Like many West Windsor residents, I get up early each morning to catch the train into New York where I run a business in a highly competitive industry. I work on the train both ways, have long days, and don’t have time to waste. So when I decided to run for council, it was to serve my friends and neighbors, to work with and not against the administration, and to eliminate waste wherever I could. To get things done.
To get things done, council needs members who will collaborate with each other, the administration, and professionals to take decisive action to move this town forward. We need members who are involved in and engaged with the community so they understand the will and needs of the residents.
We also need a council that is focused on long term balanced fiscal management. West Windsor has maintained a full service community including police, fire, and garbage and yard debris collection. We have also maintained a $0.03 open space tax that permits the township to purchase open space to limit urban sprawl. To maintain that kind of service with the lowest tax rate in Mercer County, we need a Council that works with the administration to cut cost by eliminating unnecessary services, finding ways to share services with other municipalities and improve efficiency of all departments at all levels. We need people on council who understand that this is where the real tax control is and who will work to achieve it.
We need George Borek, Lindsay Diehl, and Kristina Samonte on council. Polls are open at 6 a.m. so get to the polls early and vote. I’ll save you a seat on the 7:01.
Kamal Khanna
President, West Windsor Council
How will a Wall Street analyst fare as West Windsor council member — calculating the odds.
Not to take away from the prowess of a bright guy who is a productive analyst in a prestigious Wall Street firm, the skill sets he has honed to transact business in world financial markets may not be particularly valuable in running township government. To meet community needs, collaborative skills are required as well as a capacity to make timely decisions in the face of a diverse set of governance issues. We need councilpersons who can build skill sets that allow them to partner, not only with township citizens who have varying views, but also with county and state agencies, and empowered federal authorities.
What are the consequences for the township if the Wall Street analyst becomes disenchanted with his councilman’s duties? It is almost inevitable that he will turn to thoughts of “if only I could control all the levers of power, i.e., could be council chair, mayor, township administrator, township lawyer, then government would run so much more efficiently.” Simply not a valid perception! We’ve experienced up close the negative impact of this kind of disenchantment –– too much already!
We want individuals in our township government who are openly committed to learning the model of township, county, and state governance that has obviously worked for our community. It takes a bit of humility along with real pride in one’s past accomplishments, to be open to learning the skill sets needed, including the capacity to invite the contributions of others who are essential to achieving success for the township. That is why I will be voting for George Borek, Lindsay Diehl, and Kristina Samonte.
James Moeller
201 Varsity Avenue
Version 2 of the red political campaign signs of the “Strong Leaders for West Windsor” refers to “taxes.” In our world, taxes are a necessary evil, since they pay for the running of our governments. It is the “value” that we get from our taxes that is important. My belief is that we get good value in West Windsor for our taxes. We are still a full service township.
The word “taxes” has been a political mantra of the Republican Party. So to me the word “taxes” alone is a turnoff. We need to equate taxes to what services we get from our taxes i.e. great schools, a great police force, clean streets, open space, recreational facilities, senior services, bicycle and pedestrian-friendly roads and paths, and more. I believe that West Windsor has done a very good job in managing the taxes they can control and providing the services we need and want.
Throwing a lot of numbers and data at us that nobody but the so-called “expert” can understand does not impress me. Numbers can be manipulated to tell you what you want to portray. What you get for your money is what counts.
Join me in voting for the West Windsor Moving Forward Team of Borek, Diehl, and Samonte on November 8.
Paul Eland
15 Coneflower Lane
With the current so-called controversy being fostered by the so-called “Strong” Leaders for West Windsor Team regarding the so-called 124 percent increase in the municipal tax levy over the last decade, a brief review of real estate tax process is in order. First and foremost, the tax assessor is responsible for tracking the ownership, use, and valuation of each individual parcel, and for providing that information to the rest of the municipal structure.
The problem that exists in today’s marketplace is that certain sectors of the real estate market, such as residential property, had been outpacing other sectors at break-neck speed. Now those values are settling back to more normal or realistic values. The correction of this disparity within the district by means of a district-wide revaluation often leads to huge shifts in tax dollars. This is what occurred several years ago in the Township, by state law. The Township-wide reassessment, again state mandated, obviously increased the overall tax levy! Another factor affecting the overall burden is ratio of residential lots to commercial lots in West Windsor, a ratio of approximately 70 to 30, which represents an inordinate burden on the residential taxpayer. But this is only half of the story. Why did Mr. Maher, Mr. Zohn, and Ms. Kohn forget to talk about the equalization ratio, or tax rate, which is the countervailing factor that modifies or mollifies the increase in the levy?
