CRESSKILL, N.J.—Republican incumbents on the Borough Council face a challenge by a Democrat nominee in the race for two three-year terms this Election Day, Nov. 5.
Republican Mayor Benedict Romeo is unopposed and is expected to be reelected, while Council members Simone Tsigounis and Mark Spina—also in the Republican Column 1—are challenged by Democrat Leslie Kaplan.
We invited the candidates to submit a 250-word statement outlining their backgrounds and issues that are of importance to them; they appear in alphabetical order by last name. Asterisks denote incumbents.
Leslie Kaplan
– Political party: Democrat.
– Age: 74.
– Years of residency: 32.
– Career: Appeals Officer for the Federal Government Department of the Treasury.
– College degrees or certifications: B.S. in Economics, Richmond College of the City University of New York; J.D., St. John’s University School of Law.
– Family: Wife, Sheri; sons, Michael and Philip.
– Past elected experience: Democratic County Committeeman; President, Cresskill Library.
I am running for Cresskill’s borough council because I care greatly about public service. Cresskill is where I made a home with my wife and raised my family. As a retired attorney, I can devote a full time effort to the trust which is given to public officials.
I have been walking the streets of Cresskill, talking to people about what is important in their lives. I believe that I can offer up a new perspective and fresh ideas. To that purpose, I propose governance based on the following themes.
First, we can only keep improving if we build our community together. We need more community events and programming to bring us together as friends and neighbors. We need to increase transparency and community involvement in our municipal government so that all Cresskill residents have the opportunity to contribute their energies and talents. We also need to make sure that we support property values by investing in our common infrastructure.
Second, we need to keep Cresskill affordable. Even as we invest in our community, we cannot let it become unaffordable for the people at the very center of its being. We should pursue open space grants to fund our parks and support our business community so that residents don’t have to bear our town’s tax burden by themselves. I will also support shared service agreements that help our town control the cost of government.
I hope that you will vote Nov. 5 for fresh ideas for building our community together.
—Leslie Kaplan
Mark Spina*
– Political party: Republican.
– Age: 49.
– Years of residency: 39.
– Career: Business management.
– College degrees or certifications: MBA, Fordham University; B.A., Bucknell University.
– Family: Married with two children.
– Past elected experience: Cresskill Council.
Simone and I grew up in Cresskill, graduated from CHS and now give back to the community through our service on the council. We serve all of Cresskill’s residents, including seniors, parents and the children. We are liaisons to multiple boards and commissions that help connect the council to the residents. We bring reliable decision-making and innovative ideas. We also support the many facilities and community groups that provide extensive programs from the arts to science, social and sports.
I believe in a fiscally responsible approach to the use of tax-dollars to keep taxes contained while enhancing the appeal of the town. The council has thoughtfully managed the budget, utilizing grant money to offset our costs. We continue to support a common sense approach to maintenance and improvements. We have passed the borough’s first tree ordinance, protecting the character of the town by preventing “clear cutting.”
I advocate for communication and community engagement. We have upgraded the borough’s website and welcomed the addition of social media capabilities like Facebook pages and Burbio. I also encourage the more traditional interaction of council meetings and we recognize many groups for their civic accomplishments. We recently hosted the Northern Valley Greenway for an interesting progress report. I believe that in order to be effective, we have to first listen to the community.
Additionally, I am on the board of directors for the SEAL Family Foundation that supports Naval Special Warfare (NSW) families and The Gateway to Leadership Foundation, which supports career awareness and workforce readiness for underrepresented communities.
—Mark Spina
Simone Tsigounis*
– Political party: Republican.
– Age: 53.
– Years of residency in town: 47.
– Career: Architect/Attorney.
– College degrees or certifications: Bachelor of Science in Art and Design – MIT; Master in Architecture – MIT; Juris Doctor – Rutgers Law School, Newark; LEED Accredited Professional.
– Family: Single, no children.
– Past elected experience: Cresskill Council.
Dear Fellow Residents:
This election is about who best will represent you on our council the next three years. My running mate, Mark Spina, and I urge you to get out and vote for us!
In Cresskill, our governing body is unique. We are a team. We listen to each other’s perspective and remain objective; empowering us to collectively resolve Cresskill’s issues.
Mark and I are the youngest members. We are liaisons to our Historical, Senior, Environmental, Health, and Planning Boards. Moreover, we are committed to our youth. With children in our public schools and in higher institutions, we are aware of their distractions; from relying on mainstream media to the wisdom of their professors. We believe the best way to teach is by example, and are setting them here at home. We recently opened our History Museum, commemorating Cresskill’s story, and will break ground on our 9/11 Memorial, the attack that changed our world. Our youth must properly appreciate their past to better respect their future. For our challenged young adults, we are committed to build an independent living group so that they, too, can thrive in our community.
In closing, I’m a “hometown girl,” a Merritt School and CHS graduate, which set the foundation for me to receive my undergraduate and masters in architecture from MIT and, more recently, my law degree from Rutgers. With this, comes the responsibility of giving back. Allow my running mate, Mark Spina, and me to continue to represent you. On Nov. 5, vote for us!
—Simone Tsigounis
Sample Ballot
