Kristin McLaughlin, Hopewell Township
As the election season pushes into the final week, voters get to decide what kind of community we want to build in the coming months and years. Michael Ruger and I have spent many hours in neighborhoods across the Valley, knocking on doors, listening, and hearing your ideas on how we can move Hopewell Township forward.
We heard about the importance of bulky waste pickup to our residents, and then pushed for it to resume both in front of the Township Committee and in letters printed here. Our opponents have not addressed this issue.
We have heard the frustration among our seniors about the lack of a plan for a senior center after years and years of discussion. While we support moving forward to designing and building a new senior and community center with aquatics, our opponents voted against putting even a small amount of money toward a design last year.
We have heard your frustration about our tax rate from nearly everyone. We share that the current Democratic leadership passed a nearly flat budget for 2016 that now delivers the lowest tax rate in Mercer County. Taxes increased an incredible 4.6 percent per year during our opponents’ term.
We heard the frustration and anger from township residents about the threat of the PennEast Pipeline and then we wrote and filed individual protest letters with FERC, the agency which will make the final decision on the construction. We participated in protest marches and rallies. Our opponents have not done either.
If you read my letter last week, you will remember that I am a mother of three incredible young women and a daughter of a woman who succeeded in the male-dominated political environment in Kansas as a Republican. She fought for women and children in every way, including challenging her party’s stance on hot-button issues when she believed they were wrong. She spoke up.
I want to do my part to continue to build this unique and strong community. I will not be silent when I believe our township values are threatened. I want to be the voice for my daughters since it is their future, and all of our children’s, that we are creating here. Leaders who respect the values of the community and work with residents to plan for the future, succeed. I will be that kind of leader.
This election offers the opportunity for Hopewell Township to move away from the do-nothing politics of the past toward a future where results matter. I am running to help create a brighter future for Hopewell Township. I will work with others, look for solutions and opportunities, and will always listen to my neighbors. This is a great community. We must meet the challenges together, as a community. Our children will be grateful for our efforts and results.
Thank you to everyone who has read these letters and thought about your vision for the future. We are grateful for your thoughts and ideas. Please vote McLaughlin and Ruger on Nov. 8.
Kristin McLaughlin
Hopewell Township
