Cranford Township Committee Candidate Susan Burke Outlines Priorities

Cranford voters will choose Township Committee members in the Nov. 3 election. Union County Life is sharing the stated positions of Susan Burke, a Democrat running for Township Committee, as published in TAPinto Cranford’s candidate profile. The other candidates are Paul A. Gallo, a Democrat and the current deputy mayor, and Republicans Dennis Miller and Sam Prince.

Burke has lived in Cranford for almost 14 years. She and her husband are raising three children who attend Cranford public schools. She grew up in Mendham, New Jersey, and holds a bachelor’s degree from the College of the Holy Cross and a master’s degree in library science from Pratt Institute. She worked in children’s publishing as an editor and later in libraries.

“I am running for Township Committee because I love where I live,” Burke said. “I am raising my family in Cranford and I hope to live here for many more years.”

Burke is president of the Cranford Public Library Board of Trustees. She said she recently oversaw the renovation of the library’s children’s room. “That renovation will benefit residents of Cranford for years to come and I want to continue to help deliver results like that for my friends and neighbors.”

She said she is focused on getting things done. “Inaction, perpetual analysis, and endless studies are why government sometimes gets a bad reputation for accomplishing little.”

Burke said the biggest issue facing Cranford is “supporting what makes Cranford so special, while also embracing progress and maintaining a respectful, civil dialogue among residents.” She said the township should invest in its library, community center, pools, playgrounds, bike paths and downtown.

On flooding, Burke said she has experienced flooding after a major storm. She said the township has made significant investments to reduce flooding and must keep supporting flood solutions and responsible construction. “However, we can’t solve this problem on our own,” she said, adding that the township needs state and federal support and the help of other towns along the Rahway River.

On redevelopment, Burke said spaces should be repurposed to be more accessible, environmentally friendly and flexible. She cited the Cranford First Aid Squad building, which regularly floods, and Swan Cleaners as examples. “We must keep an open mind and be ready to embrace opportunities when they present themselves, without caving into the demands of unscrupulous developers,” she said.

On taxes, Burke said costs are high partly because of federal funding cuts that reach local governments, along with rising health care and gas costs. She said the committee has little control over many of those costs, but it can spend responsibly on first responders, roads, flood preparedness and infrastructure, and must be transparent about how money is spent.

On downtown traffic, Burke said the township must improve the flow of vehicles and pedestrians. She supported the streetscape proposal to replace the three-way light near Subology with a simpler two-way light by the post office. She also called for work at the intersections at both ends of the Centennial Avenue railroad underpass.

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Q: Who is running for Cranford Township Committee?
A: Susan Burke (Democrat), Paul A. Gallo (Democrat and current deputy mayor), Dennis Miller (Republican) and Sam Prince (Republican) are running in the Nov. 3 election.

Q: What does Burke propose on flooding?
A: Burke says the township must keep supporting flood solutions and responsible construction, and that it needs state, federal and Rahway River town support.

Q: What does Burke propose for downtown traffic?
A: She supports replacing the three-way light near Subology with a two-way light by the post office, and she calls for work at the Centennial Avenue railroad underpass intersections.