Why Jason Snyder Is Running For Council
May 31, 2009 Filed in: Politics
We are in a unique campaign. For the first time in
years there are vacancies in both citywide offices
and the people of Englewood have an opportunity to
chart a new course forward. But we do so at a
precarious time. Our city and indeed our country are
facing unprecedented challenges. Property values are
at 2005 levels yet taxes are growing. People are
facing personal economic hardship making their
depressed home values and increasing tax burdens that
much more significant and painful. Yet we cannot just
irresponsibly cut taxes, because that would
inevitably lead to unacceptable cuts in services,
which would inevitably most affect those who could
least afford it. These times call for someone with
the background and experience to assist the Council
in its important work.
My background and training make me the ideal candidate for this job at this time. Since my graduation from Harvard Law School, I have worked as a corporate finance lawyer in New York, Silicon Valley and London, as well as General Counsel for a startup technology company in Englewood. I have been trained to dig into the details of financial statements, to conduct due diligence, and to ask the tough questions necessary to get to the bottom of a proposed transaction. I will bring those same skills to the City Council and the budget, always keeping in mind that every dollar the Council spends comes from real, hardworking people, who cannot be used as ATM machines to fund entrenched interests. To my knowledge, I am the only one among the current City Council members, as well as those running in the Democratic primary for the Council, who has such training and experience.
We need creative solutions to the difficult problems we face. For example, the typical response to increasing tax burdens is to slash services, thereby reducing associated costs. But there are other potential solutions to the problem, including ways of bringing in additional revenue, without increasing the burden on the residential taxpayer or cutting services. Englewood has recently had a spate of residential real estate development, which has not always worked for the benefit of the people of Englewood. At one development in particular, the developer was granted a variance to build residential housing on the condition that it also build office space. Here we are five years later, and the residential housing (more profitable for the developer) has been built, but not the office space (more profitable for Englewood). By the developer’s own estimates, the city of Englewood is losing almost a million dollars a year in tax revenue because of the developer’s breach of contract. The City must vigorously enforce its agreements and collect every dollar owed to it those who do business here. At least in the short-term, that is the most effective way to keep our property tax levels stable. How many jobs would the City need to cut in order to achieve the same impact as an extra million dollars a year in commercial property tax revenue?
[I note that this particular developer is appearing before the Planning Board this week to justify its actions, and for the Planning Board to determine if any corrective action is to be taken. I call on the Planning Board to do its duty and to protect the interests of the residential taxpayers by holding the developer responsible for its breaches.]
As we look forward, I am calling on the next mayor – ideally my running mate, Scott Reddin – to appoint people to the Planning Board who are knowledgeable in various disciplines and committed to Englewood, rather than those who are political contributors or easily influenced by the interests of the wealthy and powerful. And any new development must maintain the character of existing neighborhoods as much as possible, with priority given to development of the downtown corridor and the industrial zone. Any new development should also conform to the highest level of “green” building practices.
The city should also be exploring all options when it comes to consolidation of services with other local municipalities. No option can be considered “off the table” at times like these.
Local businesses are the lifeblood of our city, providing employment and helping alleviate the tax burden on the residents. We must nurture our local businesses and work to attract new business to our city. This includes revamping Englewood’s website, which should be the public face of a city but in Englewood’s case does not, as it currently stands, accurately reflect the character of our city. Fixing the city’s website would also have the ancillary effect of improving communication between the city and the citizens.
Finally, I am calling for Englewood to be on the forefront of the good government movement by adopting a set of principles that many people call “radical transparency” or “open government.” The idea calls for all government decision-making to be carried out in public. Documents, contracts and proposals (including drafts), arguments for and against proposals, the decisions about the decision-making process itself, and final decisions should all be accessible and archived on the city’s website in perpetuity. As Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis famously wrote many years ago, “sunlight is the best disinfectant.”
We are facing challenging times, but I am encouraged by the love for Englewood that I encounter when talking to people in our city. I am humbled and thrilled to be running for office in such a prominent, vibrant and diverse city, which has become an outstanding example of independent thinking and vision for the rest of Bergen County. If you give me the chance to represent you, I promise that I will always act out of my concern for the best interests of the city and its residents. We may not always agree with each other on every issue, but as long as we can treat each other with respect, and with honesty, I know that under a transparent administration we can truly enhance Englewood’s reputation as the crown jewel of Bergen County.
