Mark Lois In Full: Extended Interview

Full Interview Questions prepared by an independent third party and submitted to both candidates for Chatham Township Committee. Mark Lois provides his full and unedited responses:

How would you describe yourself in 2-3 sentences?
I am running for re-election to the Township Committee and currently serving my first 3 year term as the only elected Republican in the Chathams, with 12 other elected positions all held by Democrats. I am a tireless advocate for quality-of-life improvements in our Township without tax increases and without added debt. My history on the Township Committee shows a commitment to results for residents through a reasoned and common sense approach that puts residents first even in opposition to my own political party.

What initially made you want to run for Chatham Township Committee?
In 2021 I was elected to my first term on the Committee which runs a 3 year term from 2022 to 2024. At that time my campaign was driven to stop the 20% increase in the municipal tax rate and the 33% increase in municipal debt which occurred in the prior 2 years and departed from a very long history of fiscal sanity in Chatham Township. Those enormous increases in tax rate and debt were made by a majority vote of Democrats, with two Republicans casting opposition votes. Democrats had never, in the history of our Township, previously had a majority on Township Committee. Their majority led to immediate explosion of debt and tax rates.
My election marked a slim return to a Republican majority by a single vote. For the next two years we returned to budgets without any tax rate increases and with no increase in net debt. Debt was actually slightly decreased and while still meeting enormously expensive prior obligations to high density housing projects. Fiscal responsibility returned without neglecting the quality of life in our Township and our Republican majority improved municipal assets. A few examples include paving more than 20% of Township roads, replacing a half million dollar turf field at Shunpike field and acquiring more than five police vehicles to renew a public safety fleet replacement previously paused.

This year in Chatham Township there is again a majority of Democrats. In fact, I am the only Republican of 12 elected officials in the Chathams. Despite my dissent and opposing vote on the Township Committee, they have authorized a staggering 24% expansion of authorized debt in 2024. Our Township has never had a debt increase of this magnitude in a single year. What is even more troubling is that this unprecedented expansion of authorized debt includes more than $70,000 of debt issued just to study a demolition of the current police station and rebuilding the same facility at the municipal center on Meyersville Road. Demolishing the police station will result in a massive public building project to rebuild the current municipal building that will cost many, many millions and further expand the explosion of debt. I requested that rebuilding the municipal center and a new police station be put on a public ballot as a non-binding referendum. The Mayor and current majority refused to even include this for discussion on any agenda, public session or executive session of the Township Committee.

Please explain how your past personal/professional experience qualifies you for this position.
Currently I am running for re-election and I am presently serving my first 3-year term on the Township Committee which began in 2022. My current roles include the Public Works, Sewer Utilities, and Recreation Standing Committees, Colony Pool Club and Public Utilities Liaison to JCP&L, PSE&G and New Jersey American Water. Previously I have served on the and the Joint Recreation Advisory Committee and Finance Committee. On the Finance committee in my first year on the committee, within the first 3 months I drove a refinancing of 17.3 million dollars in debt into a 20 year bond which locked in a nearly 3% interest rate and saved more than $600,000 dollars in interest in the first year alone. Considering the total municipal portion of tax revenue was $10.6 million dollars, that single act saved nearly 6% of the annual budget. Interest expense dropped in that year while locking in a low 2021 interest rate for the next 20 years.
Prior to being elected to my current position I have been a dedicated volunteer in Chatham Township. Serving as chairman of the Colony Pool Advisory Committee, volunteer gardener maintaining the Library grounds, swim team meet volunteer and active roles in my Church.
My wife Nicole and I have lived in Chatham Township since 2010 and are lifelong residents of New Jersey. Nicole and I have two sons and you are likely to find us cheering on their recreation and extracurricular activities. We enjoy so much about our Township including it’s many outdoor resources, this is the greatest place in New Jersey. I am a graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a small business owner for more than 20 years. My family and I attend Corpus Christi on Southern Blvd.

What 3 issues in town do you think are the most pertinent? (please just list 3)

1. Supporting Chatham Schools & Taxpayers
High density handouts that hurt schools and taxpayers must end.

We cannot continue to develop high density high rises in the Chathams, and certainly not with municipal handouts. The handouts are legal tax loopholes designed originally for blighted communities. The use of these loopholes allow high density developers to avoid paying property tax which support our schools. Instead the burden of funding is ultimately shifted to other Township taxpayers. These handouts are also linked to special rules that allow the developer to build outside of the previous regular zoning and at much higher density. The result is over development, congestion and strain on our infrastructure and schools. The handouts given to high density projects in the Chathams are called Payments In Lieu of Taxes (PILOTs) .

