November 2, 2011 THE VILLADOM TIMES IV • Page 29 Letters to the Editor (continued from page 23) ordinances had with the master plan. I am voting for Chuck Jandris for Mahwah Council, I feel Chuck would make an excellent council member. His past experience on the planning board was an asset. I appreciate his concerns for the safety of our children. He will watch out for our concerns regarding traffic and crime. Chuck has been a member of the Mahwah Ambulance Corps for almost four years and is currently captain of Company #4 in Fardale. I urge residents to visit his website at http://mahwahvoice.org. He writes from his heart. Susan Chin Mahwah Dear Editor: I am writing today to share my thoughts on what I consider to be the three most important matters impacting Mahwah, which our next mayor must be prepared to tackle. A mayor’s responsibility is not only to manage the affairs of his town; of great importance is his responsibility to manage the risk associated with decisions rendered. Taxes, jobs, environmentally responsible development of the Crossroads site are three matters that are often intertwined and have become difficult to isolate, as those following the Crossroads development have no doubt noticed. What does “environmentally responsible development of the Sheraton Crossroads” mean? To me, it means sensible development that will maximize the utility of the property to generate the most tax dollars, while creating jobs, with the least amount of negative impact to our schools, services, and traffic. Proper management of the proposed retail use on the Crossroads property addresses all of these issues in a manner that is more favorable to the residents of Mahwah than other proposed uses; or worse yet, failing to act, which results in costly lawsuits. Like you, I want to maintain the quality of life and low taxes we currently enjoy. Sound bites make great campaign slogans! The reality is it that takes a leader with a broad knowledge and deep understanding of New Jersey’s Statutory and Municipal Land Use Laws, with municipal finance acumen vs. business finance experience, to make that slogan a reality for their citizens. That is why I support John DaPuzzo for mayor. Tracy Miceli Mahwah Dear Editor: I am endorsing John DaPuzzo for mayor. Election Day is around the corner. It will be our first election that we will have in November for our municipal officials. Moving these elections from May to November will save Mahwah residents $30,000. John is a proven leader and one who has tremendous experience at the municipal level. During these hard economic times we cannot afford to elect someone who will be learning on the job. John is true to ideas and his beliefs; he does not waiver. The mayor has to make hard decisions for our town; our mayor can not waffle on decisions. John’s opponents were both for the lifestyle center and then against it, and now one of them is for it again. John has stated his reasons why this is a good idea for Mahwah and has stuck to them. Whoever wins this election becomes mayor that night. As this election is for a one-year term, I do not believe this is a good thing for Mahwah to transition in the middle of creating next year’s budget. John was elected 6-0 by the current council, including one of his opponents. He served as Dick Martel’s campaign manager in 2008. Mahwah is the 15th lowest taxed town in New Jersey and fifth in Bergen County. Re-elect John DaPuzzo as our mayor. Robert Hermansen Mahwah (Editor’s note: Mr. Hermansen is a Bergen County Freeholder and a former councilman in Mahwah.) Dear Editor: On Tuesday Nov. 8, voters in the Township of Mahwah vote to fill the positions of mayor and one council seat. Three candidates are running for the position of mayor and two candidates are running for the council. I am supporting Lisa Digiulio for mayor and Chuck Jandris for council and I urge everyone to vote for both on Election Day. Both of these people have been very active in service to the citizens of the township. Jandris has given countless hours as a dedicated member and captain of Ambulance Corps Company #4. He has also been a member of the Mahwah Planning Board and is currently the liaison from the council. He was appointed to the council and has diligently represented the will of the citizens in both positions. Lisa DiGiulio has spent 23 years on the township council, serving twice as president and five times as vice president. Her service to the township on numerous boards, commissions, and committees has given her detailed knowledge of what it takes to run a town. One of her opponents has just over one year of experience in municipal service. He has no experience with governmental budgeting and has never attended a budget hearing. In the current economic conditions, the township does not have the luxury to conduct on the job training. He promises to bring in experts to evaluate everything. How much will that cost the taxpayers? The 2012 budget has to be completed by the first quarter at the latest. That budget must meet the two percent tax increase cap mandated by the state. Accomplishing a budget that meets that mandate is nearly impossible due to the fact that our current mayor negotiated contracts that give our employees 2.5 percent raises for two years in a row. The 2011 budget that was crafted by former Mayor Martel was a good one, but it was changed. The budget submitted to the council by our current mayor used more of our surplus and had overly optimistic forecasts of revenue. I have been a lifetime resident of Mahwah and have served as council president and been on council for several years. I am worried about the future of our town. We need a mayor who has the depth of experience and the leadership skills to guide our town in theses difficult economic times. We need a mayor who will make the hard decisions to hold down the increases in our taxes. We need a mayor who will be responsive to the citizens of Mahwah. I urge everyone to vote for Lisa DiGiulio who will be that mayor. John A. Spiech, Councilman Mahwah Dear Editor: Few Mahwah residents are aware that this November’s municipal election differs from a general election in that there will be no transition period. Whereas the elected person would