Candidates answered HVN’s question: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue facing Pennington Borough?
By Ruth Luse
On Nov. 7, Pennington voters will pick a mayor to complete the unexpired term of James Loper. That term runs to Dec. 31, 2007. When Mr. Loper resigned, Republican James E. Benton was appointed to fill the post.
Candidates are: Republican James E. Benton and Democrat Tony Persichilli, a current councilman.
Voters also will pick two members (three-year terms) of Pennington Borough Council. The four candidates are Rachel Donington-Torpey (Republican), Eileen M. Heinzel (incumbent Democrat), Cosmo Iacavazzi (Republican) and Joseph Lawver (incumbent Democrat).
The HVN recently asked the candidates the following question: In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue facing Pennington Borough? Please identify it and discuss what you would try to do about it if elected. Be as specific as you can.
***
Candidates’ answers are:
Mr. Benton The most significant issue before the citizens of Pennington at this time is the future of our borough. I have a deep commitment to the future of Pennington and I would like to share my vision for the future of our community.
Presently, state and municipal leaders are considering mandatory consolidations. Leaders of the state have begun deliberations toward merging municipalities. Other neighboring towns, including Hopewell Township, have expressed interests in consolidating Pennington with Hopewell Township and Hopewell Borough.
Yet, Pennington has an opportunity to remain an independent, efficient, affordable and safe municipality in which to live, raise children and share friendships. Pennington needs leadership that will not succumb to party pressure or ideology external to the borough and its citizens. Articulating, advocating and sharing that vision with leaders in the Trenton State House and amongst Freeholders in Mercer County would be my highest priority.
Efficiency means sharing services in ways that make sense for our residents rather than being conscripted into a forced sharing or consolidation. There are examples of where regionalization makes sense; however, local decision making is often the best way to make these decisions that may shape our Borough for years to come. We need to make certain that Pennington’s vision for its future is heard in a way that promotes efficiency.
Keeping Pennington affordable is perhaps one of the most ambitious undertakings of any leader. It requires constant vigilance and questioning of every expense, no matter how politically favored that particular item may be. Other local taxing entities – school boards, county and water and sewer – must share the responsibility and deserve to hear from Pennington on a regular basis to gain insight into ways to keep our Borough affordable. I am committed to that vigilance and participation.
Pennington has traditionally had an acceptance of diverse voices to permit the best decision making for all our residents. It is important that these voices be heard at this critical time as others are working to determine our future. I care deeply about this issue and will listen, learn and lead carefully as we continue to plan for a better future for Pennington.
Mr. Persichilli The most pressing issue facing Pennington Borough today is the reconciliation of the School Budget with the needs and wants of the residents of Pennington. The school budget has implications for our property taxes and most importantly has had a deleterious impact on the safety of the children of Pennington.
Pennington Borough voted in favor of the school budget, but at this point, we are being victimized by the fiscal decisions made by the School Board and those decisions will affect the safety of approximately 244 middle and high school students and 19 elementary students. Those students would either have to walk hazardous routes or the Borough would have to pay the $113,000 to bus them.
If elected mayor, I would:
Support the busing task force appointed by the municipalities and their efforts to pursue sensible options.
Call for an open public forum for those discussions where all citizens are provided with an opportunity to listen to and question the decision to eliminate nonmandated busing.
Since the school budget accounts for 57 percent of our property taxes, I would work with the State of New Jersey and their recently announced Pedestrian Safety Initiative Program and especially the Pedestrian Safety Corridor, Safe Routes to School and Grants for Enforcement of Pedestrian Programs; continue to work with other elected officials from Hopewell Township and Hopewell Borough to make reasonable suggestions to the school board for expense reductions; ensure the continuance of the high quality of education within the fiscal constraints the budget presents; work with the community to elicit more widespread input into issues confronting the Borough through regular subject focused town meetings; and encourage more dialogue and participation in school budget decisions that support the needs of our residents.
***
Ms. Donington-Torpey Pennington is a great place to live, work and raise a family. Like many small towns in New Jersey, Pennington faces challenges that require creative problem solving. The solutions adopted by our municipal leaders will affect the quality of life and character of the community for years to come.
Among these challenges is keeping Pennington affordable to all who live here. Rising property taxes are placing enormous pressure on homeowners, particularly young families and senior citizens. Nothing will change the face of our community more than residents being forced to flee due to crushing property taxes.
