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So, let’s talk about the work that lies ahead. There is no question that taxes are the number one issue facing our community and every other community in New Jersey. They are a weight that will drag down our property values; prevent investment in our downtown and eat at the very core of our community. Every item that I am going to discuss tonight ultimately is with the theme that we must as a city government show that we are providing value to our taxpayers in the most cost-effective way possible so people want to live and invest in our community.

I believe our city government – more specifically city hall – is run well. I believe that our professional staff are doing a diligent job for the city. However, with that said, we have to look at new ways to provide services to our community.

We have spoken a lot in the past couple of years about shared services. We have even had some success in delivering on this goal, and we need to continue our efforts down this path. But, I believe we need to go even further.

As a governing body I think it’s our job to figure out how to maintain the same level of services that saves dollars wherever and however possible. Across the board cuts and hiring freezes may sound good to the public and, yes may even seem politically attractive, but really what the public elected us to do is to figure out how we can deliver the same level of service in a more efficient manner. We should not settle for the notion that we will have to do less because we have less.

Diminishment in the services that our residents have come to expect is not acceptable and I believe can be as harmful as escalating taxes.

So, in addition to looking for shared services, I believe there is a real opportunity to use and incorporate smart technology into our municipal services in a way that will benefit the citizens and the city’s bottom line. But, we need to realize that we do not have all the answers and that there are some models that we should be looking at from around the country to help us in this regard. We should immediately begin the study of other communities and technologies that we might implement to make our city government more efficient and less expensive.

I believe that being smart about using new technologies will go a long way to crack the back of this problem. Let’s not be afraid to reach out for the proper expertise to get us where we need to be.

With three new voices on council this year, we begin with a new team. I am hoping that the different perspectives and talents that comprise this council will cause us to become even more creative and willing and able to try different approaches to seemingly intractable problems.

Let’s be frank, we’ll never be able to “cut” our way to prosperity. With only 24% of our tax bill making up the municipal budget, finding efficiencies will only get us so far.

As such, we need to focus – and fast – on our commercial and downtown ratables. We need the tax revenues that a vibrant downtown can bring. We have the mechanism in place that gives us the tools to deal with the difficulties in our town – from parking to marketing. But, as of today our downtown stakeholders are splintered. It is time they come together with a shared vision and the resources to implement achievable goals. As mayor, I stand ready to do whatever is necessary to help grow the vibrancy and occupancy of our town. But, right now too much time is being spent refereeing rather than rebuilding our Central Retail Business District (CRBD).

Chris Cotter, our city administrator, is doing a great job of working with the downtown stakeholders in a visioning process that will give us a sense of what we want our downtown to be. With that said I believe it’s time to form a committee to study the management of the downtown. Clearly, with 19 empty stores, it is time to ask ourselves the tough questions…”Is the Special Improvement District working? What are other towns doing? And, how we can be doing it better?”

We need a holistic approach to our downtown that creates a real-time, realistic plan well into the future to assure our success. For those who don’t think this is important let’s remember every tax abatement from our commercial payers will need to be borne by our residential owners. I submit a healthy commercial base is as important as a healthy school district.

One of the key factors in this regard is what is the appropriate amount of development in and around our Central Retail Business District? One very positive trend that we can see in Summit is the continued interest in residential and mixed-use development close to the center of our downtown. This is consistent with the prediction of Washington, DC’s Smart Growth Director, Kaid Benfield, who states “next-generation projects will orient to infill, urbanizing suburbs, and transit-oriented development. Smaller housing units – close to mass transit, work and 24-hour amenities –gain favor over large houses on big lots at the suburban edge. People will continue to seek greater convenience and want to reduce energy expenses. Shorter commutes and smaller heating bills make up for higher infill real estate costs.”

As you can see, Summit is uniquely positioned to capitalize on this trend. However, in order to maintain our character we have to develop prudently and work through our planning and zoning boards to arrive at the appropriate density and type of building that will benefit us in the long term. But, we also need to remember that “the new urbanism” or “urbanizing the suburbs” can easily become the catch phrase and rationale for over-development versus smart growth.

As the Master Plan states in chapter 1: “Summit is a small residential city that seeks to maintain a high quality of life for all its residents; manage an appropriate balance between and among residential, commercial, industrial, institutional, recreational uses and open space and provide carefully articulated land use regulations for the development and redevelopment of these vital components.” I believe if with appropriate redevelopment, Summit will earn real dividends well into the future.

Lastly, and as important, I’d like to ask council to come together as a team to address the problems that lie ahead. It’s no secret 2010 is going to be a very difficult budget year. We are going to have to consider things that as a city and as elected officials we never dreamed of before. Business will not be done “as usual.” But, if we don’t work together, we will never achieve our goals. This is not a new thought. Let me take you back to an earlier time – 1949 to be exact – on the occasion of our 50th anniversary. A local author, Robin Little, stated “in a world of continual change Summit cannot remain immune nor does it wish to do so. Time and again the willingness to change has been responsible for Summit’s major forward strides. Summit, however, cherishes and seeks to maintain its residential atmosphere as a counterpoise to the bigness and metropolitan aspects nearby. If it continues to attract good citizens in hand the problems of the moment will be wisely solved.” So, to our good citizens I say let’s get to work. Our community expects and deserves nothing less. I look forward to working with you and with all of the people who live and work in this great city.

Happy New Year!

- Mayor Jordan Glatt