Yazdi Plans to Seek Out Savings if Elected

The following is the fifth in our eight-part series of council candidate profiles for the Nov. 8 election. Each day, Tri-Boro Patch will bring you a new profile so that you know who you can vote for and what issues they are most concerned with. On election day, we will bring all of the profiles together for you in one article so you can make an informed decision.

In Blomingdale, four candidates, two Republicans and two Democrats, are running for two council seats. This is a profile story of one of them.

Democrat Ray Yazdi didn't pay much attention to the until he learned that a few people he considered to be dedicated volunteers of the borough were

"That's how it started," Yazdi said.

Now, since attending nearly every council meeting this year and speaking his mind about where the borough stands financially and projects he feels the borough should invest in, such as the , Yazdi has decided to run for the first time for one of two seats on the Bloomingdale Council.

Yazdi said he does not like the direction the borough has gone in the past year under the Republican majority's leadership.

"They are playing politics as if they can deceive the average Joe," he said.

In Yazdi's opinion, the majority has not acted in the best interest of borough taxpayers when it comes to the field lighting project and budget and Yazdi said, if elected, he will advocate for residents on both.

One priority of Yazdi's, a 16-year resident of the borough, is to stabilize if not lower taxes.

"I'm sick and tired of seeing my taxes go up in this town," he said.

Yazdi works as a pricing leader in the financial department of a leading technology company where he has worked, beginning as a credit analyst, since 1997.

"My company pays millions of dollars for all their employees to constantly look outside the box and come up with better ways as we compete in a global market and it's that training, as well as my work having to come up with financial solutions for our customers' technology needs, that makes me the best candidate for Bloomingdale's current financial crises," he said.

Specifically, Yazdi said he would like to see the borough refinance its debt and reduce the debt expenses paid by taxpayers. He would also like to see the borough come up with a security plan to prevent budgets from being cut and listen and provide incentive to borough employees who provide solutions for cutting costs. Yazdi said he would like to put an end to "if you don't spend it, you don't get it" type actions on the borough council's end.

"Savings are real and substantial, however I need to convince the majority to see things the same way and I can only do that if we remove the politics out of our town council decisions and start thinking for solutions," he said.

Yazdi also said he would like to work with the council on more ideas to bring in new revenue, both short-term and long-term. Additionally, he would like to take a closer look at what the borough is paying for utilities, water and sewer, as he feels the borough is overspending in that area.

He also feels that the borough is losing $35,000 per year by now switching

Yazdi, who serves as president of the B&B United Soccer Club, is also passionate about recreation. He would like to see drainage issues taken care of on borough fields.

"If elected, I will always vote for all improvements that will not cost me another dime, but improve our town and qualify of life for our residents," he said.

Yazdi lives in the borough with his wife, Diane, and two sons, Michael, 16, and Thomas, 9.