Julie Blake. Hopewell Township
As my campaign goes into its final week, I want to thank the people of Hopewell Township who have taken the time to share their perspectives and talk with me about their concerns. Hopewell Township is fortunate to have so many bright and well-informed citizens who care deeply about this community. It has been a privilege to campaign in this township, and it would be a privilege to serve as one of your five representatives on the Hopewell Township Committee.
Why should you vote for me?
I am running for the simple reason that I want to stop the excessive spending and borrowing that has become the norm while preserving what makes Hopewell so special — the farms, the open space, the deep history, and the warm community. We need new voices on our Township Committee and more vision and long-range planning in our municipal government. The challenges we face in the next few years — reducing spending and debt, fighting the PennEast Pipeline, and creating a responsible affordable housing plan — need a practical and honest person who will be transparent, collaborative, and responsive to all Hopewell Township citizens.
I am not a traditional politician. I have no political agenda or ambition other than to ethically and responsibly represent my fellow residents.
I see the issues facing us as a longtime resident and working mother. I’ll fight for lower taxes and reduce our spending because I know what it is like to stretch my budget to cover new expenses. I know the dread of hearing that township spending has increased by 9 percent and that your home is being reassessed (again). I’ll fight to protect our open space and stop the PennEast pipeline because I want a healthy, safe environment for my neighbors and my family.
My background as a counselor and educator informs my character — I believe in collaborative decision-making and solution-based action plans. Under my opponent’s leadership, the Hopewell Township Committee has become dysfunctional: speakers are silenced, dialogue is non-existent, and important decisions are regularly postponed.
I’ve learned how to work with families, institutions and government agencies to get things done. I have developed numerous programs to support students and parents and have built outreach programs to the residents of an assisted living facility.
Good government isn’t about one-upmanship. It isn’t about scoring political points. Good government is about people with different opinions working together for the common good.
These are my strengths. Every day I find solutions for students and families; every day I make sure that we make things work.
I will fight for you and work across party lines for a better Hopewell Township.
I hope you will vote for positive change in Hopewell Valley. I hope you will vote for me this Nov. 3 for Hopewell Township Committee.
Julie Blake
Hopewell Township
The writer is the Democratic candidate for Hopewell Township Committee.
