Even though Highland Park Council members Mayor Gayle Brill Mittler, Council President Susan Welkovits and Councilman Jim Walsh are running for re-election in an uncontested race, they all urge Highland Park citizens to get to the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2015. They look forward to continuing to work with energy, creativity, and commitment to ensure the well being of all residents of Highland Park. Highest on their priority list is real estate tax stabilization, and this is closely tied to downtown redevelopment.
As to the big project on Raritan Avenue from North Second Avenue south, Mayor Gayle Brill MIttler had the following to say:
“We’re excited that our conditional redeveloper is moving towards negotiations with the property owners in the proposed parcel. These property owners will be the real heroes–these are the folks willing to imagine a new future for their business at a new location. We hope everyone will follow these businesses to their new addresses. Downtown redevelopment is the key to our economic future –it will bring new vitality and opportunity to our town. We applaud the effort of the redeveloper to offer the best deals to our property owners and thank those businesses for participating in Highland Park’s future.”
For the Highland Park School Board candidates – five candidates running for three seats – the school budget and school taxes require continual vigilance, supervision and communication to ensure the best use of taxpayer dollars. At the School Board Candidates Forum, all the candidates called for the need for transparency and communication in setting the priorities for the district. They urge voters to check out their respective website or Facebook page for their specific platforms. Robert Magaziner, Sharice Richardson, and Ruth Beyer are running as a team of Save Our Schools. Current board member Claire Berkowitz is the only incumbent running. Candidate Michael J. Greenberg has reached out to senior citizens, in particular.
https://www.facebook.com/MGreenbergHPBoE
https://www.facebook.com/FriendsOfClaireBerkowitz
http://www.supportourschoolshp.org/uploads/1/0/7/2/10720161/2015_why_im_running.pdf
For the Middlesex County offices, County Clerk Incumbent Elaine M. Flynn is running against Alex Barletta; the term of office for County Clerk is five years. Middlesex County Board of Chosen Freeholders features two incumbents – Ronald G. Rios and H. James Polos running against Jose Alonso and Sharon Hubberman; the term of office for freeholder seats is three years.
All the seats in the New Jersey Assembly are up for election. In Highland Park’s 18th Legislative District, the contest is: incumbents Assemblywoman Nancy Pinkin and Assemblyman Patrick J. Diegnan, Jr. against Symmons Bakke and Teresa Rose Hutchison.
And finally, voters should cast a yeah or nay on the Middlesex County ballot question – a proposition that would authorize but not bind the governing body of Middlesex County to prioritize funding, where necessary, to be used to provide transportation services for individuals in need of dialysis, chemotherapy or other regular medical services as a means of offsetting recent federal and state funding cuts.