The Westfield Leader Newspaper
The Times of Scotch Plains-Fanwood

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Experience Working For You Experience Working For You Westfield Town Council • November 2 nd

Paid for by the Westfield Town Republican Committee, Chris Sepe, Treasurer, 426 Sandford Avenue, Westfield, NJ

Re-elect Republicans Matt Albano Janis Weinstein Neil Sullivan Greg McDermott Re-elect

Republicans Matt Albano Janis Weinstein Neil Sullivan Greg McDermott

GOP Candidate Frank Rossi Sums Up Campaign Goals

SCOTCH PLAINS — At a recent reception held in his honor, Republican candidate for Scotch Plains Township Council, Frank Rossi, had the opportunity to address over 200 supporters on his efforts and ideas during the fall campaign.

“This campaign has been a great experience for me,” commented Mr. Rossi. “It’s given me the opportunity to reach out to people all over Scotch Plains to discuss the issues that matter most. It has also allowed me to get reacquainted with old friends and neighborhoods and to make some new friends along the way.”

“I grew up here in Scotch Plains, and my sense of family and community are rooted right here in town,”

he continued. “There have been many issues that have come up during my door to door visits and at the informal coffees I have attended. Foremost on many citizens’ minds is property taxes. People are still angry and frustrated over the 5.4 percent tax increase that was pushed through earlier this year,” added Mr. Rossi.

“I commended Republican Councilmen Bill McClintock and Martin Marks in their efforts to hold the line on property taxes in 1999. It’s a plan that would have worked in light of the record budget surplus the township enjoyed,” he stated.

“If elected, I will join with Bill and Marty to insure that next year’s budget will be fair and reasonable and will be drafted in a manner that is in tune with the needs and desires of Scotch Plains’ taxpayers,” Mr. Rossi continued.

GATHERING TOGETHER…New Jersey State Senate President Donald T. DiFrancesco greets Republican Scotch Plains Township Council candidate Frank Rossi outside the home of Donard and Janet Gaynor. The Gaynors, along with Mr. and Mrs. DiFrancesco, hosted a reception for Mr. Rossi that was attended by over 200 supporters.

Campaign Forum ’99

Schuyler Quackenbush Places Priority on Parks and Parking

WESTFIELD — Schuyler Quackenbush, the Democratic candidate running for Westfield’s Fourth Ward Town Council seat, said this week that he feels that Westfield’s parks and its downtown help to define the quality of life enjoyed by residents.

“Westfield is fortunate to have many beautiful parks, Tamaques Park being one in the Fourth Ward. This park is distinctive amongst those in Westfield in that it has athletic facilities, children’s playgrounds and a circular drive that is ideal for walking, jogging, rollerblading and cycling,” said Mr. Quackenbush.

The candidate stated that he wants to be sure that these parks continue to serve everyone’s needs, both the participants and spectators of athletic games and the walkers and joggers that may seek some quiet moments in the park.

Mr. Quackenbush also asserted that ballfields “should be maintained so that they are ready for play, as should park areas so that they continue to provide beautiful vistas.” He said he agrees that parking in Tamaques Park “has recently become more difficult than ever.”

However, he also insists that if revised scheduling of athletic events does not alleviate this problem, then any new parking areas must preserve the

quiet and natural character of this park. “I think a vital part of Westfield’s identity is its downtown business district. Keeping our downtown thriving is central to keeping Westfield an excellent community in which to live,” the candidate said.

“Local business owners have a stake in Westfield, just as residents do,” stated Mr. Quackenbush.

He added that he, “will strive to insure that local business stay in business, have affordable rents, and have the flexibility to bring innovative services to our downtown.”

Mr. Quackenbush agreed that parking in the business district is difficult for both commuters and shoppers. He noted that Westfield has had repeated studies on solving these parking problems, and “certainly should have enough information on the issues.”

The candidate proposed that, “the town should finally take some action, selecting a plan that meets everyone’s needs and move to putting this problem behind us.”

