fill seat of retiring
Ivan Polonsky
Curley ready for the
challenges of council
Democrat elected to
fill seat of retiring
Ivan Polonsky
By libby kesil
Staff Writer
RED BANK — The newest member of the Borough Council promises not to cut emergency vehicles or the library when looking at ways to reduce municipal spending.
The first issue that John Curley said he wants to look at when he moves into his council seat is the tax situation in the borough.
Curley outpolled Mike Tolan to win the seat that opened up with the retirement of Ivan Polonsky.
"Unfortunately, taxes have overtaken every community in the state of New Jersey, and that’s the way we fund our public school systems," said Curley. "In Red Bank, every 57 cents of every property tax dollar goes into the public schools, and it’s amazing how few people participate in the school board election."
Curley said that it is important for the mayor and council to do what is possible to look for surpluses in the various departments.
"They’re not huge amounts of money that are going to have an overwhelming effect on cutting your tax rate, but I think it’s important," Curley said. "It’s a responsibility, especially when you’re spending someone else’s money. I think it’s important that we try to get the best bang for our buck.
"I would hope that some day in the state of New Jersey that we could find a different way of funding our public school systems that would eliminate that 57 percent of our property tax dollar, because that really makes housing unaffordable to so many," said Curley.
When asked what he would suggest cutting to save some cents on the tax rate, Curley said, "At this moment in time, I have not reviewed that budget line-item by line-item, and I could not make a recommendation. One thing I will say is, I will do absolutely nothing to hinder keeping our public library." He added that he felt it was extremely important to keep local control of the library rather than join the county system.
He also said that he will not cut police or emergency vehicles.
"I have known people who have praised our police and our first aid and our fire [department] to the hilt, that they’ve been there for us. I will look department by department — and I’ll especially look in whatever department I’m assigned to — to find ways of expediting things and making things more cost-effective."
Curley is a government representative and contract administrator for his brother’s car dealership, Jim Curley Pontiac-Buick-GMC, Lakewood.
"We have the medium duty truck business," said Curley. "The state has medium duty trucks, municipalities and counties, and they need that. It’s not every dealership that can perform that service, so it’s unique to the industry."
Curley said he got into politics because he had always had the "bug."
"My father used to take me out to a lot of Republican events. He had been President of the Monmouth County Republican Club in the late ’40s and early ’50s, and he really taught me about politics and people interaction — not just party politics — as he told me that the basis of all politics is people interaction. It’s not whether you are Republican or Democrat, it’s getting things done for individuals.
Curley said he found it most challenging during his campaign to let people know that "elected officials are very independent people, very independent thinkers, very independent minds, and we do think for ourselves. And we have a wonderful mayor who recognizes that, and that’s why he asks people, because he believes, as I do, that the more thought processes that go into something, the better opportunity you have at finding a solution, and that’s probably the most difficult thing."
Mayor Edward J. McKenna was re-elected without opposition last week.