The two candidates running for Plainsboro Township Committee couldn’t be more of a study in contrasts.##M:[more]##
William Zeltman, the Republican candidate, is a political newcomer looking to be the first member of his party elected to office in Plainsboro in more than a decade.
Incumbent Mayor Peter Cantu, a Democrat, is a grizzled veteran who has spent the last year leading the charge for the reform of a tax system in New Jersey that is slowly squeezing the life out of taxpayers wallets.
Cantu and Zeltman are vying for the one seat up for election in this year’s Tuesday, November 8, general election. The seat, held by Cantu since 1975, is for a three-year term.
If elected, Zeltman would be the first Republican elected in Plainsboro since 1992. He would also break the 5-0 lock that the Democrats have had on the governing body since 1995.
Plainsboro is governed under a form of government in which the township committee hold both administrative and legislative powers. Each year the committee votes at its annual reorganization meeting to elect one of the five committee members to act as mayor.
In his 30 years as a member of Township Committee, Cantu has worked to control growth, preserve open space, and curb taxes in his community. Now in his first year of retirement from Keep Middlesex Moving — a non-profit transportation management association — Cantu stepped his activities up a notch, working as the president of the New Jersey League of Municipalities.
As a long-time elected official in central New Jersey, Cantu knows all too well the problems facing municipalities. In his one-year term as president of the League, Cantu has waged war on those same issues on a statewide level.
After being involved with the league for many years, Cantu assumed an officers role in 2002 as third vice president — putting him in line to become president this year. His term as president will end at the league’s annual conference in Atlantic City at the end of next month.
Cantu says his retirement afforded him the time to serve as the organization’s president. “This was not first time I was asked to be part of the league’s leadership, but I wanted to be sure it was done at a point in time when I could discharge those duties as well as look after Plainsboro’s interests.”
“I’ve had significant responsibilities with the league timed to coincide with my retirement from my full-time job,” he says. “But those activities didn’t infringe upon my ability to act on important issues in Plainsboro. If anything, it got me more deeply involved in those issues.”
In the three decades Cantu has served on the governing body, Plainsboro has transformed from a rural farm town to a busy suburban community. Since his election in the mid-1970s, Cantu has held fast to a vision to make the township one of the most well-planned and well-managed communities in the state.
Cantu was born in Manhattan in 1940 and grew up in Bergen County. His mother died when he was only two-and-a-half years old. His father worked as a foreign sales manager as an accounts representative for a typewriter company.
With his father working, most of Cantu’s pre-school years were spent in Pennsylvania, where he was cared for by his maternal grandmother and several aunts. He returned home to live with his father when he was old enough to attend school, and stayed with his aunts and grandmother during the summer.
When he was 15, Cantu moved with his father and stepmother to a home on Grover’s Mill Road in Plainsboro near the West Windsor border. He graduated from Princeton High School in 1958 (the WW-P School District had no high school of its own at the time) and went to work for IBM at a low-level job handling scrap materials. At age 20, Cantu married Plainsboro native Gail Thompson, his high school sweetheart.
In 1968, Cantu purchased his parents’ Grover’s Mill Road from his stepmother. His father had died several years earlier. The two lived there for many years until purchasing their current home on Beechtree Lane.
At IBM, Cantu’s highest position was as divisional procurement manager, responsible for several hundred million dollars in purchases. After a 30-year career at the company, Cantu retired from IBM in the early 1990s.
Cantu — then in his early 50s — decided he wasn’t ready for retirement. His years of experience in the public and private sector made him the perfect choice to head up a new county-wide transportation management organization that was being created — Keep Middlesex Moving (KMM). He retired from KMM last year, timed to coincide with his selection as league president.
In addition to his service with the league, Cantu is also the long-time chairman of the Middlesex County Agricultural Development Board, and a member of the steering committee of the Central Jersey Transportation Forum.
