1
THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS
OF MAPLEWOOD & SOUTH ORANGE
P.O. Box 1255
Maplewood, NJ 07040
South Orange Non-Partisan Municipal Election
May 8, 2007
Office /A Village United
/ Pure ProgressVillage President
/ Bill Calabrese / Douglas NewmanTrustee (4 year term) / Janine Bauer / Deborah Davis Ford
Allan Rosen / Howard Levison
Arthur Taylor / Mark Rosner
Trustee (2 year term) / Frank Rodino / Michael Goldberg
Election Day is Tuesday, May 8th. Polls are open from 6 AM to 8 PM.
See biographical information and candidates’ statements below.
Name of Candidate: Janine Bauer
Education: Syracuse University B.A.
Rutgers University School of Law J.D.
Work Experience:
1975-81, Campus Coordinator of student projects, then Lobbyist, NJ Public Interest Research Group;
1984-85, Law Clerk, NJ Supreme Court (Justice Alan Handler);
1985-1991, Attorney, Szaferman, Lakind, Blumstein Law Firm;
1991-1993, Assistant Prosecutor, Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office;
1993-2004, Executive Director, Tri-State Transportation Campaign,
2004-2007, Lawyer, Private practice, and owner, J. Bauer Consulting Associates, Inc.
Volunteer Service:
· 2007-present, Trustee (appointed to fill vacant seat Jan. 2007), passed resolution to hold Capital Needs Summit and form task force to assess state of Village recreation fields, parks, streets and historic properties. Planning for new soccer field.
· 2000-2006, Planning Board member (vice chair 2005-2006); led master plan committee, finished open space/recreation element, housing element, and bicycle and pedestrian elements of plan; helped negotiate issues between applicants and residents.
· 2004-present, River Greenway Committee (chair since June 2005); hired professional consultant in competitive bidding process; planned project from northern to southern borders, see plan at http://www.southorange.org/development/RiverMP.asp; permits expected by end of May, construction to begin in fall; raised $1.2 million from Congress for bike path and greenway.
· 2005-present, member, Citizens Budget Advisory Committee. Gained municipal budget experience, balancing necessary spending with revenue needs.
· 2007 member, Redevelopment Committee. Use my legal skills to tackle tough issues like whether Valley Street should be designated “in need of redevelopment,” and how to advance the Beifus project when the property owner, Beifus, is both an unwilling seller and an amateur at development.
· 1999-present, Environmental Commission (chair since 2005) inventoried natural resources; accomplished education and outreach projects, successfully increased bicycling to train station and downtown; improved storm-water runoff problems; removed restrictions against allowing environmental commission to comment on developments.
What is the most important issue facing our Village? How would you address this issue as a member of the Board of Trustees?
The ability to address critical needs, from efficient delivery of municipal services (litter, streets, sewers, water, condition of downtown) to providing good schools, while holding the line on taxes.
1) Providing excellent constituent service to you, restoring your confidence with integrity and leadership.
2) Economic development: Aiming for new, in-fill and strategic development (competitively bid, professionally managed) to add $5 million in new tax revenue; Getting the Beifus site developed as fast as legally possible at least cost to you; Enacting an ordinance to collect developers’ fair share of services and infrastructure costs.
3) Working in close partnership with Board of Education members and new superintendent so that our investment in our children’s schools gets better results.
Name of Candidate: Bill Calabrese
Education: Rutgers University School of Pharmacy
Work Experience: Owner, The Prescription Counter
Volunteer Service:
· Village President
· Conceived and supervised South Orange & Sloan Street streetscape, SOPAC,
Garden of Eden supermarket selection, Transit Village, NJT commuter Parking
lot, Irvington Ave & Valley Street re-construction; Gaslight Commons
apartments, Jitney service for all.
· Performed first gay union ceremony in NJ.
· NJ Supreme Court Board of Ethics (former member)
· Originated first municipal MasterCard
· Past President, South Orange Lions
· Member NAACP
· Parishioner Our Lady of Sorrows
What is the most important issue facing our Village? How would you address this issue as a member of the Board of Trustees?
Maintain and promote our Village as place where all are welcome; Preserve the residential character of South Orange; Develop the Beifus property as quickly as legally possible with mixed use condos/shops; Oversee Garden of Eden progress so that it opens this September as promised; manage construction of Vose Ave to support supermarket and commercial parking; encourage Redevelopment Committee to identify areas in need of redevelopment to increase ratables and stabilize taxes; Provide additional parking for commuters and shoppers; Share services with neighboring communities to cut costs and improve efficiency; Solve the recreation facilities problem – our fields are "maxed out".
