MAHWAH, NJ — Two candidates are vying for Mahwah mayor on Nov. 5, and four are vying for spots on the Township Council.
Although the focus this November will be on the presidential election, many Bergen County towns are seeing heated local races.
Patch has asked the two mayoral candidates to answer questions, which are being posted this week. (The council candidates and others can post their press releases, letters, and events to Patch themselves using these instructions.)
Who's Running
Mayor Jim Wysocki faces Councilwoman Janet Ariemma in this election. Ariemma's profile and answers are posted below. Wysocki's will be posted tomorrow, with a link here.
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Want to know who else will be on the ballot, as well as public questions and other Bergen County races? See your sample ballot here.
Name: Janet A. Ariemma
Education: MA Mathematics - University of Maryland, BS Mathematics- Ramapo College of NJOccupation: Mathematics Professor - Ramapo College and Rockland Community CollegePast volunteer jobs and government service: 10 years Mahwah Township Council, 10 years Environmental Commission, Mahwah Museum Trustee, Bergen County Community Development Committee, LIAISON to: Historic Preservation Commission, Board of Education, Mahwah Community News, Pool Commission, Access for All, Library Board of Trustees, Planning Board, Housing CommissionDo you have any relatives in town government or the schools now, or working on town boards or schools? Who? NoneHow long have you lived in town, and where did you grow up? I am lifelong resident of Mahwah.
1. Most important issues facing constituents and how you will address them:a. Rising costsAs mayor, I will make it my priority to prevent tax increases. I will work with the Administration to scrutinize the budget and eliminate wastefulspending. I will bring in new sources of revenue by supporting small retail development around the old post office site and along Franklin Turnpike north of Miller Road. I will also fill the stores in the ACME shopping center as another revenue source.b. Maintaining quality of lifeI want to stop the overdevelopment of Mahwah. Developers must adhere to our ordinances. The township needs to protect residents from the after-effects of overdevelopment such as increased traffic, noise, flooding, pollution of our water, loss of green space, etc. As mayor, I will support controlled growth with a priority on the preservation of green spaces, the protection of our waterways and wetlands, and focus on maintaining an ample supply of clean pure drinking water. I will hire and appoint people who share these goals. I also support creating a downtown area around the old post office site to give people a place to shop, walk around, and socialize.
2. Why choose you over your opponent:I will not rubber stamp documents and will sign only when I am convinced that the benefits outweigh the risks to the people of Mahwah.I will be completely transparent. As mayor, I will post and broadcast weekly reports, news, and events to keep residents informed.I will be inclusive with appointments to boards and committees. I will seat a cross representation of people with different backgrounds from every section of Mahwah so that all of Mahwah is equally represented.I will keep cannabis out of Mahwah especially away from our schools and churches.I will join the Montvale Affordable Housing Coalition to lower our affordable housing quota by spreading obligations more fairly across all NJ towns including the 62 that are exempt.
3. How can town politics become more inclusive instead of divisive:I believe that bringing people together at events and meetings is a first step in building a sense of inclusivity in residents. In addition to seating a cross representation of people with different backgrounds from each section of town on our boards and committees, I will promote more events like Mahwah Day and the Holiday Parade. I will add events such as concerts in the park, street fairs, etc. I will also support competitions between residents of Mahwah and other towns to help build a sense of pride and comradery among residents. The inclusivity at meetings and events would trickle down into townwide politics since people will feel that we are all in this together.
4. Issue not talked about that should be solvedOur affordable housing obligations are negotiated behind closed doors without the input of the public. As mayor, I will establish an affordablehousing committee to determine how and where we fulfill our obligations.Committee meetings will be open to the public and minutes will be posted for all to see. Members will consist of the mayor, administrator, land useattorney, a member of the planning board, zoning board, and council; and one resident from each section of Mahwah.
5. Political partyI am not affiliated with any political party. I represent all the people of Mahwah, not a political party.
6. What would you like to add?As mayor, I will set limits on the size and location of new warehouse buildings. Warehouses should not be permitted in residential areas and caps need to be put in place on square footage and height.I am against overdevelopment. I consistently voted against the rezoning of the Crossroads location because of its unprecedented size of 4 million square feet of floor space, 125-foot height, no required roadway improvements, and a PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) program which Mahwah has never done before. The PILOT will take Crossroads off the tax rolls for 30 years in exchange for a negotiated sum of money. None of this money will go to the schools. As taxes increase for the rest of us, the Crossroads will enjoy a stable predetermined payment amount – something most of us would longfor.If you want to lower taxes and stop overdevelopment then vote for me in column 2 on November 5. If you have any questions or concerns, pleaseemail me at: [email protected].
Upcoming Deadlines, How To Vote
Other Information
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