Democrats up to Republican challenge in Haledon

NorthJersey.com
November 2, 2010
By Justin Zaremba

Democrats swept the mayor and council races on Election Day in Haledon.

Incumbent Democrat Mayor Domenick Stampone won re-election for another four years against John Block Jr., a Republican, by a 888 to 787 margin.

Council President Maha Kandis and Mounir Almaita, both Democrats, won their two, three-year council seats against Republicans Karen Coletta and Dan Moore. Kandis received 900 votes, Almaita 873, Coletta 738 and Moore 718, respectively. Democrat Michael Johnson won the one-year unexpired term of Marc Battle, besting Republican Nancy Mercuro, 876 to 738.

Domenick Stampone

Stampone, 39, is married with three children and won his second term as mayor. He formerly served on the Manchester Regional Board of Education and on the Haledon Council. Stampone is a former municipal attorney for Paterson and professor at William Paterson University.

Stampone said he was seeking re-election in order to continue current projects.

"I'd like to finish what I started from the perspective of trying to bring Haledon into the 21st century both in terms of infrastructure and updating our commercial area in town," Stampone said. "That's really what's going to allow Haledon the ability to provide services to residents and homes that will appreciate. None of that happens unless the town is an attractive place to come to."

Stampone said the municipality needed a "stable commercial sector" in order to reduce the municipal tax rate, adding that, "Haledon will always be handicapped with its geographic position. We don't have highways that would bring you big ticket rateables."

Stampone said he was encouraged by a new Walgreens coming to town and the recently renewed possibility of selling the old borough hall to a developer.

Stampone stated the atmosphere in the region shifted from larger government to smaller government leaving small towns like Haledon in the lurch.

"I don't know how much more efficient a town like Haledon could get," Stampone said. "Expenditures keep getting smaller but we have to raise taxes due to reduced state aid and commercial rateables."

Stampone also criticized his opponent, John Block Jr., claiming he had not spent "a dime" on improving infrastructure in the town during his tenure as mayor and had increased taxes those years.

Maha Kandis

Kandis, 43, has a daughter and will begin her third council term in January. She is a former board member of the Circassian Benevolent Association. She is a senior clinical project manager at Wyeth Pharmaceuticals.

Kandis said she would continue to streamline and consolidate services to provide a savings to residents.

"I'm a very process-oriented person and I'm always looking for efficiency," Kandis said. "And so I always look at how things are done. If there's a cheaper, quicker, easier way to do things, I'm always looking to implement that."

Kandis said the borough was implementing new strategies to improve services, including a redesign of the borough website to improve communication with residents, and partnering with the Boys & Girls Club for youth programs.

Kandis said the reduced amount of state aid received by the borough and the local tax rate were of critical concern for residents.

"I'm sure they're relieved but it's not completely satisfactory to many I'm sure, but again, we're being asked to do more with less," Kandis said. "It's a constant struggle between giving the residents what they want and need versus how we can deliver that with tax dollars."

Mounir Almaita

Almaita, 51, is married with two children. He is a social studies teacher at Kennedy High School in Paterson and president of the Haledon Democratic Club. He is a former member of the Manchester Regional Board of Education and the commissioner of the Haledon Board of Health. This will be his first term on the council.

"The biggest problem in Haledon is taxes and this is not unique to Haledon," Almaita said. "Every other town in New Jersey has the same problem, but in Haledon its obviously exaggerated because we don't really have any rateables. We don't have factories, we don't have any big businesses that bring in tax dollars or bring in tax relief to residents. Almost all taxes are paid by the residents of the town."

Almaita said the governing body should seek out more shared services in order to cut costs and try to bring in more commercial businesses. He said he and other Democrats were encouraged by the Walgreens that would be opening up in the municipality.

"We encourage businesses to come but we want businesses that are going to be beneficial to the town," Almaita said.

Michael Johnson

Johnson, 33, is married and has two children. He is a police detective in Paterson with the Street Crimes Unit. He is a member of the executive board and a chaplain of the Bronze Shields of Passaic County. He is seeking his first elected term on the council. Earlier this year, he was appointed to the council to serve the unexpired term of Marc Battle, who resigned last year. Johnson replaced Daniel Batelli, who was appointed last year to Battle's term, but later resigned.

"I'm not a typical politician," Johnson said. "I got into this race just to help out the community from the law enforcement point of view."

Johnson said the need to improve quality of life was of critical importance in this election as were taxes and reducing costs via shared services.

"This isn't Paterson and this isn't Prospect Park," Johnson said. "This is Haledon and it has its own identity."

Johnson said the borough needed to encourage business growth in the municipality in order to reduce taxes for residents but that the limited amount of space proved a hindrance. Johnson stated that the current governing body was encouraged by a Walgreens moving into town.

"We need to get businesses into this town quick and as soon as possible," Johnson said.