Road Signs in Plainfield

Please excuse the pun but the improving condition of Plainfield's roads are a sign of progress in city hall.  Our roads are no longer a source of frustration or a symbol of long term neglect by local government. 

We began a city-wide paving plan 12 years ago.  But we were playing catch up and we didn't make much headway until the Mapp administration came to city hall.  Now we have an accelerated paving program.  

What's more - we have begun to do what our engineers have been saying for years: maintain our roads by sealing the cracks to slow down deterioration and extend the life of our roads.  Go to a shopping mall to see how for profit businesses invest in road upkeep.  Just park your car and look down. Mall owners and operators know that crack sealing is cost effective.

We still have many roads that haven't been paved for too long.  A typical road should last 15 to 20 years or more with proper maintenance.  With our accelerated paving plan, we will get caught up and then we will be able to afford even more resources for extending the life of our roads. 

The Library Needs Our Support

As city council moves towards budget passage, we have to balance the need for a vital public library with the needs of taxpayers. The question facing us right now is how we can preserve the library hours.  Although the proposed library budget is the same as in 2018, a new expense of $45,000 has been added in 2019 for training local residents to become certified in Cisco computer network support.  That would mean reducing library hours to make up the difference.  More on Cisco below.  I propose we restore $30,000 to the library budget.

Cisco certification is an opportunity for employment in high paying jobs.  that's certainly an attractive initiative in a city with relatively high unemployment.  But it is not clear how many people actually completed the Cisco training in 2018 and became certified.  Even more important, how many became employed or advanced to training in higher level Cisco certification.

I asked that question and the answer did not shed light on the questions above.  But there is word in the community of a low graduation/certification rate for 2018. If that is untrue there may be justification to continue this program in 2019.  If good outcome data is not provided to City Council, I propose we use 2019 to to put this program on hold and evaluate what happened and whether we can  do anything to get better outcomes in 2020.  That adds another $45,000 to the library budget.

That would also help the library maintain its hours - which is also part of the plan to increase resident access to good jobs through free internet service.

Plainfield Progress on Abandoned Properties

Plainfield's City Council approved an abandoned properties ordinance more than a decade ago.  But there was not adequate leadership or commitment in city administration to take the ball and run with it.  This is an important tool to get vacant and deteriorating properties restored so they are not eyesores and back on the tax rolls. We are now using it to our advantage.

Shep Brown is the new Director who oversees Community Development.    He shared with me that there are 276 properties on the abandoned properties list.  Here is the breakdown by ward:

• Ward 1 - 54
• Ward 2 - 68
• Ward 3 - 51
• Ward 4 - 103

This list is the first step in turning properties from liabilities to assets.  In some cases the threat of future city action, like taking possession of a neglected property, is enough to spur the owner into action to properly care for his or her property.  Or sell to a new owner who will do right by the property, the neighbors and the city. 

The city can take ownership if a property is not fixed up to Plainfield's code standards. 

Mr. Brown shared that he inherited a list with very little turnover.  But the last 12 months tell a different story, according to Mr. Brown.  Properties are coming off the list.  I have asked him to share data to show this story in the near future.  Stay tuned.

My Work in Behavioral Health

For those of you who know me primarily as a Councilman, I have another vocation.  It's more like a mission to me and I've been doing it for over 40 years.  I am CEO of Bridgeway Rehabilitation Services, a not for profit mental health service organization.  I am a rehabilitation counselor by training with a Masters degree.  I started as a counselor at Bridgeway when it was a small Elizabeth based day program for people discharged from Marlboro State Psychiatric Hospital.  Over the years Bridgeway has been at the forefront of a growing community mental health support system and I have grown professionally along with the organization. 

Today Bridgeway serves the 10 northern New Jersey counties from 14 locations.  We serve over 4,0000 people annually with 350 full time employees.  Bridgeway specializes in providing evidence based services to people with the most complex and challenging mental health conditions.  In spite of the stigma attached to mental illness, recovery is possible and is likely given the right services and supports.

Many persons served by Bridgeway have co-occurring substance abuse and/or chronic medical conditions.  Some have struggled with homelessness or criminal justice involvement.  The complexity of these challenges has led Bridgeway to join with housing partners and work closely with the county jails and Prosecutors offices. 

Most of our services are provided by mobile, multi-disciplinary teams that operate 7 days a week and are accessible 24 hours a day.  One such team is Program of Assertive Treatment Team 2 located in Plainfield on Roosevelt Ave behind Pollo Comparo.

You can learn more about Bridgeway from our website - www.bridgewayrehab.org - or facebook.

June 4 Primary Election is About Plainfield's Future

Speaking with Plainfielders about how they feel about our city, I hear a growing consensus that we are making progresss as a city.  Finally.  In my opinion, this is due to leadership in our local municipal government.  We have a Mayor and Council that are working with local, county and state stakeholders on many fronts to move our city forward.

That's why this coming election is important.  It is a contested Democratic primary.  There will be a slate of opponents challenging the Council incumbents - Barry Goode and me.  And a slate of Democratic committee candidates challenging the Regular Democratic Organization, currently led by Adrian Mapp.

