Action speaks louder than words. Want to know what someone stands for? Look at their record of results. In more than 12 years serving Passaic County, I have demonstrated a commitment to fiscal responsibility, economic development, and standing up for the vulnerable and for the American values of inclusion and opportunity.
In New Jersey, the work of County government touches so many different issues affecting your quality of life, and I am particularly proud of my record of results on these issues:
- Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development. I’m proud to have the line on tax increases in Passaic County – balancing every budget, with no tax levy increase in 6 of the last 8 years. In fact, if you live in most Passaic County towns, you’re paying less in county taxes than you were in 2018. At the same time, we’ve helped businesses grow, created new employment and educational opportunities in Passaic County by investing in education at PCTI and PCCC, and made investments to drive economic growth in tourism and other industries.
- Transportation Improvements. In my 12+ years as Passaic County’s representative on the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority, we’ve brought more than $600 million into Passaic County for key state and local infrastructure projects, including bridges that better connect us to work and play, safety improvements that protect pedestrians and drivers, and investments in rails-to-trails and the Morris Canal Greenway so everyone can enjoy the outdoors. All those federal dollars enable us to do more for residents without increasing the county tax burden.
- Community Engagement. From my first days in office, I have worked to make sure County government is responsive to the needs of all our diverse communities – from bringing County staff out into the community with multi-lingual outreach programs, to supporting families and seniors with special needs, to partnering with federal, state and local officials.
- Standing up for American Values. I am proud to have spoken out and organized my colleagues to adopt policies that make Passaic County a fair and welcoming place for all people, and as an attorney to protect voting rights in New Jersey and beyond.
Nothing more vividly illustrated the breadth of County government services than the COVID19 crisis. Thanks to direct funding under the CARES Act and American Rescue Plan, Passaic County led the state in responding to that crisis: opening the first county-run testing site in the State, and the first county-operated at-home and mobile testing program, partnering with local grocery stores to provide food aid to families while keeping neighbors employed, providing direct grants to help businesses and nonprofits weather the storm, and helping more than 4,000 families avoid eviction.
What’s more, I’ve worked across the aisle to get things done – not by sacrificing my principles, but by finding and working together on the issues that unite us. We need more representatives who bring that attitude to their work, to overcome partisan gridlock. Governing isn’t about scoring political points: good governing is about earning our constituents’ support by serving them. I hope my track record of making County government more accessible, efficient, and responsive has earned yours.