It is normal to have a larger tax levy when the town is growing. When we compare taxes, we use the tax rate, and it has to be “equalized,” which means “standardized based on market readjustments” so we can compare apples with apples. The tax rate is determined at the county and state level by the Board of Taxation after a full evaluation of all the municipal tax levies each year. The tax rate balances out the increase in the overall tax levy. If we compare the tax rate among all municipalities in Mercer based on “equalized tax rate” adjusted by the State DCA website, West Windsor comes out excellent — the most stable and lowest with full services.
We are in the midst of a real estate valuation “yo-yoing” in the marketplace and will continue this trend for some years ahead. Some municipalities have chosen to raid the so-called surplus for a temporary fix. West Windsor, on the other hand, has decided to maintain fiscal discipline and brought its bond rating up to AAA, enabling it to issue bonds and negotiate insurance contracts at the lowest interest rate allowed by law. And one more thing, the proposal from the so-called “Strong” Leaders camp that the Township should investigate the establishment of Credit Facility from which to borrow money on a “rainy day” may be a fine idea in the private sector. However, it is illegal in the public sector realm! End of discussion.
Rather than explain the entire story, the so-called “Strong” Leaders for West Windsor decided to leave out a very important aspect of the story, that of the tax rate/equalization ratio. Whether by choice or lack of understanding, it doesn’t really matter; I say that this is reason enough to seek true collaborative leadership, true vision, and straight talk. That is why I am going to vote for Borek, Diehl, and Samonte on November 8.
Richard Eland
West Windsor
As I leave the council, I am honored to have had the confidence of the residents of West Windsor to serve. During my tenure I have had the opportunity to work with George Borek.
We worked closely on many issues. I know George’s work ethic and commitment to the residents of West Windsor.
Diane Ciccone
West Windsor residents have witnessed the chaos of the personal vendetta of Charlie Morgan against the overwhelmingly elected Mayor of the Township. It has resulted in delaying important decisions related to the economic development of the township and wasted public funds for frivolous lawsuits. The opposition slate of “Strong Leaders,” anointed by Charlie Morgan, will only continue this unnecessary polarization.
The team led by Councilman George Borak, “West Windsor Moving Forward,” will continue the already accomplished improvement of repaired roads, increased recreational facilities, support of the Arts Center and approved additional parking for township residents at the train station.
Township taxes have declined for some residents, and compared to neighboring communities, we have held the line given increased fixed costs and the national recession. The candidates, Borak, Diehl, and Samonte, have pledged to engage an independent consultant to ensure that the approved Town Center Redevelopment Plan will produce a tax-positive return to the township.
Support continued economic development of West Windsor Township by electing the team of Borek, Diehl, and Samonte.
Richard Kaye & Paul Pitluk
Village Grande
On November 8 citizens of West Windsor will once again have the privilege and duty of voting for their Town Council representatives. They can choose to either move forward into a future of promise and accomplishment with the Borek, Diehl, and Samonte team or remain stuck in the quagmire of obstruction and political pollution of the status quo that characterizes their opponents. As a guide to the mindset of these opposition candidates, I refer to the Town Council meeting of September 19 in which 45 citizens spoke in favor of the ordinances enabling redevelopment while only four opposed them. Of the four that opposed them, two are on the opposition ticket.
The four-year Council tenure following the upcoming election will be a seminal time in West Windsor’s history. We will receive our designation as a Transit Village, an event that should have taken place for years ago when state funds were available to municipalities that received their designation. Those funds are now gone; obstruction has a price. Windsor Plaza will be accepting stores to occupy newly constructed spaces. Most important of all, the housing phase of redevelopment will begin on the InterCap property. Our mayor will more than ever need a cooperative Council to help him achieve his and our vision of a great and grand West Windsor.
I urge my fellow citizens to elect the Borek, Diehl, and Samonte team. They are smart, hard-working people who are committed to the best for West Windsor.
Alvin Lerner
West Windsor
We are very concerned and dismayed with the “out of context” negative portrayal of our tax efficiency by the “Strong” team. For every one dollar of real estate taxes paid and collected in West Windsor we say that our community gets very good value.
