I would like to thank the voters of Plainsboro Township for their support in my re-election to the Plainsboro Township Committee. After serving 37 years in elective office in Plainsboro, I am gratified and deeply appreciative of their strong support and their affirmation that the community continues to grow in the right direction.
As always, the campaign provided a wonderful opportunity to meet with new and long-time residents to discuss issues and concerns, and to hear suggestions they may have. I look forward to continuing these dialogs over the next three years.
In my new term, I remain commited to working along with the other members of the Township Committee to ensure that Plainsboro remains a great place to live, work, and raise a family.
Peter A. Cantu
Mayor of Plainsboro
#b#An Open Letter#/b#
The following is an open letter from Republican Plainsboro Township Committee candidate Krishna Jagannathan to Mayor Peter Cantu. Jagannathan was defeated by Cantu in last month’s election.
Dear Mayor Cantu:
Congratulations on your victory. While we may disagree on your means and some of your decisions, ultimately Plainsboro is a clean, safe town with a vibrant, diverse community and a top-notch school system. I wish you the best of luck over the next three years.
Your comment on election night (“It is the largest margin of victory I have ever had in an election”) seemed unnecessarily smug and overly confident for a man who was humbled enough to walk door-to-door in the snow after not campaigning for almost a decade. Please remember that of the eligible voter population of over 10,600 township residents, you garnered 1,802 votes (less than 17 percent), which is hardly a mandate. On behalf of the 690 residents that came out in my support, and the 8,100 that abstained from voting, I would like to make 10 recommendations for your consideration:
1. Continue your election campaign strategy to meet as many residents as you can, even now that the election is over. So many of the people I met during my campaign noted that when they met you at their doorstep it was the first time they had met their Mayor. Others noted it was the first time they had seen you campaign in the last decade. I’m glad that you took my candidacy seriously enough to make an effort, and I hope that you continue to earn the trust and support of our residents.
2. Immediately discontinue the practice of soliciting campaign contributions from township businesses and developers/organizations that do business with Plainsboro. Continuing to do so gives the appearance of impropriety and dishonesty. If you are offered money, opt instead for a donation in your name or in the Township’s name to a charitable organization of your choosing.
3. Be honest about your accomplishments –– both good and bad. It’s not enough to tout the achievements. If you wish to continue to deserve public support, it’s equally important to own up to negotiations that may have soured in an effort to learn from your mistakes, as well as those that were ultimately beneficial to the town.
4. Choose one: your public pension or your township paycheck. Don’t double-dip. In this economy, collecting a taxpayer-funded pension while taking a salary from the township is unconscionable. Donate your salary back to the township, or to one of the many charitable organizations within our township.
5. Take steps to make Plainsboro a more business-friendly environment. Continue your travels through the township’s shopping plazas, and interface with the Plainsboro Business Partnership on a regular basis. If you do not make this a priority, township businesses will continue to suffer and languish at the cost of ever-increasing residential property taxes. It is not sufficient to hang your hat on the incoming hospital and cross your fingers that existing vacant and underutilized retail, commercial, and medical office space will be occupied in the near term.
6. Forget about brochures –– keep the township website up to date. The present website, while somewhat functional, has not kept up with the changing times and needs of our community. The first thing many prospective residents and businesses look for is a well- organized township website with references to area businesses, planned development, and other goings-on. Your statement at the “State of Plainsboro” address at the Windrows in March 2011 noted that you were in the process of modernizing the website; your statement to the WW-P News in the October 21, 2011 paper said it was still pending. It’s time to get it done. Let me know how I can help.
7. Make an honest effort to lower, or at the very least maintain, property taxes –– say NO to expenditures every once in a while. It’s not sufficient to say that you only raised taxes by X percent. Try saving money for once. Introduce the three Ds in the township committee meetings: discussion, debate, and dissension. So many meetings go by where matters brought up for a vote meet immediate and unanimous concurrence. It’s good to agree on things; it’s better to understand why you’re agreeing; but it’s best to represent the wishes of your constituents. To that end, I’ll reinforce #1 above. Liaise with the school board on a regular basis -while the school budget is controlled entirely by the school board, input and guidance from the township committee is important.
8. Consider term limits, either self-imposed or by ordinance. Many residents noted they were surprised someone could remain in office for 37 years. I think you will be pleasantly surprised when you see what fresh, young minds have to contribute to township government when given the opportunity.
9. Implement better communications methods for residents. The reverse 9-1-1 system we used during Hurricane Irene did not reach anyone who did not have a landline. The Nixle notification did not reach anyone who was not subscribed, or anyone who did not have power. The township website notification did not reach those who had lost power. Notifications regarding bulk waste drop off came a full two weeks after the storm. I also came to learn that you were out of state for the storm and for its aftermath –– Plainsboro residents need to know that their Mayor is not only available, but working for them in their time of need. Utilize a modernized township website and embrace new forms of media (Facebook or Twitter) to reach out to and connect with your residents.
10. Educate residents about township government. Several residents did not know how our township government works, and thought they were voting directly for a Mayor. Reach out to the apathetic and the jaded, and remind them that they have a voice. Seek feedback not just from your supporters, but also from your challengers and detractors.
I look forward to continuing my service to the Township through the Environmental Advisory Committee, and I am happy to consider any other opportunities to contribute my time and energy toward Township goals. Please contact me if you identify any occasions for me to participate.
Finally, I thank my supporters for their time, their energy, their kind words of encouragement, and for coming to the polls. Perhaps it was not wise of me to try to challenge a 37-year incumbent career politician, but I certainly gave it my all, and I can’t fault a process that gave me the opportunity to meet so many residents and learn so much about my neighbors. This may be my first foray into elected office, but it is far from my last.
Krishna Jagannathan
info@krishnaforplainsboro.com
