Mayoral & Town Council Candidate Debate Forum

October 5, 2026 · United Presbyterian Church of West Orange
Scheduled time: 6:00–9:00 p.m. Eastern
Hosted by: West Orange African Heritage Organization, in collaboration with the United Presbyterian Church of West Orange
Moderator: Dr. Lassie Whitaker Thorn

West Orange’s mayoral and Township Council candidates discussed affordability, development, public services, schools, and the future of the community. The council forum took place first, followed by the mayoral forum.

These are independently compiled, paraphrased summaries of each candidate’s remarks, drawn from Voice Memos transcripts and notes taken at the event. They are organized to make the answers easier to read and compare. Financial figures, accomplishments, criticisms, and descriptions of government authority reflect what the candidates said, rather than independently verified findings. Questions have been lightly edited for clarity, and candidates appear in speaking order.

Contents

Township Council

• Opening statements
• 1. Development and zoning
• 2. Stormwater and drainage
• 3. Time commitment and availability
• 4. Accessibility
• 5. Working with the Board of Education
• 6. Tree canopy and property rights
• 7. Mayoral authority and council oversight
• Closing statements

Mayor

• Opening statements
• 1. Property taxes and affordability
• 2. Priorities and the first week in office
• 3. ICE and protection of immigrant residents
• 4. School funding and staffing
• 5. Equitable recreation investments
• 6. Business recruitment and the tax base
• 7. Building bridges across communities
• Closing statements

Works Cited

Township Council candidates

Micaela Bennett · Matthew Dvorin · Kenneth Gibbons · Justin Goldsman · Jackie Hendy

Council opening statements

Matthew Dvorin

• Experience: Moved to West Orange with his wife in 2018. Reviews contracts and policies at an academic medical center in New York, looking for fine-print problems before they become expensive. Earned a master’s in public administration through night and weekend study because he cares about how local government works.
• Priorities: Replace flat sewer charges with usage-based billing tied to winter water consumption; hire a full-time professional planner; develop a real parking plan; and shorten the permitting delays that keep small businesses from opening. Called timely, accurate budgeting the council’s most important job.
• Independence and service: Said he takes no business or developer money and would recuse himself even where a vote creates the appearance of a conflict. Said he is seeking to serve in this job, rather than use it to reach another office, and would prepare thoroughly and listen to residents and township employees.

Justin Goldsman

• Experience: Born and raised in West Orange and attended Redwood Elementary School. Cited a history degree from the University of Miami and a master’s in educational administration from the University of Florida, service on township commissions and community organizations, and work in congressional and state legislative offices. Said that work included drafting and helping pass legislation, navigating the state’s more-than-$50-billion budget, and assisting constituents.
• Priorities: Affordability, environmental protection, green space, collaboration, communication, and responsible, transparent use of tax dollars.
• Governing approach: Argued that the town repeatedly discusses the same problems without implementing solutions. Presented himself as bringing a younger generation’s perspective together with government and policy experience, and called for new energy, follow-through, and practical results.

Jackie Hendy

• Experience: An 18-year resident with a son in high school and a daughter in eighth grade. Said neighbors helped her navigate IEPs and child-study teams when her family arrived, and that she wants to repay that support. Cited years writing and editing complex legal documents and her current work negotiating real-estate transactions.
• Four priorities: Clear communication and an accessible town hall; responsible development guided by a plan and more commercial tax revenue; protection of open space and the tree canopy, with green-energy initiatives; and shared services and real partnerships with the school board and county.
• Representation and accountability: Criticized a political structure she said rewards insiders while excluding residents. Said the township needs someone negotiating as hard for residents as developers negotiate for themselves. Pledged to do the homework, read contracts, market the town effectively, and tell residents what she finds.

Kenneth Gibbons

• Experience: A lifelong resident, third-generation homeowner, and father raising the fourth generation in town. Cited more than 30 years as a CPA and CGMA, reviewing budgets line by line for clients and his own West Orange firm.
• Budget concerns: Said the township still lacked an approved budget in October even as estimated tax bills rose. Described being told at a public meeting that only the politically appointed Budget Advisory Board could request financial information he sought about the township’s more-than-$100-million budget.
• Taxpayer protection pledge: No new municipal taxes or backdoor fees; stop extra spending if the budget is not passed on time; and replace the Budget Advisory Board with an open taxpayer budget committee that any resident could apply to join through a transparent selection process. Said real-world financial expertise is needed to keep the town affordable for homeowners and renters.

Micaela Bennett

• Experience: An attorney and social worker who asked voters to judge the work she has already done: attending meetings, studying budgets and development applications, questioning decisions, and listening to residents. Said her professional background equips her to understand law, weigh competing interests, solve problems, and consider the people affected.
• Council’s role: Emphasized that council is the legislative branch, not simply a body that attends meetings and casts votes. Would examine existing ordinances, change what is not working, strengthen useful provisions, and introduce laws that improve residents’ lives.
• Priorities and approach: Affordability, responsible development, accountability, environmental protection, public safety, and quality of life. Said meaningful change requires preparation, judgment, and courage. Defined her approach as truth even when uncomfortable, action beyond identifying problems, and service to residents rather than those in power.

Council 1. Development and zoning

Council has to balance development, affordable-housing obligations, neighborhood character, and infrastructure capacity. What criteria should guide your vote on a major development or zoning change?

