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)

Jason Castle

How long have you been a Teaneck resident?

July 2012 to present

Educational and professional background:

BS, Business Administration Norwich University (Military University), NYCLA CLE Business Negotiation Training.

Family:

I have the pleasure of being married to Tara Castle. Tara and I have three amazing children London (5), Madison (3) and Jason (9 months)

Public Service, including elected office:

2012 Congressional Candidate CD 5, 2012 NJ Community Leader, representing Teaneck for the White House Common Purpose Project, Co-chair, Teaneck 2020, Community Organizer, Teaneck for Obama, 2013 Teaneck Memorial Day Speaker

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?

May 13 will mark the 50-year anniversary of Teaneck's decision to voluntarily integrate its public schools. Our community knew then that the best way to build bridges across racial divides and religious communities was by uniting our town around a common purpose, Equality.

I endeavor to again help reunite Teaneck in common purpose around a new vision and correct a new set of inequities. The single most important issue is the meteoric rise in property taxes. Taxes have become a deterrent to new families and business in Teaneck. Taxes are also the reason that so many senior citizens are forced out to where affordable housing is available.

I am running to institute fiscal responsibility and introduce budgeting that stretches tax dollars and eliminates waste rather than asking residents to dig deeper into their pockets.

I am running to change the culture of our government. The fragmentation of our council has created divisions within our community. The issues facing our township are serious, and to address them we need to leverage the greatest strength of our community: the talents and wealth of knowledge of our residents.

I am running to institute fairness and balance, fiscal responsibility and to foster a culture of government that seeks to level that playing field for all residents. I want to focus on recognizing that the overlapping needs of the larger community take precedence over the wants of individual council members.