Ten Critical Questions for West Orange Mayoral Candidates

On September 22, 2026, I emailed ten questions to the West Orange mayoral candidates about issues I believe matter to our community. I’m trying to become more involved in local government, and I’ve summarized the written replies here to help other residents compare the candidates’ priorities.

Some of these topics may also have been addressed in public statements or debates before or after the questions were sent. Corrections and factual clarifications are welcome at [email protected]. Please identify the relevant passage and include a supporting source when available.

These are independently compiled, paraphrased summaries of each candidate's written reply, organized by question to make the answers easier to read and compare. Financial figures, accomplishments, and criticisms reflect what the candidates wrote, not independently verified findings. Candidates appear in the order their replies were received.

Contents

1. Property taxes and development
2. Downtown revitalization
3. South Mountain Reservation and historical preservation
4. Infrastructure and public safety
5. Parks and recreation
6. Youth and community involvement
7. Library and municipal services
8. Government transparency
9. Affordable housing and neighborhoods
10. Accountability

Additional proposals · Works Cited

1. Property taxes and development

What specific steps would you take to control property taxes, manage township debt, attract new businesses, and encourage responsible development without negatively affecting existing neighborhoods?

• Brian Rock: Aims for small, sustainable growth in the tax levy and less reliance on debt over time. Would budget on time, encourage development of vacant or underused properties, and avoid payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) agreements for future residential projects because they weaken the tax base. Would hire a full-time planner to review the Master Plan and zoning.
• Tammy Williams: Would manage the budget with business discipline, citing her MBA and more than 20 years as a real estate broker. Proposes a multi-year capital plan ranked by need, paying routine items like vehicles and paving from the operating budget instead of long-term bonds, and a public debt-reduction schedule. Would create an Office of Economic Development and Community Affairs to recruit businesses and guide them through permits.
• Joyce Rudin: Said she found $3.4 million in spending reductions in her first council year, helping produce a $200-per-household tax reduction in the 2025 budget. Would deliver detailed budgets on time, conduct a forensic audit, require competitive bidding, and replace a part-time outside attorney costing about $50,000 a month with an in-house law department. Would pursue every Green Acres grant, saying about $6 million for Rock Spring was never applied for, and hire a planner to judge each project's effects on traffic, stormwater, sewers, trees, and nearby homes.
• Phillip A. Orphanidis: Proposes a four-year freeze on township spending and municipal tax increases through a line-by-line budget review. Would sharply reduce new borrowing and publish a clear accounting of debt. Would make permitting more predictable and focus on filling existing commercial vacancies; any incentive for a developer would need a publicly explained benefit for residents.
• Joe Krakoviak: Said debt grew $57 million, or 50%, to nearly $171 million during his four years off council, under councils that included McCartney, Williams, and Scarpa, pushing debt service above 12% of the operating budget. Points to the 12-year debt-elimination plan he led, which limits annual borrowing to $5.5 million. Would charge jitney fares and sell bus advertising (he said the service costs about $1.2 million a year), fix or sell Rock Spring Golf Club (he said the club lost nearly $500,000 in three years), and submit a draft budget early in the year.

2. Downtown revitalization

How would you revitalize Main Street and the Valley, reduce vacant storefronts, support small businesses, and make these areas more attractive to residents and visitors?

• Brian Rock: No direct response to this question in the written reply. His accountability goals include modernizing downtown parking lots and meters and adding directional signage.
• Tammy Williams: Would give businesses one point of contact at Town Hall, speed up permits for new tenants, and work with property owners to fill vacancies, using pop-up shops and art installations while spaces sit empty. Would bring back street fairs, markets, and music nights, and improve lighting, parking signage, and walkability.
• Joyce Rudin: Would start by asking businesses, property owners, and residents what keeps storefronts empty and where parking and crossings are a problem. Would make Main Street walkable and safe, explore off-street parking or a parking structure, and bring back a bigger Farmers Market. A professional planner would help attract businesses that fit the town.
• Phillip A. Orphanidis: Would keep an inventory of vacant storefronts, work with owners to recruit tenants, and give new businesses a clear guide to permits and inspections. Prioritizes cleaner public spaces, maintained sidewalks, safer crossings, parking information, and joint promotion, with markets and cultural events through partnerships. Improvements would be phased and paid for through existing resources, grants, and partnerships.
• Joe Krakoviak: Would hire a full-time planner with economic-development experience, then a consultant to produce an integrated market analysis and marketing strategy for Main Street and Valley Road, built with input from all stakeholders. Would hire more building inspectors for faster service and more permit revenue, and review inspection and zoning processes using analytics.

