VOTE411 Voter Guide

Its time to break one party control. We need balance, openness, and leadership that listens to everyone, not just insiders. Since 1984, I’ve served on nearly every township board and commission, 13 years on the Township Committee, and as Mayor in 2017. During this period, over half our land has been protected from overdevelopment, protected clean water, stopped a destructive quarry, and built a municipal building with no debt.

Public Servant, not politician should be the commissioner's guide. The responsibilities include protecting the public property, controlling growth in the county, listening to the public's input, treating each member of the public with respect, using the tax dollars for the greatest good, hiring many of the counties employees, setting general policy in the county, and generally keeping the county a place that the citizens want to be a part of. The commissioner's job is not to micro-manage the county but to set the priorities and rules that the county operates under.

Listening to and acting on the public's input. Most of the resolutions that have been passed by the commission get little or no public input at the meetings. This needs to change. The commissioner meetings should be an open forum for discussion between the commissioners and the public. Better solutions and different viewpoints can be discovered and used to better govern the county. The very first change needs to be the meeting times. Most of the residents of the county cannot attend a 5:00 pm meeting due to work schedules.

The federal government's funding cuts are going to affect the county. These need to be closely watched and solutions made accordingly. This is going to be an active challenge for the next two years.

As we govern as a team, and are seeking re-election as a team, John Lanza and Zach Rich will offer joint responses to questions 1-4 below: I have been a practicing attorney since 2001 and have worked with my family’s Flemington-based law firm, Lanza & Lanza LLP, since its founding in 2005. A lifelong resident of Hunterdon County, I live in Raritan Township with my wife and children.

I earned my degree in political science from Boston College in 1998 and graduated cum laude from Seton Hall University School of Law in 2001. I am admitted to practice in New Jersey (2001) and the District of Columbia (2012). My legal practice focuses on estate matters, including planning, administration, and litigation. I also serve as a municipal prosecutor in five courts covering nine municipalities.

In 2013, I was first elected to the Hunterdon County Board of County Commissioners in my initial bid for public office. I am currently serving my 4th term on the Board, and my third time as Director. Serving on the Commissioner Board has been a great honor, and I am committed to keeping Hunterdon County is a great honor.

The Board of County Commissioners has been granted broad authority by the state legislature to regulate county property, finances, and affairs. The board establishes overarching goals, including setting the annual budget, defining strategic public policy objectives, and articulating a vision for the county’s residents. Day-to-day operations of county departments are managed by the county administrator.

Our record of success includes reducing the county tax rate for two consecutive years (2024 and 2025), following a freeze from 2018–2023, and earning a Triple-A bond rating from Moody’s—the highest possible rating. We have maintained Hunterdon County’s debt-free status since 2014, saving more than $4.5 million in interest costs through our No Debt Policy.

Hunterdon County has also been a leader in farmland and open space preservation. We rank #1 in New Jersey for the number of preserved farms and among the top counties in preserved acreage. We spearheaded the creation of Hunterdon County’s first full-time vocational high school.

We remain committed to our New Era of Partnership with Hunterdon County’s municipalities—working together to expand shared services, strengthen collaboration, and advance good government. One of the most significant new initiatives on the horizon is the launch of the Hunterdon County Improvement Authority. This important tool will help municipalities lower the cost of borrowing and managing debt. At this year’s Shared Services Forums, one of the top recommendations was for the County to leverage its strong financial position and Triple-A bond rating to benefit towns. Municipalities often incur debt for major expenses—such as infrastructure projects, building and recreation improvements, equipment purchases, and open space preservation. Through the Improvement Authority, towns will now have the ability to reduce both interest rates and administrative costs by taking advantage of countywide economies of scale. An independent financial analysis by Phoenix Advisors, determined that taxpayers could have saved nearly $700,000 over the past two years if this program had already been in place.

Thanks to Hunterdon County’s strong financial footing, including a healthy fund balance, the County is well-positioned to make strategic investments in the future while maintaining resilience against potential economic downturns. However, fiscal pressures at both the state and federal levels are expected to place additional strain on local budgets as grant funding diminishes in the coming years.

Three key budgetary priorities for the future include ongoing investments in public safety, such as the soon-to-be-built Phases 2 and 3 of the Hunterdon County Emergency Services Training Center. This new, state-of-the-art facility will be constructed without issuing debt, thanks to long-term capital planning and a federal grant covering a portion of the project cost.

The commissioners will also continue providing direct grant support to our 26 municipalities. Previous grants have funded initiatives such as municipal park improvements, ADA upgrades at public buildings, and law enforcement equipment.

As we govern as a team, and are seeking re-election as a team, John Lanza and Zach Rich will offer joint responses to questions 1-4.

I began my public service by volunteering on my hometown Finance Advisory Committee and Planning Board. Since then, I have worked tirelessly on behalf of my constituents, bringing a “can-do” attitude, driving results, and ensuring that taxpayer dollars are managed responsibly.

I earned my Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing with a concentration in Sports and a minor in Management, graduating summa cum laude from Clemson University in South Carolina.

I was first elected to the Board of County Commissioners in 2020 and served as Commissioner Director in 2023.

Outside of public service, I enjoy supporting my wife, Emily, and our daughters, Juliet, Brielle, and Reagan, in their passion for competitive cheerleading.

