Meet the candidates running for 4 Council seats

By MEGAN BURROW, Managing Editor

Teaneck Suburbanite, May 1, 2014, p. 3.

On May 13, Voters will have a choice of eight candidates for four open seats on the Teaneck Township Council, Residents will have an opportunity to vote for incombents Adam Gussen, Elie Y. Katz, Lizette Parker and Yitz Stern, and challengers Eric Brauer, Jason Castle, Alexander Rashin and Alan Sohn. Polls will be open May 13 from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Each candidate was asked questions about their background and past public service, why they are running for township council, what they believe is the most important issue facing Teaneck and how they would work to address it.

(Only the relevant candidate is shown here)

Adam GussenAdam Gussen

Years residing in Teaneck: 40

Occupations: Global Political Risk and Trade Credit Insurance

Education: Economics and Sports Management, Rutgers Collee

Family: Wife Shari, daughter Molly, son Sidney.

Record of community involvement:

Former Men's Club Member Congregation Bnai Yeshurun, former Board of Directors Teaneck Gardens Owners Corporation, Teaneck Township Councilman, Teaneck Library Board Trustee, former Teaneck Planning Board Member, former Candidate U.S. House of Representatives New Jersey 5th District, Member, Board of Trustees Yeshivat He'Atid.

Why are you running for township council? What do you believe is the most important issue facing Teaneck and how would you work to address it?

I am running for council because I love Teaneck and have a vision for the community I am raising my family in. That vision is very similar to the one my parents had when they chose Teaneck more than 40 years ago. I want a warm and safe town with a community that doesn't simply tolerate diversity but one that embraces it. I want for Teaneck to be to my children what it was for me growing up here, a point of great pride that I called Teaneck my home. In order to achieve this we must provide world class services, but we must do it with the financial sense that also makes it affordable to live here. Property taxes are the biggest concern I hear from my neighbors and they are right. Over the last eight years I have worked hard and will continue to do so on streamlining our budgeting process, seeking out best practices from neighboring communities and continuing to make Teaneck better.