By VASHTI HARRIS
Staff Writer
EAST BRUNSWICK — During a live broadcast on EBTV, mayoral candidates James Wendell and Dr. Brad Cohen discussed their campaign platforms, followed by a debate among council candidates Mark Csizmar, Jane Mueller, Michael Spadafino and Sterley Stanley.
EBTV served as the host to the 2016 debates at the East Brunswick Public Library on Oct. 5. Both debates were moderated by Dawn Clarke, vice president of voter services for the League of Women Voters of New Jersey.
The night began with the mayoral candidate debate between Republican nominee Wendell and Democratic nominee Cohen.
Current Mayor Kevin McEvoy, a former member of the Board of Education, was appointed earlier this year to serve the remainder of former Mayor David Stahl’s term when he accepted a position as a municipal judge in Woodbridge; however, Cohen was chosen as the Democratic Party’s nominee.
Wendell, 49, is the vice president of the East Brunswick Township Council and currently works as the vice president for a construction/development company. He has lived in East Brunswick for 46 years and is currently serving his sixth year on the council.
The redevelopment of Route 18 and bringing new businesses to East Brunswick are a few issues that Wendell has focused on during his campaign.
Cohen, 55, is an obstetrician and is currently a third-year-term member of the East Brunswick Board of Education. He has lived in East Brunswick for 23 years.
When asked about issues he has focused on during his campaign, Cohen expressed that high taxes are one issue he feels residents are concerned about.
“High taxes have made living in East Brunswick virtually unaffordable, and it is the first time I am seeing this as a physician where patients can no longer afford to live in East Brunswick — that to me is a crime,” Cohen said.
For the debate, each candidate took turns answering questions from the local press, one of whom was EBTV’s own Chris Barnes. Each question ranged from community policing, improving the traffic on Route 18, to the growing need for more public transportation.
One question both candidates were asked was, “If elected, how will you make the town more affordable for residents?”
Cohen conveyed the need to introduce the Shop East Brunswick program, which would give residents property tax credits every time they shop at local businesses, ultimately providing tax relief for the residents and bringing more small business to East Brunswick.
“It’s a win-win situation because it’s a win for the town, it’s a win for the residents, and it’s a win for the vendors to see that the town is actually supporting local business,” Cohen said.
Wendell expressed the need to attract more businesses to Route 18 by continuing with the redevelopment plans that are already put in place.
“What we need to do is continue our redevelopment process, [it’s] not about actually cutting taxes, but it’s about increasing revenues and the only way we are going to increase revenue is by bringing in more business.”
Wendell supported his answer by naming a few new businesses that will be moving onto Route 18, such as Raymour and Flanigan, which will be moving into the old Sports Authority, DSW which is planned for the former Staples location, and Burlington Coat Factory, which will be built in front of the old Pathmark.
The town council debate immediately followed the mayoral debate. Like the previous debate, each candidate answered questions from the local press.
Republican Mark Csizmar, 52, is a retired East Brunswick police officer who currently works as a safety and security officer for a local school. He has lived in East Brunswick his whole life, and during his time as a police officer he started the D.A.R.E program in East Brunswick.
When asked about issues he has been focusing on during his campaign, Csizmar voiced his concerns about the redevelopment of Route 18 and his passion for safety.
“My expertise comes from safety. I was a police officer for 26 years here at East Brunswick [and] I have protected the residents, and I now protect the children [at the school I currently work for]. Safety is my number one concern for the township,” he said.
Fellow Republican Jane Mueller, 49, is a real estate agent who has lived in East Brunswick for seven years.
She expressed her love for the township, highlighting its excellent schools as well as its cultural diversity.
When asked about an issue she has focused on during her campaign, Mueller said, “I have been a real estate agent for the last seven years [and] there are a lot of people in East Brunswick that don’t want to leave but the taxes are too high, so it is heartbreaking for me to see people who have lived in East Brunswick their entire lives but now have to leave.”
Incumbent Democrat Michael Spadafino, 67, has been a local chiropractor for over 30 years. He has lived in East Brunswick for 50 years.
“Because I’ve been here for 50 years, my life is intertwined with the town. I’ve seen a lot of great things that have happened for this town and some things that I want to change; I want to see a lot of proactive things happen, but I want to try and hold onto that suburban feel the town has,” he said.
Democrat Sterley Stanley, 50, works in the financial service industry and has lived in East Brunswick for 16 years. He is the president of the board of Fox Meadow Condominium Association.
“Being the president for a condominium association has helped me prepare for this council job because running a condominium association is like running a town: it’s got issues, it’s got common ground and many things that must be taken care of. [When I first started] I stepped into a bad situation, and I helped turn it around and now our community is one of the best in East Brunswick and that is the same thing I want to do for all of East Brunswick,” Stanley said.
Currently the council has a 3-2 Republican majority supported by Wendell, Council President Michael Hughes and Councilwoman Camille Ferraro Clark.
Overall, during the debates, the Republican candidates focused on the redevelopment of Route 18, residential safety and the continuation of the redevelopment process that is already in place. The candidates made a point to highlight the process the township has made under a majority Republican council and the importance of keeping it that way.
The Democratic candidates focused on the high taxes that have been affecting residents, the need to introduce the Shop East Brunswick program and their opposition toward the majority Republican council.
Election Day is Nov. 8.
Contact Vashti Harris at [email protected].