• Matthew Dvorin: Evaluate sewer capacity, traffic, and other infrastructure impacts alongside neighborhood character. Said the township must meet its Mount Laurel affordable-housing obligations and cannot simply litigate its way out of them. Cited approximately 600 affordable units plus rehabilitation of another 400, while expressing uncertainty about the exact deadline. Acknowledged that no answer would satisfy everyone.
• Justin Goldsman: Weigh each project’s advantages and disadvantages with resident input as the central guide. Committed to multiple community town halls before decisions about Rock Spring and said disagreement must still allow honest listening. Wants accurate stormwater mapping before further development. Also said he drafted a nonemergency-notification ordinance so residents receive mailed notice of road and sidewalk work and can comment before projects proceed.
• Jackie Hendy: Begin with effects on residents, environmental-impact studies, and school capacity. Said meeting state affordable-housing obligations does not require accepting every developer demand or overburdening particular corridors. Would revisit zoning to permit options such as duplexes and triplexes rather than relying only on high-density projects. Called the master plan outdated and said the township needs its own current plan to guide negotiations.
• Kenneth Gibbons: Evaluate proposals according to the neighborhood and their effect on schools. Said senior and special-needs housing bonus credits could help meet affordable-housing obligations more efficiently. Opposed PILOT tax agreements, arguing that developers should not receive extra concessions and that those payments do not go to the school board. Cited his tax expertise as a reason to scrutinize development terms.
• Micaela Bennett: Start with an updated master plan and a professional planner. Review relevant laws, ordinances, environmental consequences, density, parking, and quality-of-life effects, especially for the residents closest to a proposal.

Council 2. Stormwater and drainage

What policies should council consider to ensure new development does not worsen existing stormwater and drainage problems?

• Kenneth Gibbons: Hold developers accountable for problems their projects cause and require them to pay their fair share. Also raised concerns about construction disturbing rodents in the Valley and reiterated his opposition to PILOT agreements.
• Jackie Hendy: Require environmental review, protect open space and mature trees as functioning infrastructure, and enforce existing rules. Ensure replacement trees survive and consider incentives for measures such as permeable parking surfaces.
• Matthew Dvorin: Use and enforce the powers the township already has, including existing developer fees and connection requirements. Establish a stormwater utility to maintain and build infrastructure and prepare for climate change and more intense storms. Separately, remove sewer fees from the general fund so that residents’ sewer payments support sewer needs rather than general spending.
• Micaela Bennett: Review whether existing stormwater policies meet current and future needs. Support environmental-impact studies and evaluate the relationship between stormwater, sewer systems, and necessary infrastructure improvements.
• Justin Goldsman: Complete accurate stormwater mapping first so development decisions reflect what each area can handle. Said he has advocated a stormwater utility for more than a year and that the CFO agrees. Estimated roughly $1 million annually in dedicated funding for drainage and flood mitigation, which could not be diverted to unrelated spending. Proposed more rain gardens and enforcement of the existing requirement for planning, zoning, and environmental bodies to coordinate before development decisions; said he had not seen that coordination during his Environmental Commission service.

Council 3. Time commitment and availability

How much time can you devote to serving on the Township Council?

• Micaela Bennett: Said she already follows every council meeting, usually in person and otherwise from home, and recognizes that the work extends beyond meetings. Would provide virtual or in-person office hours and meet obligations during the day, evening, or weekends. Cited a flexible schedule and having a college-age child as reasons she can devote the necessary time.
• Matthew Dvorin: Acknowledged that commuting to New York several days a week would be a challenge, but said council responsibilities would be a priority. Promised neighborhood office hours, attendance at meetings, and availability to constituents with reasonable notice.
• Kenneth Gibbons: Would devote whatever time the job requires. Argued that his financial experience could make budget oversight more efficient and reduce the need for long meetings without sacrificing results.
• Justin Goldsman: Said elected office is service and would receive his full energy. Cited knocking on approximately 7,200 doors, including uphill and in the rain, as evidence of his commitment. Promised monthly town halls rotating through different parts of West Orange so residents would not always have to come to a council meeting to be heard.
• Jackie Hendy: Would devote as much time as necessary, supported by owning her business, setting her hours, and having a supportive business partner. Said service must extend beyond lengthy council meetings. Described visiting an isolated senior building whose residents faced mobility and technology barriers, and promised to meet people where they are and set clear expectations for email-response times.

Council 4. Accessibility

Would you support a comprehensive accessibility assessment of township-owned facilities and funding priorities based on its findings?

• Micaela Bennett: Yes. Highlighted difficulty accessing the library, including her mother-in-law’s experience, and said public buildings should be accessible to every resident.
• Justin Goldsman: Yes, including funding improvements identified by the assessment. Cited participation in walkability studies around Hazel and Roosevelt and a nearby town’s grant-funded volunteer inspections of sidewalks, buildings, and facilities as a model. Said inclusion extends beyond physical access to neurodivergent residents, including attention to signage and colors.
• Kenneth Gibbons: Yes. Cited his daughter’s special needs and seniors’ concerns about Main Street sidewalks and speeding. Would press for county cooperation rather than treating county ownership as a reason not to act.
• Matthew Dvorin: Yes. Described ADA compliance as the floor rather than the ceiling. Cited an aging family member’s difficulty navigating sidewalks and called for accessible routes for everyone. Also wants support for adults and children with nonvisible disabilities, including autism, and connections to employment and housing opportunities.
• Jackie Hendy: Yes. Called the library’s inaccessibility especially frustrating because it is a vital community space. Would digitize and modernize communications so information can be translated easily into commonly spoken languages, reach seniors directly, and provide services that do not always require appointments far in advance. Used a same-day grocery trip as an example of transportation needs that current arrangements may not meet.

