Be Kind to the Earth on Earth Day - April 22 (908) 232-4407 USPS 680020 Thursday, April 18, 2002 Published Every Thursday Since 1890 OUR 112th YEAR – ISSUE NO. 32-112 Periodical – Postage Paid at Westfield, N.J. www.goleader.com [email protected] FIFTY CENTS WESTFIELD AND SP-F VOTERS GIVE SCHOOL BUDGETS THUMBS UP Mountainside Voters Reject $10.9 Million BOE Budget BY LAUREN S. PASS derstanding of the importance of school board, which will either sub- Specially Written for The Westfield Leader education.” mit it to the state for approval, or Voter turn out was low in all four She added, “We will continue to appeal to the State Commissioner of local municipalities on Tuesday. work hard to provide a strong aca- Education in Trenton. Westfield, which has 18,856 regis- demic program to meet the learning In Westfield, incumbent and Board tered voters, passed the $65.4 mil- needs of all our students. Educa- of Education President Arlene lion school budget 1,997 to 1,446. tional excellence is an investment in Gardner won re-election with 2,070 Westfield Superintendent Dr. Wil- the future of our students and our votes. Ms. Gardner has worked as liam Foley said, “I am pleased that communities.” Assistant Counsel to the Governor of Westfield residents have supported In Mountainside, where there are New Jersey, and in private law prac- the school budget and the resulting 4,617 voters, 1,128 residents came tice. She has been a member of the tax increase. We have all faced diffi- out to vote. They defeated the $10.9 school board since 1996. cult decisions, balancing academic million budget, 463 to 604; 161 vot- Newcomer Alice Hunnicutt was goals with even greater fiscal chal- ers did not answer the budget ques- the top vote getter with 2,080. She lenges.” tion. The budget will now go to the currently serves as the director for “The future of school funding Mountainside Council for review. the Statewide Parent Advocacy needs to be addressed by the Gover- Mountainside’s Chief School Ad- Network’s Transition from School to nor and the Legislature,” he contin- ministrator, Dr. Gerald Schaller, com- Adult Life project. ued. “The extent of school funding mented on the defeated budget to William Ziff, who received 1,845, that is currently supported by the The Westfield Leader and The Times also won election to a three-year local Westfield homeowner is close of Scotch Plains-Fanwood. “This will term. He is an attorney with Ziff and Amy Horowitz (left photo) and Bill Sheppard (top photo) for The Westfield Leader to 90 percent. This has to change.” be a hard pill to swallow for our Ziff, Esqs., with offices on Elm Street. CRASHES IN WESTFIELD…Last Thurs- In Scotch Plains, which has 14,183 system. We’ve already cut 1.8 mil- George Kattak, a certified public day, a Westfield woman hit a parked car on voters and Fanwood, which has 4,674, Mountain Avenue heading towards East Broad the $55.2 million budget passed nar- Street, pictured above, left. No serious inju- rowly, 1,680 to 1,425. For Westfield Board of Education: ries were reported. On Saturday, two cars Scotch Plains-Fanwood Superin- Three Seats Available • Four Candidates collided on North Avenue, at Edgewood Av- Marks the Winner enue and Crossway Place. The Westfield Res- tendent Dr. Carol Choye stated, “I cue Squad transported multiple patients with want to express my sincere thanks to minor injuries. the voters for reaffirming their un- Westfield Town Council Passes Municipal Arlene Gardner Alice Hunnicutt William Ziff George Kattak Budget; Residents to See 4.5 Cent Increase (Incumbent) 2,070 votes 2,080 votes 1,845votes 1,669 votes By LAUREN S. PASS ministrator James Gildea stated that ment Authority (UCIA) leasing. his family have enjoyed the tree light- Specially Written for The Westfield Leader the Town Treasurer Liy-Huei Tsai UCIA provides the municipality with ing and the arrival of Santa Claus. He Westfield 2002-2003 Budget: APPROVED On Tuesday night, the Westfield will be doing a self-review of the money for capital improvement went on to say that he feels the 1,979 vote yes 1,446 vote no Town Council held its regular public town budget so that the spending projects. menorah lighting to be educational session where they approved the 2002 plan can be put into use immediately, Town Administrator Gildea told and that he is not offended by it. For SP-F BOE: For Mountainside BOE: municipal budget. Democratic First rather than waiting approximately The Westfield Leader that the money “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it,” he Ward Councilman Carl Salisbury was two weeks for approval from Tren- from the sale of land has been accu- told Mayor McDermott and council. Three Seats Available • Three Candidates Two Seats Available • Two Candidates not in