Targum - Vote Yes to Wards

Although most students are only in New Brunswick for about four years, the issues that concern the students of yesterday remain similar to the concerns of students today. As one of the pillars of New Brunswick, University students represent a large part of the city’s population. They are also a huge economic force for the city’s businesses. Yet, for many years, students have been largely apathetic toward city government, and many still are. But something has changed in recent years. Students are becoming more active and involved in politics and want to make a difference in their community. In New Brunswick, it has been very difficult for students to find their voice. They do not have a seat at the city council’s table, and it is hard to get their opinions taken seriously in the city. With this in mind, The Daily Targum throws its support behind a change in the city’s government — from an at-large system to a ward-based system.
This endorsement is not for or against any current members of groups lobbying for the change, nor is it a repudiation against any current members of city council. In principle, wards are just better in the respect that they allow for neighborhoods to have direct representation. A lot has been said about wards, but a lot of people in the community remain uninformed about what it means for their lives in New Brunswick.

The vote on Nov. 3 will ask voters to decide whether to change from the current five-member, at-large governing system to a wards-based system. Right now, the five members of the city council are elected by the entire city. Any student or community member who would be interested in running for election in this form of government would have to raise a lot of money, and it would be too expensive for them to even attempt to get on the city council and get their voices heard. Switching to a ward-based government would divide the city into six wards, and each would have a its own representative. There would also be three at-large members who are voted on by the entire city. Wards would allow a student to run because they would only have to a reach a smaller demographic of people. Each representative would be responsible for his or her own ward, and student-populated areas would have a representative on the council.

The current at-large system has done well in some respects, because they are able to speak in one, unified voice without apparent conflict between members at the general meetings. Rarely, if ever, will you see a member vote negatively at a city council meeting. But this same strength is also a weakness, because there is no apparent, dissenting voice. The council is not always able to take into account the broader perspectives of the city of New Brunswick, specifically those perspectives related to the heavily student populated wards. This becomes apparent in their efforts to crack down on things like basement shows, which have been deeply rooted in the history of the music scene of New Brunswick. City officials believe that these shows are “an accident waiting to happen.” There is something inherently good about these shows because bands who have gotten their start in these basements have appeared on shows like “Late Night with David Letterman,” had videos on MTV and have gone on to headline tours all around the world. The city has done an excellent job redeveloping New Brunswick. Crime has been cracked down on and higher-end homes and businesses have been brought into the city. It has changed the culture of the city in ways that many students and community members have strong feelings about, both for and against.

A ward-based system has its faults as well. Students should not expect a ward-based system to rectify all their problems. Students would still have a minority of the seats on city council. Perhaps they would have one to three representatives directly accountable to them. Neighborhood politics could result in a backlash against heavily student-populated areas because they are outnumbered. However, this can happen in the current system too, and it does.

Still, any voice is better than no voice at all. Right now students have absolutely no say in what goes on. They can attend city council meetings, but could end up being disappointed when members move to adjourn the meeting before discussions take place. That being said, a lot of times discussion is not wanted because of the attitudes many students hold toward council members, and the council members hold toward students. It took the mayor a about a year to admirably hold an open dialogue about a potential charter change in New Brunswick, and this was only after countless court cases, which have now cost taxpayers up to $100,000, according to reports. We need to work together if we want positive change for the city and if we want to continue moving New Brunswick forward.

While the mayor has endorsed a student advisory council in New Brunswick, this does not give students the voice or seat at the table that they deserve. This would be equivalent to being on student council in grade school. All the decisions are already made, and someone is just telling you to relay the message to others. Voting for a ward-based system can be the change New Brunswick needs to get more voices heard, not only of students, but also many community members who are unable to get their grievances heard. New Brunswick is a large and diverse city, and we need to be able to work together. Wards will allow a larger demographic of voices to be heard because single representatives will be able to get out into their communities and find out what the people really want and need.