Council 5. Working with the Board of Education

How can council better collaborate with the Board of Education to ensure a sustainable future for public education?

• Kenneth Gibbons: Reject the attitude that the township and school district should operate in separate silos. Said officials must collaborate for residents’ benefit, just as professionals with different responsibilities must work together for a client.
• Justin Goldsman: Proposed public, twice-yearly meetings involving the mayor, council, superintendent, and school board to plan proactively for development, class sizes, sidewalks, roads, and bus routes. Suggested unified snow-removal contracts and coordinated technology, AI systems, and cybersecurity. Said he had forwarded a possible matching grant of up to $100,000 involving Dick’s Sporting Goods and a Downtown Alliance–school partnership, but did not know what became of it. Framed collaboration as improving efficiency, tax-dollar use, and residents’ trust.
• Jackie Hendy: Give council-school liaison roles real responsibilities rather than making them ceremonial. Pursue shared purchasing, maintenance, and grounds services instead of paying twice. Said property values depend on school quality and classrooms are at or near capacity, so development must be examined for enrollment effects. If a developer seeks a PILOT, negotiate a contribution for schools or help providing additional school capacity.
• Micaela Bennett: Recognize that separate budgets are funded by the same taxpayers. Look for shared services and opportunities such as open gyms and additional activities as school sports and music programs face cuts.
• Matthew Dvorin: Treat the school board as a partner and consider how township decisions affect schools. Cited council-funded traffic calming near Gregory and Mitchell as an example of the township’s role in safe school access. Said PILOT decisions should account for what schools receive in return. Would collaborate on shared services, fields, crossing guards, and savings for taxpayers.

Council 6. Tree canopy and property rights

How should efforts to preserve the tree canopy be balanced with homeowners’ property rights and tree-removal needs?

• Micaela Bennett: Said the canopy is at or slightly above 30%, which she described as its lowest level, despite a strong tree ordinance. Would begin rebuilding the canopy on school and township properties and create a process encouraging homeowners to plant. Described unhealthy trees as eligible for removal and said environmental and climate needs must be balanced with residents’ needs.
• Justin Goldsman: Said the town’s canopy has declined sharply and that the tree ordinance he helped draft did not go as far as he wanted. Proposed a tree replacement bank: when an owner must replace a removed tree but does not want it on the same property, it could go to a neighbor who wants a tree and cannot afford one. Cited flood mitigation, property values, mental-health benefits, open space, and climate protection.
• Kenneth Gibbons: Supports restoring the canopy he remembers growing up in the Valley, but said residents should not be afraid to remove dangerous or diseased trees. Recounted two neighboring trees falling, including one he had reported to the township that was deemed insufficiently diseased for removal and later damaged his fence and patio. Said safety must be balanced with replacement planting and the benefits trees bring to neighborhoods.
• Jackie Hendy: Acknowledged owners’ safety concerns, having had a tree fall on her own house. Emphasized that many West Orange properties sit uphill from neighbors, so removing a tree affects others’ drainage; mature trees absorb more water than replacement saplings. Wants enough flexibility for owners to protect their property, alongside enforceable safeguards for the canopy and proper planting so replacement trees survive.
• Matthew Dvorin: Supports maintaining and increasing the canopy to limit heat, improve air quality near Interstate 280, protect property values, and build resilience. Said those benefits justify the inconvenience of tree care and replanting.

Council 7. Mayoral authority and council oversight

Where should the line be drawn between the mayor’s executive authority and council’s responsibility for legislative oversight?

• Jackie Hendy: Said she has already drafted an executive-accountability and transparency ordinance. Argued that repeated public disputes occur because the township lacks a clear, codified process defining what happens when. Wants rules that work regardless of who holds office or whether officials like one another. Major contracts should receive review for current affordability and obligations three or five years later, including retirement costs.
• Micaela Bennett: Preserve council’s role as a check on executive authority while working collaboratively. Said government needs to move beyond crisis management and last-minute agenda additions so officials can plan and budget responsibly.
• Matthew Dvorin: Described West Orange’s structure as a strong-mayor form of government. Said officials must put their egos aside and stop blaming one another when work is delayed or poorly handled.
• Kenneth Gibbons: Maintain checks and balances while cooperating to get the work done. Cited the still-unapproved budget as an unacceptable result and said officials should treat residents as the client whose interests come first.
• Justin Goldsman: Described oversight as both a check on power and a partnership. Cited a deputy planning director position inserted into the budget before council approval; said he considered the eventual hire good, but the discussion should have occurred earlier. Urged both branches to arrive prepared, ask substantive questions, and push back when justified rather than grandstand or oppose one another for its own sake.

Council closing statements

• Matthew Dvorin: Promised careful contract and budget review, timely budgets, usage-based sewer bills, a full-time planner, better parking, and faster permits. Repeated his refusal of business and developer contributions and commitment to recusal, responsiveness, and examining long-term costs.
• Kenneth Gibbons: Asked voters to use one of their two council votes to add professional financial oversight. Said his accounting experience would help prevent unnecessary spending and keep the town affordable for future generations.
• Justin Goldsman: Called for a collaborative new direction on affordability, flooding, green space, and strategic planning. Promised difficult conversations, respectful engagement, responsible spending, and a town where residents of every background belong.
• Jackie Hendy: Called for a council that asks hard questions and works together. Proposed neighborhood outreach, a dedicated webpage for each major development, help for business owners, an active school liaison, school-impact review, shared services, and student-senior volunteer partnerships. Repeated that she accepts no money from developers or people seeking township business.
• Micaela Bennett: Promised independence from special interests, continuing attention to seniors and working families, and a willingness to stand alone when necessary. Asked residents to stay involved after the election and hold every official, including her, accountable.