Name of Candidate: Deborah Davis Ford
Work Experience:
§ Client Service Manager, Adecco, 2006 to present
§ More than 20 years of sales, staffing and general management experience
§ More than 10 years of IT industry experience
§ Former Vice President and Partner of a start-up staffing company
Volunteer Service:
§ Member, South Orange Public Information Committee
§ Member, Rotary Club of Newark (First Female & Minority President, 1993 - 1994)
§ Developed “Person of the Year” program for Rotary Club of Newark
§ Member, Executive Board of North Jersey Jack & Jill
§ Former President, Greater Newark Chamber Small Business Council
§ Former Chairperson, Partners in Education and Quality
§ Past Member, Washington Commons Development Corp (an affiliate of Renaissance Newark) and recipient of the Distinguished Service Award
§ Past Member, Essex County Boy Scout Advisory Council; recipient in 1994 of Good Scout Award and in 1995 of Good Scout award for Dinner Chairman
§ Other past memberships include Cancer Care Managers Board, Regional Business Partnership, Essex County Girl Scouts “Woman of the Year” Committee, Ironbound Association, NJ Transit Advisory Board
What is the most important issue facing our Village? How would you address this issue as a member of the Board of Trustees?
Realizing the potential of South Orange to be a premier village community.
I love South Orange, but our Village is at a crossroads where the decisions we make now will determine whether or not South Orange becomes a premier community. There are many things that make our town distinctive, including a rich history, proximity to New York City, great housing, wonderful recreation and arts facilities, and incredibly talented residents. However, our Village also faces several challenges—challenges that can become great opportunities when effectively managed. I’m committed to being a part of a new leadership team to ensure that South Orange realizes its true potential of becoming a premier village community.
Name of Candidate: Michael Goldberg
Education:
§ Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification, Project Management Institute (PMI), 2006
§ M.B.A., New York University, 1995
§ B.S., Georgia Institute of Technology, 1989
Work Experience:
§ Account Manager, Satmetrix, 2007 - Present
§ Project Manager, Sungard, 2005 - 2007
§ Project Manager, KPMG, 2002 - 2005
§ Project Manager, Incurrent Solutions, 2000 - 2002
§ Business Systems Consultant, American Management Systems, 1995 - 2000
Volunteer Service:
§ South Orange/Maplewood Shared Services and Consolidation Study Commission referendum; elected to Study Commission by South Orange voters, 2006
§ Founder and Treasurer, Villagers for a Better South Orange, 2005 - 2007
§ Co-founder, South Orange and Maplewood Concerned Taxpayers
§ Initiator, “No Taxes for Tau”
§ Co-Founder and Treasurer, Coalition to Preserve South Orange, 1999 - 2003
What is the most important issue facing our Village? How would you address this issue as a member of the Board of Trustees?
South Orange has one of the highest property tax burdens of any town in the state. Many residents are being forced to sell their homes and move elsewhere because of the escalating taxes that are a direct result of skyrocketing debt (and the corresponding debt service), stalled development projects (that cost taxpayers real money, in addition to lost tax revenue opportunities), and fiscal irresponsibility.
As a homeowner and taxpayer, I firmly believe the “buy now, pay later” approach to spending, along with the spiraling tax burden, can be countered by disciplined financial management and by aggressively exploring alternatives for delivering municipal services, including sharing services with neighboring towns.
Name of Candidate: Howard Levison
Education:
§ M.S. Engineering, New York University, 1966
§ B.S. Industrial Engineering, with Honors, New York University, 1962
Work Experience:
§ President, Facility Management Consultants, Present
§ Director/CTO Information Systems, Mount Sinai Medical Center, 1994 - 1998
§ V.P. Technical Services and Operations, Morgan Stanley, 1981 - 1992
§ Director, Technical Services and Operations, Depository Trust Company, 1976 - 1981
§ Assistant, Technical Services, Nabisco, 1970 - 1976
§ Director, Data Center Operations, IDPC (ISO), 1969 - 1970
§ Project Manager, Internal Production Systems, IBM, 1963 - 1969
Volunteer Service:
§ Acting Chair, South Orange Rent Leveling Board, 1996 - Present
§ Chair, South Orange Energy Policy Committee
§ Co-Chair, South Orange Citizens Budget Advisory Committee (CBAC)
§ South Orange/Maplewood Shared Services and Consolidation Study Commission referendum; elected to Study Commission by South Orange voters, 2006
§ Member, South Orange Public Information Committee
§ Member, Main Street South Orange Economic Development Committee
§ Founding Member and Past President, 7x24Exchange
What is the most important issue facing our Village? How would you address this issue as a member of the Board of Trustees?
