The Record from Hackensack, New Jersey • 36

A-36 THE RECORD, SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1985 An array of municipal issues Money, services, zoning, and politics The Record Poll Today's article is drawn from a poll of 966 New Jersey residents conducted between Sept. 30 and Oct. 6. The respondents included both men and women and were age 18 and over. Telephone exchanges were selected by computer from a list of all exchanges in a way that ensured that each section of the state was represented.

For each exchange, telephone numbers were formed by random digits so that there was access to unlisted numbers. -The poll has a sample-error margin of 3 percent, meaning that in 95 of 100 cases, results based on the entire sample differ by no more than 3 percent in either direction from what would be obtained by interviewing every adult in the area. The margin of error is greater for smaller samples of people polled. Michael Rappeport and Peggy Gaboury of Associates in Princeton served as consultants to the The Record Poll. POLITICS.

Usually distinguished from issues, politics can be an issue itself as in Fair Lawn, where an internecine power struggle has split the Democratic Party. In several communities where all members of the town board belong to one party, such as Democratic-controlled Cliffside Park, the weaker political party campaigns on a platform of saying town government needs a second voice. Politics is also at issue in Bloom-ingdale, where Democrats and Republicans are battling for the remains of an independent party once the town's most potent political force that dissolved amid personality disputes earlier this year. RINGERS. These are the wild card issues, typically resulting from a scandal or unusual event in a community.

In Oakland, for instance, the shoot-out among guests at a private picnic ground this year cast a bright light on a long-simmering zoning dispute between borough officials and the recreation area's owner, who wants to build condominiums on his property. to a sudden influx of condominium development in Lincoln Park, general growth plans and specific development projects have heated up several town races. In Edgewater, the question is one of approach: whether to seek high-rise apartment buildings or commercial development to replenish a tax base rocked by the loss of such industrial giants as Ford and Alcoa. In Wayne, Democrats are charging that the Republican-controlled administration is dominated by real estate interests, leading to unchecked development that aggravates traffic and flooding problems. SENIOR CITIZEN SERVICES.

While many towns already have passed through the period of debating senior citizen housing and dial-a-ride bus services, Elmwood Park voters face a dispute over whether to sell a school building that was slated to be a senior citizen Many unaffected by local elections Westwood, a new borough hall. In Hillsdale, the quality of past road paving programs is under dispute. TAXES. While just about everything a council decides has some effect on the tax rate, the rate itself is the overriding concern in some campaigns. In Ramsey, for the Democrats have promised to dip into the borough's surplus to prevent a local tax increase next year, while Republicans argue that a moderate tax increase is safer than spending the surplus.

In Ridgefield, Democrats are making hay of last year's 19 percent tax increase under a Republican-controlled council. MOUNT LAUREL II. Several communities notably Blooming-dale, Paramus, Norwood, and Haworth are debating the effect of the court ruling requiring many relatively affluent towns to zone for low- and moderate-income housing. ZONING. From the proliferation of satellite dishes in Northvale By Neal Allen Staff Writer Although more voters focus on candidates than issues, judging from The Record Poll, local concerns play an important role in many of the North Jersey towns holding local elections Nov.

5. From town to town the controversies often are the same. Here is a sample of some of the more common campaign disputes, and how they're being contested in some towns this year. INFRASTRUCTURE. Because it involves large amounts of money, the repair or renovation of buildings and roads often takes center stage in local elections.

In Paramus this year, Republican candidates are critical of the Democratic-con-trolled council's approval of an expanded police headquarters, which includes a gym. In Closter, an issue is whether to build a new public works department building; in Do children fear strangers too much? lion voters went to the polls. But the year before, without a statewide or congressional race, only 49.9 percent cast ballots. Four years ago, when voters last confronted a ticket comparable to 1985's, with a gubernatorial race on top, the turnout was 66 percent. Much is made of the recent rise in the number of undeclared, independent voters, who could be expected to dilute the importance of political parties.

