MONROE — In just over three weeks, residents will go to the polls to fill the mayor’s seat and two positions on the Township Council.
With the Nov. 4 election fast approaching, Democratic Mayor Richard Pucci and Republican challenger Carlos Lopez discussed their qualifications and priorities for the township.
Lopez, who serves as president of the township’s Republican Club and has previously run for mayor and council, said property tax relief is one of his greatest priorities.
“I want to make sure that my neighbors can live here,” Lopez said. “My property taxes have gone up 22 percent in five years. It’s ridiculous.”
Lopez also said he intends to improve transparency of the local government.
“It will be open to everybody and it will be transparent as can be. People will know where every penny is spent and where it goes,” he said.
Lopez said the current administration has issues with transparency and spending. He cited the new senior center as an exam- ple of the latter issue. While he acknowledged the needs of Monroe’s senior citizens, Lopez said many of their needs are being addressed through the 10 privately run senior communities already in Monroe.
“We’re really going to have to look at how our money is spent,” he said.
Lopez is running on a GOP ticket with council candidates Philip Kaufman and Brian Hackett.
Pucci, who has been elected mayor six times since 1988, defended his administration and pointed to his record.
“Monroe Township has always had among the lowest property taxes in the county,” he said. “The facts speak for themselves.”
Additionally, Pucci pointed to his experience, his “progressive programs” to pursue open space, and the township’s excellent services. Specifically, he championed the township library, which did not exist when he was first elected.
He also identified his experiences interacting with local, county, state and federal officials on both sides of the aisle as a significant strength.
Pucci is running on the Democratic ticket along with incumbent Councilwoman Leslie Koppel and Stephen Dalina, who narrowly lost in his first bid for a council seat in 2009.
Republican candidate Hackett is a lifelong resident of Monroe, a graduate of the township’s school system and a magna cum laude honors graduate of The College of New Jersey. He is chairman of the Monroe Township Republican Committee.
His running mate, Kaufman, is a graduate of Rutgers University and practices law in Highland Park. He has been an active resident of Monroe for the past 35 years, coaching children and adults in recreational programs and serving as president and a trustee of the Monroe Township Jewish Center. He and his wife have two sons who are alumni of the Monroe school system.
Democratic candidate Koppel, a lifelong Monroe resident and a councilwoman since 2006, is executive director for a nonprofit community service partnership. She has a master’s degree in politics and public policy from the Bloustein School, Rutgers University, and a bachelor’s degree from Hunter College. She serves on the township Planning Board and CulturalArts Commission. She is the mother of three children.
Her running mate, Dalina, is the university records manager and a lecturer at Rutgers University, teaching in the School of Communication, Information and Library Sciences. He completed his undergraduate studies at Rider College and received a Master of Library Science degree from Rutgers. Dalina serves as chairman of the township Zoning Board of Adjustment and the Recreation Advisory Committee. He and his wife have two sons.
The council currently consists of four Democrats and one Republican. Democratic Councilman Irwin Nalitt is not seeking reelection after 24 years in office.
All of the terms up for grabs on Nov. 8 are for four years.
C
ontact James McEvoy at [email protected].