The Village is facing what I would describe as a fiscal perfect storm. Dependence on real estate taxes as the major source of income and the need for a significant infusion of capital to address an aging infrastructure in need of repair due to years of deferred maintenance, along with the impact of the delayed new ratables, ensures an ongoing potential of significant tax increases.
This would normally be offset by new home buyers, but the impact of higher interest rates and a softer real estate market and this potential higher tax rate may deter new buyers, thereby creating a downward financial spiral. Managing these dynamics will be one of the most important issues facing the BOT.
Name of Candidate: Douglas Newman
Education:
§ M.B.A. Finance and Marketing, University of Chicago, 1979
§ B.A. Economics, with distinction, University of Pennsylvania, 1977
Work Experience:
§ VP, Business Development, Innovis Data Solutions, 2006 - Present
§ Founder and President, Great Summers LLC, 2002 - 2006
§ Chief Operating Officer, Online Distribution, Americana Financial Services, 2000 - 2001
§ VP, Global and U.S. Director of Marketing, Private Banking, Citigroup, 1991 - 2000
§ Founder and CEO, Service Medal Corporation, 1989 - 1991
§ VP, Director of Marketing, Insurance Services; VP, Director of Electronic Delivery Systems, Development Division, Citicorp, 1986 - 1989
§ VP, Director of Liability, Debit, and ATM Products; VP, Director of National Expansion Marketing, Bank of America, 1984 - 1986
§ VP, Product Development and Marketing, MasterCard International, 1981 - 1984
§ Manager, Director of Customer Acquisitions, Bankcards, Citicorp, 1979 - 1981
Volunteer Service:
§ Co-initiated the South Orange/Maplewood Shared Services and Consolidation Study Commission referendum; elected to Study Commission by South Orange voters, 2006
§ Chairman, South Orange Downtown Management Corporation Committee, 2004 - 2005
§ Chairman, Economic Development Committee, Main Street South Orange, 2003 - Present
§ Vice-Chairman, Board of Trustees, ECPI College of Technology, 1993 - Present
§ First Connection volunteer, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, 2000 - Present
§ Grass roots lobbyist, Blood Cancer Coalition, Washington, DC, 2005 - 2006
What is the most important issue facing our Village? How would you address this issue as a member of the Board of Trustees?
Redeveloping and Revitalizing Downtown
As Village President, I would bring together community stakeholders to develop a comprehensive vision for our Village and plan for downtown. I’d implement near-term solutions to get stalled redevelopment projects on track and improve the appearance of the downtown; utilize professional redevelopment expertise and counsel; replace favored “designated developer” giveaways with multi-bidder Request for Proposals (RFP’s); protect South Orange’s interests by working with multiple developers for large parcels; enact and enforce development, design, and environmental standards/guidelines; establish a downtown management organization to jumpstart economic development; and implement a comprehensive plan for parking, traffic management, and transit alternatives.
Name of Candidate: Frank J. Rodino
Education:
· Stony Brook University School of Health Technology and Management, Stony Brook, NY; MHS, Healthcare Administration (1982), BS, Physician Assistant Education (1977), Adjunct Faculty Member, Distinguished Alumni Award (1991)
· National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants, certificate #900852
Work Experience:
· New York State Society of Physician Assistants; President (1983)
· Founder and President, Churchill Communications, a healthcare communications company recently relocated to Maplewood, NJ
Volunteer Service:
· South Orange Recreation and Cultural Affairs Advisory Committee;
Past Chair, Current Ad-hoc Facilities Planning Chair
· South Orange River Greenway Committee; Member
· South Orange Maplewood Recreation Shared Services Study;
Contributor
· South Orange Maplewood Baseball Committee; Founding Member, Facilities Chair
· Boy Scouts of America; Committee Member Troop 60, Past Cubmaster Pack 10
· US Coast Guard Reserve; Chief Warrant Officer (Physician Assistant/Medical Administrator) attached to Support Center New York, on Governor’s Island from 1980 to 1994
· US Coast Guard Academy; Admissions Partner
· Greater New York Chapter US Coast Guard Academy Parent’s Association; Current President
· Office of US Senator Frank R. Lautenberg; Service Academy Selection Committee
· Association of Military Surgeons of the United States; Member
· Reserve Officers Association of the United States; Member
What is the most important issue facing our Village? How would you address this issue as a member of the Board of Trustees?
An economic development plan is necessary to provide a better balance of businesses downtown. Current redevelopment plans focus on small retail stores that can’t provide the tax base, job growth, and economic stability we need. Vibrant towns like Red Bank and Millburn target brokerage, advertising, and professional services firms. They provide jobs and support local retailers with daytime spending on services, supplies, and meals while drawing additional businesses to town. I will bring together leaders in business, academia, government, and real estate development to identify and secure the businesses and facilities we need to assure growth and economic stability.