After moving to Plainsboro, Cantu became concerned about the township’s planning. “In the early 1970s, the community began to experience tremendous growth pressure. I believed that some of the directions taken were done with a short-term view. The township approved massive amounts of development, including Princeton Meadows, without a master plan.”
Cantu, who was not a Republican or Democrat at the time, ran in two GOP primaries for election to township committee and lost. In those days, township politics had been dominated by the GOP and the route to election to township committee was through that party.
In 1975, when the lone Democrat on township committee became ill and resigned, Cantu was appointed to serve out the remaining term. That November, he ran for committee and was elected.
In the coming years, the Democratic party continued to grow stronger. In 1976, a second Democrat was elected and a third won election the following year. With a Democratic majority now serving on the governing body, Cantu was selected to serve his first one-year term as mayor.
One of the major objectives of the new majority was to institute a plan for the orderly development of Plainsboro. “We wanted to make a commitment to balanced planning for the community. That translated into the formulation of the township’s first master plan.”
The community also faced tremendous challenges in the preservation of open space, according to Cantu. Despite severe limitations, Plainsboro has been one of the most successful communities in central Jersey in the area of open space preservation.
“We had to look for innovative ways to preserve land and have used almost every one to save open space in Plainsboro,” says Cantu. Plainsboro became an innovator in open space preservation, utilizing techniques including zoning density transfers, cluster zoning, and developer open-space set-asides.
To date, Plainsboro’s efforts have resulted in the permanent preservation of more than 3,”000 acres in the township at a cost of less than $500,”000.
That includes the Plainsboro Preserve, the 1,”000-acre tract in the northern end of the township, with a 50-acre lake and an environmental education center, built with funds from the state and private donations.
In government, there are always new challenges to be met, and one of the biggest problems facing residents in the township is skyrocketing taxes.
Since before his election as league president, Cantu has been an outspoken advocate of changing the state’s property tax system. Lobbying for that change become one of the top priorities during his tenure as president.
“The issue of property tax reform is one area where I have had long-term involvement. In my position with league I was able to testify before the (state) Senate, Assembly, and meet with the acting governor. I was also able to assume a leadership role with a number of state-wide agencies to push for meaningful reform.”
So far, state government has failed to act, and Cantu believes its time for the public to take charge. The Assembly approved measures calling for a tax convention twice in the past two years, but they died due to inaction by the state Senate. Cantu says that since the state’s political leaders won’t support the issue, the voters must.
“The league is supporting a constitutional convention. Turning this issue over to a citizens’ convention is the only way we’re going to see tax reform happen. We don’t preclude that there still could be legislative action, but we don’t think we’re going to see it.”
According to Cantu, voters statewide would elect special delegates who would meet in a constitutional convention to talk about tax issues. The delegates would then come up with recommendations that would be presented to the voters in a referendum.”
“We have a tax system that puts the burden on residential homeowners to support school districts, and municipalities to a lesser degree,” says Cantu. “This state has highest burden of any state in the union. It’s clearly wrong.”
In September, Cantu announced that the league was forming a non-partisan coalition working with government, taxpayer, homeowner, public interest, and environmental groups to push for reform.
Cantu says that the coalition’s stance is that any changes made to the tax code must be revenue-neutral — they cannot be implimented to raise additional revenues, only as an alternate means to raise the existing level of revenue. The coalition also says that the convention should consider a broad range of options in terms of “fairer taxes.”
“They should look at taxes that are more equitable — make it so taxes are based on an ability to pay basis,” says Cantu. “What I hope is that the delegates will recognize the unfairness of the system and look at options to fix that.”
Homeowners in Plainsboro have been hit hard in recent years as a result of the current tax laws in the areas of school taxes and property revaluation.
Under the current system, each town’s share of the tab for the WW-P School District is based on the community’s overall assessed valuation — residential and commercial. The process has caused huge spikes in the tax rates in both communities over the last decade. For example, in the last two years, school taxes increased by more than 38 cents per $100 of assessed valuation in Plainsboro, while taxes in West Windsor only increased by 3.3 cents.
