Editor's Note: This is the last of a three-day series on the three Borough Council candidates up for election on Nov. 2. Today, you'll meet Republican Candidate Robert Catalanello. Yesterday you met Democratic Candidate Robert McDowell and the day before you met Republican incumbent Jeannie Tsukamoto.

Meet Robert Catalanello, Republican Borough Council candidate. Click on the video at the right to hear from him in his own words

Name: Robert G. Catalanello

Age: 46 years old

Address: 272 Woodland Rd.

Years lived in town: We moved here in March of 1997, so 13.5 years

Family Information: Married (Brenda), with three children. Peter, 12 years old; Isabel 9 years old; Joseph 6 years old.  All attend Madison public schools

Educational Background: Master of Business Administration concentration in Finance and Statistics, University of Pennsylvania Wharton Graduate School of Business, 1993; Bachelor of Electrical Engineering, Minor in Mathematics, Villanova University 1986; St Joseph High School, Metuchen N.J., 1982

Occupation experience:

• Credit Agricole CIB - Managing Director Head of Foreign Exchange, Americas,  Nov. 2006 - Present
• Member NY Federal Reserve Foreign Exchange Markets Committee
• Chairman of Risk Management subcommittee and Chief Dealers Working Group
• Merrill Lynch - Managing Director Global Head of Foreign Exchange Sales. April 2002 to Sept. 2006
• Goldman Sachs & Co - Vice President Foreign Exchange Sales, Jan. 1996 to April 2002
• JP Morgan Chase - Vice President FX Options Marketing. May 1993 to Jan. 1996
• Texas Instruments - Electrical Engineer, Aug. 1986 to Aug. 1991

Community/Political Background:

• Registered Republican
• Founding Member Villanova University President's Leadership Circle

Website: http://www.2010madisongop.com/

Contact Info:

• Home: 973-443-0102

What do you think are the three biggest issues facing Madison this election?

The primary issue is the budget.  We face a gap this upcoming year and given New Jersey's fiscal condition we cannot count on support from Trenton.  We must control costs, look to combine responsibilities at the Municipal level when possible and most importantly develop new sources of revenue.  This can be accomplished partly by investing in new technologies that will reduce costs and by a thorough budgeting exercise wherein the budget must be reviewed line by line to look for savings.  We need to expand the tax base by attracting new business to Madison.

Another challenging issue is infrastructure spending.  We need to responsibly invest in essential infrastructure projects that deliver quality programs and services, such as road repair and development of the 49 acres, to keep Madison a premier community.  However, we cannot simply spend at will and expect to offload the cost to the taxpayer, always assuming the residents can absorb the additional tax burden.  We must contain the tax base.  I support partnering with the Board of Education to look for savings, perhaps by combining positions or by employing new technologies.  We must explore the possibility of outsourcing some work currently performed by the town, if possible.  The Borough needs to explore the expansion of shared services with neighboring communities.  The savings from these efforts can be used to pay for our infrastructure upgrades.

The third issue is the vitality of the downtown business district.  We must continue to partner with the DDC in an effort to fill the vacant storefronts and properties.  Ideally bringing in new businesses that add to the diversity and appeal of the community and make Madison an even more desirable location to visit and shop.

Please explain where you stand on each issue.

My goals are to control cost, contain the tax base, and invest in new technology to generate revenue for Madison.

What skills would you bring to this position?

I have aproven track record of building businesses from the ground up.  I feel I can easily adapt these private sector skills to serving the residents of Madison on the Borough Council.  I am organized, efficient, fiscally responsible, and have real world experience in more than one industry that I can bring to the job.

Why are you running?

I am running because I want to keep Madison affordable for everyone.  I am concerned about the fiscal position of the State and the Country and I feel I can have a positive impact on Madison by helping craft policies that will help protect the Borough from future economic turmoil.  Madison needs to make choices today for the future, and realize that we as a Borough are best positioned to help ourselves.

How do you intend on balancing the responsibilities of elected office with your personal and professional obligations?

When I make a commitment I follow through on that commitment.  It is how we raise our children, and how I will act when elected. 

Is Madison better off than where it was three or four years ago?

Madison is suffering in the same way that the State and Country are suffering. Compared to 3 or 4 years ago, taxes are higher, real estate values are lower and we face a budget crisis.  As a result, we are not better off then we were in 2006.

However, we can and will recover if we make the proper choices and act in a fiscally responsible manner.  We must realize that it is no longer business as usual and be able to quickly adapt to a changing economic landscape, taking advantage of new opportunities as they arise.