Although most students are only in New Brunswick for about four years, the issues that concern the students of yesterday remain similar to the concerns of students today. As one of the pillars of New Brunswick, University students represent a large part of the city’s population. They are also a huge economic force for the city’s businesses. Yet, for many years, students have been largely apathetic toward city government, and many still are. But something has changed in recent years. Students are becoming more active and involved in politics and want to make a difference in their community. In New Brunswick, it has been very difficult for students to find their voice. They do not have a seat at the city council’s table, and it is hard to get their opinions taken seriously in the city. With this in mind, The Daily Targum throws its support behind a change in the city’s government — from an at-large system to a ward-based system.
This endorsement is not for or against any current members of groups lobbying for the change, nor is it a repudiation against any current members of city council. In principle, wards are just better in the respect that they allow for neighborhoods to have direct representation. A lot has been said about wards, but a lot of people in the community remain uninformed about what it means for their lives in New Brunswick.
The vote on Nov. 3 will ask voters to decide whether to change from the current five-member, at-large governing system to a wards-based system. Right now, the five members of the city council are elected by the entire city. Any student or community member who would be interested in running for election in this form of government would have to raise a lot of money, and it would be too expensive for them to even attempt to get on the city council and get their voices heard. Switching to a ward-based government would divide the city into six wards, and each would have a its own representative. There would also be three at-large members who are voted on by the entire city. Wards would allow a student to run because they would only have to a reach a smaller demographic of people. Each representative would be responsible for his or her own ward, and student-populated areas would have a representative on the council.
The current at-large system has done well in some respects, because they are able to speak in one, unified voice without apparent conflict between members at the general meetings. Rarely, if ever, will you see a member vote negatively at a city council meeting. But this same strength is also a weakness, because there is no apparent, dissenting voice. The council is not always able to take into account the broader perspectives of the city of New Brunswick, specifically those perspectives related to the heavily student populated wards. This becomes apparent in their efforts to crack down on things like basement shows, which have been deeply rooted in the history of the music scene of New Brunswick. City officials believe that these shows are “an accident waiting to happen.” There is something inherently good about these shows because bands who have gotten their start in these basements have appeared on shows like “Late Night with David Letterman,” had videos on MTV and have gone on to headline tours all around the world. The city has done an excellent job redeveloping New Brunswick. Crime has been cracked down on and higher-end homes and businesses have been brought into the city. It has changed the culture of the city in ways that many students and community members have strong feelings about, both for and against.
A ward-based system has its faults as well. Students should not expect a ward-based system to rectify all their problems. Students would still have a minority of the seats on city council. Perhaps they would have one to three representatives directly accountable to them. Neighborhood politics could result in a backlash against heavily student-populated areas because they are outnumbered. However, this can happen in the current system too, and it does.
Still, any voice is better than no voice at all. Right now students have absolutely no say in what goes on. They can attend city council meetings, but could end up being disappointed when members move to adjourn the meeting before discussions take place. That being said, a lot of times discussion is not wanted because of the attitudes many students hold toward council members, and the council members hold toward students. It took the mayor a about a year to admirably hold an open dialogue about a potential charter change in New Brunswick, and this was only after countless court cases, which have now cost taxpayers up to $100,000, according to reports. We need to work together if we want positive change for the city and if we want to continue moving New Brunswick forward.
While the mayor has endorsed a student advisory council in New Brunswick, this does not give students the voice or seat at the table that they deserve. This would be equivalent to being on student council in grade school. All the decisions are already made, and someone is just telling you to relay the message to others. Voting for a ward-based system can be the change New Brunswick needs to get more voices heard, not only of students, but also many community members who are unable to get their grievances heard. New Brunswick is a large and diverse city, and we need to be able to work together. Wards will allow a larger demographic of voices to be heard because single representatives will be able to get out into their communities and find out what the people really want and need.
Vote yes to wards
Editorial
Published: Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Updated: Tuesday, October 20, 2009
25 comments
Why pay for three more councilpeople to get salaries and their own graft so they can funnel monbey into their pockets and their constituencies and raise taxes? YOu mayy say who cares, but the higher taxes go the worse the area becomes, with less prosperous and high income people, meaning you are more likely to be shanked on your way to class.