Adding insult to injury, skyrocketing property values forced Plainsboro to conduct a township-wide property revaluation that hit the books this year. Because residential values have doubled while the commercial market has remained flat, many homeowners saw their taxes increase this year by thousands of dollars.
Cantu has not taken these taxation issues lightly, pursuing numerous actions in an attempt to ease residents’ tax burden. Since the last revaluation in 1992, the township has been successful in reaching agreements with numerous commercial property owners for increases in valuation resulting in millions of dollars in additional ratable income.
The most notable case occurred in the 1990s against Merrill Lynch. In 2000, after a seven-year court battle, Cantu and the township committee negotiated a settlement that resulted in a $4 million payment to the township for legal fees and back taxes, and an increased property valuation for Merrill Lynch’s Scudders Mill Road complex.
Plainsboro took unprecedented action last year, filing a lawsuit against the state Division of Taxation and West Windsor challenging the process used to calculate each community’s share of the tax burden in regional school districts.
All three parties negotiated a settlement in February that will decrease the portion of school taxes borne by Plainsboro taxpayers, and established procedures to be followed in the future that will allow both towns to have input in the property assessment practices of its partner in the school district.
Cantu points out that despite his best efforts to ensure tax fairness and sound fiscal management, the township has not been able to fully ease the taxpayers’ pain.
“When I talk to people while out campaigning,” explains the mayor, “they say they like this community. The tax increase really hurts, but they say they want to stay here, because they really love Plainsboro.”
“We clearly have to look for alternatives to property taxes to raise revenues,” Cantu adds. “After the tax bills were sent out this year (with new tax rates as changed by the revaluation) I got some letters. We have people that are operating on tight budgets, and to get a hit like this really hurts. It’s frustrating because you can’t make it go away.”
In addition to his efforts at the state level, one of the main challenges facing the township in the coming years is controlling property taxes from at the local level.
As part of this, Cantu supports changing the way the WW-P School District is funded by charging each town based on the number of students they send to the district, rather than property valuation.
State law would allow the school district to hold a referendum to give voters in both communities an opportunity to vote on a change. “I’m a proponent of apportionment (per pupil) as far as school taxes are concerned. It’s just fairer.
“I’m hopeful that with the two revaluations (West Windsor is conducting a revaluation this year) we won’t see the property tax impacts that Plainsboro has had in the last few years, over the next few years. But I have suggested that we look at the way we fund the district. Municipal taxes only make up 10 percent of the total tax rate and we attempt to control those costs, but we have to find ways to do more.”
Today, Plainsboro is a community that has almost reached full buildout on the residential side and must be approached from a different perspective than one that is quickly developing. “We recognize that a town’s needs change as it matures,” Cantu says. “We have been active and aggressive in providing for those needs and we will continue looking at the provision of services in the community.”
Serving as the league president also afforded Cantu the opportunity to become involved in areas that will be beneficial to Plainsboro’s future. He worked with the state Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) to help implement policy for the latest round of affordable housing requirements.
“Our COAH plan is something that we have taken seriously for a lot of years,” says Cantu. “Through my involvement with the league, I was at the table as COAH was developing its new regulations. It gave me a great deal of familiarity with the process. As a result, the township was able to put together a plan, one that we are prepared to file ahead of schedule.”
Plainsboro is also at the forefront of involvement in the State Development and Redevelopment Plan, also called the State Master Plan. The purpose of the state plan is to coordinate planning activities and establish statewide planning objectives in areas such as land use, housing, economic development, transportation, and urban and suburban redevelopment.
Plainsboro was one of the first municipalities in New Jersey to apply for “preliminary endorsement” of its municipal master plan — a review by multiple state agencies to determine whether a town’s plan is in agreement with the state master plan. An endorsed plan entitles municipalities to a higher priority for available funding, streamlined permit reviews, and coordinated state agency services.
