Paul Emberger Jr.
33 South Street
Age: 59
Occupation: President of Virtual IT, Red Bank
Biography:
Red Bank resident for more than 23 years; former professor at Brookdale Community College; involved with one of Red Bank’s pioneering substance-abuse programs and various mental health programs; active with the Eastern Monmouth Area Chamber of Commerce, and Communications and Technology Committee.
Q: How do you envision Red Bank in five years?
A: I feel that overdevelopment and overspending are out of control. If this continues, Red Bank will sacrifice its character and at the same time, face the loss of its long-term residents.
It is clear that Red Bank is at a crossroads. It is the responsibility of our governing body to protect our neighborhoods. If elected, this will be my sole focus.
Q: What specifically would you do to lower taxes?
A: Taxes have gone up every year for the last 10 years here. I feel certain that there are ways to reduce spending.
There are 50 municipal, nonemergency vehicles for approximately 120 employees. This is clearly an example of excess, recognizing that currently there is one nonemergency vehicle for every two and a half employees.
Another example of excess is that currently there are two assistants to our borough administrator.
Q: Do you believe in amnesty for illegal residents?
A: Although this issue must be decided by the federal government, as a council member I would work to provide safe and healthy living conditions to the people of Red Bank, regardless of their origin.
Q: As properties in Monmouth County become more and more expensive, do you think there is a need for affordable housing in town for middle-income people?
A: Red Bank not only meets, but exceeds, its affordable housing obligation. As a council member, I would give fair consideration to this issue.
However, I would also work to ensure that our neighboring communities do their part in addressing this regional issue.
Q: Would you like to see a parking garage in town?
A: A privately funded parking garage can be one part of a solution to Red Bank’s parking problem. It is not the only answer and it should not be paid for by Red Bank
taxpayers.
Q: If you are not elected, what community organization or borough board would you like to be involved in?
A: I would serve on an educational committee or volunteer to be a tutor.
Kay Ernst
39 West Street
Age: 36
Occupation: Business Administrator
Biography: Lifelong Red Bank resident; member of Preservation Red Bank, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, St. Paul’s Church, Monmouth County Arts Council; fund-raising for educational programs.
Q: How do you envision Red Bank in five years?
A: Red Bank is in trouble. We need immediate changes that will both address the rate of development and control the cost of living in town. If elected to council, I will work to keep the integrity of our neighborhoods intact and work to preserve our quality of life.
Q: What specifically could you do to lower taxes?
A: It’s clear that taxes are on the rise. We need a thorough review of our budget to identify savings without affecting necessary services.
Currently the borough provides recycling pickup for our commercial district, which includes more than 70 restaurants. There are fewer than 10 municipalities in the state of New Jersey that provide similar services. Privatizing this would provide our taxpayers with a savings that would be both enormous and immediate. If I were elected, I would advocate for a full review of this as a cost-saving initiative.
Q: Do you believe in amnesty for illegal residents?
A: This is a federal issue. However, there is a real and growing Latino community in Red Bank whose needs and concerns must be addressed. As an elected official, it would be my obligation to provide solutions that would benefit Red Bank’s entire population.
Q: As properties in Monmouth County become more and more expensive, do you think there is a need for affordable housing in town for middle-income people?
A: Clearly this is not a closed-door issue. Therefore, I would be open to reviewing affordable housing proposals for Red Bank, keeping in mind that our borough, indeed, has done more than its fair share in meeting these needs.
Q: Would you like to see a parking garage in town?
A: The residents have spoken on this issue and have made it clear that they do not want to shoulder the financial burden for a parking solution. There is no doubt that parking is a real concern here. If elected, I would be open to any plan presented to me and would consider it on its merits. However, I would not support a parking garage that comes on the backs of our residents.
Q: What can you bring to the council that no one else can?
A: As a woman and a west side resident, I can bring balance and diversity.
DEMOCRAT
Pasquale Menna 23 River Road
Age: 49
Occupation: Attorney
Biography: Member of Borough Council since 1988; fire commissioner and Fire Dept. chaplain since 1988; liaison to Rent Leveling Board and Arts and Antique District Committee; member of the Police, Finance and Code Committee; involved in Italian-American Foundation, Preservation Red Bank, Red Bank Elks, St. Anthony’s Roman Catholic Church, Red Bank Tenants Organization.