Mayoral candidates

Joe Krakoviak · Tammy Williams · Susan McCartney · Susan Scarpa · Joyce L. Rudin · Phillip A. Orphanidis · Brian Rock

Mayoral opening statements

Phillip A. Orphanidis

• Experience and affordability: A 25-year resident who said he progressed from unpaid intern to deputy chief of staff in Jersey City. Wants residents to be able to retire in the town they love and said affordability has reached a breaking point for homeowners and renters.
• Spending and rent: Proposed holding municipal spending at 2026 levels for four years with no municipal tax increases, ending reliance on debt to fund the general budget, commissioning a plan for existing debt, and protecting core services. Would amend rent control to cap annual increases at 1% generally and 0% for seniors for four years.
• Development and independence: Opposed a proposal he said would cut 6,000 trees for 500 apartments. Said development should preserve neighborhoods, the environment, and residents’ values rather than give developers the upper hand. Presented himself as the only candidate who is not an elected official and argued that he understands government without having contributed to the town’s affordability crisis.

Susan Scarpa

• Experience: Identified herself as council president and a school speech-language professional. Previously owned a telecommunications consulting business serving Wall Street banks and other financial institutions. Said she returned to West Orange after her son was born so he could experience the family and community connections she grew up with.
• Priorities: Apply her experience identifying problems and implementing solutions to better management of township resources and the budget. Wants seniors to age in place, children to receive a strong education, and residents to live affordably with a voice in government.
• Public service and campaign funding: Said she wants to remain in the community with family and friends, rather than become a career politician. Emphasized productive, respectful, kind public discussion. Said she accepted no campaign money during her council run or mayoral campaign, including contributions from residents or special-interest groups.

Joyce L. Rudin

• Experience: Grew up in West Orange and returned to raise her family. Said her mother was the first woman to run for town council and taught her that local decisions shape taxes and quality of life. Cited investigative reporting for PBS, NPR, and Consumer Reports, and said she brought that same approach to council: ask questions, follow the money, and do the research.
• Council record: Said she received a record council-candidate vote total and, in her first year, identified $3.4 million in spending reductions that lowered what households would otherwise have paid by about $200. Asked voters to examine candidates’ records on taxes, borrowing, development, campaign contributions, and attendance at town hall rather than rely on promises.
• Priorities and independence: Accountability for every tax dollar; development that serves neighborhoods and schools and preserves the environment; collaboration between mayor and council; and listening before decisions are made. Said she takes no developer money and works for residents.

Tammy Williams

• Experience: Said she chose West Orange for its charm and character, raised her family and built her business here, and developed leadership skills through community service. Emphasized learning from both her successes and the things she has not done well, and said the town is stronger when people work together.
• West Orange advantage: Identified the town’s people, diversity, neighborhoods, parks, businesses, schools, location, and downtown potential as existing strengths that need a plan to turn them into results.
• Four commitments: Protect taxpayer dollars and safety where residents live and work; strengthen services, neighborhoods, infrastructure, and partnerships; promote small businesses, downtown, arts, culture, and local institutions; and expand opportunities by investing in people and places so every generation can thrive.

Joe Krakoviak

• Experience and independence: Served on council from 2010 to 2020 and returned in 2025. Called himself “four-to-one Joe” for opposing decisions supported by the previous mayor and his council colleagues. Cited financial journalism covering municipal finance and real estate, including work for The Wall Street Journal and USA Today, and his experience overseeing a roughly $100-million municipality.
• Debt and taxes: Said debt rose approximately $57 million, or 50%, to nearly $171 million during his four years away, with McCartney, Williams, and Scarpa serving on councils that approved borrowing. Said debt service reached $13.5 million in 2025, up nearly 70% from 2020 and exceeding 12% of the operating budget. Characterized those obligations as a major affordability problem.
• Debt plan and legal costs: Said he led a unanimously approved 12-year debt-elimination plan, that debt fell the previous year for the first time since 2011, and that annual savings would grow to at least $12 million in a decade. Cited helping negotiate settlement of the mayor’s lawsuit against the previous council and replacement of the longtime township attorney. Emphasized transparency, accountability, financial responsibility, and collaboration.

Brian Rock

• Experience: Moved to West Orange in 2018 because it was near work, affordable for two teachers, and a place his family could belong. Cited work as a teacher, negotiator, and data analyst and five years on the school board. Said mayor-council conflict had sidelined the budget and affordable-housing planning, and that he wants to restore cooperation.
• School record: Cited preschool expansion bringing $35 million in state funding and free pre-K for more than 500 children; electrical upgrades paving the way for elementary-school air conditioning; and state-funded renovation of unused space at St. Cloud and a new home for a district program. Said those projects added no debt.
• Five priorities: Hire a full-time planner to manage development; present the budget in February; improve pedestrian safety and walkability; make government visible and responsive in all neighborhoods, including those that feel neglected; and address everyday quality-of-life problems that fall below the level of major projects. Wants other working families to have the same opportunity to choose West Orange.