3. South Mountain Reservation and historical preservation

Nearby communities, including Millburn and Maplewood, offer historical books and maps of South Mountain Reservation. Would you support a similar initiative at the West Orange Public Library, with proceeds potentially benefiting preservation and improvements? How would you work with Essex County to improve trails, historical signage, recreational facilities, and access to the reservation?

• Brian Rock: Yes; would favor selling trail maps at the library. Would support Essex County in improving its parks within West Orange in any way he can.
• Tammy Williams: Yes; would like the Library and Friends of the Library to produce historical books and maps, with proceeds going to preservation. Would meet regularly with County Parks leadership on trail upkeep, historical signage, recreational facilities, and safer walking and biking access.
• Joyce Rudin: Yes; would explore it with the Library Board and Essex County. Cited chairing the Coalition to Save South Mountain Reservation, which stopped an amphitheater's expansion into its wetlands. Would be a consistent advocate with the county on trails, signage, and access.
• Phillip A. Orphanidis: Yes, developed with local historians and preservation groups. Also wants to do more with Thomas Edison's laboratory and estate by promoting historic sites and heritage tourism. Would work with Essex County on trails, signage, facilities, and accessibility, and partner with the National Park Service and historical organizations, funded through grants and partnerships.
• Joe Krakoviak: Would not duplicate existing books and maps; said the library is a separate public entity under state law that the township cannot direct. Cited a decade on the West Orange Historic Preservation Commission. Would better promote the South Mountain Conservancy, where he volunteers clearing and blazing trails.

4. Infrastructure and public safety

What are your plans to address aging sewer infrastructure, flooding, road conditions, traffic congestion, pedestrian safety, and safer bicycle connections throughout West Orange?

• Brian Rock: Made pedestrian safety a priority. Proposed sidewalks on Mt. Pleasant Ave between Pleasant Valley Way and Marion Drive, road diets on parts of Pleasant Valley Way and Eagle Rock Ave (four lanes down to two plus a turning lane), and crosswalks at bus stops that lack them.
• Tammy Williams: Would assess sewer lines and drainage so repairs are ranked by risk, with the worst-flooding areas first. Would publish an annual road-paving list and pursue state and federal infrastructure grants. Prioritizes crosswalks, speed controls near schools and parks, and a connected network of safer bike routes, working with the county on county roads.
• Joyce Rudin: Said sewer fees should pay for sewers rather than going into the general fund. Would publish a full accounting of fees and repairs and move to usage-based sewer fees instead of fees based on bedroom count. Cited strengthening the stormwater and tree ordinances; as liaison to the Pedestrian Safety Advisory Board, would advance Vision Zero with more visible crosswalks, street fixes, and better jitney and transit connections. Said bike lanes would need to be mapped out.
• Phillip A. Orphanidis: Would publish a prioritized assessment of sewers, flooding, roads, and dangerous traffic spots, ranked by safety and the cost of delay, and coordinate sewer work with paving. Said about $1.5 million of roughly $10 million in yearly sewer fees goes to the general budget and would redirect it to sewer and flood work. Would target crossings, signals, visibility, and speeding, and link bike routes to useful destinations.
• Joe Krakoviak: Said the township is beginning to map its sewer system to fix weak spots before costly emergencies, partly funded by debt-plan savings, and cited the strict stormwater ordinance. Most major roads belong to the county or state, so the township coordinates with them. Supports Safe Streets work downtown and near schools, more police directed patrols, and more intersection cameras. Said the age of many streets, especially downtown, rules out bike lanes.

5. Parks and recreation

What improvements would you prioritize for our parks, athletic fields, trails, and recreational programs? How would you protect our remaining open spaces and tree canopy?

