To the editor:
With regrets and apologies, I must inform everyone that there will not be a League of Women Voters forum for the candidates for mayor of Tenafly this year. The person who volunteered to organize it, who claims to be a former member of League, has violated the basic foundation of our Voters Service efforts—fairness, impartiality, and nonpartisanship.
On our website lwvbergen.net on the “Voting and Elections” page the section regarding Candidates Forums indicates that the first step in organizing a forum is to contact all the candidates to determine if they are willing to participate. (Providing candidates the opportunity to name any dates that they are not available). I have just learned that this did not occur, so regretfully, a forum for candidates for mayor of Tenafly will not happen this year.
A special thank you to Northern Valley Press, who had offered to co-sponsor the forum, as well as to others who, acting in good faith, expended necessary efforts to make a forum possible.
We can never allow the good reputation of The League of Women Voters for nearly a century, to be tarnished by those who try to use its Voters Service activities to the advantage of any candidate or party.
Lucy Heller
Co-president, League of Women Voters of Northern Valley
Editor’s note: Northern Valley Press was cold-called by Democratic Councilman Max Basch in early October, who asked the newspaper to co-sponsor a League of Women Voters-moderated debate between Tenafly mayoral candidates. The newspaper agreed in principle to announce and report on a debate.
Basch later wrote to the newspaper on Oct. 10 stating independent Mayor Peter Rustin, Democratic nominee Mark Zinna and Republican nominee Emanuel Savas would debate on Oct. 21 at the Tenafly High School.
In independently reaching out to the candidates, Rustin told Northern Valley Press that the newspaper’s outreach was the first time he had been contacted regarding any debate. Rustin further said he had a personal conflict preventing him from attending on Oct. 21.
Northern Valley Press then contacted the League of Women Voters of Northern Valley, prior to League Co-President Heller announcing no forum would be held.