Plainfield Democrats - you  have a choice on June 4!!

Your current leadership stands for continued progress.  You are seeing visible signs of it.  An accelerated road paving program.  Refurbished recreation facilities like Seidler Field.  Development across the city.  Less visible signs like an improved bond rating which will save taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars.  Crime is down and property values are up.

Our opponents want to take over city government.  These opponents include many candidates for Democratic committee who are members of the Plainfield school board or have been.  They have not yet turned our school district around.

I urge you to support our team in column A.  Why am I feeling a sense of urgency?  Recent history. 

In the 1990s Plainfield had a revolving door of School Superintendents and a divided Board of Education.  Our schools were failing our students because of a lack of leadership.  A group of concerned citizens ran for and took over the School Board.  I know this story well because I was one of them.  Good timing gave us the opportunity to appoint a new School Superintendent - Larry Leverett.  He began a reform program that started to turn the schools around.  When he left after 8 years a changing Board of Education appointed a new Superintendent who was unable to sustain progress.  Plainfield schools lost many of the gains that had been made and we are still a school district that is not providing the education our students deserve. 

My point is that progress is not guaranteed.  It takes sustained effort over years.  You cant fix what was broken over a long period of time without sustained quality leadership.  We have that now at city hall.

This primary election is not just about electing two Council members.  Its about control of the Plainfield Democratic committee. Which ever group of committee members wins the majority in this primary election will select a mayoral candidate in the Democratic primary election in 2021.  For Plainfield's future I want it to be Adrian Mapp. I don't need to agree with him on everything.  I simply want a mayor who will provide effective leadership so we can continue to see visible signs of progress for many years going forward.

For sustainable progress, choose column A on June 4.

We Need To Decrease Property Taxes

New Jersey pollsters routinely identify property taxes as the primary concern of residents.  In Plainfield the story is similar with a local twist.  I like to think that our local version of pollsters
are candidates for office going door to door asking residents about their issues.  I used to hear public safety and potholes as the leading concerns.  "Early returns" this election season have property taxes in front.  And that is even more concerning to senior citizens I've spoken with.

New Jersey property taxes are the highest in the nation.  But Plainfielders do not care that they are in good company.  They care that they cannot afford the taxes.  Seniors on fixed incomes in particular are forced to move to other towns and states, away from their circle of supportive friends and neighbors. 

The challenge to decrease property taxes is daunting.  So much so that I propose we take this on as a multi-year project beginning with the 2019 municipal budget.  The city administration is presenting the City Council with an annual budget tonight, April 8.  Once the Council receives the budget it is our responsibility to make any changes we see fit to make and then approve it.  It is perhaps the most important decision of the year for Council.

The administration budget proposes to increase expense less than 2% from 2018.  This is in part due to increased pension costs.  But decreased tax ratables means the Council faces a municipal property tax increase of 3.5%.  Lower ratables comes from successful taxpayer appeals and means that the rest of the taxpayers take on a bigger share of the tax burden.  (It is a misconception that developer tax breaks are causing Plainfield taxes to go up .  In fact all of the developers receiving those incentives are still paying the city more than the previous taxes on the properties they are developing).

Where does this leave us?

The City Council will have to take a hard look at 2019 expenses.  Police and fire division overtime pay is an example.  Reducing expenses requires painful decisions that are bound to upset some constituencies.  But that is what Council members agreed to take responsibility for with the oath of office.

We will have to learn from what other cities have done.  Some in New Jersey have reduced property taxes.  It is what our residents need and require.  It will also make us more business friendly.  More commercial development and investment by current businesses will increase our tax ratables, taking on some of the burden from residential property taxes. We need to reduce property taxes.

Why I Am Running for Re-election to City Council: Sustain Progress and Reduce Taxes

I am completing my fourth term as Second Ward Councilman and I have seen the good, the bad and the ugly of Plainfield government.  These days I am seeing the good. After many years of local government being a hindrance to progress, city hall has become a catalyst for positive change on public safety, road paving, parks and recreation, fiscal health, economic development and health. As the longest serving Council member, I have been instrumental in learning from past mistakes and identifying solutions.  My relationships within the city, created over many years through my work as a Cook School parent, a youth soccer coach, Board of Education member and Planning Board member, have enabled me to build awareness, understanding trust for city initiatives.

We are making progress in Plainfield but we need to work harder to make it sustainable.  That requires an objective view of the good, bad and ugly.  A refusal to go along to get along.  That's what I bring to city government.  I've created space for questioning of proposals from the administration: most recently opposing the proposed ordinance giving sole power to the administration for employee lay-off plans and voting against the redevelopment plan allowing a Wawa.

There is a lot more to do in Plainfield. My top priority this year is a property tax reduction.  The Mapp administration has presented the Council a leaner budget than previous administrations.  But after many years of 2% to 4% tax increases, it's not enough to say a small increase or even no increase is satisfactory.  Our baseline property taxes are too high and the high PMUA fees just make it worse.

Reducing taxes will be painful and will require leadership from local elected officials.  I have the experience, credibility and relationships necessary to take on this goal.