New Jersey voting law has changed since you were a student. In fact, students can register to vote the day they move into their new dorms. (granted this is at least 3 weeks prior to the election). The state has come to the consensus that the college towns are not "temporary residences." most students live in these towns for at least 4 years. This is in fact the average amount of time that an American lives in the same location: 4 years.
In fact, back in June several students ran in student districts for the Democratic Committee Seats. All the districts which were majority student were swept by students. Chairman Shamy sued to have he names of all students and recent graduates removed from the ballot. (Even a student who had lived in the city her entire life).
I think we can all agree that to deprive students a right to vote because of where they live would be of questionable constitutionality.
Thank you for your support. Its good to hear that Rutgers Alumni support the efforts of current students to make positive changes in the student neighborhoods and the city we call home.
vote yes for change
and vote yes for less crime in the city and its politics
a vote yes for wards is a vote to stop bullying and an end to the Cahill/Lynch regime
I am very disgusted at the fact that I am, in effect, the victim of a crime, because of my position on the ward issue.
I'm tired of all the lies, accusations, and bickering. There is a simple YES or NO question on the ballot. It's about which answer is going to make the city and people's lives better. Can we focus on that issue?People should vote YES because Wards are a better system of government for a city with such a diversity of different priced housing, race and religion, has the state University etc.Wards will increase citizen participation in the community. Giving real people ACCESS to the tools they need to address the problems they face. Wards will increase access to the city council because it will make city council people ACCOUNTABLE to the residents they represent.Ward Elections will be cheaper and allow for independent candidates who don't have to be compromised by the pay to play system we have in New Brunswick. This is also good because it will give voters a choice at the ballot box.In a Ward System each geographic area will have someone accountable so that all the city receives equal access to social services (such as road repairs, snow removal, street sweeping, etc.)A ward system will ensure that our schools do not continue to follow the Seperate but Equal policy of New Brunswick elementary schools where 4 out of 6 still fail to meet no child left behind. (Not surprisingly Woodrow WIlson in the Mayors neighborhood is doing fine.Wards are a better system of government because they give voters a choice, and this forces the powers that be to be accountable to the public, because they don't want the voters to pick someone else. VOTE YES FOR WARDS.... it's just common sense
I happen to know some of the people who took down signs. They were removed by RESIDENTS or sometimes at the request of residents who did not want them on their property. They were placed there by the landlords who own the buildings. Or in some cases they were placed in front of owner-occupied buildings without the consent of the owner. Or they were placed on public property in violation of local ordinances. Perhaps signs were taken down in your neighborhood by your neighbors??? Its easy to blame EON but this movement has grown beyond the EON membership.And Remember, ripping down signs is a classic tactic of the city machine. They've done it for 30 years, and in return various opposition groups have returned the favor. The city machine has never gotten upset before. Only now, when they don't have a way to retaliate, are they showing their teeth. They can't retaliate because the ward movement was not built on signs. It was built on Ideas, on principles of democracy, and on a faith that a representative government is the best way to serve the residents of new brunswick.And finally, your post misses the point of this election. This is not a vote to elect EON or its members, its a vote to give people a voice. To give people a chance to be heard. Something that they haven't had in a long time.
You seem to suffer under a similar delusion that many in this city do viz. that it is in the interest of the student population to simply build bigger, shinier buildings. I do not understand how some believe that there is a correlation between new buildings and 'improvement.' Simple anecdotal evidence: twice I have been mugged in Manhattan, both times it was in front of a new, Trump building.
My other concern is that you have a fundamental misunderstanding about causation. There may indeed be a less crime and more jobs in the city now then there were twenty years ago. I challenge you to give reasons why this is due exclusively [I know you won't be able too, so I will be charitable and say] or even had as a contributing factor the at large council system. There are too many confounding variables and no good reason to believe that this disgusting mockery of democracy had anything to do with the positive improvements.
The Billboards say: "Jersey Roots, Global Reach", Why not neighborhood reach? Yes.....Vost yes for Wards.
the people who have worked for the last two years to get this question on the ballot (and the city faught them the whole way) have people preparing to fight to make sure that the city doesn't use its influence (and don't be fooled, City Clerk Torissi is a machine tool) to silence the will of the people. When the city votes for wards, those wards will be drawn in a way that is fair and representative. If they don't, there is a team of people (activists, civil rights lawyers, etc) who will (and indeed already have) work tirelessly to fight for what is right. You have no reason to fear that your vote will not count or will not matter.