Susan McCartney

• Experience: Said she and her husband bought their West Orange home in 1981, raised three children, and now have six grandchildren. Founded First Mountain Preschool in 1997 and cited university teaching, Chamber of Commerce board service, and recruiting and welcoming businesses. Described council liaison work with planning, senior housing, arts, and environmental bodies, plus Community Emergency Response Team service.
• Grants and infrastructure: Said her administration and township staff secured more than $19 million in grants to reduce taxpayer burdens. Highlighted public safety, transportation and road improvements, Safe Routes to School, and expanded jitney service for seniors and commuters across town.
• Open space and continuity: Cited working with DEP Green Acres to preserve the 138-acre Rock Spring Golf Course, which she said was zoned for residential development. Framed her campaign around continuing those accomplishments and the partnerships built through her business, council, and mayoral service.

Mayoral 1. Property taxes and affordability

West Orange has some of the highest property taxes in Essex County. Why, and what would you do to reduce the burden on residents?

• Brian Rock: Said high property taxes are common across Essex County and nearby communities and that promises of large reductions are unrealistic. His goal is steadier, inflation-conscious increases without sharp swings. Would budget early enough to implement changes rather than discuss them after most of the year has passed. Identified jitney user fees, parking changes, an in-house attorney, and downtown development as possible revenue or savings measures that could work together, while cautioning that none is a single solution.
• Susan Scarpa: Would examine professional-service contracts and competitive bidding; overtime and temporary staffing; whether vacant jobs need filling; duplicate administrative functions; technology, communications, and subscriptions; purchasing and procurement; vehicle and equipment replacement schedules; energy and facility audits; and underused or inefficient programs. Said she has already applied this approach on council and previously did the same work as a management consultant. Also identified municipal debt as a major problem before her time expired.
• Joe Krakoviak: Said the unanimously adopted debt-elimination plan he negotiated with the CFO and financial adviser would remove a major expense: debt service representing approximately 16% of municipal property taxes. Framed that as a potential reduction in the municipal portion, not the entire tax bill, as debt is paid off. Proposed charging for the jitney and selling bus advertising to offset its roughly $1.2-million taxpayer cost. Also said Rock Spring had lost nearly $500,000 over three years because of $12 million in borrowing.
• Tammy Williams: Proposed three connected steps: stop debt growth and pursue grants and worthwhile shared services; bring businesses and smart development to Main Street, the Valley, and other commercial corridors so homeowners carry less of the burden; and make town hall easier to navigate. Would establish economic-development and community-affairs offices to provide clear answers and follow-through for people opening businesses, improving homes, or asking tax questions.
• Phillip A. Orphanidis: Argued that officials who helped approve debt, spending, and higher fees should be judged on those records. Called for a full municipal tax freeze, staffing reductions through attrition, hiring freezes, review of employee health-benefit packages, tighter overtime controls, and union concessions. Said overtime runs into millions and can exceed budgeted amounts. Cited West Orange’s approach in 2010–2012 as evidence that restraint and very small increases are possible, and rejected the claim that substantial control cannot be achieved.
• Susan McCartney: Said enrolling the 138-acre Rock Spring property in Green Acres allows reimbursement of acquisition-related debt and that DEP letters awarded $1 million for 2025 and again for 2026. Described the tax bill as approximately 62% schools, 26% municipal, and the balance county. Said West Orange’s state school aid had declined as its calculated local fair share rose, and that she would bring council a resolution asking the governor to modernize and stabilize the school-funding formula.
• Joyce L. Rudin: Said residents repeatedly tell her they may have to move because of costs. Described working line by line with the CFO after the mayor proposed a late 2025 budget with a 6.2% municipal increase. Said she identified $3.4 million in cuts, helped bring the increase below 1%, and reduced what an individual household otherwise would have paid by about $200. Acknowledged colleagues voted for the reductions but claimed she identified each cut. Disputed that Green Acres money had been received and called for collecting $6 million she said the township was entitled to.

Mayoral 2. Priorities and the first week in office

What are your top priorities, and what would you do during your first week in office to advance them?

• Phillip A. Orphanidis: Make affordability for homeowners and renters the immediate priority. On day one, ask council for four years of annual rent-increase caps of 1% generally and 0% for seniors. Direct the CFO to review overtime and prepare a budget spending no more than 2026 levels, with no municipal property-tax increase. Said his Jersey City experience and earlier restraint in West Orange demonstrate that the approach is possible.
• Tammy Williams: Hold listening sessions with residents, stakeholders, and employees already doing the work. Launch an independent budget and debt review and publish its findings. Sign an executive order beginning the creation of economic-development and community-affairs offices; meet commercial-corridor business owners individually; and work with grant writers to identify unused county, state, and federal funding opportunities. Said the opening weeks should establish transparency, urgency, and service.
• Joe Krakoviak: Listed eight priorities: fix Rock Spring losses associated with $12 million in borrowing; charge jitney fares and sell bus advertising; negotiate settlements of five remaining affordable-housing builder’s-remedy lawsuits; hire a full-time planner with economic-development experience and improve downtown and Valley Road; present the mayor’s budget earlier; decide the future of the library’s office building, which he said was costing millions; use debt-reduction savings to restore police staffing, down 23 positions since 2009 by his account; and expand transparency and accountability.
• Brian Rock: Narrowed the first week to starting three tasks. Meet the CFO and staff to prepare for presenting a budget by February 28, which he identified as the state deadline. Meet each council member, beginning before taking office, to understand priorities and repair relationships. Develop a year-round neighborhood schedule modeled on East Orange Mayor Ted Green’s “mayor on the block” approach, bringing staff out to hear concerns, explain services, and see quality-of-life problems firsthand.
• Susan Scarpa: Described responsible management of taxpayer money as a basic duty of government, making the budget her first task. Would also address redevelopment with a capable planner. Said existing senior programs still leave gaps: transportation to ordinary activities and a senior center where people can gather and have lunch. Connected those needs to affordability and food insecurity.
• Joyce L. Rudin: Start an on-time budget by reviewing every line with each department and asking what it actually needs, rather than adding to the previous year’s allocation. Hire a full-time planner, which she said had been missing for more than 15 years, and an in-house legal team to replace outsourced municipal legal work she put at $50,000 per month. Preserve open space and seek an Essex County community block grant for sewer and stormwater improvements.
• Susan McCartney: Continue supporting film-production studios and a proposed $200-million Matrix Development investment in the downtown corridor near the Thomas Edison National Historical Park’s Black Maria. Said the developer provides monthly reports and that the project would bring jobs and downtown opportunities. Pointed to grants as a way to fund public safety, Safe Routes to School, pedestrian safety, and infrastructure while council is unwilling to approve additional borrowing. Her final example was cut off by the time limit.

