Heck Says Tough Decisions Kept Tax Increases In Check

In the nearly 50 years she has lived in the borough, Rose Heck became the first woman ever elected to the Borough Council, spent 13 years in the State Assembly and was elected Mayor three times.

Now, Heck said it’s frightening to see the number of over the past year. People are losing jobs, she said, or are working but just can’t keep up.

It’s up to the governing body to cut the budget and try to maintain as many  services as possible for the borough without overspending, she said.

Heck said the borough has always been frugal even before this year, when it faced the loss of $250,000 in state aid, flat revenue and rising health insurance costs.

She said Heights made difficult decisions and laid off two employees, as well as deciding to not replace a position which was held by a longtime staffer who retired. Through all this and continued cuts to department budgets, the borough managed to bring the tax increase down to 1.9 points, when it could have been as high as 5.3 points, the mayor said.

The borough continues to look for ways to save such as through grants, which have enabled the borough to upgrade parks, the library and the downtown Boulevard area, Heck said.

Heck says the borough is exploring ways to share services, and for decades it has provided fire services to Teterboro. She pointed out that the police department’s 911 dispatch system serves two other towns.

Most recently the borough made an in which Heights DPW collects garbage for a small area of apartments in Lodi in leiu of payment for the use of Lodi's sanitary sewer system which serves some homes in Hasbrouck Heights.

Heck said the borough is exploring whether another town could use the Heights which is housed in the borough's Public Safety Building on the days it is not being used.

Heck first became involved with the Republican Club shortly after moving to the borough nearly 50 years ago when she was asked to help write out some envelopes for the Republican campaign. She's been involved ever since.

“It takes commitment and desire,” she said. 

Candidates for Hasbrouck Heights municipal office 2011

Mayor – four year term

Independent

Challenger

Rose Heck

Republican

Incumbent

Council – three year term

Mary K. Blanusa

Democrat

Challenger

Justin DiPisa

Republican

Incumbent

Pamela Link

Republican

Incumbent

Carol Skiba

Independent

Challenger

Doris Tousto

Democrat

Challenger

Editor's note: In the days leading up to the election Patch will be featuring stories on all candidates running for municipal office. We begin today by featuring both candidates running for mayor. See Dragan Blanusa article . Stay tuned for profiles of council candidates.