Community Corner

Letters to the Editor: Three Councilmen Endorse Laforet For Mayor

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The following are letters to the editor, submitted via email. 

Council President John Spiech

Dear Mahwah Taxpayers,

It is time once again (we did this just last year) to elect a Mayor. This time the Mayor-elect will serve a four year term. The next four years will be critical for all Taxpayers since it will be our dollars that will go to fund the expenses of the Town.  Our current Mayor, Bill Laforet, was elected last year to fulfill the final year of Dick Martel’s four year term. 

Bill Laforet could have just sat quiet and probably won a four year term. Instead, being an astute business person, he quickly realized that the Township could not meet the State mandated 2% Budget Cap. With 35 years as a successful Businessman, he knew that he had to take steps to bring the Township’s expenses down and to increase revenues.  

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The simple fact is that we can no longer afford, nor will the State allow the Township, to continue doing business as usual. While he could have waited for a four year term, he chose to move forward, making hard and difficult decisions. Not always popular decisions, but always trying to lower expenses, while maintaining the level of services to the Township. At the same time he has aggressively worked to bring new businesses to Mahwah, thereby increasing  tax revenue. 

The decision facing you, the voting Taxpayer, is who will you vote for on November 6th? Bill Laforet is a successful businessman, with 35 years of experience, who will use that knowledge to benefit the taxpayers of the Township. His opponent is a loyal, lifetime employee of the Township. He has spent all of his work time employment following the direction of the Director of the Department of Public Works. This is his main qualification to become Mayor. That is like saying I have 20 million miles of frequent flyer miles, so that means I can be the Pilot the next time I board the plane! 

The budget problems, the questionable economy, the constraints placed on the Township’s State-Aid, all require that we have an experienced and knowledgeable Mayor who has the willingness and business experience to make the difficult decisions to keep our taxes low and maintain our level of services. 
I feel Bill Laforet is the best man to lead Mahwah for the next four years. I urge all the voters in the Township of Mahwah to vote for Bill Laforet for Mayor on November 6th!   

John A. Spiech,
Council President, Township of Mahwah

______________________________

Councilman Chuck Jandris

Dear Friends,

The Township of Mahwah faces an exciting future with many changes on the horizon. However change is not always beneficial to a community that is approximately 26 square miles “small” and has a population reaching
26,000. I’m proud to call Mahwah my family’s hometown. I have a business within the Township, my children attend the public schools, and I love living here.

Mahwah residents has chosen an independent non-partisan form of government since 1985, but now a group of outside state and county politicians are attacking our valued form of government and they are trying to bring partisan elections back to town which will divide our community and I will not support that movement into my hometown. And neither will current Mayor Bill Laforet.

In March of 2011 the [then] Township Council voted in favor of rezoning the Sheraton Crossroads site to allow for 2 large box stores, a 10-Plex movie theatre, and substantial retail space. Along with intra-state shopping
comes the traffic and crime associated with “malls.” Please remember who voted in favor of this rezoning. The only Council Members that did not support this rezoning were Lisa DiGiulio and John Spiech.

I have chosen to support Mayor Bill Laforet during the upcoming election. Bill is not afraid to make a move - whether it’s during an election year or not. He has proven this twice already. He came down hard on the volunteer Ambulance squads in town in order to improve emergency response time. As the Captain of one of those EMS squads, I understood his desire to protect the well-being of our neighbors. Administration also proposed to sub out Mahwah’s recycling program to an outside vendor. The numbers indicated an annual savings of $340,000. This was another gutsy move during an election year. It’s obvious that if Mayor Laforet believes so strongly in something that might benefit the Township, politics do not get in his way. Bill embraces new businesses coming into our hometown, all the while protecting environmentally sensitive areas, and
addressing traffic issues, safety for our residents, and maintaining our small hometown feel.

Please join me in supporting Mayor Bill Laforet on November 6, 2012.

Charles “Chuck” Jandris
Councilman, Township of Mahwah

______________________________

Councilman Sam Alderisio

Dear Mahwah Residents,

I have known Bill Laforet as a friend, neighbor, and businessman for over thirty years. When Bill asked me my thoughts on running to fill the unexpired term of Former Mayor Martel, I told him it’s a full-time job. To be successful, you must be committed. His response: “I’m ready and committed to do my best for the residents of Mahwah.” Over the past year, he has shown that commitment. 

  1. Achieved the lowest tax increase (1.75%) in over ten years
  2. Secured a Bond rating of AAA during his tenure
  3. He has set the path for fiscal responsibility
  4. He is open to suggestions and encourages participation from the public

I whole-heartedly support Bill for Mayor. 
How about you?

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Councilman Sam Alderisio

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