attendance. ton. mulated over the years, and that it the He also questioned whether anyone Marks the Winner Marks the Winner The budget was passed in a six to Former Republican Third Ward use of UCIA is to spread the cost of had complained to the council in two vote. Democratic Third Ward Councilman and Westfield resident equipment over time. reference to the decorations. No Neil Sullivan spoke against the por- Mayor Gregory McDermott Mayor McDermott stated that no Councilman Kevin Walsh and Demo- Picture cratic Fourth Ward Councilwoman tion of the budget that used the sale thanked the finance committee and one had complained and that the Susan Jacobson voted against it. of land, over $500,000, to balance Mr. Gildea for their hard work on the debate came about in reference to Available The budget includes a 4.5 cent the budget. Mr. Sullivan stated that budget. He also stated that the resi- the process of the town accepting increase per $100 of assessed home 2001 was supposed to be the last year dents will see improvements in the gifts. Susan Dyckman Tripp Whitehouse Edward Saradaki Peter Goggi John Perrin value. The average home will see an that practice was used. He added that public works department this year. Lawrence Avenue resident Ann 654 votes 1,376 votes 1,348votes 742 votes 717votes $81 increase for the year. the monies should be used for recre- Clark Avenue resident Bill Risberg Weimer also spoke about the holiday Republican Councilman Matthew ation purposes, and that the council approached the council with regard decorations. She said that the deco- SP-F 2002-2003 Budget: Mtsde 2002-2003 Budget: Albano stated that the increase in the should look for other methods to to the discussion that took place at rations encourage shoppers and that APPROVED VOTED DOWN budget was due to an increase in keep the budget down. last week’s conference session re- the loss of the tradition would have a 1,680 vote yes 1,425 vote no 463 vote yes 604 vote no operating expenses, as well as sala- Councilman Albano responded that garding religious symbols on town deep effect on people, and thus should ries. He added that there would be no the money was not being used for an property. not be changed. accountant, licensed school accoun- operating expense, but to offset the Mr. Risberg stated that he has been In other business, the council lion (from the budget). I’m concerned reduction in any services. it will hurt programs for our stu- tant and a certified fraud examiner, increase in Union County Improve- a resident since 1963 and that he and CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 Prior to the meeting, Town Ad- dents. It’s up to the Borough Council did not win election. He received now.” 1,669 votes. According to Borough Adminis- Scotch Plains incumbent Edward Garbage Haulers Protest TV Stereotypes; trator James Debbie, Jr. the council Saradaki will begin his third term on will receive the complete budget in the Scotch Plains-Fanwood Board of two business days, and will have one Education. He received 1,348 votes. month to review and make any Mr. Saradaki is currently employed Emphasize Honest Service to Customers changes they feel are necessary. The as the Corporate Financial and Net- budget will then be returned to the CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 By DEBORAH MADISON managers also have a gripe with the said there formerly was a heavy mob choose. It’s not only the variation in Specially Written for The Westfield Leader show, which they feel perpetuates an connection in the industry, prior to dumping fees, but a matter of conve- On the popular HBO series “The undeserved reputation. the 1970s, when the state took over nience, explained one company Union County Residents Sopranos,” fictional mob boss Tony “That’s just in the movies,” said and began heavily regulating the in- owner. Soprano dabbles in a number of ques- Jerry Infantino, co-owner of Infantino dustry. Owners also complained about the tionable business enterprises. How- Brothers Disposal in Westfield. Like In fact, many of the owners and excessive amount of required paper Oppose Plans to Develop ever, the one legitimate business in all of the other major disposal com- managers complained of over-regu- work; the need to record how much which he engages is a residential pany owners, he claimed no such lation by the state government since garbage they picked up; where they garbage disposal company. connection currently exists between 1970. dumped it and the time it took. Land Near Reservation Now, Italian-Americans are not the mafia and legitimate disposal The owners are referring to regula- “The county and state did not effi- By FRED ROSSI land purchase is to conserve open alone in thinking the series unfairly companies.