The two priorities I feel I can help implement if elected are restoring the public speaking time from 3 minutes to 5 minutes and the creation of an Environmental Commission. The restoration of the speaking time could be easier to accomplish because there already exists momentum to do so, while creating an Environmental Commission would require visiting municipalities that have been successful with theirs, codifying the legal framework, and finding citizens willing to serve.

Obtaining responses from the community, if it fails to provide feedback for some reason during a public portion of a meeting, is done by identifying the stakeholders who would be affected and providing additional opportunities for them to be heard. If tabling or adjourning the item on the agenda doesn’t produce the desired amount of feedback, then I would follow up, off the record, to get that feedback: send an email or letter; a phone call if that doesn’t work; and finally paying them a visit at their home or place of work - we’re already knocking on doors and this should be no different. In the end, however, I consider no response to be a response. As to resolving disagreements between members, the best way forward, based on my experience, is to simply make a decision after carefully considering all the facts and evidence and explain the reasons why. That is the job I would be elected to do.

I would need to attend a presentation on the Fourth Round Affordable Housing Plan in order to make an informed decision in this matter. After doing a Google search, the only thing I will comment upon is that the individual municipal obligation for my city is probably not correct. Perth Amboy is considered lower income, yet, there are expensive homes by the water and luxury apartments being constructed. Any individual municipal obligation should be comprehensive, supported by local statistics, and not tailored to satisfy the State’s objectives as a whole.

There are marginalized groups in the community and the one service I can provide for them as councilperson would be the opening of a second location where those groups of people can be connected to pertinent government programs or resources provided by non-profit organizations, so that the public library stops being the sole location where they can access same.

As councilperson, I will vote on Resolutions, Ordinances or official documents, such as Memorandums of Understanding, which would direct both police departments, local and federal, to follow specific protocols tailored to the community in which they serve. Please note, however, our mayor also serves as the Police Director, and that position I imagine has the final say on standard police practices at the local level. Addressing the impact the agency has had on the community requires fundamental change mandated from a higher office than mine, whether it be an abolishment, disbanding of the agency or otherwise. The impact has already been experienced, and my attempt to diffuse any situation during a public meeting would probably not accomplish much. I believe the main problem involving ICE is due to the mismatch in legal systems where, in ours, the accused are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty, whereas in foreign jurisdictions, that may not be the case. The agency should operate under a hybrid system that is tailored to the country of origin of the accused, providing greater due process.

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To offer honest and constructive criticism of the administration and to offer my own recommendations to the City Council on how to improve Perth Amboy. I intend to bring my experience as a former municipal court judge, small business owner, experienced attorney, prior elected official and long time resident of the City of Perth Amboy to allow me to utilize problem solving skills.

I am very active on social media and often go to meet with members of the community in public places. During the campaign I have also walked extensively door to door to meet with voters to speak to them about their concerns.

Seeking a fair balance of low income housing while ensuring moderate and traditional fair market housing in a small community is always a challenge. Perth Amboy has already taken on a great share of low income housing in the past. With large scale construction of apartments currently in the works, the City also needs to be mindful to create conditions favorable for all types of housing construction.

The city includes a fairly large immigrant community that needs assistance in housing, education, job training and language education. There are already a number of programs in place for this population.

Certainly, the Mayor and City Council should do all that they can to ensure that our residents can go about their lives unmolested by any over reaching ICE investigations. Residents should be educated as to their legal rights and obligations if their encounter an ICE agent.

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