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WHY I'M RUNNING FOR RE-ELECTION

I am running for re-election to a second term on the Township Committee because I want to make sure that we not only preserve the elements that make Maplewood great, but are constantly striving as a community to evolve and improve.

After Alex and I got married in 2006, we started looking for the perfect community in which to live and raise a family.  We found it in Maplewood, where sophistication, diversity, and progressive thought meet small town charm and neighborly camaraderie. We have lived in town now for nearly 12 years and can't imagine living anywhere else. 

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We are proud to be raising our family here (our daughter Caroline is 7).  Alex and I love raising CC in a cultured community filled with such an eclectic mix of professionals, artists, academics, and entrepreneurs, and we appreciate that Maplewood values sustainability and embraces inclusiveness in all aspects. 

Among my top priorities if re-elected for another term are to:

 

  • Successfully merge fire departments with South Orange

    • We can save costs in the short-term and achieve even more savings in the long-term.

    • There will be no decline in services, and in fact will be able to expand and improve services.

    • There will be no increase in response time for fires and medical emergencies.

  • Create more senior and affordable housing in town

    • We have already reached a landmark agreement with Fair Share Housing to make sure that we meet or exceed our obligations to provide affordable housing.  Maplewood was one of the first towns in NJ to do so.

    • There is a proposed facility on Boyden Avenue to provide senior housing and assisted living/adult care facilities, with a substantial portion open to Medicare.

    • We have passed an ordinance to allow seniors to take boarders into their homes, and hope to find other creative solutions to help seniors be able to afford to remain in their homes.

    • Our goal is for Maplewood's seniors to be able to remain in their homes or relocate to suitable housing within Maplewood so that they can continue to stay in and enjoy the community they helped to build and maintain generational diversity in our town.

  • Partner with the Board of Education and school district on capital improvements to our school facilities and the rezoning of our schools

    • Our schools are in desperate need of an infrastructure overhaul, and I want to help make sure that it is done right to make our schools the best they can be for next generation and beyond and also keep Maplewood an attractive town for all types of families.

    • We need to address racial and economic segregation in our schools through rezoning.  We can’t just say that we are for diversity, integration, and equality.  We need to walk the talk and back it up with our actions.

  • Continue to expand and improve recreational facilities and community pool

    • I am leading the efforts on a proposed new basketball court facility at DeHart Park, which we hope to complete next year.

    • We are developing a capital plan for our community pool, forming a long-term vision rather than just getting by year to year.

  • Work towards tax relief 

    • Lobby to restore federal tax deductions for state and local taxes to full level.

    • Continue to fight for our school district's fair share of state education funding, based on our enrollment and needs.  Even with recent increases we are still receiving over $1M less per year than we did before Governor Christie, despite now having more students in our district.

  • Continue to work on improving the culture of the Maplewood Police Department to make it more representative of and responsive to our residents 

  • Maintain efforts to increase traffic and pedestrian safety

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