Submitted Content
To the editor:
My name is Phil Volpe, I am a proud resident of the Brandon Farms community, and I am running for a seat on the Hopewell Township Committee. My wife, Laurie, our three daughters and I have resided here since the development’s beginning in 1993. We were living in Hamilton Square and Laurie was working as a part-time School Counselor at Toll Gate when she came home and announced to me and our daughters, “I know where we are going to live! We are going to move to the wonderful Hopewell Valley!” Laurie had just accepted a full-time position at Bear Tavern and she was absolutely certain that Hopewell Township was where she wanted to raise our family.
Our family is a big believer in giving back and we have done so from the moment we decided to become residents of this vibrant, bucolic and diverse township. I have served 17 years on the board of the YMCA, six years as president; I have coached my share of soccer and basketball teams and logged many nights in the Quarry Field snack bar; taught CCD at St. James; worked on behalf of our senior citizens; served on the Recreation Foundation; and now after very careful consideration and 20 plus years of community service, I believe it is time to serve in another capacity, as a hard working member of the Township Committee.
I should mention that I am also the guy who bought Cream King 16 years ago. As someone who has worked in sales and sales management in the electronic industry,” Cream King serves my creative entrepreneurial side and enables me to think outside of the “corporate box”.
Our Cream King experience as a family has been nothing short of amazing! What a great way to get to know your community, help your kids learn about hard work and sweat equity along with 50+ other fantastic and impressive youth of the Hopewell Valley. In the spirit of giving back, and being thankful for the generosity of our local community, we began the tradition of Cream King Mondays and have been fortunate to have donated over $40,000 to local charities that we and our employees care deeply about.
Why run for Township Committee now in 2017? I believe we have an affordable housing problem in the Hopewell Valley. I am not talking about the court mandated affordable housing. I am talking about the fact that many people who love Hopewell Township the way we do are moving out because they can no longer afford to live here. I am running because I believe the Hopewell Township needs a strong advocate for their senior citizens. I am running to keep costs down and to be honest with local citizens because I am tired of the “statistical spin” which leads you to believe the municipal budget is rising only one percent when in fact it is rising over five percent. I am running because I am a fiscal conservative.
I understand the township’s affordable housing unit obligation. However, the proposal of an additional 3,000 homes, 90 percent of which are in the southern tier, changes the character of Hopewell Township forever; places unforeseen tax burdens on all of its citizens; and ensures the exodus of many who have contributed to the unique fabric that has made Hopewell Township great.
There are plenty of reasons to want to serve your local community. It is time for a new perspective, one that leans towards conservative fiscal principles and understands the financial burdens of our residents and the local small business sector. It is time for all of us to get involved.
Please support me and my running mate, Luis Nicholao, to bring commonsense leadership back to the Hopewell Valley.
Phil Volpe
Hopewell Township