Hunterdon County is truly a beautiful place to live, work, and raise our kids. I am proud to have contributed to our community being named the safest county in the country to raise children. It doesn’t get any better.

The Board of County Commissioners has been granted broad authority by the state legislature to regulate county property, finances, and affairs. The board establishes overarching goals, including setting the annual budget, defining strategic public policy objectives, and articulating a vision for the county’s residents. Day-to-day operations of county departments are managed by the county administrator.

Our record of success includes reducing the county tax rate for two consecutive years (2024 and 2025), following a freeze from 2018–2023, and earning a Triple-A bond rating from Moody’s—the highest possible rating. We have maintained Hunterdon County’s debt-free status since 2014, saving more than $4.5 million in interest costs through our No Debt Policy.

Hunterdon County has also been a leader in farmland and open space preservation. We rank #1 in New Jersey for the number of preserved farms and among the top counties in preserved acreage. We spearheaded the creation of Hunterdon County’s first full-time vocational high school.

We remain committed to our New Era of Partnership with Hunterdon County’s municipalities—working together to expand shared services, strengthen collaboration, and advance good government.

One of the most significant new initiatives on the horizon is the launch of the Hunterdon County Improvement Authority. This important tool will help municipalities lower the cost of borrowing and managing debt. At this year’s Shared Services Forums, one of the top recommendations was for the County to leverage its strong financial position and Triple-A bond rating to benefit towns.

Municipalities often incur debt for major expenses—such as infrastructure projects, building and recreation improvements, equipment purchases, and open space preservation. Through the Improvement Authority, towns will now have the ability to reduce both interest rates and administrative costs by taking advantage of countywide economies of scale. An independent financial analysis by Phoenix Advisors, determined that taxpayers could have saved nearly $700,000 over the past two years if this program had already been in place.

Thanks to Hunterdon County’s strong financial footing, including a healthy fund balance, the County is well-positioned to make strategic investments in the future while maintaining resilience against potential economic downturns. However, fiscal pressures at both the state and federal levels are expected to place additional strain on local budgets as grant funding diminishes in the coming years.

Three key budgetary priorities for the future include ongoing investments in public safety, such as the soon-to-be-built Phases 2 and 3 of the Hunterdon County Emergency Services Training Center.

This new, state-of-the-art facility will be constructed without issuing debt, thanks to long-term capital planning and a federal grant covering a portion of the project cost.

The commissioners will also continue providing direct grant support to our 26 municipalities. Previous grants have funded initiatives such as municipal park improvements, ADA upgrades at public buildings, and law enforcement equipment.

I am running because Tom Malinowski asked me personally to run a write-in campaign along with John Dale 8 days before the primary. We not only received the required 150 votes needed, but also received over 900 votes each to put us on the ballot for the general election. I felt it was my civic duty to step up and respond to the unexpected request to serve. As someone with a project management background in business, I have a strong framework for building a vision and executing a plan. Accountability ensures any plan is not only executed but is also successful and it isn't just about ensuring tasks are completed; it's about fostering a culture of ownership and trust. That can only happen with transparency, ongoing communication and updates on progress for any project or decision. I have been involved with the Raritan Township Democratic Club for the last couple years. I wrote an action plan for the DNC earlier this year which I gave to Andy Kim, Sue Altman, Ro Khanna, and Tom Malinowski.

The Hunterdon County Commissioners are the county's governing body, responsible for overseeing county administration, setting local policies, managing the budget, & maintaining infrastructure like roads and bridges. They also administer county services, such as health, welfare, & correctional services, & are involved in important initiatives like farmland preservation & the administration of county grant programs for parks & recreation. The commissioners function as both the legislative and executive branches of the county government, making decisions & setting policies that govern the county & its residents. As of 2025, the Republicans have continuously held control of the Hunterdon County Board of Commissioners for 43 years. The last time a Democrat held a seat on the Board was in 1982. Even if both Democratic Candidates win, we would still be outnumbered for voting purposes by the three Republicans, however, a change in these 2 seats would provide alternative perspectives to issues. If we win the seat coming up next year, we would then be the majority.

The county must collaborate with state legislators to address rising energy costs, transition to clean energy, and upgrade our aging power grid. PJM Interconnection oversees grid operations across New Jersey and 13 neighboring states and the District of Columbia while BPU New Jersey manages local utility services. Together, they are responsible for reliability and performance. There should be a temporary restriction on energy-intensive AI data centers being built in the state unless they are fully solar-powered. There needs to be total transparency around requests to build and their energy needs. There also needs to be a strategic, long-term plan to reduce power outages in the county. One solution is the Immediate removal of dead ash trees threatening power lines across the county

We must not allow the commission to operate without public oversight. Taxpayers deserve timely access to budget postings and all negotiated contracts. We advocate for: 1) Clear, accessible explanations of how tax dollars are spent along with how the surplus is used. The County 2025 budget is $122 million. There is no debt service and the surplus is $58.4 million on December 31 last year. Grants back to townships and municipalities and non profits for 2025 only total about $3 million of the total. There seems to be an excessive surplus and complete explanation and transparency is required with full explantion to the taxpayers. 2) Budget discussions with all townships and municipalities to properly address their needs will be planned; we should examine the advantage of potential shared services where possible; Insure upcoming needs like aging fire equipment with long lead times are planned for in advance 3) Open public meetings to be held timely for budget review with the community so there can be input and explanation prior to final vote to pass the budget.