When I decided to run for Cape May County Freeholder over six months ago, I did so with the intention to work tirelessly for the working class and low-income families of Cape May County.
The issues and concerns I have heard from the residents are plenty, ranging from the undeniable lack of opportunity to crumbling infrastructure.
However, through all of the different issues and concerns of county voters, sadly, one theme remained constant: our year-round residents have simply been forgotten about, and the interests of working class families have been disregarded.
For too long, a one-party majority has governed the Board of Chosen Freeholders. This has caused complacency among our elected officials, and as a result, our residents have been disproportionately adversely affected.
I am running for Freeholder to change this mentality, and to give our residents the county government they need and deserve.
Our local government must start to put the residents of Cape May County first.
As a millennial, I know of the frustration our younger generations experience in the face of dwindling opportunities in our county.
Our county has the highest county unemployment rate in the state of New Jersey. According to the latest data available, the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development estimated our county’s annual unemployment rate for 2016 at 9.6 percent.
As a freeholder, I will work to strengthen and expand the resources and services to pair unemployed residents with existing employment opportunities in our county, especially in the tourism industry. It is unacceptable that thousands of jobs are being filled by J-1 foreign students, and not by the unemployed youth and adult residents of Cape May County.
Furthermore, I believe it is imperative to the future of our great county to bring diversified, year-round employment opportunities. We need to invest in our county’s residents by focusing on strengthening technical trade education at our county’s community college campus and technical high school, providing the tools and knowledge required to fill and prosper in existing and new employment opportunities.
Finally, our infrastructure requires attention, because it has been ignored for too long. Reports from 2006 raise some of the same concerns that our freeholders are just beginning to discuss in 2017. The time has come for a comprehensive effort from local, state and federal officials to plan the necessary repairs to and replacement of county bridges. This is not an inexpensive effort, which further emphasizes the need for a multi-level governmental approach to secure the funding required.
Additionally, we need to upgrade the public transportation systems throughout the county. Not only expanding the accessibility, but also improving methods to better inform our county residents of the transportation services available. This results in easier travel and removes a significant obstacle for commuting to work and school.
There is a lot of work to be done at the county level, and as a freeholder, I look forward to progressing our county and bringing about much needed change for our residents.
Ordered and paid for by the Cape May County Regular Democratic Organization, P.O. Box 104, S. Seaville, NJ 08246
Cape May – Governor Murphy says he doesn't know anything about the drones and doesn't know what they are doing but he does know that they are not dangerous. Does anyone feel better now?
