Guiding my candidacy for Township Council and my policy “wish list” are the following 10 key governing principles:

• Montclair needs honest, fair, accountable, responsive and transparent government. All vendor and shared-service contracts, hires, and promotions must be free of “pay-to-play” practices, nepotism, or patronage, and the Township Council must to the greatest extent possible conduct its operations in the open, in compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act and Open Public Records Act.
• Our Township government must be competent. As a councilor I will work hard to ensure there isn’t a repeat of the glaring failures of basic municipal performance we have witnessed in recent years.
• The Township must work harder to avoid wasting money, wherever possible using “zero-based budgeting” and otherwise looking at ways to actually match our spending to our priorities. The responsible stewardship of public resources and holding the line on local taxes is key to retaining and fostering diversity.
• While being more careful with our taxpayers’ money, we should be ambitious in our aspirations with regard to public facilities. State-of-the-art recreation and senior centers or new municipal and police buildings are possible, as long as we are dedicated to the cause of good government.
• Montclair’s policies towards private development must center residents, with a focus on affordability, opportunities for aging-in-place, and a respect for historic preservation. Our master plan and other foundational documents need to be updated in line with our values, and adhered to.
• The Township Council must agree to an equitable distribution of non-tax property revenues with the school system, while not encroaching on the independence of our separately-elected Board of Education.
• Our Township government must be a leader in fighting employment discrimination and harassment. The culture that has led to so many lawsuits must be swept away, and never allowed to return.
• Our government must likewise walk the walk in the area of sustainability and the environment. Instead of following the lead of other municipalities, the next Council should offer a genuine model of intelligent, financially sustainable environmental leadership.
• Our local government should encourage rather than hinder voter turnout and participation in municipal affairs. Residents should be given better opportunity to weigh in on pending legislation, and voters more choice on the form of the governing body and the manner in which it is elected, with the aim of centering citizen-legislators rather than political professionals.
• Montclair’s civic life should be more civil. Our Township councilors should treat each other with respect and good humor, and the concerns and complaints of their constituents with the seriousness they deserve.

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