far exceeded the most modest expectations. I urge you to traverse it and see the new and growing crop of excavations, the areas that have apparently sunken, requiring overlay, and even sadly deficient lane lines and crossing markers. The paint is worn already and the spattering of the application machinery put an interesting and confusing halo on many of the lines. It is a tired-looking, pre-antiqued gift from the state.
Our taxpayers deserve a better job, and, if elected, we intend to oversee projects to make sure these blunders are not made on our watch. We can’t afford massive errors such as the receipt of the Springfield Avenue “Gift”.
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Moderator
Board Administrator
Username: Admin
Post Number: 48
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Friday, October 11, 2002 - 9:43 am: | |
Q5. What is your position regarding the Township Committee borrowing funds from the Maplewood Community Pool fund, and what is your opinion on whether the Township should continue this practice in the future?
When someone lives on a budget like our town does, they don’t normally take money out of their Christmas Fund to buy a new car. They would take out a loan and finance it. They also wouldn’t take money out of the kid’s college savings account to paint the house. Why did the township stick their hands into the endowment of the pool-funding model and take the money? Everyone knows there is an emergency fund if TC needed money in a hurry.
We’re talking about our tax dollars. Why didn't they raise taxes to cover what ever it was they needed the money for? And, why did they float a bond that the whole town now has to pay for. For years we all believed the same thing, all funds needed for past and future projects come out of our pool revenue, not tax dollars. The pool fund was fine just the way it was. It carried its own weight all these years without using our taxes. The truth is we want to avoid this kind of management of our tax dollars in the future.
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Moderator
Board Administrator
Username: Admin
Post Number: 49
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Friday, October 11, 2002 - 9:50 am: | |
6. What would your position be on the unconfirmed reports of privatization of some of Maplewood’s present Township services, such as the Park and Shade Tree Department.
We feel that essential and emergency services would be best not to be privatized. As an example, in times of storms or other natural disasters, it is important to be able to call up the necessary manpower to handle the emergency. Downed trees for one need to be cleared immediately to allow for save flow of traffic and other emergency vehicles. If fifteen or twenty men are needed to clear fallen trees, how or where would a private company be able to provide the workers to handle the job in a timely manner. They wouldn’t! |
Moderator
Board Administrator
Username: Admin
Post Number: 50
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Friday, October 11, 2002 - 10:13 am: | |
7. What unique qualification do you possess that sets you apart from the other three candidates?
Art Christensen
What unique qualification do I possess that sets me apart from the other three candidates? I am a self-employed businessman with over forty years of diverse experience. I’m also a long time resident, and have gone through the school system. I’m familiar with the township, and well established in the community. Most important, I have the time and I’m willing to devote it to seeing that Maplewood can be the best it can be.
Just last week our town was recognized in New York Magazine as one of the ten most affordable communities where someone would want to live. I’m very proud of that distinction and I’d like to say that Libby and I have contributed in some small way. Despite the current legal issues surrounding Les Saisons, I think Maplewoodians of all political backgrounds who know me have respect for the many civic minded activities I’ve played a significant role in. My involvement in town includes membership in the Maplewood Chamber of Commerce, Maplewood Concierge, Maplewood Rotary, Economic Development Commission, Seth Boyden Strawberry Fields Project, Community Coalition on Race and others.
So as far as I’m concerned, being one of the elder statesmen of the four, but clearly the youngest at heart (insert smiley face) I bring experience, caring, knowledge and the pride of being a long term care giver to Maplewood.
Mark P. Gardner
What unique qualification do I possess that sets me apart from the other three candidates? What sets me apart is the fact that since graduating high school in 1981, my life has been centered on public service. Through the church as an evangelist and former pastor, mentor programs, establishing a juvenile ministry at the Middlesex, Union and Essex County Detention Facilities; being a Victims Rights Advocate, Community Dispute Resolution Program Liaison and now a Hospice Chaplin. I humbly say that I have felt and still feel the pain that many people experience. And what is truly important to them. This intuitive understanding only comes from genuine humility and the love of service. That’s what sets Mark Prescott Gardner apart from the other candidates, my years of public service.
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Moderator
Board Administrator
Username: Admin
Post Number: 51
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Friday, October 11, 2002 - 10:27 am: | |
8. Eighteen percent of our taxes go to the County. Are we getting our fair share of that money in services and if not, why must we keep paying that much? Isn't this really taxation without representation?
Eighteen percent of our taxes go to the county. Are we getting our fair share of that money in services and if not, why must we keep paying that much? Isn't this really taxation without representation? We again have little or no control over the county tax issue. They send us a bill and we pay it. What do we get for our money, really nothing special? Ideally, it would have behooved us to try and swap off Wyoming Avenue for Springfield Avenue, rather than going with the state deal.
To answer your first part, NO. We‚re paying that much because the town basically gets a number and has to live with it. Ask yourself this question: how often do Essex County representatives come to Maplewood to talk about what they‚re giving us for those 18 cents? I'm not talking about the |
Moderator
Board Administrator
Username: Admin
Post Number: 52
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Friday, October 11, 2002 - 10:33 am: | |
9. What three votes cast by the Township Committee in the last year would you have cast differently and why?
I have grave concerns about their means of dealing with parking issues throughout the town. I believe strongly that in several incidents the town approved parking ordinances when existing ordinances would be more than sufficient to resolve any issues. These incidents not only have not been properly enforced, but there has been no follow-up to correct them if necessary.
Regarding resolutions in 2002, there were numerous votes that we would have cast differently. 33-02: Terminating the Committee on Municipal Safety, which is one of the most valuable committees and if elected we would reinstate it immediately. There’s nothing more important to citizens than safety. Resolution 7-02: Signatures/Checks: we would never allow checks to be signed in blank; we would assure the checks are signed after they have been delivered to Town Hall. Also, we would not have voted for a budget that would have brought the township’s financial reserves down to the dangerously low level of just over $400,000.
With all due respect to the MOL readers, I’d like to change this question slightly, to which things did not get advanced to the satisfaction of the townspeople.
The flow of information between the Township Committee and the community remains poor. Last year, in response to the anger of the reval, the winning candidate promised to open the flow of communications through a town website. My understanding from attending township committee meetings is that it took far to long to get this to the RFP state and it is now out for bid. It has just taken too long. We have got to find an effective way for information, detailed information, to get out there in a time frame and level of content that allows interested parties to review, vet and come to a conclusion on those things that affect their lives. We should not rely on the News-Record and we can’t rely on a website since many people in our community do not own or have access to a computer. We’ve got to sit down with some smart people and come out with a program of notification that will be inclusive and inviting of comment and discussion. Beyond that, we must once and for all resolve the audio problems associated with the video feed on Channel 35. |
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