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ROBBINSVILLE: Mayor talks issues in annual address

Mayor Fried made his remarks at Ritchie & Page Distributing, Inc. on Canton Way last week.

by James McEvoy, Managing Editor
ROBBINSVILLE — During his annual State of the Township address, Mayor David Fried announced his intention to pursue the designation of the Foxmoor Shopping Center as an area in need of redevelopment.
   During his remarks, which were made at Ritchie & Page Distributing, Inc. on Canton Way and sponsored by the sponsored by the MidJersey Chamber of Commerce, Mayor Fried said that 1,000 signatures gathered by a resident swayed him.
   ”I think the time is right,” he said, pledging that he would formally ask the Township Council for the designation. “I think the business owners have waited long enough for help.
   ”I struggle with this because I’m a business owner and I wonder oftentimes should government get involved in someone’s business,” he added. “I’ve had this back and forth … but after taking a look at the 1,000 signatures I realize it is the right thing to do because it’s actually harming our residents and it’s harming the other businesses that are in that shopping center who are struggling because they have not had an anchor.”
   A major reoccurring theme of the mayor’s remarks was accountability – both of local and state government, as well as entities such as cable companies and the Board of Public Utilities.
   Earlier this year, the mayor vetoed a franchise ordinance with Cablevision after the cable company announced it would remove WCBS Channel 2 (New York). Cablevision ultimately retained the station and a subsequent agreement was reached.
   He suggested mayors sit on the Board of Public Utilities, for accountability purposes, noting that when the cable changes or the lights go out, it’s the mayors who “get yelled at.”
   He also called for changes to the state’s school funding formula. Specifically, the mayor suggested divvying up two-thirds of funding among districts based on student population.
   The final third, he said, could be allocated to districts in need of extra help, such as the so-called “Abbott” districts.
   He also criticized the revaluation process for properties, noting that while Robbinsville performed a revaluation approximately six years ago towns such as Ewing and Trenton haven’t done so in over 20 years.
   This year several of the larger properties in Robbinsville were reevaluated as well.
   Instead, Mayor Fried suggested that whenever someone sells a property, the sales price becomes the new value.
   ”Almost every property sells every 20 years so over the long haul everything will get revalued at the right amount at the right time and it will be fair and it will always be changing,” he said. “That’s one of the things that I’m absolutely going to push for over the next couple of years because we have to make this process better.”
   The mayor also lauded his Hamilton Township counterpart Kelly A. Yaede for her recent efforts to pursue a constitutional amendment for the return of energy tax receipts to municipalities.
   In regards to overall accountability, the mayor said it is important for officials to operate without worrying about political correctness.
   ”We’re afraid to make a mistake,” he said. “That becomes paralyzing oftentimes.”
   He said this extends to changing positions after an idea or initiative fails.
   ”You don’t stick with a bad idea, but in government if you have a bad idea then you change your mind you are a flip-flopper,” he said.
   To that end, Mayor Fried said they haven’t been afraid to tackle the big issues in recent years in the township, including getting rid of lifetime benefits for new township hires and taking over the fire district.
   He lauded local unions for their cooperation in keeping the township’s finances stable.
   ”You have to make changes in order for the town to be sustainable,” he said. “That’s also why our tax rate has been flat, which it will be again this year, and why we’ve been able to hire people while everyone is laying off.”
   Effective immediately Township Council meetings will begin at 7 p.m. Previously, meeting have started at 7:30 p.m. The next council meeting is scheduled for April 10.