The wisdom of our non-partisan system

We don't want any

A glance at the Bergen County political scene is enough to turn your stomach. As area Republicans gird for battle in the upcoming primary elections, one is reminded once again of how fortunate we in Teaneck are to have a non-partisan municipal government. As the never ending saga of the fractured Bergen County Democratic Party machine continues to unfold through incessant letters to the editor in local papers and back and forth recriminations, we can be thankful that these messes hardly spill over into our town.

Lest our satisfaction cause us to let down our guard, let us be mindful of the fact that although our system is non-partisan, our elected officials are not free of strong party affiliations. One new Council member holds a high profile leadership position in a local partisan organization and another has built a career around polishing the images of candidates from a certain party and helping them communicate their messages. However, by preventing these public servants from overtly tying their local political fortunes to a larger organization with its own goals, our system goes a long way toward limiting factionalization and forcing each elected official to vote his or her conscience on each issue rather than compelling them to toe a party line.

And while our non-partisan system provides us with some safeguards against larger organizations from out of town turning Teaneck into a battleground for their partisan ambitions, it does not protect us from all the evils of politics. Earlier this month we saw how easily whispered rumors or half-truths, improper attack ads, and slanderous campaign managers can poison the atmosphere and turn an important civic debate into an acrimonious battle royale.

But it is reassuring that these lapses still have the power to arouse our indignation. Most of us have long since lost the ability to feel anything other than disgust at the sordid state of politics on the county, state, and national level. Happily, we still hold ourselves to a higher standard in Teaneck, and that is due in large part to the communal feeling fostered by our refusal to split off into parties and factions. This is worth remembering as this election season fades into memory and we move on to the task of improving life in Teaneck.