Meet the Candidates Week of June 30, 2013
By Nicole Sanders | The Save Jersey Blog
In my efforts to introduce candidates to the voting public, I started a weekly column called Meet the Candidates. In essence, it is a past day stump speech updated for the virtual world.
For this week’s column, I am honored to introduce to you my friend and current Hamilton Township Councilman, Edward Gore.
Councilman Gore has an extensive education background which includes getting his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a minor in Latin American Studies from Saint Joseph’s University in 1976, getting his Master of Arts in Public Administration from Rider University in 1980 and getting his Juris Doctorate from Rutgers University School of Law in 1998. Besides being a Hamilton Councilman since 2010, Mr. Gore has his own law office in the same township and currently works at same.
My interview with Councilman Gore is below the fold…
Sanders: Why do you feel you are a more viable candidate in comparison to your opponent?
Councilman Gore: Myself and the remaining Republicans in the race, Kelly Yaede Mayor, and fellow Council Members Dave Kenny, Dennis Pone, and Iliana Schirmer have an excellent record in managing the Hamilton government. Hamilton is 40 square miles with a population of over 90,000. it is contiguous to the City of Trenton and yet it extends almost to Ocean County. Its neighborhoods run from very urban to rural farmland. Despite this diverse make-up of citizenry the Hamilton municipal budget calls for no increase in taxes and spending in real dollar terms has decreased for the third consecutive year. Our opponents have no experience in government.
Sanders: Hamilton is facing a lot of economic development which is mainly commercial. Do you feel this is a good or bad thing for the Township?
Councilman Gore: Commercial development is important for a variety of reasons. Attracting new businesses to a town increases tax rate ables. This broadening of the tax base by including additional business property tax payers will help take the burden on the already overtaxed (thanks to Obamacare, etc) residential home owners. Additionally, attracting businesses to Hamilton will provide additional employment opportunities for Hamilton citizens. While Hamilton has not been hit as hard as some communities by the lingering recession, very little has been successfully undertaken by the Obama administration to stimulate economic development on the local level.
Sanders: When people think of Hamilton Township they are reminded of the former mayor John Bencivenga who was found guilty of five counts including extortion, money laundering and bribery. What are your thoughts concerning his behavior?
Councilman Gore: Mayor Bencivengo’s acts were unfortunate and now he is paying an appropriate penalty in the federal prison system. It should be kept in mind that Bencivengo’s action involved his attempt to influence a Board of Education contract. At no time, was he accused of accepting a bribe relative to his duty as the Mayor of the municipal government. To attempt to re-assure the taxpayers of Hamilton that the municipal government funds had not been compromised, Council has ordered a forensic audit of three of the Township Departments to insure that all taxpayer funds were properly spent. As a Member of Council, I feel that the best thing I can do personally to re-assure the public is to set a good example and to continue to be a good steward of the taxpayer’s money.
Sanders: What do you feel are your biggest legislative or personal accomplishments thus far?
Councilman Gore: My biggest legislative accomplishments so far has been to keep taxes flat and to cut municipal spending every year that I have been on Council.
Sanders: If your constituents wanted to reach out to you to volunteer, ask questions about your positions or to donate how can they contact you?
Councilman Gore: Anyone wishing to contact me to volunteer can reach me at edgore2561@gmail.com, or they can call my law office at 609-890-7220.
Sanders: In your own words, why do you believe you should be re-elected and what do you wish to accomplish if you are voted in for another term?
Councilman Gore: If the voters re-elect me and my running mates we will continue to work non-stop to hold down spending and taxes. We realize that tax dollars are your money, not our money. I will personally continue to speak out against the extravagance of the current administration. It is a disgrace that the current administration has spent over $1 billion in family vacations while the infra-structure of many of our nation’s cities are crumbling.
If you are a 2013 New Jersey candidate and interested in being a part of my weekly Meet the Candidates article, Save Jerseyans, email me at nikisands3@hotmail.com.
