EAST BRUNSWICK – Democratic incumbent Dinesh Behal looks to retain his seat against Republican challenger David Herrera in the latest East Brunswick Township Council election.
Dinesh Behal has lived in East Brunswick for 6 years. He is a small business owner who manages an insurance practice. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Accounting and has several licenses and certifications related to real estate and insurance. He has also served on various boards in East Brunswick as a treasurer and as a secretary.
“I have served on the East Brunswick Library Board of Trustees as a member for three years, including two years as its treasurer. I served for two years on the East Brunswick Zoning Board of Adjustment as its secretary. I am a founding member of the East Brunswick Lions Club which provided several programs for community service. I am a proud member of the East Brunswick Chamber of Commerce and serve as a council member of the Indian Temple, Ved Mandir in East Brunswick,” Behal said.
In February, Behal was chosen to serve on East Brunswick’s Township Council when Sterley Stanley was sworn in to the Assembly in January.
“Although appointed earlier this year, I am proud that I have been able to contribute to the adoption of this year’s municipal budget with virtually no property tax increases,” Behal said.
Behal also noted that despite the pandemic, the stabilization of taxes was achieved and that cost-effective services are a priority of his.
“The delivery of cost-effective municipal services remains my first and foremost priority. Working with the mayor and my fellow council members, I am proud to say that we have virtually eliminated municipal tax increases over the past two years. This was achieved while we were suffering from the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. … The stabilization of the municipal tax rate was achieved without any one-time gimmicks, and therefore can be longer lasting,” Behal said.
If re-elected, Behal said he hopes to build on his accomplishments by continuing to be a public servant. He plans on using his business and government experiences to improve East Brunswick by providing a higher quality of life for residents.
“I bring both business and government experience to discussions affecting our community. I intend to focus on planning, developing and creating strategic partnerships that will improve the quality of life for all residents. … To me, being a public servant is the highest honor that my neighbors can bestow upon me,” Behal said.
“I was able to respond to resident complaints about the inaccessibility of the Motor Vehicle Commission by bringing the Motor Vehicle Mini Van to East Brunswick. I recently initiated a winter coat drive for Afghan refugees. Working with Mayor [Brad] Cohen and the administration, I was able to meet the demand of many residents wanting a facility to play cricket by building a cricket field at Bicentennial Park,” Behal said.
For recreation in East Brunswick, Behal said he hopes to work alongside Cohen in expanding and developing additional parks to accommodate the different communities of East Brunswick.
“The Parks and Recreation Department is one of the prized jewels of our community. … That is why Mayor Cohen’s team is working with Middlesex County officials to expand two new parks, including one that will offer a campground which is expected to be used by our Boy and Girl Scouts as a training area to facilitate their growing numbers. … At last, I want to say we are in this together. Together we are a stronger and unified community, ready to face the challenges ahead,” Behal said.
David Herrera (R) has been a resident of East Brunswick for 20 years. He attended and graduated from East Brunswick High School. He owns a small business and formerly operated two restaurants in East Brunswick. Through his business ventures, he has been able to develop skills that he believes will translate as a councilman.
His campaign website states, “He has worked with people of different backgrounds, viewpoints, and lifestyles. David cares about providing career building opportunities to those disenfranchised by previous incarceration or substance abuse. David believes that building skills in hospitality services and associated creative outlets provides a path to developing leadership skills and stability. … David knows that understanding people’s needs can often help one create solutions and he is a prime example of when you put your mind to something, anything is possible!”
According to his campaign website, Herrera learned to be resilient by overcoming personal struggles and by implementing life lessons taught by his mother. He strongly believes that faith in others is necessary for effective public service.
His website states, “Having faced many struggles in early adulthood, his subsequent journey to self-improvement culminated in finding purpose through recovery and public service. As such, he feels a strong connectivity with many of the problems facing our society. He was raised by a hard-working single mother who helped him foster a sense of resilience, values of sacrifice, and strong determination. Faith in his fellow citizens is a key tenet of his philosophy.”
According to the mission statement on Herrera’s website, his goal is to create a functional and bipartisan council that’s transparent and beneficial for all residents, regardless of the issue at hand.
“My mission is simple: it is time for East Brunswick to have a new voice. For far too long our town and our council has been stagnant and one-sided. It’s time to have different views and innovative ideas brought to the table, to have a bipartisan review on all township items. The people of East Brunswick deserve transparency on all major topics that affect our town, to have an awareness on our towns plans and how they either benefit or impact our residents. My promise to you is to devote my time, my energy, and my hard work into making East Brunswick the best it can be. The people deserve better, this town deserves better,” Herrera said.
Herrera’s campaign website lists three primary issues: redevelopment, taxes and quality of life.
On the issue of redevelopment, his website states, “David has a different vision for East Brunswick that respects the fundamental character of our suburban town, which does not lead towards urbanization, increased traffic, wasteful overspending, and infrastructure burdens on our community. … David wants to represent the many families of our community in the town’s redevelopment plans and bring a fresh perspective and ideas to the table.”
Regarding taxes, his website states, “David has been particularly curious as to how recent municipal utility increases have affected community constituents and how to avoid unrestrained increases in the future. … David will examine all past, current and future town spending bills to see where the current administration could have and should cut unnecessary spending to make East Brunswick not only more affordable to current residents but more attractive to future ones.”
In regards to improving the quality of life in East Brunswick, his website states, “As a long-term resident of this amazing town, David has seen firsthand the decline in East Brunswick’s quality of life, transitioning from a family town to a commuter pass through. … David plans to work with the council members and the mayor to develop more programs dedicated to the youth of our great town. Lastly, David wants to see East Brunswick become a home to more family-friendly businesses and developments to improve the quality of life for generations to come.”
Herrera could not be reached for direct comment.
Election Day is Nov. 2.