Vote Democrats for Englewood – Scott Reddin and Jason Snyder – on June 2.
My background and training make me the ideal candidate for this job at this time. Since my graduation from Harvard Law School, I have worked as a corporate finance lawyer in New York, Silicon Valley and London, as well as General Counsel for a startup technology company in Englewood. I have been trained to dig into the details of financial statements, to conduct due diligence, and to ask the tough questions necessary to get to the bottom of a proposed transaction. I will bring those same skills to the City Council and the budget, always keeping in mind that every dollar the Council spends comes from real, hardworking people, who cannot be used as ATM machines to fund entrenched interests. To my knowledge, I am the only one among the current City Council members, as well as those running in the Democratic primary for the Council, who has such training and experience.
We need creative solutions to the difficult problems we face. For example, the typical response to increasing tax burdens is to slash services, thereby reducing associated costs. But there are other potential solutions to the problem, including ways of bringing in additional revenue, without increasing the burden on the residential taxpayer or cutting services. Englewood has recently had a spate of residential real estate development, which has not always worked for the benefit of the people of Englewood. At one development in particular, the developer was granted a variance to build residential housing on the condition that it also build office space. Here we are five years later, and the residential housing (more profitable for the developer) has been built, but not the office space (more profitable for Englewood). By the developer’s own estimates, the city of Englewood is losing almost a million dollars a year in tax revenue because of the developer’s breach of contract. The City must vigorously enforce its agreements and collect every dollar owed to it those who do business here. At least in the short-term, that is the most effective way to keep our property tax levels stable. How many jobs would the City need to cut in order to achieve the same impact as an extra million dollars a year in commercial property tax revenue?
[I note that this particular developer is appearing before the Planning Board this week to justify its actions, and for the Planning Board to determine if any corrective action is to be taken. I call on the Planning Board to do its duty and to protect the interests of the residential taxpayers by holding the developer responsible for its breaches.]
As we look forward, I am calling on the next mayor – ideally my running mate, Scott Reddin – to appoint people to the Planning Board who are knowledgeable in various disciplines and committed to Englewood, rather than those who are political contributors or easily influenced by the interests of the wealthy and powerful. And any new development must maintain the character of existing neighborhoods as much as possible, with priority given to development of the downtown corridor and the industrial zone. Any new development should also conform to the highest level of “green” building practices.
The city should also be exploring all options when it comes to consolidation of services with other local municipalities. No option can be considered “off the table” at times like these.
Local businesses are the lifeblood of our city, providing employment and helping alleviate the tax burden on the residents. We must nurture our local businesses and work to attract new business to our city. This includes revamping Englewood’s website, which should be the public face of a city but in Englewood’s case does not, as it currently stands, accurately reflect the character of our city. Fixing the city’s website would also have the ancillary effect of improving communication between the city and the citizens.
Finally, I am calling for Englewood to be on the forefront of the good government movement by adopting a set of principles that many people call “radical transparency” or “open government.” The idea calls for all government decision-making to be carried out in public. Documents, contracts and proposals (including drafts), arguments for and against proposals, the decisions about the decision-making process itself, and final decisions should all be accessible and archived on the city’s website in perpetuity. As Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis famously wrote many years ago, “sunlight is the best disinfectant.”
We are facing challenging times, but I am encouraged by the love for Englewood that I encounter when talking to people in our city. I am humbled and thrilled to be running for office in such a prominent, vibrant and diverse city, which has become an outstanding example of independent thinking and vision for the rest of Bergen County. If you give me the chance to represent you, I promise that I will always act out of my concern for the best interests of the city and its residents. We may not always agree with each other on every issue, but as long as we can treat each other with respect, and with honesty, I know that under a transparent administration we can truly enhance Englewood’s reputation as the crown jewel of Bergen County.
Vote Democrats for Englewood – Scott Reddin and Jason Snyder – on June 2.
