TOMMY DECATALDO for Borough Council 

What do you think the major issues facing New Providence are at this time? How do you propose making improvements to said issues? If the issue(s) identified has a substantial price tag, how do you propose paying for it? 

I think there are several important issues on the horizon for our community. At our most recent council meeting, we saw disagreement among the council and our residents over the downtown development plan that has been in circulation for years. New Providence’s downtown is integral to our small-town feel and it is important that our residents allow their voices to be heard on any proposed changes to the downtown. 

Our borough will also face challenges in the coming years with Affordable Housing mandates, and we need to be proactive and strategic in how this situation is handled. 

If elected, I would make it my top priority to promote transparency and elicit the opinions of our community with regard to downtown development. We need to consider a number of factors such as creating green space, traffic and pedestrian safety, and make smart decisions that preserve our small town feel while remaining open to intelligent development and the potential for increased revenue to the borough.