“We felt it was important to seek preliminary state plan endorsement,” says Cantu. “For years I have said that you can’t properly operate your municipality without having some regional perspective, and addressing regional issues. You’re not an island, so to speak.”
“My involvements at the county and the league have been invaluable in trying to achieve my goals for Plainsboro. I have served as the chair of the county agricultural board for 17 years, and in that time we have achieved over 3,”600 acres of preservation, much of which is in Plainsboro and the surrounding communities.”
As for his own future in Plainsboro politics, Cantu has not made a determination as to whether he would seek office in three years if he is elected this November. “There’s always something left to do. From a personal perspective, you just have to decide whether you want to be involved in the process any more. Right now, I’m having fun.
“What future holds, I don’t know. I get pressure every once in a while from my wife to take a break and enjoy myself more. This is not a good year to make that kind of call because I’ve been so busy with league and community issues. I won’t get a chance to find out what retirement is really like until next year.”
William Zeltman
While his opponent has been a stalwart of Plainsboro government for some three decades, Bill Zeltman, Republican candidate for township committee, says the fact that he is a political newcomer is one of the reasons people should elect him.
“Change is a good thing, and I believe it’s time for a change in Plainsboro,” says Zeltman who was selected by the Plainsboro Republican Committee last month to replace Stacy Zieminski, who dropped out of the race. “Any time one person or one party is in control for too long, they become complacent. I think that bringing in someone who has new and fresh ideas can only help the community.”
Zeltman, a 33-year-old resident of Aspen Drive, is a newcomer to running for political office, although he was politically active in volunteering for candidates during his college days.
Zeltman notes that his opponent, Mayor Peter Cantu, has held office in Plainsboro for almost as long as he had been alive. During those years, he says, Cantu has implemented many ideas and initiatives. “Some have worked and some have not worked. It’s time for a fresh perspective.”
Zeltman also points out that the Democrats have held a 5-0 majority on the township committee for more than a decade. “I believe in balanced government. I hope that at some point an Independent is elected. You need to have people from many different political perspectives. Plainsboro has a very diverse population and it’s important that everyone’s voice is heard here. We also need someone who will take the time and listen to the residents of the town.”
Born in Elmer, Zeltman lived in the small south Jersey town for less than a year until his parents, both school teachers, moved to Brigantine. At age six, he moved to Absecon, where he was a resident until he moved to Plainsboro in 2002.
A graduate of Pilgrim Academy High School in Egg Harbor City, Zeltman earned an undergraduate degree in exercise science from the University of Tampa in 1994.
While in college, Zeltman was involved in the school’s Republican club and served as the group’s treasurer. He worked on the campaign of Republican Senator Connie Mack; for Jeb Bush’s unsuccessful run for governor; and the unsuccessful re-election campaign for George Bush in 1992.
He also worked on the election campaign of Democratic Congressman Sam Gibbons. “I’ve always believed you go for the best candidate and that was the way I felt about Sam Gibbons.”
After graduation, Zeltman managed a health club for a year in southern New Jersey and then bought his own club, which he ultimately sold in 2002. “I loved being a business owner,” Zeltman says. “But after working 85 to 90 hours a week, I decided it was time to sell and pursue other options. I wanted to get my masters degree and broaden my horizons a little.”
Zeltman moved to Plainsboro and took a job as sales and marketing director at Momentum Fitness in Princeton. At the time he earned his MBA through an online program offered by the University of Phoenix.
He says he chose to live in Plainsboro after looking at a number of communities in the area. “I had been looking for a while and I really liked Plainsboro. It was rural, yet at the same time it was centrally located, so you could get to Philadelphia and New York easily. I also liked the open space, and as a dog owner, the dog park was something I loved.”
