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Moderator
Board Administrator
Username: Admin
Post Number: 64
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 21, 2003 - 8:55 am: |     |
Each slate of candidates should submit 3 questions they'd like to answer and see their opponents answer by Saturday, May 24 at 4pm. Questions will be posted here Saturday evening. Responses to the questions should be sent in by Tuesday, May 27 at 6pm. Responses will be posted Tuesday evening. All candidates will have access to continue discussing responses online. |
Moderator
Board Administrator
Username: Admin
Post Number: 66
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, May 24, 2003 - 9:42 pm: | |
Only one side turned in questions (Ryan/DeLuca). Here are the questions, though I won't be accepting Pettis/Leventhal questions now that we're past the deadline. Both Ken Pettis and Kathy Leventhal have MOL usernames, so they are still welcome to respond to these in the Soapbox. I find their non-participation odd, particularly Kathy's, who's done a lot of work with the League of Women Voters in coordinating efforts to help citizens get access to candidates.
QUESTIONS TO PETTIS/LEVENTHAL FROM RYAN/DELUCA
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1. As chair of the CBAC this year, Ms. Leventhal suggested increasing police and fire staffing and police salaries while also keeping tax increases below the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Given increases in insurance and other salary costs at a rate above the CPI, what specific staffing and service cuts would you make in the municipal budget to achieve these seemingly contradictory goals?
2. Your literature speaks of the Springfield Avenue Development Project as being "cosmetic changes" yet the work follows the strategy of the Maplewood Economic Development Plan, prepared by a nationally respected planning and development firm. What parts of the Economic Development Plan do you disagree with and what are your alternatives?
3. The CBAC recommends that the "jitney pay for itself". It also suggests "raising the cost of the combo, parking permit and/or jitney pass as well as expanding an hour in the evening will make the jitney a break-even service." Furthermore, at a public Township Committee meetign, Mr. Profeta spoke of a jitney fee that would amount to $150 per year.
The Transportation Committee has recommended keeping the jitney fee at half the parking fee to encourage more ridership. Do you support the current policy of the Transportation Committee or are you in favor of the CBAC recomendation to charge higher fees for commuter parking and the jitney? |
Moderator
Board Administrator
Username: Admin
Post Number: 67
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, May 25, 2003 - 11:58 am: | |
Submitted 10:35am, May 25
quote:
Following are Kathy's and my submission for the forum. Sorry they're late but it couldn't be avoided.
Ken
1. You claim that the Abeles, Phillips, Preiss and Shapiro report of May 1999 is your "economic development plan." Among its recommendations is the following: "Rather than approaching specific businesses, the Township should launch and aggressively market a program that offers assistance to new businesses looking for vacant or available space in Maplewood, and offers marketing and permitting assistance. Promote the program on the World Wide Web, and through ads and press releases in New Jersey business publications. In addition, information packages should be sent out to regional commercial real estate agencies." It seems that you have disregarded the Abeles suggestion and only dealt with specific businesses, such as KFC. What have you done to aggressively market the comprehensive program recommended by Abeles Phillips?
2. To what extent do you think the rapid growth of school expenditures and therefore school taxes has crowded out municipal expenditures? Are there any municipal expenditures that you would have liked the Township to make which were not made because of tax constraints imposed by the growth in school taxes? Are you willing to suggest that the Board of School Estimate give very strong guidance to the Board of Education regarding the maximum school tax increase it would support? If so, why did Vic, as a member of the Board of School Estimate, fail to support the idea of providing the School District with budget targets for guidance in keeping property taxes within acceptable limits, especially after the idea was welcomed by District Superintendent Dr. Horoschak?
3. Nobody can deny there are serious problems in the Maplewood police force. There has been attrition of over 40% over the past 5 years, and no promotions or meaningful recognition for the past 3 years. How did this situation come about? What can be done to rectify these problems in both the short-term and long-term so as to best ensure the safety of Maplewood and its citizens? |
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