Mayoral 3. ICE and protection of immigrant residents

Following reports of ICE patrols and arrests in West Orange, what is being done, or what would you do, to protect neighbors?

• Phillip A. Orphanidis: Said residents he met while campaigning in Hispanic neighborhoods, and members of his own family, are frightened. Criticized the timing of the mayor’s executive order and proposed strengthening it. Would work with the school board on restricting ICE access to school property and bar township police resources and coordination from immigration enforcement. Described protecting residents from detention and removal as an urgent responsibility.
• Tammy Williams: Said residents should be able to seek municipal help or report a crime without unnecessary fear. Would follow the law while protecting public safety and trust, make township policies clear and consistent, and ensure staff and property serve legitimate government purposes. Proposed timely information in the languages residents speak and a community-affairs office to help people navigate applications and services despite language barriers.
• Joyce L. Rudin: Said she proposed months earlier that municipal property be off limits to ICE without a judicial warrant, received no council support, and believed the mayor acted later when politically expedient. Cited organizing an ICE-response training with Representative LaMonica McIver at the library. Would follow South Orange’s example by notifying residents of enforcement activity, identifying people taken into custody, and connecting affected families with legal and other resources.
• Joe Krakoviak: Said numerous state protections and the township executive order are already in place and questioned what further local measures could accomplish. Characterized the situation as a constitutional clash among federal, state, and local governments. Said that if officials cannot identify additional effective protections, they should also focus on areas where municipal government has clearer authority to improve lives, rather than continually adding orders or resolutions.
• Susan Scarpa: Cited her work with immigrant students and families and urged practical support beyond statements. Said the township’s immigrant-resources webpage explains that police follow the Immigrant Trust Directive and do not participate in civil immigration enforcement, while Executive Order 26-02 addresses municipal resources. Would maintain those protections, ensure residents understand them, and expand programs supporting immigrant families and children.
• Susan McCartney: Said police have followed the Attorney General’s directive since it was established. Described the executive order as protecting municipal operations and residents’ access to services, with a judicial-warrant exception, and said she had asked council to adopt it. Raised the problem of local police not being notified when federal agents enter town. Said she had repeatedly discussed that with the chief, who would raise the issue at a state police-chiefs meeting.
• Brian Rock: Recounted meeting a resident who could not yet vote and was afraid to go outside or engage on Facebook; said residents need to know their fear is recognized. Noted that his wife was born in Haiti. Supported the executive order but said it should have come sooner and would ask council to make its protections permanent through legislation. Would establish working relationships early with Senator Cory Booker and Representative LaMonica McIver so residents needing help can be referred promptly.

Mayoral 4. School funding and staffing

How would you address the school system’s funding shortage and the pressure on educators as student needs grow?

• Tammy Williams: Said the mayor does not control the school budget, personnel, or curriculum, but can establish a consistent working relationship with school leadership. Would coordinate public safety, facilities, recreation, transportation, mental health, emergency planning, and family services; pursue shared services where they deliver real value; and advocate for state and grant funding. Also proposed recreation opportunities, internships, civic education, mental-health resources, and a youth advisory body so young people help shape the community they will inherit.
• Susan Scarpa: Acknowledged the separate authority of school and municipal government but said shared services can go much further. Pointed to recent school programming cuts, including at Liberty Middle School, and suggested partnerships with the township Recreation Department to help address them. Said closer cooperation could produce efficiencies and better support for students.
• Brian Rock: Identified insufficient state aid and rising employee healthcare costs as the main budget pressures, citing five years on the school board and four as its president. Said he has advocated for additional aid for years, met legislators, testified at the state level, and planned further testimony during October school-funding discussions. Criticized the lack of township cooperation he had experienced and promised to support district leadership and the superintendent as mayor.
• Joyce L. Rudin: Said separate budgets do not eliminate the mayor’s influence on school resources. Argued that PILOT agreements grant developers tax breaks while directing payments to the municipality rather than schools. Cited 77 cuts, the loss of paraprofessionals, and reductions in fine arts and sports as painful consequences of the funding situation. Proposed stronger shared services modeled on Nutley and cited a snowstorm when, she said, the school district had nobody available to plow.
• Phillip A. Orphanidis: Said schools are central to children’s futures and home values, and the township cannot dismiss the problem as someone else’s responsibility. Recalled his 2013 school-board run and warnings he made then. Cited teacher and middle-school sports cuts and outsourcing of special-needs programming. Called for an audit, scrutiny of administrative spending, review of employee medical coverage, and union concessions to put more money into classrooms, restore staff, and bring back middle-school sports.
• Joe Krakoviak: Emphasized that state law establishes separate school and municipal governments. Said the township has repeatedly attempted shared services, including garbage and recycling arrangements that did not come together, and remains open to workable proposals. Disputed the claim that PILOTs reduce the school district’s approved levy: said the municipality must collect and deliver that entire amount, using a $100-million levy as an example. Mentioned pending legislation before his time expired without fully explaining it.
• Susan McCartney: Explained the state formula as estimating school spending needs, subtracting the community’s ability to pay, and providing equalization aid for the gap. Said unfunded mandates force greater reliance on property taxes. Would present a resolution supporting a modernized, stable formula. Described the current township-school relationship as excellent, citing engineering assistance with school driveways and drop-off areas, tennis courts, athletic-field maintenance, and shared-service efforts.

