Submitted Content
To the editor:
I have spoken with hundreds of residents in Hopewell Township and have heard one message loud and clear. They want to be sure the township has responsible budget management.
Under the leadership of Mayor Kevin Kuchinski and his fellow Democratic committee members, that is exactly what we have seen in Hopewell Township for the past two years. Two simple facts say it all.
First, when the Republicans were in charge from 2013-2015, the average annual tax increase was 6.3 percent. With the Democrats in charge for the past two years, the average has been reduced to 1.1 percent. Not only is that well below the state’s 2 percent cap, but it is also below the rate of inflation.
Second, township operating expenses have been cut by over $2 million over the past two years.
Those are facts. It’s not fake news.
I know how hard the Democrats on the township committee have worked to achieve these goals. As a member of the Finance Advisory Committee, I worked with the township committee throughout the multi-month budget process. I read every budget spreadsheet, looked at every line item, and asked questions. I wanted to ensure the township was spending our money properly.
For those of us who have gone through the process, developing a township budget is a lot of work and requires close attention to detail. But it should be hard—after all, the township is determining how to spend our money, and their decision will affect our bank accounts.
I am proud to stand with Kevin Kuchinski in seeking election to the Hopewell Township Committee. Experience counts. If elected, I look forward to working with him and the other members of the committee to examine every expense in the 2018 budget to make sure we continue to spend our money wisely.
Please vote for Kevin Kuchinski and Michael Ruger for Hopewell Township Committee. For more information about our campaign, please visit our Facebook page at Kuchinski and Ruger for Hopewell Township.
Michael Ruger
Hopewell Township