PILOTs allow the development to pay far less than they would otherwise owe in property tax and none of the money paid is required to go to our public schools. Usually 65-70% of most homeowner’s property tax fund our Chatham Schools. PILOTs projects such as “The Ivy” on River Road not only increase density, strain services and contribute to congestion, but also pay nothing toward the schools. It is fundamentally unreasonable that the family with only pre-K and younger children, or the empty nester and retirees fund our schools but not new high density building. Six story buildings are erected on land previously not even zoned residential and at density more than triple found elsewhere in our community. These large development PILOT arrangements are under no requirement at all to contribute to our Chatham Schools. Instead the burden to fund the schools, the majority of your tax bill, falls to other property owners. It is a bad deal for taxpayers and terrible for our schools.

2. Opposing The Demolition of the Chatham Township Police Station
I do not want to see our Township Police Station demolished and moved into our Township municipal complex. The 2024 capital budget saw an unprecedented expansion of authorized debt, an increase of 24% which I opposed and voted against. Worse, this authorization included more than $70,000 of debt issued just to study a demolition of the current police station and rebuilding the same facility at the municipal center on Meyersville Road. A massive public building project of a new police station and overhauling the municipal complex will cost many, many millions and massively expand debt further. The current centrally located police station is closer to our commercially zoned areas, heavily used parks and higher density residential clusters. Demolishing our Police Station is unnecessary, is not an efficient means of enhancing public safety or public amenities.
Perhaps what is even worse than issuing debt to study a project that will generate even more debt is that the real intent of this project is to allow for more high density housing. The project is actually designed instead to clear additional public land so that it can be handed over to developers for additional high density housing. I oppose the currently funded study, moving the police station and a massive renovation of the current municipal building. Providing public land to hand over to high density developers.

3. Resident Friendly Service
Navigating the maze has to be made easier. Applying for a zoning or construction permit has to be made easier, faster and more understandable. Improvements to homes and property have been a hallmark of Chatham Township and are largely responsible for the beauty of our successful Township. Our municipal government must provide the necessary services in a friendly and welcoming manner to residents. Only recently has this been an issue in our Township and it is the responsibility of the Township Committee to provide oversight and address resident concerns. The common acts of replacing a hot water heater, building a fence, putting up a sign at your Church or opening a business have compliance requirements. Those permissions administrated by our Township must be done so in a resident friendly way. Gaining permissions and meeting compliance for your project should be understandable, timely and clear.

How do you plan to address these issues?

1. Support Our Schools and Taxpayers
Schools must be supported adequately including by the largest high density developments. Our Township Committee must end the use of PILOT agreements which pay nothing to our schools when those developments include market rate units. Our Township should enter into an agreement with the Board of Education that, contingent on Chatham Borough doing the same, all future PILOT agreements with market rate units must include a revenue share to schools equal to that contribution made by the average single family home property taxpayer. If 65-70% of your property taxes are used to fund our schools then any PILOT development in the Chathams should be contributing at least the same. Our school system is shared. The Township and Borough must have a shared approach to PILOTs in an agreement with the Board of Education so that one town is not leaning on the taxpayers of another town to pay for our shared school system.

2. Opposing The Demolition of the Chatham Township Police Station
The public should have input through a non-binding referendum or other vote on whether or not the police station should be demolished and the municipal complex be rebuilt. Taxpayer funds are misspent when more than $70,000 of debt is issued just to generate plans for an overhaul without any formal public input on the concept. As I go door-to-door and speak with residents have never had anyone raise the need to demolish the police station nor to rebuild the municipal building. The public should be part of the process in the beginning and not after plans are made.

3. Resident Friendly Service
The path through the maze must be made easier for residents. Identifying the dead ends and the frustrating loops backwards is a start. In all points of interaction with our municipal government there should be information for residents on how to access an online form for anonymous feedback. This anonymous feedback should be sent directly to those responsible for oversight of the town’s functions including those ultimately responsible, the Township Committee. If you apply for a permit, pay your taxes or request a spring mulch delivery there should be a link included to an online form where you can provide anonymous feedback – not tied to your email address or personal identifiers. If your interaction is in person, a QR code and web address should be displayed with signage. If your interaction is by post or on any paperwork, then the same access information should be displayed prominently on materials that are provided. The path to resident friendly service begins with protected, anonymous information to allow for appropriate oversight.

Are there any other things you would prioritize as a town council member?

