RED BANK COUNCIL CANDIDATES: LAURA JANNONE Q&A

Red Bank Council member Laura Jannone is running for re-election November 4. 

Four candidates, including three incumbents, are running for open seats on the Red Bank Borough Council in the November 4 election. They are running on the same slate and are running unopposed. Despite those factors, redbankgreen thinks it’s important for voters to know where candidates stand on issues facing the town.

Here’s incumbent Council Member Laura Jannone’s responses to a questionnaire sent to all four candidates. Additional voting information follows the Q&A.

Council candidate questions

Name: Laura Jannone Street: East Bergen Pl Where did you attend elementary/middle school? Mostly in Kearny, NJ although we lived in Bloomington, Indiana when I was 5th and 6th grade. My Father was transferred there with Otis Elevator. Where did you go to high school? Kearny High School Did you graduate from college? If so, which school, what degree? Yes, I earned my Diploma from Christ Hospital School of Nursing, Jersey City 1976; BSN Jersey City State College 1981; MS in Community Health Education New Jersey City University 1999; EdD Nursing Education Teachers College, Columbia University 2006; MSN, Monmouth University 2009. Have you served in the military? If so, what branch, and when? No, but I am thankful to my husband and Father for serving. What do you do for a living? (Title, employer, brief description of your responsibilities) I am currently retired after being a nurse 1976–2000 (various positions ICU-CCU, Community Health, Occupational Health, School Nurse 10 years). In 2000 I opened the School Nurse Certificate & MSN Program at Monmouth University. I also worked on making Health Studies from a Minor to a Major. I taught School Nursing, Substance Use & Abuse, Health Policy, Curriculum and Instruction in Health Education. I taught and was Director of the MSN Program at the Marjorie K. Unterberg School of Nursing & Health Studies for 23 years. After retiring I taught for City University of NY online. I was also COVID-19 Outreach Coordinator at VNACJ. How long have you been a resident of Red Bank? 25 years What commissions/boards/volunteer positions have you held in town or elsewhere? Standards and Practice Chair of NJ State School Nurses Association for the past 23 years; Monmouth County School Nurses Association Executive Board for the past 30 years. Liaison to Red Bank Library, Liaison to Red Bank Animal Welfare Advisory Committee, Liaison to Mayor’s Wellness Committee, served on Red Bank Cannabis Committee, serve on the Ad Hoc Committee to the Red Bank DPU Redevelopment, Trustee of Women & Girls Education (WAGE). I volunteer as a nurse at the Parker Clinic in town. I was elected to the Democratic Committee representing District 4. Do you own real estate in town? Yes, our home. We’re two years into the new form of government for Red Bank. How do you think it’s going? I think it is going well. Having a Borough Manager who oversees the various departments is very important. Jim Gant has restructured some of the Borough departments in a way to make them more efficient and accountable. This restructuring has helped get more projects started and completed and to get information out to the residents. He is in charge of the day-to-day operations of the Borough. What do you think is the biggest issue facing the borough right now? What’s your approach to fixing it? Affordable housing. Although there has been development, rents and housing costs are very high (this is a problem almost nationwide). Working with the Zoning and Planning Board to make workforce housing so that people who work in services in town — i.e., the hospital, schools, etc. — can afford to live in the town they serve. You are running on the Red Bank Ready slate aligned with Mayor Billy Portman. According to our observations, there has not been a single “no” vote on any ordinance or resolution since the slate took office. If you are an incumbent, is there nothing you have disagreed with? Are there any votes you think you were wrong about? For the non-incumbent, what attracted you to the slate and how do you see yourself aligned with the policies of the past two years? I am an incumbent. I agreed with Mayor Portman and my running mates’ philosophies and ideas. I feel the Red Bank Ready Team agrees on many issues — for example affordable housing, redevelopment of Marine Park, construction of a new Department of Public Utilities Building. I don’t think any votes were wrong; some decisions may have to be tweaked a little, for example Broadwalk. But we work as a team and listen to all of the residents and each other’s ideas. I like that we have office hours so residents can talk to us outside of council meetings if that is their preference. Some residents are concerned about the ongoing development boom and its impact on taxes, affordability, congestion and the character of the town. Others praise the building boom saying it creates a more vibrant town, reverses a late 20th century population downturn and the post-2008 nationwide housing construction slump. What’s your take? What should the borough be doing to maintain a balance in all this? I can see both sides of this issue. As I mentioned, we need more affordable housing, but inadequate supply makes it difficult for most housing to really be affordable, with prices pushing higher. I like our vibrant downtown with art, music, theater, shopping, and restaurants. I also enjoy the “west side” of town shopping and restaurants. Housing plus walkability adds to that vibrancy. Do you support a payment in lieu of taxes agreement for Denholtz for the train station redevelopment project? Why or why not? Yes, but I think the council should negotiate the terms of the PILOT, making sure there is money for schools, maintaining green space, and supporting infrastructure. In most cases across New Jersey, when PILOTs are issued, no money goes to the local school district. If a PILOT is approved, do you support the effort by the Red Bank Regional High School Board of Education to have the borough share the PILOT revenue with local schools? Yes, I answered this question above. Public schools are underfunded and the PILOT money should be shared with the schools. What proposals do you support to improve pedestrian and traffic safety in the town? Is enough being done on this front? There is always more to do. I favor “Complete Streets,” more bike lanes. Unfortunately, Red Bank is a crossroads for other communities. Shrewsbury Ave is a good example — bumpouts will hopefully slow down cars passing through Red Bank to get to the GSP, etc. Unlike many towns across New Jersey that sued (so far unsuccessfully) to stop the state’s affordable housing mandate, Red Bank has willingly vowed to fulfill its quota under the law. Why do you think this was a good approach? Why or why not? I agree it is a good approach. We need more affordable housing especially for residents who work in town or commute on a train or bus to other towns. I have two daughters with Master’s degrees who live out West who cannot afford to buy real estate. Their rents are very high; they work in service and non-profit areas. I think more states should follow NJ’s affordable housing mandate so that more people can afford housing. The municipal portion of the tax rate has increased at or below the rate of inflation the past two years. Is that going to be sustainable? What’s your plan or ideas to keep property taxes from going far higher? Yes, it is probably not sustainable. Hopefully there are ways of stopping this increase by the county tax board and our assessor from changing residents’ tax bills every year based upon prevailing home sales. Residents should also take advantage of state programs, for example “Stay NJ” and the “Anchor” program. This council raised water rates considerably while rejecting the idea of turning the system over to a private company. Was that a good decision? Why or why not? Yes, I think it was a good decision. Private companies can come in at one price and increase their prices over the next several years. I think we have more control of keeping our water in the Borough. Your closing thoughts or anything else you’d like to add in 100 words or less. Go: I have learned quite a bit serving on the council for the past two years. My background working on University Committees for 23 years and being a nurse for almost 50 years has helped me to listen and hear residents and work with other members of the council and our Mayor and Borough Manager as a team. I know I have a lot more to learn about municipal government. I attend workshops and conferences in Sustainable NJ, “Health in All Policies” at Rutgers University at The NJ Agricultural Experiment Station of Continuing Professional Education and hope to implement ideas I have learned at these continuing education programs. I am excited to continue to serve on the council over the next four years.