Letter to the Editor - Say NO to Marathe and his slate! by Veronica Mehno

Hemant Marathe, in his 8 years as West Windsor's mayor, is known for prioritizing trucking and industrial warehouse complexes. Marathe has changed zoning laws in order to approve warehouse after warehouse. He claims these industrial developments "save" the town from affordable housing obligations, but the truth is Marathe is in the warehouse business and is connected with associates who have profited tremendously from these developments. At what cost? 

Is self interest at play? You judge for yourself.

Only if you love warehouses would you agree to bring the largest trucking and warehouse project in New Jersey to West Windsor (Bridge Point 8). Marathe is currently allowing the developer to get away with using 25 year old flood maps, even though the courts are currently giving us the opportunity to renegotiate the BP8 project with newer flood maps.

Marathe is in the “wholesale distribution” business. His office is located in a trucking depot. His business - VDYAS - requires refrigerated warehouses and trucks. He sees warehouses and thinks freakin’ awesome - this is my life! ...but we don't want it to be ours.

Bad Faith Investment

The Bridge Point 8 Project is a terrible investment for the next generation of West Windsor residents.

Marathe claims otherwise, and says it will net us a fortune.

If you have been reading his campaign material, one flyer reads that warehouses will bring $15MM in ratables, while in another flyer it says it will be $14MM. What happened to that $1MM?

I decided to OPRA this information and to my surprise there are no numbers to back up Marathe’s claim of the $14M, or perhaps $15MM, in ratables. I also spoke with the township attorney, and he told me that those numbers “do not exist.” You heard me - those numbers DO. NOT. EXIST.

He made up the benefit!

Bad Faith Accounting

The township administration should have engaged in financial studies to ensure the projected numbers were accurate. Instead, Geevers and others just rolled over and provided no check on power.

Now we have Joe Charles, a CPA, running for council alongside him. He has not answered one single question of how the number(s) was/were calculated. Joe, isn’t that exactly what a CPA is supposed to do?

In addition, 4 years ago, another CPA that opposed warehouses, projected the ratables to be in the low $5MM. This CPA did show his math and how the number(s) was/were calculated. Marathe and his slate do not like to be questioned, hence, every single time I ask them to document their calculations, they ignore the question.

Wake up West Windsor, hold this administration accountable and make them show you the numbers!

Once those “big, beautiful warehouses” are built, we’ll combat significant, dangerous truck traffic in front of schools. How could he go from BOE President to such callous disregard for our children’s safety?

West Windsor deserves better! Eight years is enough!

West Windsor can do better than enormous warehouses on empty, flood prone, farmland with invaluable wetlands. Can’t we negotiate strategically to build a walkable neighborhood, or a sports facility, or open space, or, or, or… or ANY of the 40 permissible uses there were BEFORE Marathe changed the zoning laws to accommodate his big developer friends. West Windsor will suffer continued gross overdevelopment if Marathe has his way!

On November 4th vote for Singh, Tomar and Winters! Save West Windsor! Make your vote count!