Q: How do you envision Red Bank in five years?
A: In five years I believe that the link of the Broad Street corridor to Shrewsbury Avenue through Monmouth Street will be complete to provide a harmonious link of the downtown district to extend to Shrewsbury Avenue.
The master plan, which will need revision, should eliminate mixed uses and multiple uses in all our residential districts. That will curtail all but single family growth since we are a developed town.
Q: What specifically could you do to lower taxes?
A: In my tenure, local spending has been less than the cost of living increases in the part of the budget that the town controls.
There should be a pooling of secretarial services instead of having individual department secretaries. Municipalities like Fair Haven and Shrewsbury, whose residents use our senior center, should be mandated to pay a user fee for their residents.
There should be a reduction in nonessential vehicles and an elimination of them to individuals who are not on duty around the clock. I will shortly introduce an ordinance that caps the salaries of new nonunion administrative employees. That way, when someone is hired, they’ll know what the minimum and maximum salary range will be.
Q: Do you believe in amnesty for illegal residents?
A: I was born in Italy and emigrated legally to the United States. I am the only one (immigrant) on the council and I am proud of that. This is a federal issue, but I do not believe in a blanket amnesty. A selective amnesty for just some groups is not equal protection under the Constitution. We have a policy for adjustment of status presently, and if someone wants to adjust their status as an immigrant, they should do so legally — not through an amnesty provision that would not be regulated.
Q: As properties in Monmouth County become more and more expensive, do you think there is a need for affordable housing in town for middle-income people?
A: Red Bank has provided its share of affordable housing and continues to do so. We have the only Rent Leveling Ordinance in our immediate area that keeps rents down and provides services.
I believe in rent stabilization. I also believe in senior housing, like what has been provided at River Street Commons, Wesleyan Arms, Montgomery Terrace and Evergreen Terrace.
We are also providing Neighborhood Preservation monies to individual homeowners in the targeted west side to help rehabilitate and improve their homes so that they can stay in town.
Q: Would you like to see a parking garage in town?
A: I would not like to see a parking garage on White Street. We went through that debate before. I was the only councilman who said that I wanted to listen to the comments before committing. Three favored it; two were against. Ultimately, I decided, and two other councilmen changed their votes after I announced what I was doing and decided with me, to vote against it.
I have said that if a private developer wants to use private monies to build one, and if the site makes sense, I have no problem with it. I also think that private users and landlords, who would benefit most from the garage, should pool their resources and fund it.
Q: What could you do to increase pedestrian safety on Shrewsbury Avenue?
A: Shrewsbury Avenue is a county road. We’ve petitioned the DOT and we’ve petitioned the county to do a study in 1992, but we can’t do anything if the DOT isn’t willing to do anything. We could, however, have a more physical presence of police officers.
DEMOCRAT
Arthur Murphy
Age: 44
Occupation:
Owner of AZ Builders
in Red Bank
Biography: Lifelong Red Bank resident; currently filling Betty Thompson’s seat on the borough council; 4-year member of the borough’s Zoning Board and Construction Board of Appeals.
Q: How do you envision Red Bank in five years?
A: At the current time, Red Bank has seen many changes. I would like to see this continue in that direction by redevelopment — not overdevelopment.
Q: What specifically could you do to lower taxes?
A: Currently, I do not think the town is spending too much money. There is a budget that’s maintained and I think the council does a great job with it.
Q: Do you believe in amnesty for illegal residents?
A: Illegal aliens that are already here should not have amnesty. Maybe alter the process for registration to be quicker, but everyone should be checked out and accounted for.
Q: As properties in Monmouth County become more and more expensive, do you think the town should provide affordable housing for middle-income residents?
A: At the present time, Red Bank provides its share, and then some, of low-income housing throughout the borough.
Q: Would you like to see a parking garage in town?
A: Currently, the town has made some parking meter changes throughout the downtown area. A garage in town is not a bad idea, but location and size are major factors.
Q: As a builder, what is your view of the role of immigrants in the local labor force?
A: I am a general contractor so everyone’s on payroll. But if you were to clear that corner, there would be a shortage of labor.