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Slogan
Democrats for Progress
My name is Amanda Baumunk and I am running in the Democratic primary because I believe the way to defend and bolster Montgomery Township is by staying true to our Democratic values, welcoming differing opinions, and listening to all voices. Montgomery needs strong leadership willing to fight for its residents, unite Democrats behind a progressive message, and ensure free speech.
Housing: Across our municipality and across our state, we have seen a drastic increase in the cost of housing. Many residents of Montgomery are being priced out of our community, and we need to stop this: Montgomery should be affordable for every Montgomery resident. I hope to fix this by introducing rent control measures and progressive property tax rates for homeowners, which would lower property taxes on almost all houses while steeply increasing ‘mansion taxes’ on exorbitantly expensive properties. I also hope to introduce a higher municipal minimum wage.
Environmental protection: In the face of rapid development, it is vital for our community to stay true to its history of environmental protection. I hope to push for a local ‘Green New Deal’ initiative, investing in renewable energy and green infrastructure while placing strict environmental regulations on new development. Our current amount of open space, around 40%, should be expanded to preserve what we love about Montgomery.
Protecting our immigrant neighbors: Given the actions of the current federal administration, protecting immigrants and the children of immigrants in our community is imperative. I would work to introduce a local “Immigrant Trust Act”. Over thirty percent of our residents are foreign-born, and it is important to defend them from the machinations of an actively hostile federal government. Complying and allowing ICE to detain legal residents should never be accepted as an adequate choice.
One factor critical to the quality of life in Montgomery is transportation. I would facilitate the purchasing of app-based rideshare transportation in conjunction with neighboring municipalities such as Princeton. Like we saw in Jersey City, this would provide rides for free or near-free, only around 2 dollars, for all Montgomery residents through an accessible online app. This would preserve our township's rural nature without disturbing the environment while ensuring access to public transportation for all.
Another factor critical to the quality of life in Montgomery is public safety. I would support the sustainment and development of social services and mental health programs such as mental health crisis teams to keep Montgomery safe, healthy, and nonviolent.
In recent times, we have seen the federal administration ignore and actively work towards stripping us of our free speech rights, including disagreement on issues. Democrats at all levels of government, including municipally, should be focused on fighting the administration and ensuring safety and freedom for all residents. Our incumbent Democrats, unfortunately, have also been part of efforts to silence differences of opinions in their ranks, most notably unceremoniously removing former Mayor Devra Keenan from the Planning Board and then pushing her to resign. I would instead work to resolve disagreements on issues by encouraging open and honest discussions at public meetings, and holding regular town hall discussions with constituents to discuss their concerns.
Montgomery's rapid development is another challenge that must be addressed—Montgomery is a township defined by its open space and beautiful environment. While the growth that our community is undergoing has many benefits, we need to work hard to preserve the characteristics that Montgomery residents love; I would support expanding open space beyond the current 40%, stopping all nonessential, non-affordable development, facilitating environmental regulations on new development, and making public transportation accessible to all.
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