TELL THE TRUTH! But – and it’s a big But – How do voters know that what the lied-about candidates say is the truth, really IS the TRUTH?

That’s the big problem for candidates who are lied about – they usually sound defensive and too often are perceived to be shading the truth in their answers. Except when the lies are so absurd, that the Truth is acknowledged by everyone to be good old common sense.

Right now, in Teaneck, incumbent Deputy Mayor Elie Katz, in his October 24, 2022 “Tid-Bits,” has distributed LIES about the 4 members of the RISE slate, Denise Belcher, Danielle Gee, Hillary Goldberg, and Chondra Young that defy the TRUTH and COMMON SENSE.

Here are the LIES:

          “OUR OPPONENTS [ARE]                                                                                                                                    X Against Holy Name Hospital, A leading healthcare provider in the state

           X Against saving Stop & Shop, the only full-service supermarket in Teaneck

           X Against affordable housing projects for our Seniors

           X Against 0% Tax increases”

Can anyone really believe any of that? Here is the Truth, the FACTS:

·        The 4 RISE candidates are proud of Holy Name Medical Center. They are proud of the extraordinary role HNMC played in the Covid-19 crisis. And the RISE candidates support the expansion of HNMC with the property rights of the Good Neighbors fully respected and protected.

·        The 4 RISE candidates, as mothers, depend on and support Stop & Shop, the only full-service supermarket in Teaneck. They have always wanted it to both stay and thrive!

·        The 4 RISE candidates strongly support Affordable Housing. As the public well knows, the RISE candidates support affordable housing integrated with market rate housing. When the incumbent candidates wanted the Holuba/KRE project to tuck the affordable units in the back between the garbage and the railroad tracks, The RISE candidates supported the successful law suit brought by 7 residents and Fair Share Housing to integrate the affordable units with the market rate units. The RISE candidates want to provide as many opportunities as possible to make Teaneck affordable for all Teaneck residents.

·        The 4 RISE candidates, like smart financial professionals, are neither for nor against a 0% tax increase. And they are all financial professionals! They believe in sound fiscal management including limiting long term debt and building reserves. They do not believe in creating a 0% increase budget by burdening the future residents with unmanageable and overwhelming debt. They will present a budget to residents that supports or increases, as well as maintains, the services and amenities in town, by striving to grow other sources of revenue, rather than raising taxes.

There you have the facts, the truth: Makes sense, doesn’t i