In Bergen's 70 municipalities, for example, party voters outnumber independents in only nine communities. But official party enrollment figures are skewed, because they are drawn primarily by measuring the votes in primary elections, and primaries usually draw a low turnout. The typical Bergen primary draws 7 percent of the registered electorate, probably not an accurate reflection of the number of people who maintain some allegiance to a political party. In the Record Poll, 83 percent of respondents indicated they at least leaned toward one party or the FROM PAGE A-29 same time it gave a big majority to President Reagan. But at the local level, ticket-splitting is unusual, political observers said.

In sleepier towns especially, party faithfuls voting out of a sense of civic duty apparently see no reason to change old patterns. In some towns, there is virtually no opposition to challenge the party in power. Candidates are running unopposed in a number of towns, including Harrington Park, Rockltlgh, Old Tap-pan, Montvale, and Wyckoff. "Even in the so-called small community, people will only cross that party line when they have a compelling reason," Reid said. Local elections traditionally attract fewer voters than races for statewide or national offices.

Judging from past elections, a higher proportion of voters cast ballots for local candidates than for the more prestigious state legislature candidates. In last year's presidential race, 78 percent of Bergen County's half-mil cannot be contacted. At least one board of education is taking its responsibiity a step further. Rochelle Park officials have decided to lock from the outside all but the front door at their school in an effort to keep out anyone who may want to abduct or assault a child. "If it brings attention to one child who is abducted, it's well worthwhile," Kelly said of the state law requiring the policies.

Most educators interviewed agreed that the policy is needed and that students must be warned about the dangers of befriending strangers, but Paterson Superintendent of Schools Frank Napier Jr. is among those who think the precautions are not always good for children. "It's almost overkill, like the AIDS scare," Napier said. "There could be possible psychological damage to our youngsters, causing children to fear those who are there to help them." FROM PAGE A-29 we have a responsibility to teach children about the dangers out there," said Lawrence Dunn, principal of Midland School 1 in Rochelle Park. "We teach children about the dangers of fire.

It's the same thing. That's a fundamental need they have: to learn how to be safe." All 75 school districts in Bergen County and 18 of the 20 districts in Passaic County have developed missing-child policies, school officials report. The Passaic and Paterson boards of education are still working on their policies, though administrators in those districts have procedures for identifying potentially missing children, said Colleen Agresti, who coordinates county programs on child abuse and missing children. Agresti and Ray Kelly, Bergen County superintendent of Police press search for abducted newborn But all parents are not aware, or convinced, that the disadvantages of warning children outweigh the advantages. Toby Havison, president of the Council of Parent-Teacher Organizations in Saddle Brook, expressed surprise that the numbers of children kidnapped by strangers is so low.

Still, Havison says, it is necessary to "put some fear" in children about the possibility of being abducted. Thelma DePreker, president of the Parent-Teacher Association at Rochelle Park's Midland School, favors educating children about the possibility that might try to abduct them. "There are a lot of nuts out there," Ms. DePreker said. "It's an unfortunate thing we have to do, but I don't think it's gotten out of hand.

We were taught never to take candy from strangers, Why shouldn't our children be?" James Seeley, attorney for the trappers, called the padded leg-hold trap "an innocuous piece of metal and rubber" after he pulled one from his brief case and snapped it onto his hand. Trappers maintain the leg-hold trap ban does not apply to the "padded" traps, which have a band of rubber on the "jaws" of the device. The Fish and Game Council had proposed allowing use of padded traps in the 1985-86 hunting season, but the attorney-general ruled in July that the padded leg-hold trap also was outlawed by legislation. "Nobody won today," U.S. Humane Society lawyer Kathryn Schatz Koles said.

