EAST BRUNSWICK — Township officials will look at the idea of using tax breaks to attract more businesses to the township.
Mayor-elect David Stahl said such incentives are on his list of “things to talk about” as he start his four-year term next month. He said he wants to learn more about the kinds of tax breaks or incentives the township can legally offer. They are just one item up for consideration, he noted, saying he is open to any new ideas.
With vacancies on the rise along Route 18 and uncertainty surrounding the Golden Triangle redevelopment plans, officials are looking for ways to come up with the tax revenues it counted on from a healthy Route 18 environment.
East Brunswick isn’t alone, as retail vacancies rose from 3.6 to nearly 6 percent in northern New Jersey this year, and from 4.7 to 6.6 percent in central New Jersey, according to a survey conducted last month by R.J. Brunelli & Co., and Old Bridge-based real estate brokerage.
Stahl said it is obvious that the national economic downturn has hurt the local economy, but he remains optimistic that his administration can help turn things around in East Brunswick.
The Democrat and six-year township councilman said it is time to “re-energize the process of attracting business to Route
18, not slow it down.” Stahl compared it to a business cutting back on advertising in order to save money during a slump, saying it is not a smart idea. “It won’t be easy,” he said. “There is not a lot of retail expansion right now, but you need to work on ways to make it happen.” Republicans have criticized the way the Democrats
in power have handled the vacancy issue, but former council candidate Robert Tagliente did agree somewhat with Stahl on the issue of tax breaks. He said the town should look at tax structure changes in order to draw more business.
The national economy has hurt East Brunswick, Tagliente said, but so has commercial growth in nearby towns, because businesses are finding “better deals elsewhere.”

