RED BANK COUNCIL CANDIDATES: BEN YURO Q&A

Ben Yuro is running for Borough Council 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.

Name: Ben Yuro Street: Catherine St. Where did you attend elementary/middle school? St. Rose of Lima (Freehold, NJ) Where did you go to high school? Christian Brothers Academy (Lincroft, NJ) Did you graduate from college? If so, which school, what degree? Yes, I graduated from Alvernia University (Reading, PA) in 2013. I received a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Business Management with an emphasis in Finance & Accounting. Have you served in the military? If so, what branch, and when? No. What do you do for a living? I work in Finance & Accounting and am a Director at Bridge Alternatives. We are a financial services firm that specializes in providing Outsourced CFO & COO services to clients in the alternative investments space. How long have you been a resident of Red Bank? 5 years. What commissions/boards/volunteer positions have you held in town or elsewhere? I currently have the pleasure of serving on the Zoning Board of Adjustment. Do you own real estate in town? Yes, my wife and I own our primary residence. 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 great and was a desperately needed change. Our new borough administrator is doing a fantastic job and the progress the town has made in the past 2 years on major items like Marine Park & DPW Facilities speaks for itself. What do you think is the biggest issue facing the borough right now? What’s your approach to fixing it? Red Bank is in a period of transition & growth, which brings both opportunity and challenges. The biggest issue is how to manage that transition responsibly and maintain what makes Red Bank special. Our town is not suddenly going to become less popular. People want to be a part of our vibrant, diverse community and are drawn to our walkable downtown. I believe the key is to focus on smart growth and planning that guides development where it makes sense within the borough. This while continuing to invest in infrastructure, public spaces, and pedestrian/bike safety will pay dividends in the future. 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? As a non-incumbent, I was drawn to join the Red Bank Ready slate because their primary focus is delivering results for the residents they represent. They understand the keys to good governance, and I think it is refreshing for most people to experience a town being run without political drama. I have been impressed by the progress made on improving communication/modernizing operations and want to build on that foundation while bringing my own unique ideas and focus. 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? Red Bank is at a unique point in time and growth is not inherently bad. It brings vibrance and support for our downtown businesses. It adds new residents who are excited to join and contribute to our community. These are good things that other towns are envious of. The borough should continue to look at ways to strengthen its zoning and design standards as well as ensuring infrastructure keeps pace with future growth. I think that the current council has done an excellent job making sure residents’ voices are part of the process and it is important for that to continue to be the case. I support development that adds housing diversity and economic opportunity to our town and think it is imperative for the future. Do you support a payment in lieu of taxes agreement for Denholtz for the train station redevelopment project? Why or why not? I would obviously need to see the specific terms, but PILOT agreements can be useful tools when they are structured responsibly and deliver public benefit. Weighing things like community benefit and what its effect would be on long-term revenue are important pieces of the decision. For a project bringing public improvements & infrastructure investment, along with affordable housing — a PILOT could certainly be a reasonable tool to utilize. It does not make sense to opine on this matter without first seeing the proposed terms and community benefit. 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 believe our local schools should receive a percentage of any potential PILOT revenue, and I do not have any reason to believe this would not be the case under the current council. State law does not require sharing PILOT revenue, but I believe working in collaboration with the school district is the right thing to do. What proposals do you support to improve pedestrian and traffic safety in the town? Is enough being done on this front? I am an avid walker throughout town, so this is an issue that is near and dear to my heart. I do not think the question is whether enough is being done, it is an always-evolving issue that needs to be continuously improved upon. I support things like continued investment in traffic calming measures, safer crosswalks, and increased bike infrastructure. I firmly believe that Red Bank should be a place where people feel comfortable walking and biking — not just driving. Projects such as the sidewalk renovations on Monmouth St. and “temporary” bump-outs on River/Leighton are examples of the emphasis the current council puts on this matter, and I am excited for the opportunity to add to their progress. 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 think that Red Bank has done a great job being proactive on this issue, meeting our affordable housing obligation is important from both a legal and moral standpoint. By taking this approach, it lets Red Bank guide where and how this housing is built. Risking lawsuits that many times end in the loss of local control just does not make sense. I also think we have done a great job ensuring that new developments have their affordable units mixed in with the market rate units, rather than being secluded like we have seen in some past projects. Our ordinances also ensure that the finishes within the affordable units and amenity access are the same as the market rate units. These are not things you see in many other towns, and it is important for Red Bank to keep setting the standard. Overall, I believe affordable housing plays a vital role keeping our community inclusive as it grows and allows people of all backgrounds to live here. 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? In my opinion — the key is smart financial management and operations, areas that I believe my experience in the private sector will prove to be beneficial. Modernizing operations, finding new efficiencies, and growing the tax base all play a vital role in planning for the future. 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 believe maintaining public control of our water system was the right decision. It ensures local accountability as well as long-term investment in the infrastructure associated with it. At the end of the day — water is a public resource, and we as a municipality should be the ones making decisions about it. Your closing thoughts or anything else you’d like to add in 100 words or less. Go: My family and I love living in Red Bank. It is an incredible community with so much to offer and I am honored for the opportunity to represent my fellow residents. I am running to help guide our town into the future — focusing on smart growth, enhanced walkability, and supporting our small businesses while keeping our town affordable and community-oriented. I believe in collaboration & transparency and am looking forward to bringing my unique perspective to the council. I am excited to build on the progress of the past two years and to keep Red Bank moving forward.