In August, 2004, Zeltman took a job running Healthcare Dimensions’ Silver Sneakers program in the Princeton area. “Silver Sneakers is the nation’s leading exercise program designed for older adults. It’s a fitness benefit for Medicare eligibles, at no cost to them,” says Zeltman. “It’s a booming industry right now, but more than the growth, it’s a great opportunity to teach older people who have never exercised how to treat their bodies better.”
Zeltman adds that senior fitness “has always been a passion” for him. “While I was younger, I watched my grandfather suffer from a number of heart attacks. It was a situation where exercise would have helped him. After I got out of college, I had the opportunity to work with seniors. I enjoyed seeing them get healthy and gain mobility.”
Although he is currently single, Zeltman plans to wed his fiance Karen Ciasca in April. The couple met about a year ago through friends. In addition to being an active member of the Shriners, he also serves as vice president of the Aspen Homeowners Association.
Zeltman says he is running for township committee as a way of giving back to the community. He was officially named the GOP candidate on September 19, three days after Zieminski, 21, officially dropped out of the race.
“I met Stacy when she was door-to-door campaigning in June,” says Zeltman. “At that point, her campaign manager said she was probably going to have to drop out of the race. I was ready to hit the ground running then, but unfortunately, she didn’t submit a resignation letter until September, so we got a late start.”
After Zieminski dropped out, Zeltman got the blessing of the Plainsboro GOP. Since he announced his candidacy, Zeltman has been on the campaign trail, walking through neighborhoods and conducting “meet and greets” in front of stores in the township.
Despite the late start, he says he doesn’t think he is at a great disadvantage. “In local politics, people don’t really pay attention until the last minute. After I announced my candidacy, I got a huge amount of mail, E-mail, and my phone ran off the hook with people who wanted to talk about their issues.”
Taxes are one of the reasons that Zeltman decided to seek office. “A friend, who is a senior, had to sell his house after living here for decades because he couldn’t afford it any more. It’s heartbreaking to have to sell the house that your kids grew up in. When I started investigating the situation, I found this was a fairly common story around town.”
“Our current mayor has talked about having tax commissions and bureaucratic meetings,” Zeltman says. “But it all comes back to taking care of things starting at home. We need to go through the town’s budget and find out areas that can be cut.”
He also notes that there are a number of vacancies in area commercial buildings. “We need to ensure that the business places we have now have tenants. We could do things like lowering business taxes or other ways that might encourage industry and small businesses to come into town.”
Zeltman says he has also been told that people don’t feel they are being listened to by current elected officials. “I have been speaking to a lot of people and many have told me that they feel that they don’t have a voice in local government. That was what compelled me to run for township committee.”
He adds that as the child of two school teachers, he feels that he can help support the WW-P School District. “The public schools here are very good, but it’s not only about having all the money that they need. It’s also about giving them all the support they need. I guess my parents drummed that into my head. I want to make sure that the district has someone who they can express their concerns to and that will genuinely listen to them.
Traffic safety is a problem in Plainsboro’s Village Area, asserts the candidate. “I have spoken to and received letters from residents in the Village. They said they have tried to approach the township committee about changing the speed limit in the Village, or putting four-way stops at intersections there. No one has responded. These are issues that need to be addressed, and from what I’ve seen, and heard, they have not been.”
Another traffic problem, he says, is with the timing of traffic lights along Plainsboro and Scudders Mill roads. “This is something I have gotten a lot of feedback about. I drove to Super Fresh today coming into town from Cranbury, and I caught every light except one. It’s an absurd situation that we are wasting gas and affecting the environment on an issue that should be easy to fix.”
Zeltman also believes there are “pressing issues” of open space and controlling growth in the community. “When the township talks about open space, they try to tell you that 40 or 45 percent of the community has been preserved. In reality, a lot of that is drainage basins, and medians in the road. Open space is really about parks and recreational spaces that people can use to enhance the quality of life.”
Zeltman has a website: www.hometown.aol.com/BILLZELTMAN.
