4 candidates vie for 2 Woodcliff Lake council seats Nov. 3

Woodcliff Lake voters will choose two of four candidates for Borough Council seats on Nov. 3. The race pits two Republican incumbents against two Democratic challengers. The candidates have outlined their priorities regarding development, municipal spending, and schools.

Republican incumbents Julie Brodsky and Joshua Stern said their approach to New Jersey affordable-housing requirements aims to limit new construction while strengthening the tax base. They cited senior-designated units, supportive housing, and townhomes with elevators as methods to meet housing obligations without increasing school enrollment. The pair noted that the BMW and Hilton sites would stabilize the borough’s tax base while maintaining its small-town nature. They also said discussions with local and regional school boards continue regarding capacity and revenue sharing.

Brodsky, a 20-year resident and retail executive, and Stern, a seven-year resident and commercial litigator, listed their other priorities. These include controlling borough spending, renovating recreation facilities, repaving roads, and updating police technology. They pointed to the restoration of Springfest, the Woodcliff Wednesdays concert series, and a five-year police labor agreement as recent accomplishments.

Democratic challenger Aleisia Gibson Wright called for closer scrutiny of development incentives and public comparisons of payment-in-lieu-of-taxes agreements with conventional property taxation. She stated that developers do not need tax breaks to build in Woodcliff Lake. Gibson Wright, a nine-year resident and healthcare communications executive, proposes public information sessions before major land-use votes and the advance publication of development plans. Her platform also includes a strategy to attract businesses and a multiyear plan for the borough’s pool, fields, and courts.

The other Democratic challenger, Eric Bittman, emphasized the combined effects of new housing on schools, infrastructure, traffic, and property taxes. He said new development should not overwhelm schools or place an unfair financial burden on existing residents. Bittman, an 11-year resident and founder of Warren London Dog Products, calls for greater transparency about long-term financial effects. He proposed working with the Board of Education to improve soccer and baseball fields, restore tennis courts, and provide usable basketball facilities.

Both Democratic challengers highlighted the need for careful management of growth. Gibson Wright serves on the Pascack Hills School Safety Council. Bittman volunteers as a girls’ soccer coach and is a former tax accountant. The candidates’ differing views on development scale and municipal transparency frame the central issues of this election.