Fundamental property tax reform can only be achieved through leadership at the state level. Our local officials must keep up the pressure in Trenton by aggressively pursuing an agenda that results in real property tax reform and insuring that Pennington gets its fair share.
While it is true that our school taxes make up the lion’s share of our local tax bill, we must dedicate ourselves to providing quality municipal services at the lowest possible cost. The fact is that over the last three years, the tax rate in Pennington for municipal services has grown by nearly 40 percent. We simply must do better. An aggressive review of municipal operations must become part of the budget process every year. While Pennington already shares some services with Hopewell Township and Hopewell Borough, we must look for further efficiencies in the area of shared services. This, however, cannot result in reduced quality of service, nor can it undermine Pennington’s identity in any way.
Pennington is part of the Hopewell Valley Regional School District, which is also experiencing its own budget pressures. The school district’s solution to its problems is to end hazardous busing, a burden that falls disproportionately on Pennington’s students. Couched in terms of a "budgetary efficiency" move, the plan is nothing short of simply shifting the costs to Pennington residents, leading to higher municipal property taxes. This decision by the school board was taken with no meaningful input from those affected and, for that, the school board deserves criticism. Communication, however, is a two-way street and one must wonder why the Pennington Borough Council does not have a more effective dialogue with the school board. When we consider the affect that school board decisions have on our community, particularly with respect to property taxes, it is incumbent upon us to have ongoing and productive communication.
Another key to keeping Pennington affordable is to ensure the economic viability of our downtown by establishing a close partnership between municipal government and local businesses. Downtown is the heart of our community. We must create a vision for it that taps into Pennington’s unique character and historic charm, in doing so we can secure economic vitality for years to come.
Pennington is a special place. It is also at a crossroads. We must aggressively address the affordability issues facing Pennington or we will start to lose our friends, neighbors, businesses, and seniors to less taxing jurisdictions. Our people are what make our community special. Let us work together to keep Pennington affordable for all who live here.
Ms. Heinzel Friends of ours who travel frequently often talk about how towns they visit are becoming like every other town. Large retail malls and restaurants; cookie cutter homes and "Mcmansions"; and large regional schools all contribute to the loss of a sense of place. Pennington is not a town like every other town. It has a rich history and is characterized by residents who really care about living in a small town. There are no national chains downtown. Our elementary school is small and within walking distance of our students. The homes in town are varied; some historic, some newly renovated but all unique. Maintaining a small, independent town within the financial constraints of state mandates, school funding and escalating property taxes is one of the most important issues facing Pennington.
As the state considers property tax reform, towns like Pennington are facing solutions that may destroy their independence. Property taxes in this state are unquestionably high. Unfortunately a solution like municipal consolidation offers only a relatively small impact on property taxes. For Pennington, consolidation would amount to less than $300,000 in savings for the entire Borough, translating to about three cents on the average resident’s tax bill. As costs escalate, potential savings will only decrease. Municipal consolidation however, would permanently yield all control and management of services, equipment and infrastructure to a much larger entity. Consolidation would also transfer control of critical utilities. With access to Pennington water and sewer service, buildout of our greenbelt would be inevitable. Borough residents’ voice in these and other critical issues would likely be seriously compromised by consolidation.
Property taxes are high and there are certainly areas where shared services can achieve cost savings. In fact, there are many services that are already shared in Hopewell Valley. Last year, the municipalities in the Valley agreed to annually exchange their municipal budgets so that additional efficiencies can be identified and explored.
Regional planning is also important. The two boroughs recently joined Hopewell and Lawrence Townships in a grant application for county funding for recreation fields and trails at the Twin Pines airport. It makes good sense to coordinate resources for the benefit of many municipalities.
If elected, I will continue to explore areas where cost savings can be realized and where regional planning projects will benefit Pennington. I strongly believe however, that potential costs savings must take into account not only money saved, but also the intangible and very real prospective loss of municipal services, access, and control.
Mr. Iacavazzi The most pressing issue is planning for the future of Pennington. Proper planning involves identifying problems today that could become greater tomorrow, and establishing priorities to deal with those problems. I believe it is the local government’s responsibility to proactively identify problems and reach out for solutions, rather than reacting to the problems as they occur. Pennington has historically been a pleasant, family oriented place to work and live. However, I believe Pennington is at a crossroads in its development, and unless issues are dealt with proactively, the Pennington of the future could become unaffordable for many of its residents and blighted by an abandoned downtown area for those who remain.
