‘Too Long’ Tax Inequity? ‘Uncalled For’ Resource Officer Backgrounds

BERNARDSVILLE - Public works projects, tax equity, civility, overcrowded rental units and the need for a police officer in the schools were among the topics discussed last Friday when four Borough Council candidates engaged in a cordial but lengthy interview at this newspaper’s office.

Councilman Joseph Rossi and John McCrossan, running mates on the new Bernardsville Independent Leadership party ticket, and the Republican team of Charlotte Foster and Denis Dooley tackled the issues for more than three hours on Friday, Oct. 14. Two, three-year council terms will be filled in the Nov. 8 election.

All of the candidates pointed to problems in town that have lingered for years.

Dooley noted that many things in town were “sinking into inactivity.’’ He advocated doing more for senior citizens, and also noted the need for additional recreation fields and improved infrastructure.

Foster expressed concern that due to rising taxes, senior citizens may “not be able to live in town anymore.’’

McCrossan said he was running to “right what’s wrong’’ in town, emphasizing problems with infrastructure and tax equity.

He called running mate Rossi “a change agent’’ for improvement. “The council doesn’t want to move forward,’’ he said, adding that members of the governing body are “not visible in town’’ and are “out of touch.’’

Foster said she wasn’t against change, but that it must be “appropriate.”

As the sole incumbent, Rossi, who failed to receive the GOP endorsement for a second consecutive election, defended allegations that his hands-on approach contributes to problems in the community.

“I feel I work very hard every day for the borough,” Rossi said.

Foster said she sympathized with Rossi but questioned his ability to build consensus.

“It must be very frustrating for Joe at times not to be able to just take care of things as he has entrepreneurial experience, but government takes forever and can be frustrating,” she said. “The protocols are there for a very good reason, and I think they need to be observed.”

McCrossan defended Rossi, saying he often stands alone on the council due to lack of cooperation by other council members.

“They’re not committed to this community,’’ he said.

Rossi is seeking his second term on the governing body. Councilwoman Helen Walton, whose term expires at the end of the year, chose not to seek re-election.

Rossi’s first term was marked by controversy after he became involved in an unauthorized clean up of the municipal pond for which he was subsequently censured by the governing body.

But he said his expertise as a building contractor was an asset to the borough, allowing him to discover overcharges on projects, and to help establish long-term public works plans.

He noted that he has been supported on some public works projects by Walton and Councilman Lee Honecker.

Rossi said plans to improve some major roads have been delayed due to re-design work to meet the state’s new stormwater management regulations.

The candidates in general agreed that the council has failed to adequately address long-standing issues such as overcrowding of some rental units.

Rossi blamed the council’s inaction on a reluctance to provide adequate staff to enforce borough and state housing, maintenance and fire codes.

“We have slum lords in this community who have gotten away with this for too long,” he said.

Dooley called the situation “a shame,’’ saying the landlords responsible “have to be taken to task.’’

“It’s a deeper issue than going in, throwing ropes around people, and dragging them out,” said Dooley.

While offering “kudos” to residents for raising the issue before the council, Foster said the town needed “to pull out all the guns we have’’ to address the problem.

McCrossan called it a “problem of leadership, saying the current council members are “insensitive’’ to the situation.

As a major part of their campaign, Rossi and McCrossan are calling for “fundamental fairness in taxation.’’ They contend that undeserved farmland assessments are depriving the borough of millions of dollars in tax revenue each year.

McCrossan said the town was “sorely in need” of that lost revenue, both to promote tax parity and to support projects like road improvement and new sidewalks.

Rossi said he had “a real problem” with residents who received the tax break just to hold down property taxes.

He said the council could consider a referendum on the matter and send a proclamation to Trenton, telling legislators that the law, as it now stood, was “unfair and unconstitutional taxation of every one who doesn’t have the right to go under this law.”

Rossi alleged that some property owners fraudulently provide documentation to obtain the farm tax break. Dooley insisted that if he knew of instances of fraud they should be brought to the attention of legal authorities.

Foster agreed that the state farmland assessment law “needs to be revisited,’’ but cautioned that eliminating the tax break could result in landowners selling off and developing their property.

“We need to ensure the land is kept open,’’ she said, saying the borough must move carefully. “We can’t afford to buy that land.’’

Rossi disagreed, saying of the 99 borough properties that have farmland assessment, 88 cannot be developed due to zoning and environmental restrictions.

“Farmers should be protected,’’ he said. “But we have no farmers here like in Bernards Township.’’

Responding to Foster’s concerns, he called the threat of losing open space a “fear factor.’’

“There goes all the open space,’’ he said. “That’s a foolish thought.’’

He called it a “moral issue’’ of getting everyone to pay their fair share of taxes.

