In the upcoming municipal election Plainsboro has three candidates running for Township Committee: Democrats David Bander and Ed Yates, who are both incumbents, and Republican challenger Matthew Greenberg.
The candidates recently answered a series of questions that have been posted on the League of Women Voters website, www.lwvprinceton.org.
Regarding the Superfresh closure and revitalization of Plainsboro Plaza:
Greenberg, a 2013 graduate of High School North and student at Rutgers, placed the blame primarily on the township. “The Township Committee should review its planning and zoning regulations to help eliminate regulations which may make it difficult for the new ownership to lease space.” An example Greenberg offered of an “unnecessary regulation that discourages new businesses” is the stringent regulations regarding signage, as well as the numerous petty fees facing business owners.
Yates, who is a senior project manager for an electrical contracting company and has served on Township Committee since 1998, stated that “the Plainsboro Plaza Center was mismanaged by the previous owners, [which] led to the current occupancy situation.”
Yates explained that, as liaison to planning and development, he has met with the Plaza’s new owners several times to discuss their plans to revitalize the center. Both he and Bander said that the township staff is working with the ownership to expedite the necessary permits to allow new facades on the building exterior, redesigned parking to allow customers to park closer to the stores, and a redesigned front entrance and signage. Yates believes that these improvements will enable the new owners to attract a supermarket to the Plaza.
Regarding potential cooperation between Plainsboro and West Windsor, or other neighboring towns:
Bander and Yates replied that Plainsboro already has numerous shared and cooperative services with other towns, including a joint municipal court system with Cranbury, an animal control agreement with Helmetta Township and the sharing of a health officer with Middlesex County, as well as the shared school district with West Windsor.
“In addition, we are thoroughly involved in projects with West Windsor and other municipalities to reduce traffic congestion on Route 1,” said Bander, who works as an attorney for the SEIU labor union and was appointed to Township Committee in June to fill the seat vacated by Michael Weaver, who retired.
Greenberg noted that, with regard to animal control, Plainsboro is currently contracted with Helmetta, which is far away and therefore provides inadequate service, and suggested that Plainsboro explore other options to save money and improve service in the long run.
In addition, Greenberg said that Plainsboro Township does not currently provide trash collection services to its residents, and suggested that Plainsboro should competitively bid this service for the entire municipality, or with neighboring municipalities, to provide this service for a much lower cost.
The three most important challenges facing Plainsboro:
Said Greenberg: “The biggest challenge facing Plainsboro is property taxes. If we increase the number of businesses in Plainsboro by easing unnecessary regulations, we would also increase our commercial tax revenue. This will in turn allow for a reduction in residential property taxes.”
Another challenge, according to Greenberg, is the one party control in Plainsboro politics for the past two decades. “I believe an independent voice and new ideas are needed on the Township Committee,” he said. Greenberg also cited the increasing amount of traffic throughout Plainsboro as an important concern.
According to Bander, the most important responsibility facing public officials is to be good stewards of public money and cited the fact that Plainsboro has achieved the lowest municipal tax rate and highest bond rating in Middlesex County through strong financial management
Bander noted that another responsibility is to keep Plainsboro a great place to live and work, with an appealing mixture of retail development, a community-focused Village Center, and an extensive network of parks and open space. He also noted that Plainsboro must ensure that Plainsboro’s retail and business community remains strong not only for major businesses, but retail stores as well.
Yates listed improvements, repairs and/or replacement of the township’s infrastructure and assets, many of which have already begun or have even been completed, such as the new library, the new recreation center, and ongoing road improvements in numerous developments.
For a complete transcript of the candidates’ responses, visit www.lwvprinceton.org/voters-guides/archives/plainsboro-township-committee-candidates-2013.
