BLOOMFIELD, NJ — Mayor Michael Venezia and the Township Council recently voted unanimously to have Township Attorney Michael Parlavecchio research the process of how terms of office be extended from three to four years. Earlier this week, Venezia said he understood the NJ Legislature would have to be petitioned.
What do Bloomfield residents think about extending municipal office terms?
A short survey was conducted by The Independent Press over the last three weeks. People were asked in a number of places: a barber shop, a Cruise Night, and at concerts in Brookside and Brookdale parks. They were told that the mayor wanted all municipal governing body elections to coincide with presidential elections beginning in 2020 because more people come out to vote at presidential elections. Also, that he acknowledged his own election was to a three-year term ending in 2019 and he would serve it. Elections for the mayor, and at-large council seats, would then take place for one-year terms, he said. Venezia also suggested that current terms for the mayor and at-large seats could possibly be extended one year but more research was necessary. All survey responses are published although two residents would not give their last names.
• “What would be the impetus? If it’s not broken, don’t fix it.”— Matthew Weber
• “The important question is why. A presidential election distracts people from local issues. That, I think, will make people inclined to vote for an incumbent. If people aren’t willing to come out to vote for local problems, that’s a problem. People have to take personal responsibility. We don’t need to be held by the hand constantly. You may have more people come out but I don’t think the voting will be responsible. I’d rather have fewer voters and more responsibility.”— James Brady
• “I think it’s a good idea. It would save time and money. Maybe people will be more informed. You get bombarded with presidential elections but you hear very little about local elections. Do it now. Why wait until 2019? I know everyone is pushing for what benefits them but if you’re better informed, you’ll make a better choice.” — Adriana Rivera
• “They should make it four years. It’s only an extra year. Three years is a waste of money. The presidential elections, more people vote. Off-year elections are not that good. The odds are pretty good a Democrat is going to win. People vote the line.”— Mark Kehrle
• “I like the three years. It gives more of an opportunity for someone else to run. Sometimes, someone is not doing their job. Get someone else in there. If it’s not broken, don’t fix it.”— Kevin Doherty
• “I like the fact not all seven are up for election at one time. If the elections are staggered, the electorate is less likely to be regrettably influenced in one voting opportunity. The benefit of local influence shouldn’t be tied to federal influence. People should be aware of the difference upon their lives of federal and local policies. We should scale our focus to consider federal and local issues. They shouldn’t get lost in one big election.”— Hank Fandel
• “Leaving it at three years is better. Then the attention is focused on what it should be focused on. When they’re voting for the president, they’re not looking at the story of what the mayor is for. There’s no focus.”— Vinny Foresta
• “Shorter is better. Three years but a maximum of two terms. Across the board, people are re-elected out of name recognition. Political office wasn’t meant to be a full-time job. Sometimes people get too comfortable. They keep their friends happy and are not concerned about their constituency.”— Christine Kaysen
• “Keep it the way it is and people will notice it. If you hook it up to the federal election, it’ll get lost.”— Linda
• “It’s not just for four years but at the same time as the presidential election. Local issues would become subsumed. Yes, more people would come out but local elections would be completely lost in the shuffle. If it is four years, make it not the presidential year. Maybe that would help. People would have to think about their vote about people in town. If it is going to be three years, it gives people an opportunity to change leadership and keep the politicians on their toes because an election is coming up.”— Elaine
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