"But I think the trappers are happier because they still have their traps." Leg-hold traps: OK to have, not to use The Associated Press NEW YORK Police trying to find a week-old baby kidnapped at gunpoint are circulating a description of the garment she wore when abducted. Newborn Marlene Santana was grabbed Monday night as she left Brookdale Hospital in Brooklyn in her mother's arms, three days after the birth. She was the second baby kid-, napped in two days. On Sunday, 2-month-old Christopher Morgan was abducted from his crib at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center. A woman who had delivered a stillborn child earlier this month reportedly picked him up and took him home as her own, then returned him unharmed.

Baby Marlene was swaddled in a blanket with a white background and a pastel-pink-and-blue print decorated with little white rabbits. The thick cotton garment had a zipper up the front, according to Capt. James Dinan of the 67th Precinct, who showed an identical blanket to reporters and photographers on "We went with the mother to the store where she bought it and bought a duplicate. It's hard to describe," Dinan said. When the baby was abducted, she probably still had a hospital identification bracelet on her ankle, Dinan said.

"The mother said she did not take off the baby's ID tag and the hospital says it is not their practice to remove it, but to leave it for the mother to remove," Dinan said. In addition, the kidnapper took a pink shopping bag the mother had been carrying. It contained a gift bag, given to her by the hospital, with samples of baby powder and disposable diapers. At the time of the kidnapping, Marlene's mother, Frances Santana of Brooklyn, was walking with her cousin and her sister-in-law. A Hispanic woman, about 5-foot-2 with blonde hair, pulled a gun and demanded the child, police said.

Mrs. Santana surrendered her newborn daughter and the kidnapper sped away in a white car with red lettering. The Associated Press SALEM New Jersey trappers were relieved to hear, that possession of steel leg-hold traps is not illegal under a new law that goes into effect next week, but a judge warned them that the controversial devices may not be used, sold, or transported. Hunters and trappers took the New Jersey Fish and Game Council to court Friday in an attempt to have "padded" leg-hold traps declared legal under the law that goes into effect tomorrow. Superior Court Judge George Far-rell in Salem County ruled that trappers may still possess the traps after tomorrow, but said he would not block enforcement "as it deals with use, sale, or transportation of the type of trap in question." schools, say the school policies are similar: Parents are asked to call their child's school if the child is going to be absent.

If the school is not contacted, school officials will try to locate the parents. The police are called if the parents cannot be found and the child cannot be accounted for in any other way. In addition, school officials will not release children to anyone other than their legal guardian during school hours and are on the lookout for children who have withdrawn from school but whose records are not requested by another school. Officials say those precautions are to deal with the abduction of a child by a divorced parent who does not have custody. In some districts, the policy calls for school employees to track down missing children through the child's brothers and sisters, other pupils, staff members, and neighbors if the parents The state attorney-general's office immediately went to the appellate court in Haddonfield to block Far-rell's decision, but Judge Michael Patrick King said he would issue no order and instead set a hearing for Wednesday in Trenton.

Opponents of the law, which was passed in April 1984, also contended it violates interstate commerce by limiting transportation of the traps, and that it violates free speech because possession is banned to all but humane societies and education groups for display purposes. Susan Russell of the Friends of Animals said she was disappointed with Farrell's decision that the matter should go to trial. When the hunting season starts Nov. 15 in New Jersey, "animals are going to be maimed. They are going West57St.1770Broadwoy West 89 St.

2424 Broadway Flushing 36 12 Main St. Astoria 31 46 Steinway St. to use those traps. There is no way to enforce the ban," she said. She said animal rights activists campaigned for 10 years in the legislature to ban leg-hold traps.

Opponents contend the traps are cruel because they do not kill the animals, which sometimes free themselves by gnawing off their paws. The traps are commonly used to catch musk-rats, racoons, and foxes. The1 leg-hold trap ban carries a maximum fine of $2,500 for violations. "I'm pleased we can at least own them for a while," said Jim Merrill of the Fur Takers of America. Asked whether trappers would respect the law banning the use of the traps, Merrill said, "You'll get a few individuals who will break the law, but the majority are law-abiding." Forest Hills 111 06 Queens Blvd.

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