Candidates for the East Brunswick Township Council participated in two debates last week at the library. Candidates for the East Brunswick Township Council squared off last week in two debates at the public library.
The first of the debates, which are sponsored and televised by EBTV, featured incumbent Republicans Camille Ferraro, Michael Hughes and Jim Wendell, and Democratic challengers Adam Neary, Donna McEvoy and Edward Janzekovich.
The candidates outlined their stances on pressing issues in the township, including the rate of vacant commercial properties on Route 18 and how to stabilize property taxes.
The forum was held at the East Brunswick Public Library Sept. 23 and was moderated by Dawn Clarke, vice president of the New Jersey League of Women Voters.
While both sides agreed the town lacks the necessary commercial ratables to stabilize taxes, particularly along Route 18, candidates expressed different approaches to resolving this issue.
“[Businesses] were fearful of coming to East Brunswick because of the regulations and red tape of the previous administration,” Wendell said. “We stepped in, and in this last year there have been more applications to the Planning Board than there have been in the last eight years.”
Wendell added that the way to revitalize Route 18 is not by seeking big-box stores, but by attracting small businesses and designating areas in need of redevelopment. However, Neary said the Democrats propose a different approach.
“Our proposal is to create a Rutgers tourism center, where you have a medium-level hotel with retail, shops and with a Rutgersthemed and Big Ten- themed shop,” he said. According to Neary, such a center would draw people who come from out of state to see Rutgers play, and would help support existing businesses while attracting new ones.
To stabilize taxes, in addition to increasing the amount of commercial ratables in town, candidates from both parties advocated exploring ways of increasing shared services with the school board and other towns.
The second debate was a oneon one between incumbent Democratic Councilman Michael Spadafino and Republican candidate Suzanne Leblon-Blum. They are running to fill the remaining two years of a term vacated by Assemblywoman Nancy Pinkin (DMiddlesex), who resigned after winning election to the state Assembly last year.
Spadafino said Republicans had voted to raise taxes while cutting services, but presented his plan for expanding shared services and searching for more grants as an alternative to tax hikes.
However, Leblon-Blum said the township only accounts for a portion of residents’ tax bills and the council’s role should be going through budgets with a finetoothed comb and determining priorities for reducing taxes wherever possible.
The debates are being televised on EBTV at 9 p.m. on Wednesdays, 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, and on demand on EBTV.org until Election Day.