typically have until the following January to transition from candidate to mayor, this time there is no time for on-the-job training. Whoever wins must be prepared to hit the ground running immediately post-election. It is critical that we elect a mayor for Mahwah who will be capable of making decisions, without hesitation, within the first hours of being elected. Good governance requires experienced, effective leadership and management. The three candidates for Mahwah mayor are quite distinct in this respect, and their qualifications should be examined honestly. Mr. Laforet’s qualifications are the narrowest, and thus he is the candidate for whom I am most concerned regarding basic qualifications. While I appreciate new faces stepping up to the plate, Mr. Laforet has a long way to go before running for mayor. He simply does not possess the experience, private or public. Lisa DiGiulio has a long history of community and public service, but is missing the executive/management experience which is integral to a successful mayor. Years of council service have not fully prepared her for the job. Ms. Digiulio should continue working on behalf of her constituents and bringing their concerns to town hall as councilwoman. John DaPuzzo’s significant record of civic and council service, public administration, and executive business experience distinguishes him from the other candidates. As Mahwah’s interim mayor, he has already built relationships and has gained the respect of each council member, the town’s staff and our neighboring governments. He has the institutional knowledge needed to run the largest municipality in Bergen County. No other candidate possesses these qualifications. John DaPuzzo represents the smartest choice for Mahwah mayor. Helena Rapp Mahwah Dear Editor: Few would disagree that Mayor Martel did a fantastic job running the Township of Mahwah during his tenure. I think it is important to note that, during the last mayoral election, Dick Martel chose John DaPuzzo as his campaign manager. It speaks volumes that Mayor Martel entrusted John to help him maintain his office and keep Mahwah moving in the right direction. Dick relied on John as a friend, colleague, and trusted advisor. During their time in office together, John worked with him daily to solve the problems and challenges facing our town. Experience counts when it comes to running a town, especially one the size of Mahwah. During these economically challenging times, we need a mayor who understands the ins and outs of the daily needs of our township. We need someone who has made tough spending choices and is familiar with a budget where fixed costs are rising faster than available revenues. We need a leader who has the ability to make decisive choices regarding the continued growth of the township. This is no time to take a chance on candidates with little or no managerial knowledge and limited understanding of the municipal processes. Simply put, we need experience not vague promises. This is no time for on the job training. Dick Martel always did what was right for Mahwah, and he trusted John to help him. What better endorsement could there be? Charles Reinhartsen Mahwah Dear Editor: Waiting to hear what the candidates had to say before making a final decision as to my vote, I feel more strongly than ever that a shopping mall at the Crossroads location is a bad idea, both from an ecological and a traffic standpoint. Having walked through the property back there, I saw the great erosion caused by the intense flow of the Mahwah River before it joins the Ramapo River, which then increases in volume and velocity. Both rivers have caused devastating flooding to homes in both Mahwah and Suffern. We must have compassion for these people and limit the amount of impermeable land created by more construction. Zoning for corporate offices, similar to those on Macarthur Boulevard, leaves much more land to absorb rainwater. We must not allow this area to be zoned for retail! Even though one candidate says he would accept a few stores, once this land is zoned for retail, you can bet bigger stores will appear in the future. Traffic is now horrendous in this area on weekends. Offices would be closed during this heavy traffic period. I urge Mahwah residents to go to the polls on Election Day and vote “no” to retail zoning, and then vote for the only candidate who, from the beginning, requested a referendum to hear what the people had to say: Lisa DiGiulio. Phyllis Stewart Mahwah Dear Editor: Mahwah is on the threshold of yet another potentially historic event, having barely overcome the passing of Mayor Martel in March. When Dick passed away, the council wisely appointed the one person with the best experience, credentials, and knowledge of the town to fill his shoes. That was John DaPuzzo, the candidate I am supporting for mayor. John’s municipal involvement spans a decade with service on multiple levels. John’s contributions reflect an impressive legacy of achievement and long-term value to our community. This includes a tax rate that is the 15th lowest in the state, high quality services, and leadership roles in helping to build our senior and municipal centers, Continental Soldiers Park, and the Center for Food Action facility. John’s appointment to mayor was temporary and law required a special election this November to elect a mayor for the balance of Richard Martel’s term. John DaPuzzo has done a magnificent job keeping our township on the right track, despite a difficult economy. His long working relationship with Mayor Martel equipped him well for this task. He has worked hard to keep the community running smoothly. He has earned, and deserves, the support of the residents. He has a unique combination of professional and government experience. A less qualified candidate would require at least a year to learn the job. John DaPuzzo is already doing the job well. Vote for John DaPuzzo, and entrust Mahwah’s future to the most experienced and knowledgeable person. John F. Roth Mahwah Endorses DaPuzzo for mayor Opposes mall; supporting DiGiulio Urges support for DaPuzzo DaPuzzo is ‘wise choice’ for mayor DaPuzzo has necessary experience Urges votes for DiGiulio & Jandris Experience counts