The downtown, in particular, needs to become a priority in planning for both its physical appearance and its economic viability. In the past several years a variety of businesses have either closed or relocated to Rt.31.The downtown look is dominated now by brown paper covered windows and many "For Rent/For Sale" signs. In general, our downtown has a "tired" look. It is neither pedestrian nor business friendly with regard to its physical look and its traffic patterns.
To reinvigorate the downtown center the local government needs to provide leadership. I will make this a priority as a member of the Council. A well thought-out plan already exists as the starting point for this improvement. In December 2004 a "Streetscape Report" prepared by the Streetscape Committee was presented to the Council which outlined some very specific and excellent ideas for improving sidewalks, traffic flow, and the physical look of the main traffic arteries, Main Street and Delaware Avenue. Since then this Report has languished in the Borough’s offices with no plan of action by the Borough Council to implement any of these proposals.
This plan is an excellent starting point to improve our downtown area. It should serve as the specific guide for the future of the downtown area. The Borough Council should make the improvement of downtown a budgeting and operating priority and form partnerships with the county, businesses and town residents to work together to come up with solutions for its implementation.
Regarding affordability, in the past three years the Pennington municipal share of the real estate tax bill has grown significantly faster than either the school board or the county. At its current growth rate the municipal portion of the tax bill will exceed the County share in just three years. I believe we can and should do a better job controlling municipal expenses. While statewide tax reform is necessary to ultimately correct the tax inequities in New Jersey, the council can and should do a better job controlling its share of the tax bill. Through solid financial planning, including long term budgeting guidelines, pursuit of grant monies, budgeting priorities, and a sharper eye when it comes to municipal expenses the affordability of Pennington can be protected.
For tax reform in New Jersey to become a reality, I believe it will have to be lead by local government putting pressure on our county freeholders and state legislators. We must make it very clear to our freeholders and state legislators that real tax reform is a priority, and nothing less is acceptable. Local government must lead that fight and I will be an active part of that effort.
Mr. Lawver TAXES!!! As we meet with Pennington residents, the first issue inevitably raised is property taxes. Eight-10 percent annual increases, compounded by the impact of the county-ordered revaluation, have resulted in taxes doubling in less than 7 years. Seniors are being forced to move out and young families are finding it too expensive to move in. What is causing it and what can we do about it?
First, the property tax crisis has arisen because of how NJ raises revenues. NJ is far too reliant on property taxes as a revenue source 44 percent of all taxes raised compared to 30 percent nationally. The state simply must come up with a new formula for raising revenues. If the Legislature fails to come up with real, comprehensive property tax reform in its current special session (and I am not hopeful), then we must insist that a constitutional convention be convened to address the issue. I will lobby, as a private citizen and as a council member, for this constitutional convention.
Second, regardless of what happens at the state level, we on council must responsibly manage the budget. To do that I implemented a five-year budgeting cycle so that council can understand the long-term impact on the decisions it is making today. I have developed a plan to sell excess land owned by the borough for Open Space preservation. Doing so will not only expand our Greenbelt but also provide a capital infusion that we can use to pay down our outstanding debt. Finally, we continue to seek cost savings through inter-local agreements, outsourcing, program elimination, and scrutinizing all expenditures.
Third, some in Hopewell Valley have called for consolidation as a solution to the tax crisis. This is a myth!! If the three municipalities consolidated, there is a potential savings of 2% off your total tax bill. While that is not insignificant, it has hidden costs. First, if Pennington were to merge with Hopewell Township, we could be forced to extend our water and sewer system to large tracts outside of town, opening the way for several new Brandon Farm sized developments on our borders. Not only would this change the small town feel of Pennington but it would also place a huge burden on our school system, driving up their costs. Second, because Hopewell Township and Pennington provide significantly different levels of services, we would either be forced to cut back on the services that we have come to expect or we would have the share in the extraordinary costs of extending those services to all of Hopewell Township. Most of the benefits of consolidation can be achieved through further sharing of services.
The Pennington Borough Council cannot solve the property tax crisis on its own. However, by putting pressure on the State, enforcing a financial discipline in our decision making process, and seeking cost savings through greater municipal cooperation (not consolidation), we can make sure that we deliver the highest quality municipal services at the lowest cost to the taxpayers.