• Brian Rock: A runner and hiker who supports the parks. Would like to create the "West Orange Trail" called for in the Master Plan, similar to the Lenape Trail, connecting natural and historic landmarks through Eagle Rock and South Mountain.
• Tammy Williams: Would set a regular maintenance schedule for fields and playgrounds, add lighting and restrooms where most needed, and expand programs for children, teens, and seniors. Cited helping preserve Crestmont and pledged to protect remaining open space.
• Joyce Rudin: Co-founded Our Green West Orange. Would pursue Green Acres funding to permanently protect Rock Spring and Crestmont, enforce tree protections, prioritize planting, maintain existing parks, and explore community gardens. Criticized $20,000 spent on eight signs at Crystal Lake that identified the same tree.
• Phillip A. Orphanidis: Would maintain and improve existing parks and facilities first. Proposes a reporting system like Jersey City's SeeClickFix so residents can report hazards and track repairs. Would keep recreation affordable for all ages and abilities and oppose development that sacrifices open space or trees without a compelling public benefit.
• Joe Krakoviak: Said a multi-year renovation of all parks is nearly complete, with future spending based on need. Would enforce the tree protection ordinance more strongly and start a new review of open-space acquisitions, since the Open Space Trust Fund is growing.

6. Youth and community involvement

Would you support establishing a Youth Advisory Council to give high school and college students a greater voice in local government? What additional opportunities would you create for young residents?

• Brian Rock: Yes. A former high school social studies and civics teacher, he would also appoint youth representatives to some boards and commissions, such as the Downtown Alliance.
• Tammy Williams: Yes, strongly. Would expand summer jobs and internships in township departments, create volunteer and leadership opportunities, and partner with schools on civic education. Cited her work with the West Orange STOP Suicide Advocacy Coalition (WOSAC).
• Joyce Rudin: Yes. Would welcome students at the monthly Council Connection meetings she started.
• Phillip A. Orphanidis: Yes, with an open application process, members from different neighborhoods, and recommendations the administration answers publicly. Would offer internships, job shadowing, volunteer projects, and career workshops open to students regardless of personal connections.
• Joe Krakoviak: Yes. Supports internships for high school and college students, though he said state rules limit how many the budget allows. The township also employs young people in recreation programs.

7. Library and municipal services

How would you expand the library's educational and community programs while modernizing municipal services, including online permits, payments, public records, and communication with residents?

• Brian Rock: Said the library is quasi-independent but would support its leadership. Would finish the library parking lot improvements, make Essex Green safer to reach on foot or bike, and hold a free town-wide book swap using residents' little free libraries.
• Tammy Williams: Would support a satellite library at 46 Mt. Pleasant with a computer lab, book pickup and drop-off, and workshops, tech classes, tutoring, and cultural events. Residents should be able to handle permits, bills, and records requests online and track them. Would create an Office of Cultural and Community Affairs and add text alerts, a newsletter, and a simpler website.
• Joyce Rudin: Said the library's move to Rooney Circle has cost more than $8 million, and that she voted against a $57,000 no-bid contract to turn the promised library annex at 46 Mt. Pleasant into engineering offices. Would keep promises to library users. Town Hall should tell residents who is responsible, the next step, and when they will hear back; would modernize online permits, payments, and records requests.
• Phillip A. Orphanidis: Would work with library leadership on tutoring, digital literacy, career help, and cultural, senior, and youth programs through partnerships. Wants an easier website with trackable permits, payments, and records requests, plus a SeeClickFix-style system for potholes, streetlights, flooding, and outages. Phone and in-person service would remain, with published response-time standards.
• Joe Krakoviak: Said the library is a separate entity under state law that the township cannot direct. Digitizing resident services is underway but slower than hoped; the sewer user fee will be based on water usage next year. Would upgrade the website and expand content explaining how tax money is used.

8. Government transparency

What specific measures would you implement to make township spending, contracts, development proposals, and municipal decisions more accessible to the public?