Concerning his candidacy, Mr. Quackenbush said, “I am impressed by our Mayor’s leadership and look forward, as councilman, to working with him for a better Westfield.”

Mr. Quackenbush m ay be reached at srq@eskimo.com or www.eskimo. com/~srq/towncouncil.

GOP Candidates Charge TV Ads Promote Freeholders Seeking Reelection to Board

ELIZABETH — Republican candidates running for the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders have charged the current all-Democratic of trying “to maintain their 9-0 stranglehold on county government by using taxpayers’ money” in TV ads intended to promote the county’s job training skills center at the recently opened Jersey Gardens Value Mega Mall in Elizabeth.

Republican challengers Albert Dill of Summit, Richard Revilla of Elizabeth and Wally Shackell and Cranford said the Democrats were “abusing a trust by spending public monies on television commercials whose real purpose is to elect the party’s county candidates.”

“The stated purpose of the nearly $100,000 worth of television commercials was to promote a training center to help county residents obtain jobs in a new mall in Elizabeth,” said Mr. Dill, a former Summit Councilman.

“That’s nothing more than a subterfuge to give exposure to the two Democratic freeholders who are seeking reelection. It’s quite simply wrong and unfair to require taxpayers to subsidize their campaigns. No matter how worthy the cause of helping people get training for jobs, it’s highly improper to use candidates running for office as models in a commercial paid for by taxpayers,” the candidate continued.

“There are many ways in which to advertise a program or cause,” remarked Mr. Revilla, former head of

Elizabeth’s Housing Authority. “But it’s unnecessary and improper to pose two freeholders running for reelection in front of the county seal and give them such prominence.

“It is interesting to note that the commercial pointedly excludes Don Goncalves, a freeholder who was bounced from the ticket for failing to slavishly follow the dictates of party leaders. Isn’t he still a freeholder? Why isn’t he included in the commercial? If it’s not, as we contend, a transparent ploy to use taxpayers; money to advance the Democrats’ political cause,” Mr. Revilla added.

Mr. Shackell, former Cranford mayor, dismissed as “hogwash” the denial by Freeholder Daniel Sullivan that the commercials were taxpayerfinanced political ads. The ads ran six weeks before the election.

Noting the ads feature Freeholders seeking reelection, the Republicans called the them “a clear abuse of power and trust.”

“The all-Democratic board does this sort of thing because there’s no minority voice to challenge them and to demand that they show some respect for taxpayers and their hardearned money. This is also why Al Dill, Rich Revilla and I want to join the Board of Freeholders next January 1,” they said in their campaign press release.

“We want to function as the taxpayers’ watchdogs that the board and Union County need to prevent a repetition of this sort of abuse of power,” the concluded.

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Councilman Populus Outlines Issues of Priority for Fanwood

If Elected Mayor of Borough

FANWOOD — William E. Populus, Jr., President of the Fanwood Borough Council and Democratic Candidate for Mayor, hosted a campaign picnic and rally at La Grande Park on Sunday.

Several residents came out to spend a “Sunday in the Park” in support of Councilman Populus and his running mates for Borough Council, Adele Kenny and Pat Plante.

Council President Populus is the owner of Populus Real Estate and Finance and Populus & Associates Appraisers, both located in Westfield. He has lived in Fanwood for 28 years with his wife, Marilyn. Mr. and Mrs. Populus have three grown children.

In addition to his five years of service on the Fanwood Borough Council, Mr. Populus has also served as Chairman of the Fanwood Recre

ation Commission and Fanwood’s representative to both the Plainfield Area Regional Sewer Authority and the Union County Community Development Revenue Sharing Committee.

When asked to outline the issues he believes are most important to Fanwood, Mr. Populus responded, “maintaining stable taxes is our most important mandate.”

He explained, “Approximately 78 percent of our property tax revenues are absorbed by the County government and the Board of Education. At the same time, Fanwood offers its residents a superb quality of life that must not be sacrificed with cuts to municipal services. Our ongoing challenge is therefore doing more with less.”

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More Campaign News on Page 8