WLB Borough Council

Barbara Ruane Homestead Ave. Republican

Regardless of the outcome of the election, the governing body will remain under Republican control.

Two seats are up for election on the six-member council, which has

a 5-to-1 GOP majority.

Like residents she has talked to recently, Republican Council-woman Barbara Ruane says she, too, is troubled by rising property taxes.

"New Jersey and New York homeowners pay the highest property taxes in the United States, and the residents, myself included, are frustrated and fed up and rightly so," said Ruane, who is seeking election to a full, three-year term on the council.

Victorious in last fall's special election to fill the unexpired term of former Democratic councilman Joseph DeLisa, Ruane says alleviating the property tax burden is a priority for West Long Branch officials

To help resolve the problems, borough officials need to explore shared municipal services and work "with state officials to have one funding formula for school districts that applies fairly throughout the entire state," Ruane said.

Barry Pollack Karen Court Democrat

Borough property owners ought to challenge their latest tax assessments "because 60 percent of homes are assessed too high, so it pays to scrutinize the assessments line by line," said Ruane, president of an emergency management and counter-terrorism consulting firm

Though she has only held elected office for 11 months, Ruane believes that GOP Mayor Janet W. Tucci and the current council members have progressed on key issues.

"I believe that as a mayor and council, we are a winning team that in a short time has made a positive difference for the town," Ruane said. "I am proud of what has been accomplished and I want to continue to be a part of that team."

Resolving water-logged conditions at 95 Poplar Ave. is another priority for Ruane, a member of the West Long Branch First Aid Squad and the council's liaison to that organization.

"The current council inherited this major project from our predecessors and progress is being made," Ruane said. "I'm hoping to move forward with a plan that will benefit the police as well as the residents."

"Maintaining the quality of life and integrity of our town" is another goal said Ruane, who pointed to her support of the borough's property maintenance ordinance that was adopted by the council earlier this year.

Since she took office, Ruane has overseen the placement of a Military Wall of Honor featuring photos and stories of local veterans at Borough Hall

Now serving as the chairwoman of the borough's "2008 Centennial Committee," Ruane is also organizing a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program for residents who hope to prepare for and assist with disaster management.

Watching residents move out of the borough due to the hardship of property taxes is a scenario Democratic Borough Council candidate Barry Pollack would like to see end.

"It's a great town," said Pollack of the community he has called home for 21 years. "But taxes are making it difficult for people to live here, especially the seniors."

Employed full time as the sales manager for Rittenhouse-Kerr Ford in Red Bank, Pollack is eager to apply his business sense to borough government, particularly in the areas of budgeting and expenditures.

Sharing services such as a municipal courtroom, as the incumbent governing body proposed, is a step in the right direction, Pollack said.

"I'm 100 percent for shared services," Pollack said, noting that the council should look at other means of doing so.

The lone Democrat bidding for one of two open council seats, Pollack said he would also favor looking more closely at ways to consolidate municipal budgets, without cutting services, and zero-based budgeting.

As in the business world, Pollack says he believes in reaching out beyond the council dais for ideas.

Sometimes residents might come up with ideas that officials have not thought of, that could be feasible, Pollack pointed out.

"We need people on board who can keep the town more informed," Pollack said. "We could get more ideas from the people in town, instead of doing it the way it's always been done."

Answering questions that come from the public within a reasonable time frame is important as well, he added.

"You have to make sure to get back to people who have questions about things that matter to them," Pollack said.

Continuing to work toward relieving poor working conditions inside the borough police station is another priority for Pollack, although he points to previous governing bodies for the delays in dealing with mold in the building.

"It never should have gotten to this point," Pollack said.

Building a stronger relationship with Monmouth University is another item worth pursuing

"They're not going away," Pollack said. "They could be a big asset to us. We need to find a way to work together with them."

A member of the West Long Branch Lions Club, Pollack has volunteered for Holiday Express since 1999 and has chaired the Monmouth County Boys & Girls Club Annual Toy Drive every year since 2001.

Pollack also received the 2002 Humanitarian Award for the Boys and Girls Club of Monmouth County.

- Sue Morgan