Meet the candidates running for 3 council seats: Voters to decide Tuesday, May 10

BY CHERYL O'BRIEN Managing Editor

Teaneck Suburbanite, May 5, 2016, p. 3

Seven candidates will vie for three fouryear terms on the Teaneck Council in an election to be held May 10.

Residents will have the opportunity to vote for incumbents Mohammed Hameeduddin, Henry Pruitt, and Mark Schwartz, and newcomers Stephen Gruber, Jacob Herenstein, Michael Pagan, and Chondra Young. Polls will be open on May 10 from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

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

(Only the relevant candidate is shown here)

Mark Schwartz

How long have you been a Teaneck resident?

20 plus years.

Educational and professional background?

I began my real estate consulting career at age 19 and have been in the field ever since, specializing in reducing water tax and property tax bills. To date we have reduced over $300 million in water and tax bills with $40 million of it last year alone.

Family information?

My wife is a 30 plus year Teaneck resident. Our four children, two boys and two girls, attend local schools.

Public service, including elected office?

17- year River Edge volunteer firefighter, 13- year member of Teaneck Volunteer Ambulance Corps, a planning board member from 2006-2012 and currently serve as Council liaison to the Planning Board, Parks Playground and Recreation Advisory board and Cedar Lane Management Corp. Founder of Congregation Shaare Tefillah of Teaneck, 10-year board member ofYavneh Academy in Paramus, board member of Torah Academy and coached 26 teams over nine years for Teaneck Baseball Organization and Teaneck Soccer. The township named me volunteer of the year in 2008.

Why are you running for the council?

We have made lots of progress during my first term, and over the last 18 months much has come to fruition, yet much more is still in the works and I am seeking another term to complete these goals.

What do you believe is the most important issue facing the townslip and how would you work to address it?

Decreasing the dependency on the single family ratable by increasing multifamily and commercial tax bases town wide. We have recently approved numerous developments that will help continue a zero tax increase for years to come and several have broken ground. I hope to see several more which will help add a critical mass to our business districts to further increase their value, providing for lasting tax stabilization.