TO THE EDITOR: New Jersey needs to be fixed; our taxes are out of control, our children and parents can no longer afford to stay here, and we see crime in places we never expected in years past. We need a government that attracts businesses that pay a good wage, efficiently uses our tax dollars to provide quality services and supports the people who keep us safe.
The state spends far too much money; the budget has ballooned more than 50 percent in the past seven years of all-Democratic government. To feed that bloat, we bear among the highest taxes in the nation. It is no wonder people and businesses continue to flee the state.
Jack Ciattarelli is a Certified Public Accountant who has built two thriving businesses and also served his community as a mayor, county freeholder (commissioner) and state assemblyman. He has balanced budgets, negotiated public union contracts and created innovative solutions at all levels of government.
Jack is not a professional politician, but rather someone who became involved in his local, county and state government, on a part-time basis. At each level, he term-limited himself. This is an important distinction, as many politicians stay too long and look for ways to make the government work for them rather than the people they serve.
There are others who have not served a day in government and, like Phil Murphy, think they can treat the governorship as an entry level position. We cannot make that mistake again –we need an experienced leader to fix Trenton.
Not only do we need a new governor, we also must flip the Democratic majority in the State Assembly to affect real change. Jack has been up and down the state promoting good candidates who will help him enact the change so desperately needed. He will unite the party and, in November, the state, to fix New Jersey.
I have had the pleasure of knowing Jack for nearly 20 years, and he impresses me as a man of ideas and innovation. He understands what is wrong and has a detailed plan to reform our government. Please join me in voting for Jack Ciattarelli in the Tuesday, June 10, Republican Primary.
STEVE PARKER
Airport Road
Bedminster
The writer is a former Bedminster Township Mayor
Editor’s note: This Letter to the Editor originally appeared in The Bernardsville News.