Taxes, redevelopment and recreation issues in Long Branch came to the forefront last week as all three mayoral candidates made their case to run the city.
Long Branch Mayor Adam Schneider (center) is flanked by challengers Robert Krebs (l) and Councilman Brian Unger during a mayoral debate on April 27. KENNY WALTER The mayoral debate, held April 27 at Long Branch Middle School and co-sponsored by the Link News and the Long Branch NAACP, featured five-term Long Branch Mayor Adam Schneider, current Councilman Brian Unger and financial adviser Robert Krebs.
Each expounded his vision for the future of the city, including how they view the stalled Broadway Arts district.
“The Broadway Arts project is at a standstill, but that doesn’t mean the revitalization of the city should stop,” Schneider said. “The economy has caused us harm.
“West of Ocean Avenue was never going to move forward until the oceanfront was revitalized,” he added. “There are theaters, restaurants and housing, and I still think the idea is sound. This is a financially viable town.”
However, Unger took a different approach on how the development in the zone should be done.
“The project needs to be redesigned from the ground up,” priority in the city to revitalize the arts district; it’s an eyesore.
“Asbury Park has done a wonderful job block by block, store by store, building a community.”
Krebs suggested that the best move for the city would be to let the market dictate development.
“You cannot get financing if you are in these zones,” he said. “I intend to restore all six zones into a free market system and let nature take its course.”
Krebs also said the best way to balance the budget is by opening it up to the public.
“I intend to open the books to the public,” he said. “You are going to see the budget on the Internet.
“When we open the books to everyone, we are going to see where it is being wasted and where it isn’t being wasted,” he added. “There will be no tax increases after we cut all the fat.”
Schneider said the city has implemented a hiring freeze in reaction to the poor economy.
“We have kept taxes relatively intact,” he said. “We have frozen spending, and about a year ago I stopped hiring people.
“We figured out how to do the same job with less people. Whether or not we are going to be able to avoid layoffs a year from now, I frankly don’t know.
“Promises that we are going to be able to avoid hiring and not lay people off, I find empty. We don’t waste your money, we are very cautious with your money.”
Unger said he would like to implement cuts across the board.
“I would change some budget priorities in City Hall,” he said. “I don’t want to spend millions of dollars on law firms.
“I’d like to see us cut legal spending. I want to go department by department and cut 10 percent of all discretionary non-personnel items.”
The trio also discussed how to improve the city’s recreation services.
“I want to create a new position: director of sports, recreation and youth development,” Unger said. “I’m going to find a very dynamic, young person and we are going to get out there and make a difference on this gang issue.”
Schneider defended his choice for director of recreation.
“I have a very exciting young man who has run the recreation department the last 16 years, a man by the name of Carl Jennings,” he said. “Carl does a great job. He reaches out to all segments of this community.”
Krebs credited Schneider for improving the city parks.
“They have built some very nice parks in the city, and the city should be commended for that,” he said.
Krebs went on to suggest that the city should be giving financial advice to some of the residents, particularly seniors and teenagers.
“I think we should institute programs where the seniors come down to City Hall and we can help them out with financing, help them out with their lifestyle,” he said. “I’d like to have teenagers come in and learn finance.”
Krebs, who lives in Beachfront South, explained that he has some plans for his neighborhood.
“I’d like to see Beachfront South built up with condominiums,” he said. “I want to see more ratables.”
Unger said he’d like to see some different projects be taken up in the neighborhood.
“I have great ideas for Beachfront South, and it is going to involve retail and it is going to involve things the community can actually use,” he said. “We are going to have local retail that fishermen, surfers and beachgoers and regular people that live in Long Branch can use.
“I want to see miniature golf, I want to see a mini-water park, and I want to see restaurants owned by local people. I want to see a surf shop.”
Krebs refuted Unger’s project, saying there wouldn’t be enough parking, and Schneider said the zone should remain residential.
“The fact is where Mr. Krebs lives is almost exclusively a residential neighborhood and you cannot put a commercial zone in the middle of it,” Schneider said.
Another polarizing issue in Long Branch for the three candidates is the projected pier and ferry project.
“One of the things I plan to work on the next four years is a pier,” Schneider said. “It will take a lot of work, but it is work I am looking forward to.
“The fact is, Long Branch is and will be a transportation hub.”
Krebs questioned the economics of the pier.
“We can’t afford the pier, because who is going to give us the money?” he said. “The federal government is not going to give us the money to do it. I like the idea of the pier, but who is going to pay for it?”
Unger also questioned the financial viability of the pier.
“The pier cannot fall on the shoulders of the taxpayers; they simply can’t afford it,” he said.
Unger went on to say that he wants to pay more attention to neighborhoods outside of the oceanfront area.
“Pier Village is nice, but the bulk of our residents live west of it,” he said. “They want attention paid to their neighborhoods.”
Krebs said his main goal is to implement a tax abatement plan, running the city like a corporation.
“My primary goal is to freeze taxes for four years,” he said. “I have the background to do it, and I certainly intend to do it.
“I think it can be implemented by taking over my abatement plan. I want to run Long Branch like a corporation.
“I’m going to run the corporation, but you are going to be the shareholders. The council is going to be the board of directors, and you are going see the annual reports every year.”
Unger and Krebs also grilled Schneider on his use of eminent domain, but Schneider said that it would no longer be used.
“Eminent domain may never be used again in the city,” he said. “Court decisions have made that clear. It is no longer a viable policy economically, politically or legally. I think it is over in the city.”
The 20 candidates for City Council were set to debate the issues on May 3. Voters will go to the polls on May 11.