Councilman Thomas Pirone Wants to Control Spending, Plan for Future

Editor's Note: During the month of August, New Providence-Berkeley Heights Patch will be publishing a Q&A with each candidate for the Berkeley Heights Township Council, New Providence Borough Council, and the Mountainside Borough Council. Here is our first Q&A with Councilman Thomas Pirone, who is seeking another term with Berkeley Heights Township Council.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Name: Thomas Pirone

Age: 47

Address: 43 Baker Avenue, Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922

Years Lived in Town:17

Family: wife Joanie, son in high school, daughter in middle school

Education: Bachelor of Electrical Engineering.

Occupation: Assistant Vice President - Business Analysis at Moody's Corporation

Military service: none

Community/political background: Berkeley Heights Volunteer Rescue Squad Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) 4 years (800 hours per year); Boy Scout Merit Badge Councilor 5 years (90 scouts in 10 Troops)

Campaign website: email: thepirones@verizon.net phone: 908-508-1538 mail: 43 Baker Av BH NJ 07922  Donations to: "Pirone for Township Council"


PREVIOUS ELECTION AND APPOINTED OFFICES

Elected: Township Council 2007 (1 year term), Township Council 2011-2013 (3 year term)

Unsuccessful campaigns for public office: Township Council 2008

Appointed: Planning Board 4 years, Board of Health 3 years, Emergency Management Office 2 years, Beautification Committee 1 year.


CAMPAIGN PLATFORM

What do you think are the three biggest issues facing Berkeley Heights right now and where do you stand on each issue?

1. Expiring union contracts - I will only vote yes for contacts with a total cost increase at or less than 2% per year. The total cost includes everything: current and new personnel, longevity pay, step increases, holiday pay, benefits, and vacations.
2. Property taxes and services - I will stay within the 2% cap on spending increases while maintaining the infrastructure and services the residents expect for the long-term.
3. Potential land swap with Little Flower - I will only approve a land swap with Little Flower if it is in the long-term financial interest of all the residents. It is too early to say at this point; I am open to negotiation. The town hall in New Providence and Long Hill are both in buildings that were repurposed. I will do it if there are long-range financial maintenance benefits for taxpayers and will result in a better downtown. If the property where the town government is located near the train station is replaced by additional downtown businesses they will defray school and town service costs for homeowners and result in a more robust downtown.

Why are you running for council?

I want the council to remain focused on the long-term financial health of the town. I saw what happened in 2008 and 2009 when the council increased yearly operating expenses much closer to 10% instead of 2 or 3 percent. They covered it up by spending all the surplus which is our rainy day fund, resulting in a lower credit rating and a hard road back to spending controls. The last three years we have been fiscally conservative and budgeted what is fiscally sustainable for the long-term. It sounds good when a candidate says town taxes increased in the last few years and that they would have trimmed more. Ask them how they would have done it. What would they have cut? If they were not in office they have the advantage of hindsight and all records including the budget are public. If they won't put in the effort now, when running for office, why should we believe they will if elected?

What sets you apart from the other candidates?

Training, experience and achievements: To prepare for the town council I had taken courses in Municipal Finance, Municipal Budget Process, Financial Analysis of Local Governments, and Planning and Zoning. I have the experience of serving the residents of Berkeley Heights for four years on the town council. See the list of accomplishments in this article.

If elected, what will be your top priorities and why?

I will continue tight expenditure controls, conservative revenue forecasting, and long term planning because anything less would be irresponsible.

What issues are critical for Berkeley Heights for the next three years?

Every year it is critical to be fiscally conservative, but the community issues that may arise cannot be predicted. I have and will continue to stand on the side of the residents with every issue. Past issues that have been resolved include: protecting the residents from a state legislative bill to transfer authority from the locally elected school board to a county appointed superintendent, stopped the expansion of Exit 43 on Interstate 78, enacted the state tuition reimbursement program for volunteer fire and rescue personnel, enacted laws preventing over-construction on flag lots, and opposed the construction of proposed commercial buildings on residential streets.

What do you see as the biggest accomplishments and shortcomings of the existing council in the past three years?

As a council we have been fiscally responsible for the past three years. We've had no tolerance for mismanagement by those providing financial oversight or audit including replacing those who misappropriated or misallocated your tax dollars. We've eliminated the illegal practice of employee pension calculations including holiday pay. We've eliminated the transfer of sick time which cost the town money. The council has been fiscally conservative; settling tax appeals which reduced our financial risk - I won’t gamble with tax dollars and financial health of our town. In the past three years we have been executing a 6 year level spending plan for replacing old vehicles & equipment and maintaining roads. We have saved $100k/year in operating expenses by keeping dispatch for police, fire & medical emergencies in town. We have shopped for and purchased insurance at more cost-effective rates. The council has stopped cost increase for animal control and health inspectors with new contracts. Another $100k/year was saved by shortening crossing guard hours since students at further distances no longer walk to school. We now pro-rate vacation day accrual so departing employees are paid proportionately to their days worked. But the council has not lost its community focus: we have protected property owners with a revised construction law preventing builders from decreasing the buildable space on adjoining lots they don't own. We have added 35 paved train station commuter parking spaces and parking permits so more residents can use the public transportation available in town. And we have preserved the wastewater treatment capacity for our residents against other town's commercial interests.