I am honored to be a State Senate candidate for the 15th District. I have lived in Hopewell Township for over 12 years with my wife Brenda and three children, Andrew, Sara, and Caroline. I have worked hard to build an excellent business career, as I am a senior partner at a large business and technology consulting firm, where I have worked for over 25 years.
I want to known as a reformer and will bring change and new ideas to Trenton. I want to bring my 25-year business experience and ability to solve complex problems to Trenton.
My background includes membership on the Finance Advisory Committee in Hopewell Township, Trustee on the Board of a local school, chairman of the Advisory Board for the Salvation Army in this region, and coaching youth soccer and lacrosse for over 10 years. I also have a BA from Boston College and an MBA in Finance and Investing from The George Washington University.
Key issues I want to address:
Property Tax Reform — The Trenton politicians have failed to provide real property tax reform. Our taxes are the highest in the nation.
Over the last five years, New Jersey has had a net loss of over 230,000 residents. Studies have show that the highest in the nation property taxes played a significant role in this mass exodus. New Jersey is no longer an affordable place for young families to grow and the seniors to retire.
New Jersey has an “addiction” to spending that needs to be fixed. I believe that we must bring fiscal responsibility back to our state government. Property tax reform will require us to control spending.
While there is no quick fix to this problem, there are several critical things we must do. This includes organizing a Constitutional Convention to realign the revenue sources for public education as well putting spending constraints in place.
I am also proposing we pilot “Zero-Based” budgeting. Zero-based budgeting is an approach whereby each expenditure amount for every line item or program in its entirety each year, regardless of prior funding. Those items that cannot be justified are subject to elimination or significant reduction. We also need to look at the public school funding formula and we need better school management and fiscal disclosure.
Safe Streets — Over the past few years we have seen the continued growth of gang-related crime in Trenton. Gang-related drug and violent crimes have spread to Ewing, Lawrence, and Princeton. Recent efforts by state and local police have helped to stem that tide, but there is much more work to be done.
The main focus of my eight-point plan against gang violence includes providing the local police with the resources and tools they need, getting more coordinated help from state police and the federal government, and more community prevention programs and education. Most importantly there must be real job growth and redevelopment in Trenton. Creating well paying jobs is a big step in providing an alternative to gang membership.
The Environment — My comprehensive environmental policy includes a commitment to long-term open space funding, a continued commitment to cutting green house gases, extensive ground water protection, a continued commitment to cleaning up toxic waste, and recycling electronic waste.
Providing long-term funding for open space is a critical issue facing New Jersey. Research has show that at this current rate New Jersey will be completely developed by 2030. I support this year’s ballot initiative that will allow voters to approve money for Open Space funding. There must be long-term funding for open space preservation in the state, as the $200 million will only last about a year.
