Affordability, freedom and opportunity. I will focus on going after special interests that drive the prices up. Go after healthcare monopolies that raise prescription prices and the monopolies that create corporations that raise mortgage and rental prices. We need someone to go up against the grid operators and the BPU that control the out of control cost of electricity costs in our state. Rather than press conferences and photo ops and talking about it, I will DO something. We need to come up with a better and more fair way to raise money for school taxes and I will fight for seniors to keep meals on wheels, medicare and medicaid for the disabled along with preserving a women's right tomake her own reproductive healthcare choices. Our infrastructure needs to be better managed and maintained, we need creative and innovative thinking to increase revenue without increasing our taxes. Our state seal says, "Liberty and Prosperity" that needs to be true for ALL of our citizens.

SAFE NJ package which will fund law enforcement initiatives to prevent auto theft, jobs for young people, acess to mental health and substance abuse treatment. Programs like ARRIVE Together prioritizing mental health services and treatment and reducing use of force. Supporting police and updating 911 infrastructure to keep our community safe. Invest in reentry for individuals in the criminal justice system because recidivism rates are too high. Meaningfull rehabilitative measures that include mental health care and treatment, education, housing, treatment and employment. Protections for citizens from being arrested without due process.

Property taxes need to be lowered. It makes it unaffordable to live in NJ. The state and local tax (SALT)deduction tax cap is punishing our citizens for the benefit of billionaires. Utilize shared services, expansion of child care tax credit and earned income credit, caregiver assistance tax credit, close tax loopholes that allow the ultra rich to not pay their fair share. Support incentives for locally grown food and food banks. Increasing access to loans and tax credits for affordable housing, strengthen first-time home buyer assistance programs, crackdown on predatory lenders, support the NJ Affordable Housing Trust Fund and support municipalities in developing new housing. Increase and support low-cost clean energy investments. Support and restore funding to business chambers to recruit and expand small businesses. Support labor unions to work on our infrastructure projects and create and support a skilled work force in order to help working familes acheive financial security

Our schools are one of if not the best in the nation. However, the School Funding Reform Act (SFRA) hasn't been updated since it was enacted in 2008 and is too dependent on property values. It needs an overhaul. I would work with educators and fellow legislators to overhaul and update. I support Universal Pre-K, 2% cap on tuition increases, College Savings Reform, special needs funding and support for vocational education for those who choose to pursue a trade. I support Senator Vin Gopal's proposal for a 2% cap on school funding increases and decreases to eliminate huge funding gaps causing a greater burden on taxpayers.

To begin, the immigration system has been broken for years. It shouldn't take years and cost a great deal of money to become a citizen. We need to fix this broken process. People who want to enter our country and remain here and pay taxes legally deserve a clear path and a transparent immigration policy in order to obtain citizenship. In addition, we need a comprehensive bipartisan action to improve security at the Southern Border and prevent fentanyl from entering our borders. We have a backlog of visa applications that needs to be addressed. Mass detention and elimination of due process does nothing to help this situation.

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1) Using taxpayer dollars wisely. New Jersey has a 2025 spending budget of $84+billions. From ineffective programs, road construction that lasts for decades, to funding politicians' vs constituents' priorities, it's time that we look at ways to insist that our dollars are spent wisely! Unfortunately, funding politicians’ priorities has at times been a matter of corruption. Whether it is double-dipping, kickbacks, or no show jobs, it’s the taxpayers that are paying a corruption tax, many times as part of their property taxes (covers state and county expenses as schools). As an Assembly member, I will look to eliminate waste, that projects finish on time and within budget and that the Attorney General has the tools needed to go after political corruption. 2) With $27billion expected from the federal government, I will work to see that our state can provide necessary services to overcome federal unwarranted cuts.

As the former Chief Observer to the United Nations for the League of Women Voters of the United States (2011-2021), democracy has been a passion whether on the international stage, national, state and/or local level. “Democracy is not a spectator sport!” NJ needs to restore:

a) outlawing of “pay to play”; b) the OPRA changes which made it more difficult, costly and timely to receive public information; c) the number of signatures needed on nominating petitions to encourage primaries; d) full elimination of the county line and/or county clerks’ control of the ballot design. For new reforms, same day voter registration would give all qualified citizens a chance to vote. Further, we need to make it easier and safer for reporters to cover local and county politics without fear of retribution for uncovering corruption.

It’s no secret that in order to strengthen and support NJ’s economy, we need to have good paying jobs and services so that people want to live in NJ. Good paying jobs require employees that are educated, trained and experienced to perform the jobs. It requires a good health system so that employees can work, transportation to get to/from the jobs and a quality of life so that people want to continue to live here. We need a strong infrastructure, including internet, transportation both public and private, roadways, clean water and air. Further, we need to continue to reduce crime, including political corruption. I would like to see more in the way of walkability to shops and restaurants, including in rural and suburban areas. As part of the Democrats for Change, I support Steven Fulop’s position on many of these topics.

As a product of NJ’s public education system, as my mother and all 3 of my children were, I know first hand how important a good education is and NJ has one of the bests! To ensure equitable funding, NJ can provide non education services, such as transportation, books, desks, lockers, etc. on a bulk basis to all public school districts. By consolidating purchasing of these non educational services and items, there should be the ability to achieve discounts due to volume. Further, the state can provide incentives for towns to share administrative costs as well. If the federal government negates the ability to provide funding for various programs, including students with disabilities, it will be paramount for the state to assume these costs. I would like to have legislation in which NJ can transfer taxpayers’ federal taxes to the state as a result of the assumption of diminished services from the federal government and or diminished contributions to the NJ budget.

As a daughter of an immigrant, I know how hard it was for my Dad to gain a foothold in the United States after losing almost everything (father, sister, friends, home) as a result of war. The US needs to pass, fund and implement smart immigration policies that enable immigrants to apply for and receive green card status within 30 days. In NJ, we can provide a more welcoming environment for immigrants by helping them assimilate into the “melting pot of America”. This includes immigration services to help find jobs, English lessons and housing. While NJ non profits are providing these services today, their funding is jeopardized by the new presidential administration. Most immigrants pay their taxes and the feds are jeopardizing lifetimes of taxpayers by cutting off the funding to non profits that help immigrants find a foothold.

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