McCrossan said the town should go to state officials and request that the minimum revenue required for farmland assessment be raised from $500 “to at least” $10,000.

All of the candidates agreed that some town officials could use some lessons in etiquette.

McCrossan and Dooley recounted how, during a recent council meeting, a Bernards Avenue resident was treated rudely by officials.

Dooley said their behavior was “totally uncalled for.”

McCrossan, who called this attitude “the most disturbing thing I had ever seen,” promised to “act civil” and “study protocol and procedure and make sure I follow it” if elected.

He also blasted the council for the disrespect it has showed his running mate. “I’ve seen many meetings where Joe has been interrupted,” he said.

Commenting on the “lack of civility,’’ Foster noted that she was once interrupted by a council member while speaking at a public meeting.

“Residents have to be afforded dignity,’’ Dooley said, saying something needs to be done to stop “the Monday night food fight’’ at council meetings.

Rossi took a few jabs at some of his council colleagues on this topic.

“You don’t see me rolling my eyes, shaking my head, covering my face,” he said. “I listen to each and every person on the council when they speak.”

Regarding his disputes with the council, Rossi said “the reason they hate me is the tax issue,’’ noting that several borough officials receive farmland tax assessments.

The candidates were divided on the issue of hiring a school resource police officer for Bernards High School.

Dooley, who spent 18 months at the high school as a substitute teacher, said he found it “troublesome” for the town to provide a full-time officer. He suggested the district explore hiring a retired police officer who could serve on a part-time basis at a substantial cost savings.

Dooley said teachers, not police, were more attuned to students’ behavior.

“I was there for a year and a half. You could see kids were starting to slide,” he said. “You’d have them for 40, 44 minutes in the classroom. You’d know better than any resource officer what’s going on with these kids. And those teachers are responsible bringing that to the attention of the administration.”

Foster also questioned the need for the job, but said she was still undecided on the issue.

“As a taxpayer all I’ve asked for is a job description,’’ she said, adding that she hasn’t gotten a satisfactory response.

Rossi and McCrossan both said a full-time police officer was needed.

Rossi said the Somerset Hills Regional School District was the only district in the county that lacked a resource officer.

He called the officer a “win-win” all the way round. The district would have the officer’s services during the school year, and in the summer, the officer would “fill in” for vacationing borough cops, reducing overtime costs.

McCrossan said the officer was needed because “We have a drug problem” at the school.

“We continue to be in denial over drugs,” he said.

Rossi, 60, is a third generation Bernardsville resident who lives on Crest Drive. He served two tours in Vietnam and has owned various building and contracting businesses.

Prior to his first term on the council, he chaired the borough pool commission and co-chaired a long-term facilities planning committee of the Somerset Hills Regional School District. He and his wife, Georgia, have been married for 35 years, and they have two daughters and two grandsons.

McCrossan, 62, a resident of Laurelwood Drive, has lived in Bernardsville for 12 years. A retired executive, he is a former vice president of Citigroup and Merrill Lynch. He served in the Army Corps of Engineers. His community involvement includes serving as a soccer, Little League and basketball recreation program coach, and as a former board member of Somerset Hills Youth Baseball. He has been married to his wife, Mary, for 27 years, and is the father of two sons and one daughter.

Foster, 62, of Childs Road, has lived in the borough for 33 years. She founded her own consulting service in 1985 and continues to work out of her home providing educational services. She is a nationally recognized presenter and training developer in “Accelerated Learning’’ and provides workshops and seminars in learning theory and techniques for educators, and services to learning disabled.

Her community service activities include work with the Somerset Hills YMCA Swim Team Parents Organization, the Somerset Hills Hotline/Listening Center and the Boy Scouts.

Foster is a member of the Bernardsville Historic Preservation Advisory Committee. The mother of two, she is married to Board of Adjustment Chairman William Foster.

Dooley, 68, of Olcott Avenue, has lived in the borough for 34 years. He worked as a corporate lawyer for a New York investment firm, then as a state deputy attorney general in gaming enforcement before retiring in 2002. He now works part-time with the U.S. Golf Association membership program.

He is a Vietnam era veteran who served as an artillery officer and instructor at the Army Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. Dooley served on the borough’s Board of Adjustment, and is director of volunteers for the borough. He served for 25 years as coordinator of the borough recreation department’s youth basketball program.

He is a member of the advisory boards for the Somerset Hills YMCA and the Visiting Nurse Association of the Somerset Hills, and a founder of the borough’s senior citizens organization.

Dooley is a parishioner of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, where he serves as a lector, Eucharistic minister and adult altar server. He and his wife, Katie, have three children.

 

©Recorder Newspapers 2005