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[Editor’s note: In an effort to provide Sun readers and Asbury Park candidates who seek to be elected as the city’s first directly-elected mayor with the most fair and accurate election coverage, the Sun sat down with each of the four mayoral candidates and asked them the same ten questions. No candidates were provided advanced notice of the questions and all interviews were completed prior to the series’ launch on the site.]

Remond Palmer, 47 , is a lifelong resident of the city. He is a former firefighter and former Asbury Park Board of Education president. He ran for a seat on the council in the May 2013 municipal election, but was unsuccessful in his bid to win that seat.

City council elections are being held in November with the general election for the first time this year. Previously, they were held in May. Four residents declared candidacy for the position, they are Campbell, incumbent Councilman John B. Moor, former board of education president Remond Palmer, and resident Harold Suggs. The election takes place Nov. 4.

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What brought you into politics?

There was just a need in the community that I wanted to fill. I wanted to be a voice for those of them that had no voice.

What is your number one reason for running to be the mayor of Asbury Park?

I think the city needs true leadership and true direction.

Within the first six months of taking office, what would your priorities be to address crime in the city?

One of the first things I want to do is to develop a relationship with our school system. I think we do ourselves a disservice in this town where we don’t have an opportunity to have a working relationship with the school system, those kids that graduate our high school that don’t go to college that may go to the military or just relocate from the area, or that stay here in the city, what are we doing for job opportunities? What are we doing through exposure? What are we doing to make them better citizens in our society? So, our school system, at this point, has not seemed to be able to provide enough of that and I think the city needs to be able to supplement whatever the school system needs in order to make that a reality for our children.

Over the last few months, several residents have spoken during the public participation session about an increased need for jobs in the city, specifically jobs for residents. Do you think it is the city government’s responsibility to ensure residents are employed, and, if so, how do you propose the city increase job opportunities for residents?

Well, as a retired fireman here in the city, I think we need to be more proactive at going at the young people in our school system, because one of the requirements when I had the job was to be a city resident. So, there are a lot of young people in our community who should have opportunities as police officers, firemen, working down at the city. There’s also a lot of redevelopment that is going on in the city in the downtown and the beachfront areas and even now, getting ready to come to the West Side, and the argument people have, that our position is currently that there is not enough people qualified in the city to hold those jobs – that’s not accurate information. But even if that is their thought process, my question is: Why haven’t you set some type of job training up wherein these people are learning the skills that’s needed to be able to have these jobs here in the city and not bring people from outside of the city into the city and employ them?

How do you propose the city council work with the Asbury Park School District to increase positive outcomes for Asbury Park students?

Have a conversation with them. Have a joint meeting with the school board and the city council and allow the entire city to come and express some of their concerns, give out suggestions, and try to work this thing collectively. I grew up in a town, when I was a kid, that it took an entire community to raise a child, so we need to get everyone involved in this process.

Over the last ten years, the city has seen a significant increase in redevelopment. Downtown store fronts are no longer empty and beach revenue is at its highest. How do you view the last 10 years of development in Asbury Park? Do you think it should continue along the same track?

I am encouraged by redevelopment. I just think redevelopment has not included everyone in its thought process. So there are people that are being gentrified in their own community that have been here for generations. So, I do want to be a part of redevelopment, I do want to be a part of this, the new buildings and all like that, I just think it should be inclusive of everyone.

Many residents believe there is a perceived divide between the eastern and western sides of the city, demarcated by the train tracks. How would you characterize this divide and what do you think can or should be done to help bridge the gap between them?

There is a definite divide in our community and there has been for a very long time. The bridge is something as simple as, again, being able to look at people as people and not look at people for their differences. Wether you are white, black, tall or short, we are all human beings, we all want the same things out of life, we all want to be at peace, we all want to, you know, have our children educated, we all want to be happy with our families. The city is divided, you can look at how they are building up the beachfront area with condos and houses that, you know, start at $400,000 and $500,000, and then they build single family units over here on the West Side – you are separating people through financial reasons, you separate people, you know? People just don’t feel comfortable when they go down to the beachfront area. They are not made to feel comfortable when they do want to spend their money in the downtown or at the restaurants on the beach, so, there is a definite divide in this community. Until we can get past the so-called “differences” people may see in one another and just treat people for the content of their character and not maybe the color of their skin and because of their financial situation, then we are going to continue to be in this same situation.

PILOT programs, which reduce taxes on new development for a set period of time and are traditionally used to encourage redevlopment, have been used to spur redevelopment in the city. Under what circumstances do you believe PILOTs should continue to be used in Asbury Park?

My understanding is that some redevelopment programs have to have some PILOT programs, payment in lieu of taxes, I just think it can be done differently. Our past council has given, if I’m not mistaken, potentially people that move into the city don’t have to pay taxes toward our school system for 30 years. I just think that PILOT programs are necessary we just have to be more prudent in how we spend the money, or the taxes that we do receive. So, PILOT programs are necessary but I just think we have to be more prudent in our decision making.

What makes your angriest about Asbury Park?

I’m not angry about Asbury Park, I love Asbury Park and that’s why I’m running for the position of mayor.

What makes you happiest about Asbury Park?

The fact that I’m part of a growing community and the possibilities of its future.

[Photo provided by A-Team for Council.]

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