Aschenbach: Objectives for 2010

Editor's note: This piece was written by Daniel Aschenbach, Commissioner of Public Affairs. It has not been edited. If you'd like to submit a letter to the editor, email whitney@patch.com.

Happy New Year to everyone.

At the start of this new year, I believe citizens must be positive about the future. 

Being positive includes being positive about how we view our local government.  Some suggest we should lower our standards and cut service levels for economy reasons. I think we need to work harder to find more effective ways to balance our budget to continue to keep our community safe, well maintained and affordable.  As I have for the many years that I have served,  I intend to focus on this objective. 

To the Township Committee I pledge my full energy to find the solutions and to make a positive difference in making Cranford a better place.

I will nonetheless express opinions at times not as an opponent but to constructively represent an alternative opinion if the facts warrant. I think most know that.

I do want to mention several key objectives for Cranford for 2010. 

(1) The Township Committee should strive for a zero tax increase. We  also need to maintain the highest quality level of services. I ran for election to help end the double-digit tax increases. This Township Committee in 2009 was successful at bringing the increase in at under 5 percent. We need to continue to moderate local property taxes.

(2) We need to end the potential overdevelopment plans of certain developers who are pushing their cause in the name of affordable housing.  Some want to settle with COAH and these developers. My opinion which is the same opinion of 15 or so past Cranford mayors is that Cranford will define its affordable housing needs and will not settle for unwanted density or state decisions which are adverse to our obligation to provide affordable housing. We need more senior citizen housing so parents can remain in town and also affordable units for handicapped residents.

(3) I believe we need to get to a new page with regards to downtown redevelopment efforts. We should restart the North Avenue redevelopment zone initiative. Just think about it. We have several thousand square feet of space empty right in the heart of the downtown. One of those buildings had their roof almost cave in due to disrepair. We need a planning effort to coordinate what needs to be done to redevelop this area of the downtown. 

(4) Over the  past three years the failed Township Committee relationship with the county and state has produced very little in terms of infrastructure financial assistance. As a relatively affluent community our residents pay a significant amount in taxes and we should work to get funding for needed projects that benefit our citizens. I pledge to work with the Township Committee in a bipartisan approach to make a difference. It is hard work. We need an agenda: flood control funds; Hanson Park funds; funding for phase two of the Centennial Avenue improvement plan. New benches at Sperry Park.

(5) We need to continue to support our  teens. More efforts are needed to continue to tell our younger people we care. We need to reach out farther to make Cranford an even healthier community in relation to teen development. 

(6) I believe we need to improve our communication with our citizens about the local government and community.  As Commissioner of Public Affairs I intend to moderate a TV 35 show called Know Your Local Government. This will be a series of programs to highlight how the local government works.

I also would like to see an upgrade in the township's website to make it more interactive.  I have a Gov.net proposal I will be asking the Township Committee to consider.

(7)  I have mentioned proposed a specific task force to find ways to improve the appearance of North and South Avenue. 15 different recommendations have been developed and through code enforcement, private action and hopefully the Township Committee's consideration change can happen.

These are a few of the objectives I would like to see the township tackle. I again plan to look at 2010 in a positive way to try to make a difference. Best wishes for a Great year.