By Mary Brienza, Staff Writer
Kendall Park resident and entrepreneur Nirmal Mulye, 44, was appointed by Gov. Christopher Christie to the Council on Local Mandates on April 29, according to a press release.
Mr. Mulye is the founder and president of the pharmaceutical company, Nostrum, in New Brunswick, according to the company website.
Mr. Mulye said he has a doctorate degree in pharmaceuticals and has been married to his wife, Archana, for 12 years. They have a 10-year-old son named Dhruva.
Mr. Mulye said he has no political ambitions, and he will be on the council purely for the sake of public service.
He said this is his first time he has been nominated for a position, and he has the background and commitment to bring solutions to economic and fiscal issues.
”I think I can make a difference,” Mr. Mulye said.
The council was created by an amendment to the New Jersey Constitution that was approved by voters in 1995 and put into effect by the Council Statute in May 1996, according to the website www.state.nj.us/localmandates.
This council can decide that a law, rule or regulation has an “unconstitutional ‘unfunded mandate’” towards counties, municipalities or any board of education, according to the website. If the council decides, the part of the law, rule or regulation that has an “unfunded mandate” will expire and not be a mandatory part of the law, according to the website.
Assemblyman Upendra Chivukula, D-17, said he nominated Mr. Mulye because of his “out-of-the-box” thinking skills, and he will help solve problems with taxes.
Mr. Mulye said he has donated money to the Democratic Party and is a registered Democrat, but would work for more harmony between local and state governments.
In the 2010 election cycle, Mr. Mulye donated more than $35,000 to Democrats, according to information published in the Huffington Post.
The government should provide services in a fiscally responsible way, and people should get what they pay for, since they have to pay taxes, he said.
There are three candidates from the Republican Party and three members from the Democratic Party on the Council of Local Mandates, Mr. Mulye said.

