Community Magazine November 2019

38 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE DAVE GORDON A t nearly 30,000 residents, Ocean Township, New Jersey, might be comparatively small, but thanks to Mayor Christopher P. Siciliano, Ocean Township shines as a place with the air of healthy progress and a positive feeling that the municipal government is open and responsive to its citizens. A local resident for nearly sixty years, Siciliano has served the Township on the City Council since 2003. He became mayor in 2015 and this year was voted in to serve a second term. This profile offers those who work, play, and live in Ocean Township to become acquainted with their mayor and what he represents. Most importantly the mayor wants people to know that his primary objective is to “strengthen the relationship between communities.” Visionary Community Members The Sephardic community began planting roots some four decades ago, the mayor recalled. Those early visionaries, he said, had a plan to make the region the perfect place for like-minded individuals, who appreciated the proximity to the city, the ocean, the rail line, the ferry, and amenities that make it ideal for raising a family. “A lot of people thought they were crazy” because at the time people thought there wasn’t enough support. “They pressed on and, lo and behold, it grew.” Individuals such as furniture store owner Joe Betesh corralled others such as Charlie Saka, according to the mayor, they “really took a chance and a gamble.” Siciliano related that the funds collected would eventually pay for the old Walter Reed Estate, on Deal Road, which would eventually become the area’s first religious center. “Those early visionaries built a large synagogue, Congregation Magen David of West Deal, in hopes that families would come around it,” the mayor said. “They knew it would be a great place to live.” And they came. Soon enough, thousands more would visit the shore, and plant roots. Today the Betesh and Saka families still live in the area, a testament to the quality of life that has been provided for them and others. Congregation Magen David As for Congregation Magen David of West Deal, Siciliano takes pride himself in having played a role in its development, too. When the congregation sought an addition to build a new mikvah, they needed a zoning variance, and Siciliano was instrumental in waiving the variance in order “to help these folks have what they need to make this a full-fledged, Class A operation.” “Let me tell you, it really is beautiful!” the mayor says. “That’s probably a model on the shore. I’m very proud of that. It really helped the community, too.” As mayor, keeping up with everyone’s needs is a balancing act with the ever-growing community. The mayor makes it his business to stay connected with citizens and leaders, and also keeps up with their day-to-day concerns. Taxes One of the biggest gripes Ocean Township residents have is the high cost of property taxes, which increase steadily each year. On top of that, the new Federal Tax Plan restricts deductions of local property taxes, further increasing the burden on homeowners. It’s important to know, the mayor explained, that he and the City Council have relatively little control over the entire tax fund scheme. He explained that only a fifth of the tax bill actually goes to the township (the municipality), the only portion which he and the City Council can control. That fifth goes to pay for services such as police, road maintenance, garbage collection, city improvements, parks, community events, and so on. The mayor noted that it can be a juggling act to keep within budget while trying to pay for the diverse services needed. “If we go above that, there is going to be a tax increase,” the mayor explained.” We try to keep things below that so we don’t burden taxpayers so much.” theMayorwith Community Interests at Heart Meet Christopher P. Siciliano - (L-R) Councilman John Napolitani, Daniel Bergman, Dr. David Fisher, Mayor Christopher Siciliano, Charlie Saka, and Raymond Saka.