• Brian Rock: No direct response to this question in the written reply.
• Tammy Williams: Would post the budget, major contracts, and development proposals online in plain language, hold community meetings on major projects before decisions are made, and issue regular public reports on finances and debt.
• Joyce Rudin: Would make the terms and costs of major decisions public before they are final, with on-time budgets, competitive bidding, and clear explanations of contracts. When public property is transferred, residents should know its value and other offers; cited opposing the 18 Central Avenue transfer. Would publish invoices and spending records, continue the Rudin Report, and noted her pledge not to take contributions from township vendors.
• Phillip A. Orphanidis: Would create a searchable transparency section on the township website with budgets, spending, debt, contracts, and development materials explained in plain language. Residents would get time to review major contracts and proposals before votes. Would issue quarterly reports on campaign commitments and hold regular public question-and-answer sessions.
• Joe Krakoviak: Said he has proposed several transparency ordinances in 12 years on council, one of which improved meeting and agenda transparency. A pending 13-part ordinance would, among other things, inform residents of every lawsuit involving the township; he hopes to pass it as mayor.

9. Affordable housing and neighborhoods

How would you meet West Orange's affordable-housing obligations while addressing concerns about infrastructure, traffic, school capacity, and neighborhood character?

• Brian Rock: Said the township must permit more development to meet state requirements. Would steer larger projects to Main Street and the Valley near transit, and pursue accessory dwelling units such as garage apartments for young, single residents.
• Tammy Williams: Called it a state mandate, not a local option. Would plan early so the township, not courts or developers, decides where housing goes, favoring underused commercial sites and mixed-use downtown projects over dense projects in established neighborhoods. Developers would contribute to the infrastructure their projects require.
• Joyce Rudin: Said the current administration missed the state deadline, leading to six builder's-remedy lawsuits. Voted against the 410 Main Street settlement. Would map suitable locations with residents and a planner, use form-based zoning, allow accessory dwelling units, repurpose existing buildings, and review every project's effects on traffic, sewers, schools, and neighborhood character.
• Phillip A. Orphanidis: Would meet obligations through a publicly explained plan using existing buildings and suitable redevelopment sites, checking sewer, drainage, traffic, and school capacity and keeping costs off existing taxpayers. Also proposes four-year caps on annual rent increases of 1% for renters and 0% for senior renters.
• Joe Krakoviak: Said Mayor McCartney missed the June 30, 2025, deadline, and that on April 22, 2025, a council majority including Rudin and Scarpa voted down hiring a planning firm, which he supported. Six builder's-remedy lawsuits followed. Said legal advice is that the township's immunity depends on settling, so the goal is to settle for less overdevelopment.

10. Accountability

If elected, what three tangible improvements should West Orange residents expect to see within your first two years, and how would you measure your administration's progress?

• Brian Rock: A proposed budget before the February 28 deadline, a full-time planner, modernized downtown parking lots, meters, and signage, and progress on at least one pedestrian safety project with Essex County.
• Tammy Williams: Online permits, payments, and records with a one-stop office; a published capital plan and debt-reduction schedule; and more businesses and regular events downtown. Progress would be shown on a public dashboard of permit times, debt, storefront occupancy, and resident satisfaction.
• Joyce Rudin: An on-time budget and completed forensic audit; a professional planner; and an in-house law department with every eligible Green Acres application filed. Progress would be measured against about $600,000 a year in legal costs and grant dollars applied to debt, and reported through the Rudin Report.
• Phillip A. Orphanidis: Spending and tax discipline with far less new borrowing, reported against a published baseline; more responsive services with published response and permit times; and visible progress on roads, drainage, and pedestrian hazards through a public project list. Quarterly public reports would explain any missed targets.
• Joe Krakoviak: Fix or sell Rock Spring Golf Club; charge jitney fares and sell bus advertising; and complete an analysis of Main Street and Valley Road to attract developers and businesses. Said progress would be visible to the public and expressed openness to regular status reports.

Additional proposals

The letter invited candidates to share any other priorities.

• Joe Krakoviak: Find ways beyond taxes to lower the cost of living, such as lower fees; better mayor–council collaboration; tighter control of salary costs; skepticism toward PILOT agreements; competitive bidding for more contracts, including professional services; an in-house lawyer and paralegal; and an early, pared-down mayoral budget.

Works Cited

Related

• West Orange Candidates Overview

Info

Madthew PL
Young West Orange
[email protected]