The season of colored ribbons is upon us, which means it is time to do our civic duty and elect the three commissioners who will lead our historic borough through the next four years. For me, two of the choices are easy: Ed Borden and Neal Rochford.
Our borough government and its structure demand several important qualities: leadership, responsibility, and vision. In many instances these qualities go hand-in-hand. Leadership and responsibility require one to take a position on the issues and to be accountable for the consequences that result.
Over the years, I have seen both Ed and Neal take positions on controversial matters and stand by their decisions. Why? Because more than anything they have a vision of what is best for our children and our town’s future.
Ed and Neal’s records of civil service are beyond reproach. Ed served on our board of education for four years and as a commissioner for the last eight years. These two bodies have huge impacts on our entire community. Both roles are highly visible and easy targets for those with differing views. Ed Borden has stood tall in serving both of these entities and continues to privately support more local groups and charities than most would ever know.
Neal served as a commissioner from 2005 to 2009 and lost the last election by a handful-and-a-half of votes — eight! So what did he do? He jumped right back into volunteering in the community, serving on the board of the municipal alliance, as president of the Rotary Club, and as a founder and co-chair of Sustainable Haddonfield (The Green Team).
Neal Rochford’s willingness to continue to serve the community he loves, even following such a narrow defeat, tells you all you need to know about Neal the man. Unfortunately in the age of the internet, opinions can become facts and facts can be turned into half-truths. The biggest half-truth that’s circulating right now relates to property taxes. While it is true that the average homeowner’s tax bill is the second highest in Camden County (behind Tavistock Borough), this being a function of high property values (the fact the critics fail to mention). Either because they are not aware of it or it does not fit their mantra is that Haddonfield’s municipal tax rate is the lowest in Camden County. (Source: http://www.state.nj.us/treasury/taxation/lpt/taxrate.shtml) The other thing the critics fail to mention again, either because they are not aware of it or it does not fit their mantra, is that the borough commissioners have no control over state and county taxes which, together, account for nearly 83 percent of our tax bill. In his letter to the editor last week, Bill Fonshell did a masterful job of explaining how little we pay in municipal taxes: just $6 a day for the average homeowner (which means that many property owners pay $5, even $4, for a wide variety of quality programs and services).
With the retirement of Mayor Colombi (Thank you for everything, Tish!) this year’s election, more than any in recent years, requires candidates who exemplify leadership, take responsibility for their decisions, and have a vision for our town’s future.
Ed Borden and Neal Rochford personify these qualities. I urge The Sun’s readers to join me in voting for them on May 14.
Jack O’Malley