For every one dollar of real estate taxes paid and collected in West Windsor, 16 cents goes to the municipal budget; 60 cents goes to the regional school district; roughly 20 cents goes to the county budget and the balance, roughly 4 cents, goes to the County Library System. On the municipal level, therefore, we are doing quite nicely on the 16 cents per dollar allocated to us. Several of our major roads have been paved and improved recently, both local, county, and state; we have received special status for a bicycle and pedestrian access; our school district has continued to be rated very highly; we have excellent recreational facilities; we have a vibrant and burgeoning West Windsor Arts Center, and we have an award-winning Senior Center. We also have excellent municipal services, both emergency and safety-related.
So, rather than tear down what this community has been in the process of building up over the last decade, we ask you to join us in voting for Borek, Diehl, and Samonte to continue to work to move West Windsor Forward.
Allen & Ina Brosseau Marx
An elected official must communicate honestly with the voters so the voters’ needs, hopes, and desires can be considered. Voters rely on these officials to “dig down” into the facts and communicate the relevant issues so the voters can be informed and provide feedback about how they want to be represented.
It is, therefore, disappointing to see candidates for West Windsor council taking facts out of context and misrepresenting facts to manipulate public opinion rather than engage in a debate about different ideas for government leadership.
For example, in a recent political advertisement, a group of candidates attempts to imply that the present administration has mismanaged West Windsor finances so badly that “taxes” have risen by 124 percent over the last 10 years. While it is true that the WW tax levy grew 124 percent over 10 years, that only means the township collected more taxes from new businesses and new homes and that existing homes have been reassessed. The tax base (or number of new homes and businesses) increased by over 100 percent. It is the tax rate that is important for comparing West Windsor to other townships and in that regard West Windsor has the lowest tax rate of any full service community in Mercer County. So the ad comparing population growth and taxes is misleading.
Another example of misinformation is the claim by a candidate in a letter to the editor that the recent announcement of a parking lot planned at the old compost site was only in reaction to his inquiry about such a site. While it is true that there was a public announcement in September, 2011, that public parking was planned for that compost site, the planning of that site has been an ongoing complicated and public process for over two years. The compost site was also a dump and is now a “brownfield” or contaminated site. Negotiations by Mayor Hsueh to get the state to fund studies necessary to remediate the contamination, negotiations about what kind of remediation needed to be done, finding funding for design of a parking lot etc. takes time. So either the candidate writing the letter was grossly misinformed about a basic fact or he knew the complicated and ongoing nature of the planning and sought to misinform the public to his advantage. Neither are desirable qualities in a candidate.
One candidate claimed in the October 21 issue of the WW-P News that West Windsor should “ratchet down the $7 million cash surplus by about $2 million, which should not adversely affect our AAA rating.” West Windsor’s fund balance (i.e. present balance in the account) is around $7M but over $4M of that money is already obligated to payments that aren’t yet due and which may not be precisely known yet, like county taxes. The actual surplus is under $3M. To “ratchet that down” by $2M would limit West Windsor’s ability to deal with unplanned events like snowstorms and hurricanes and will cost it the AAA rating it now enjoys.
Nor is it legal for West Windsor to have a municipal credit facility (a/k/a line of credit), and $15K/student is not a valid statistic for the financial study of the InterCap development because it includes fixed costs and does not show the incremental cost of new students.
How much more of this can we afford? Join me in voting for George Borek, Lindsay Diehl, and Kristina Samonte on November 8.
Mike Donnelly
Benford Drive, West Windsor
Shortly after being elected mayor of West Windsor I retired from my full time job as both an adjunct professor at Rutgers and as the DEP administrator of the water supply program for New Jersey so I could help my neighbors and fellow West Windsor citizens.
While I have succeeded in securing millions of dollars in federal, state, and county grants and private money for improvements like the Meadow Road extension and Alexander Road traffic circle, Grovers Mill Pond cleanup, and open space purchases, we have also lost hundreds of millions of dollars of federal, state, and county aid through indecision, bickering, and partisan politics. I need support from council members who will work together and with me to fully realize our goal of making West Windsor the best it can be. I work hard at obtaining different viewpoints. So I don’t expect a single viewpoint from council members but rather a willingness to work together for West Windsor, even if that is agreeing to disagree.
West Windsor stands out as having the lowest tax rate of any full service community in Mercer County and has avoided year-to-year spikes in the tax rate by saving a little in good times and drawing judiciously on those savings in tough times. We have so far resisted making short term fixes like robbing too much of the surplus, which will both hurt our AAA rating and leave us vulnerable in tough times.
George Borek, Lindsay Diehl, and Kristina Samonte have demonstrated the non-partisan collaboration necessary to serve on Council.
Shing-Fu Hsueh
Mayor, West Windsor
