Labrusciano Seeks West Cape May Seat

WEST CAPE MAY — Commission candidate Jim Labrusciano is running against a slate of incumbents, Mayor Pamela Kaithern and Commissioner Peter Burke along with newcomer Ramsey Geyer, who is replacing Deputy Mayor Dick Rigby who did not seek reelection.
Labrusciano is making his first run for public office. He and his wife, Lenanne, own and operate the historic Albert Stevens Inn on Myrtle Avenue.
Labrusciano is former president of the West Cape May Business Association and serves as vice president. He has served as treasurer of the West Cape May Shade Tree Commission and Historic Inns of Cape May.
Labrusciano said he will solve problems through cooperation and compromise rather than through litigation. He said he wants to promote transparency in government.
His platform calls for protecting property rights and keeping property taxes affordable.
Labrusciano said he was asked to run for commission by a number of residents.
He said he wants the borough to maintain its unique character, which separates West Cape May from other shore communities.
“I want to restore the community spirit that was once so essential to the people of West Cape May,” he said. “I feel there have been a lot of divisive issues that have literally separated the town into warring factions almost, pro-development and non-development.”
Labrusciano said he is for smart growth not uncontrolled development. He said one of the biggest challenges of having a business in the borough is the affordability factor.
Taxes, which have increased almost 250 percent in the past eight to nine years, are contributing to a declining population countywide, said Labrusciano. He said he has had guests at the inn who were looking for a year round home here but are shocked by the home prices and give up their search.
Labrusciano had a 23-year career in the casino industry before buying the inn eight years ago. He holds a bachelor of arts degree in marketing. He said he grew up around farms in Fairton where his family made a practice of canning vegetables.
On the topic of recreating the borough’s business district, Labrusciano said he has not seen any towns have success when the commercial district had no parking requirements. He said it did not work in Wildwood. He said he is not favor of a business district with no parking.
He said he supports building apartments over stores, but is not convinced rentals to meet affordable housing requirements is the best use. A question is where delivery trucks will unload if stores are permitted to build out to the sidewalk at the corners of Broadway and Sunset Boulevard, he said.
The loss of parking to bike paths on both sides of Park Boulevard was not good, he said.
Labrusciano shares his block with the recently expanded Wilbraham Mansion, which he said, was granted a building permit without site plan approval by the borough. He said the project received a variance for six parking places. A neighbor appealed the planning board’s decision in court in Atlantic County.
Labrusciano said he is pleased that Sixth Street Partners lost its builder’s remedy lawsuit to build 70 town homes on Sixth Avenue. He said he believed the case dragged on too long with the borough administration “digging their heels in” not negotiating with the developer in good faith for a reasonable solution.
“It wound up costing the taxpayers a lot of money,” said Labrusciano.
He noted Sixth Street Partners appealed the court decision, which could continue litigation for two to three more years. Labrusciano said he would work towards a speedy solution.
He said the $60,000 the borough is paying annually to the fire company is very reasonable for the high level of service. Labrusciano said the fire company has worked well for 87 years.
He said he is not pleased with a $40,000 county grant being spent on the Backyard Park for the farmers’ market because it is not the best location for the event.