Candidates disagreed about PILOTs, which are payments in lieu of taxes, and their effects on schools. The summaries preserve those competing positions.

Mayoral 5. Equitable recreation investments

How would you distribute recreation investments equitably throughout West Orange rather than concentrating on the most visible or heavily used facilities?

• Joyce L. Rudin: Survey conditions and needs before allocating money. Said the Valley has too often been neglected and that infrastructure and services should be provided equitably across town.
• Susan Scarpa: Would examine the Recreation Department and ongoing projects for quality, efficiency, and economy, saying she was not convinced all improvements met the standards she would expect. Assess needs with residents through schools and neighborhood outreach, then create a plan. Wants parks to feel more like welcoming park spaces, with additional trees and benches.
• Joe Krakoviak: Pointed to an active recreation program and extensive township-school cooperation. Said the town was nearing the end of a major renovation effort reaching, to his recollection, every park. Acknowledged that Lafayette improvements were delayed while council developed the debt-elimination plan, but said the work was subsequently delivered and residents could now see a much-improved facility for children.
• Phillip A. Orphanidis: Proposed a robust summer youth program modeled on one he helped operate in Jersey City, which he said primarily served Black and Hispanic children and was intended to keep vulnerable young people engaged and off the streets. Said the loss of middle-school sports makes constructive activities during the school year and summer especially important.
• Susan McCartney: Cited a five-year improvement plan for the town’s 12 parks and said council withdrew funding for Lafayette Playground before later restoring it. Emphasized existing school-recreation partnerships, including intramural programs, a school-requested scoreboard, engineering for tennis courts and school drop-off areas, fencing, athletic facilities, and township payment of the high school field-lighting electric bill.
• Tammy Williams: Update the existing park assessment to reflect current use and conditions, then put the greatest needs first. Said council allocated $275,000 for Lafayette in 2023 while she was council president, but a subsequent council held the already-borrowed funds. Said that after returning to council she objected to further O’Connor Park improvements ahead of Lafayette, pushed Lafayette back onto the agenda, and secured attention to the more neglected facility.
• Brian Rock: Start by visiting every park and seeing conditions firsthand, as he said he did while running every street and visiting parks during the spring and summer. Described a site with little beyond a playground and field and another neighborhood where a resident wanted more uses for a ball field. Would bring staff into neighborhoods to collect feedback, citing a downtown resident who lacked convenient basketball access. Also proposed using Recreation Department participation data to understand who uses services and who does not.

Mayoral 6. Business recruitment and the tax base

What would you do to attract businesses and reduce the tax burden on residents?

• Phillip A. Orphanidis: Actively recruit companies that buy buildings at full price and pay full property taxes, on the same terms as homeowners. Opposed large apartment projects with high rents and PILOT agreements, arguing they burden schools. Said recruiting a business only for it to seek a long tax abatement, illustrated as paying 20% of taxes for 30 years, does not provide the benefit residents need.
• Susan McCartney: Defended PILOTs, saying municipal services and schools are considered in the payment and each agreement is judged on the project’s merits. Said 95% goes to the township and 5% to the county, while rejecting the claim that services are being shortchanged. Cited the proposed $200-million film-production investment, Target, and the former Manor and equestrian properties as commercial opportunities. Said the latter properties could otherwise have become residential development but were retaining banquet and equestrian uses.
• Joyce L. Rudin: Said attracting large corporations and big-box stores should not be the goal. Favored a walkable downtown with distinctive, locally appealing businesses that give residents reasons to stay in West Orange rather than shop and gather in Montclair, South Orange, or Maplewood. Wants a full-time planner to consider the entire town and determine the businesses residents want, rather than letting businesses dictate the direction.
• Tammy Williams: Develop a coordinated strategy for businesses, parking, walkability, public spaces, safety, arts, and culture. Bring property owners, merchants, residents, and economic-development professionals together around clear goals for occupied storefronts and customer experience. Cited more than 20 years in real estate and professional relationships that could help recruit businesses. Would provide clear requirements, timely answers, and consistent municipal follow-through, and market the town’s hotels, history, attractions, restaurants, arts, and cultural institutions together as a destination.
• Joe Krakoviak: Increase appropriate commercial tax revenue to ease the residential burden. Hire a planner with economic-development experience and analyze downtown and Valley properties so the township actively recruits businesses it wants. Cited the town-wide designation as an area in need of rehabilitation as a tool for a faster process. Pointed to 80 Main, opposite town hall, as a project he supported that barely secured three council votes despite what he described as council control over its terms.
• Brian Rock: Said a large corporate campus would not fit the land available in West Orange and reliance on one major employer risks a large vacancy if it leaves. Favored smaller mixed-use buildings with ground-floor retail and apartments above, which could also help meet affordable-housing obligations, plus gathering places where residents interact. Would work with the Downtown Alliance on surveys and consumer information to share with businesses, and hire a full-time planner to update the master plan and zoning around appropriate development.
• Susan Scarpa: Favored a two-part approach: seek the revenue larger businesses can bring while strengthening small businesses on Main Street and throughout the Valley. Hire a full-time planner with economic-development expertise to guide a strategic approach. Said the Downtown Alliance and Economic Development Commission are existing resources the township should use more effectively. Would streamline planning, zoning, and inspections in response to business owners who say the process is too difficult.

