Meet the candidates: What they have to say about township issues

By Howard Prosnitz, Staff Writer

Teaneck Suburbanite, April 23, 2008, p. 8

Teaneck Suburbanite conducted telephone interviews with all eight candidates running for Teaneck Council.

Candidates were asked the same questions about their background and about five issues. All responses were extemporaneous: no e-mails or written replies were permitted. Every attempt has been made to keep all interviews uniform in length; however, some candidates responded more fully than others. Some editing has been done to candidates' comments mainly to reduce the length of some of the interviews. But no changes have been made to the substance of any candidates' response.

The questions:

1. If elected what would you do to stabilize taxes?
2. What is your opinion about three development projects that have been proposed for Teaneck: commercial development along the riverfront, the Holuba/soap factory site and the American Legion Drive area.
3. What is your view about the labeling of certain candidates as anti-Orthodox and published statements that those candidates would eliminate amenities that the Orthodox Jews enjoy if they are elected?
4. Would you make a statement about the illegal campaign literature and robo calls during the council campaign in 2006?
5. How can Teaneck build bridges among its various and diverse populations.

(Only the relevant candidate is shown here)

Dr. Barbara Ley Toffler

Residence: Academy Lane

Age: 66

Born in NYC. Lived in Teaneck 1948-82, Moved back in 2004.

Occupations: Organization psychologist. Formerly professor at Harvard Business School and adjunct professor at Columbia, Yale, Rutgers and Stevens Institute. Currently research professor at Vanderbilt University. Co-founder of Resources for Responsible Management, a Boston based consulting firm.

Education: Attended Teaneck public schools from second grade through high school, BA, Columbia, MA, Ph.D. Yale.

Family: Married, Three children, two step-children and one grandchild.

Community service: Planning board member 2005-07, Consultant to Teaneck North East community on the Teaneck Road BR zoning issue. While living in Brookline Mass., was active in PTO and chair of Quality of School Committee.

1. I would form a task force to investigate if there was a bias in recent revaluation, and if this is found to be the case, would ask for a new revaluation. I will seek to do zero based budgeting so that residents know exactly what we are taking in and spending. I would hold community forums several times a year that will deal with many issues, including how the community wishes its tax money to be spent.

2. Development of the riverfront is completely inappropriate. We have beautiful parkland that is protected along riverfront and a large portion is zoned for the university. The riverfront is one of the gems of Teaneck and we should be doing everything we can to maintain it.

3. The owners of the Holuba site must immediately inform the community what contamination is at that site, both from the soap factory and previous owner. We need to know what is it is and what it will cost to clean up. The 2007 master plan dictates that the area is to conform to the low-density character of the neighborhood. Modest multi-family housing would be an appropriate use.

I am absolutely opposed to a previous development proposal for the American Legion drive area that would include 10-story buildings. An example of appropriate development for this area would be an artists' community that would have galleries lofts and restaurants and provide space for a broad range of artists who live in Teaneck. It would be an enhancement to our Festival or the Arts and would bring in revenue as well as enhance the uniqueness that is Teaneck.

The statement that any amenities such as the eruv would be eliminated is an outright lie. That is despicable that people are using religious fear to persuade other to vote for their candidates. As someone who has been labeled anti-Orthodox and who considers herself to be a good Jewish woman and whose family was one of the founders of the Teaneck Jewish Center, I find it deplorable that I am being turned on by my own people. I never in my life believed that Jewish people would turn on other Jews.

4. I was not involved with the people who were attacked, but what was done was awful. That religious fear was used to influence an election is horrifying. I believe legal action should have been and should now be pursued, and I am surprised it has not been.

5. The groups and individuals who want to reach out and become involved with others, and I believe that includes almost everyone in Teaneck, should be made welcome to join the various boards and committees. We need a full-time community relations person who is trained in community relations and community psychology and we need, once again, to have forums and gatherings to bring difference groups together.