I prioritize outcomes for residents over party and personalities. Solving well understood and practical issues has long been my focus even when opposed by members of my own party. In 2021 I promised never to vote for a tax increase in the first year and never for an increase over 1% during any year of my term. The former Republican Mayor Michael Kelly came out in multiple letters opposing my statements and promises, so much so that Democrats used his letter as a door hanger that year with dire predictions of irresponsible bluster. I had read previous audits and financial information and was well informed of the financial conditions of our Township. I am proud to say that I have never voted for a municipal tax rate increase and that during my first term no municipal tax rate was made in any of the three years.

What is your favorite part of Chatham as a community?

The people of our successful Township are my favorite part. It is an honor, a privilege and a point of pride to live with my family, friends and neighbors in a place with such a fantastic reputation and quality of life. Our tremendous open spaces and natural beauty, well planned residential layout, and safety are all notable. This was all only achieved through the continued vision, contribution and participation of so many talented people. I have a deep respect for the long history of residents that were and are focused on making Chatham Township an outstanding community. I am very proud to call it home, I believe it is the greatest Township in New Jersey.

What would you do to continue to bring this community together?

My yard signs carry the slogan “Caring For Chatham Township”. This is not just a public display for my campaign but a crystallization of an ethic and approach. Caring for our community means pursuing the highest good and that pursuit itself is unifying. Our Township is united through success, that means success of our schools with the support of all development. Success is efficiency for taxpayers ensuring current and future residents are not unfairly burdened. Success is support of public safety including police, fire and emergency services. Success is a resident friendly Township as individuals and families seek to improve their properties and interact with basic municipal government service. Success in these forms bring the community together. Working hard to accomplish this is what I consider “Caring For Chatham Township”.

Re-Elect Mark Lois For Chatham Township Committee

https://www.chathamnjgop.com/chathamtownship

Other statements in Mark Lois’ Re-Election Campaign:

Mark Lois Endorsed By 4 Mayors, 2 Deputy Mayors
https://www.tapinto.net/towns/chatham/categories/press-releases/articles/mark-lois-endorsed-by-4-mayors-2-deputy-mayors

3 Reasons To Vote For Mark Lois
https://www.tapinto.net/towns/chatham/categories/candidate-statements/articles/3-reasons-to-vote-for-mark-lois

A Plan To Support Chatham Schools & Township Taxpayers
https://www.tapinto.net/towns/chatham/categories/candidate-statements/articles/a-plan-to-support-chatham-schools-township-taxpayers

Mark Lois Invites You by Video
https://www.tapinto.net/towns/chatham/categories/candidate-statements/articles/mark-lois-invites-you-by-video

Mark Lois Announces Candidate Town Hall Despite Craig Alperowitz's 21 Refusals To Debate
https://www.tapinto.net/towns/chatham/articles/mark-lois-announces-candidate-town-hall-despite-craig-alperowitz-s-21-refusals-to-debate

Chatham Democrat Craig Alperowitz Refuses 21 Debates & Offers No Resolutionhttps://www.tapinto.net/towns/chatham/categories/candidate-statements/articles/chatham-democrat-craig-alperowitz-refuses-21-debates-offers-no-resolution

10 More Chances Makes 21 - Will My Opponent Commit To Any Debate?
https://www.tapinto.net/towns/chatham/categories/candidate-statements/articles/10-more-chances-makes-21-will-my-opponent-commit-to-any-debate-58c46b36-bed0-4812-bec1-a27990a412ce

Get To Know Chatham Township Committeeman Mark Lois:

Speaking At The Library of The Chathams: Mark Lois, Chatham Township Committee member, handed out quarters as a lead-in to his remarks on diversity at the Library of the Chathams.
https://www.tapinto.net/towns/chatham/sections/arts-and-entertainment/articles/library-of-the-chathams-kicks-off-national-library-week-with-coming-out-of-the-dark-ages-event-to-celebrate-diversity

Moving Police Headquaters - Explosion of Debt : Chatham Township Committee Votes to Bond $4.8 Million to Buy Fire Trucks, Police Cars, Study for Expanded Police Headquarters
https://www.tapinto.net/towns/chatham/sections/government/articles/chatham-township-committee-votes-to-bond-4-8-million-to-buy-fire-trucks-police-cars-study-for-expanded-police-headquarters

Survey Results are in for Colony Pool
https://www.tapinto.net/towns/chatham/sections/government/articles/survey-results-are-in-for-colony-pool-wall-repair-design-66-1-of-respondents-prefer-the-curved-design-that-exists-now

Correcting 2023 Capital Budget To Include Recreation Funds: Mark celebrates major revision to Capital Budget allowing for new playing turf at Shunpike field without tax or debt increase.

https://patch.com/new-jersey/chatham/474k-approved-chatham-township-turf-project