Mayoral 7. Building bridges across communities

Describe specific times when you have built bridges between diverse residents.

• Tammy Williams: Cited bringing people with different perspectives together through real estate, suicide-prevention and mental-health work, nonprofit partnerships, and a health-and-wellness event she organized as council president.
• Susan McCartney: Described her preschool as a reflection of the town’s diversity and cited decades of welcoming children and families. Highlighted township celebrations and events involving Hispanic, Nigerian, Haitian, and Asian communities.
• Joe Krakoviak: Said he views this as enjoying West Orange’s diversity through participation in community organizations and bringing people together. Emphasized the value of living among residents from many backgrounds.
• Brian Rock: Cited 12 years teaching in East Orange and learning from the diversity within the African diaspora and Caribbean communities, despite outsiders sometimes viewing the city as one homogeneous population. Highlighted school celebrations such as Lunar New Year, Italian Night, and Diwali that bring students of different backgrounds together. Said he attended the Amistad Institute as a teacher and supports incorporating African-American history through the Amistad curriculum and other educational mandates.
• Susan Scarpa: Said she pledged to represent people who voted for her, voted against her, and did not vote, and that difficult decisions must consider all stakeholders. Cited attending Roosevelt Middle School’s diversity art event and bringing students to council for a proclamation. Also cited work on an antisemitism resolution, which she described as difficult but important, and honoring the African Heritage Organization’s tutoring program.
• Phillip A. Orphanidis: Cited cultural-affairs work, flag raisings, community events, and service as a mayoral liaison to Jersey City’s LGBTQ+ community. Said outreach must be active and that protecting affordability also protects diversity.
• Joyce L. Rudin: Cited co-founding an environmental organization that brought together residents concerned about trees, overdevelopment, and infrastructure. Said she formed a coalition of approximately 20 organizations from West Orange and surrounding communities to oppose a county zoo expansion onto wetlands near South Mountain Reservation. Also mentioned attending LGBTQ+ and African Heritage Organization events.

Mayoral closing statements

• Phillip A. Orphanidis: Repeated his proposals for four years of spending held to 2026 levels, no municipal tax increases, rent-increase caps of 1% generally and 0% for seniors, and a plan for existing debt. Said development should protect schools, the environment, homeowners, and renters while core services continue.
• Joyce L. Rudin: Asked voters to examine voting records and campaign funding, and repeated her refusal of money from developers or people seeking township business. Criticized what she described as decades of debt, rising taxes, crowded schools, PILOTs that exclude schools, public-land sales without bidding, missed preservation opportunities, high police-chief compensation, and litigation to retain the township attorney. Contrasted that with spending reductions she said preserved essential services and advocacy for the environment, seniors, and immigrants. Promised independent scrutiny of contracts, an in-house legal team, timely budgets, open-space protection, and a planner focused on local businesses.
• Tammy Williams: Reaffirmed four commitments: protect finances, safety, infrastructure, and responsible development; strengthen transparency, engagement, and partnerships; promote downtown, small businesses, arts, and culture; and expand economic opportunity, recreation, youth and senior services, and grant funding. Said the town needs results rather than lawsuits and higher legal fees. Cited two decades on township commissions, the Planning Board and council, service as council president, and involvement with the Chamber of Commerce and Arts Council.
• Susan McCartney: Asked to continue building on her administration’s record, citing more than $19 million in grants and investment including Target, Trader Joe’s, the estate at the former Manor, Chelsea Senior Living, and the equestrian center. Said those investments strengthen the tax base, create jobs, and expand services. Emphasized taxpayer protection, safe neighborhoods and streets, open space, infrastructure, local businesses, and responsive government, while acknowledging more work remains.
• Susan Scarpa: Said becoming mayor would give her the budget and contract-negotiation authority needed to produce results. Emphasized conversations with residents, greater involvement on township committees, and continued accessibility to people with questions or ideas.
• Brian Rock: Framed the election as a choice between continued conflict and a new direction. Criticized lawsuits, a missed affordable-housing-plan deadline, late budgets, and government operating without strategic change; said five opponents who served in municipal government share responsibility. Promised to use his teaching and negotiating experience to restore cooperation, hire a planner, introduce and adopt budgets on time, improve walkability, and address everyday problems. Wants every neighborhood to feel safe, seen, and included, and the town to remain affordable for working families.
• Joe Krakoviak: Asked to continue the financial turnaround and debt-elimination plan, repeating that debt service equals about 16% of the municipal tax levy. Listed fixing Rock Spring losses; jitney fares and advertising; settling five remaining housing lawsuits to limit overbuilding; a full-time planner, professional market analysis of downtown and Valley Road, and targeted business recruitment; earlier budgets; a decision on the costly library office building; restoring police staffing for enforcement and traffic safety; and greater transparency. Said mayoral authority over contracts and budget preparation would help him advance those goals.

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Madthew PL
Young West Orange
[email protected]