By Chris Neidenberg / Reporter

EAST RUTHERFORD (Oct. 29, 2009) — In East Rutherford, two incumbent Republicans have drawn a free pass by running in an uncontested race.

In a highly unusal move, the borough’s Democratic Party declined to field a slate this year. That is, after back-to-back Republican sweeps.

The GOP has complete control of the seven-member governing body, made possible after Councilmen George Perry and Sam Stallone switched parties in 2008. Perry is seeking re-election as a Republican.

Both candidates replied via e-mail. Responses were edited for design purposes.

JEFFREY LAHULLIER, 51, is the vice president of L&L Mechanical Construction & Design Co., Inc., in East Rutherford. He is a third-generation resident whose grandparents set roots in the community in the 1930s. The married father of two daughters is seeking his third three-year term. Lahullier’s duties include serving as council president, fire committee chairman and chairman of the Building Committee for a New East Rutherford Police/Courts Building. He is also president of the East Rutherford Historical Society.

GEORGE PERRY, 58, is retired. He was a self-employed businessman. Also a lifelong resident, the councilman shapes municipal fiscal policy as the council’s finance committee chairman. The married father of two sons who also has two grandsons is seeking another three-year term. This, after joining the council as a Democrat in 2000. Yet he was involved in borough affairs well before then, particularly recreation matters. Perry was East Rutherford’s recreation director for 15 years and a recreation commission member for 20. He has coached in youth baseball and football leagues. Perry also served on the rent leveling board for 25 years.

What is the largest problem facing the community?

Lahullier: Complying with budget restraints mandated by the state Department of Community Affairs’ Division of Local Government Services has become a big problem.

The annual 4-percent cap, on the amount to be raised by taxation, is depleting the budget surplus we have generated over the years. In the past, we would apply $1.9 million in surplus to the current year’s budget. Over the course of that same year, we would generate enough surplus to replace what we had used.

During these economic times, the budget line items which would usually generate surplus are not. Building department permit fees are down. Also, commercial property owners are appealing their taxes, and we are losing.

Yet costs of line items within the 4-percent (taxation) cap are forever increasing (insurance, police salaries, utilities, etc.). The only glimmer of hope — in 2007, we generated approximately $600,000 in surplus, and in 2008, we generated $1.3 million. So we are starting to reverse the trend.

The only bad thing associated with this year’s revaluation is that it will increase tax appeals. But with the (total assessed valuation) ratio being brought to 100 percent, we should have a better chance of winning appeals.

Trenton’s reasoning behind this 4-percent cap is to give taxpayers relief in making us spend our surplus rather than raise more revenue through taxation. In that aspect, it is working. But at what cost?

We have not cut services in town yet or laid off any employees. But this may have to be looked at more closely next year — if revenues do not start increasing. You have two choices in stabilizing taxes: either increase revenues or cut costs.

We have no problem with the state’s separate cap on budget appropriations. We are way under that this year.

Perry: One problem is trying to pass a budget that is fair to residents, given the 2.5 percent (spending) cap the state imposes.

It makes it hard to put a budget together when normal increases in insurance, salaries, utilities, etc. are more than 4.5 percent.

Our employees have also been hurt by this cap. The Department of Public Works, borough hall staff and other employees did not get raises or any increase in benefits this year. And although they’re under contract, the police department gave back their raises and clothing allowances for the second half of the year. With their help, we have been able to put a budget together with minimal increases.

Suppose, in a worst-case scenario, Xanadu was to be postponed indefinitely or canceled because of financial problems. What would the borough do with the police officers specifically hired for Xanadu?

Lahullier: We may have to look at layoffs. We also have re-opened negotiations concerning the new Giants/Jets stadium for an increase in our PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes). The stadium will open next year, and the new practice facility has been open since the summer.

Perry: There is no doubt in my mind that Xanadu will open within a year, hopefully by March or April 2010. There is too much money already invested for them to go belly up. Work is 90 to 95 percent done. There are also some retirements coming within the next year or two, which will help in enabling us to keep the new hires.

Councilman Lahullier once said he hoped to have a groundbreaking for the new police department last June. Where are things headed on that issue, and what has to ultimately happen to make it a reality?

Lahullier: Finishing touches are being done on plans as we speak. We are evaluating the options we have for payment. If we bond, we would need to produce the 5-percent downpayment required by law. We do not have that in our budget right now.

We are looking into the option of asking Trenton for a waiver on the 5-percent (requirement). We are also looking into a lease/purchase option. Our bond counsel and accountant are working to resolve these issues.

Perry: The new police station and court are in the works and should begin shortly. We are presently working on the financing part of the project. A project this big cannot be rushed into.

The committee, headed by Councilmen Lahullier and (Joel) Brizzi, is doing an excellent job putting this project together. By working out all of the bugs beforehand, it’ll make it easier to build.

What is your proudest accomplishment since joining the council?

Lahullier: Being able to serve the residents of East Rutherford for almost six years.

Being a good listener. I’d like to paraphrase Rudy Giuliani’s philosophy about how to deal with your constituents. He suggests that you ‘underpromise and overdeliver.’

Politicians can get themselves into real hot water ‘yessing’ people to death and not being able to follow through with a promise. I’ll tell you straight to your face that I’ll look into any problem you may have, and get back to you with an answer one way or another, even if the answer is no.

I think people respect you more for getting back to them, even if the answer is no, rather than never responding at all. You can try dodging people for a while, but that does not work. East Rutherford is too small a town, and I can guarantee you will bump into that person somewhere in town.

Being a politician, you deal with a mountain of grief. But all it takes is that one sincere ‘thank you,’ from the person, you just had a tree branch trimmed or a cracked sidewalk replaced for, to make all the grief disappear — at least for a short time.

I’m also extremely proud to be part of a team which, hopefully, will be remembered as the mayor and council which guided East Rutherford through the renaissance we are experiencing: remodeling our athletic fields; a new civic center; (planned) new police/courts building; Streetscapes; Sesselman Park; transforming the old blighted industrial sections into new and beautified tax-revenue-generating properties; and Xanadu.

Perry: Living in East Rutherford all my life, keeping our small town appearance means a lot.

Helping to make our fields and parks second to none is a proud accomplishment. Having coached for almost 30 years, it’s nice to have fields with lights so you can complete games instead of cutting them short. Our civic center is another big accomplishment.