District 23 Assembly Primary Candidates: Kaufman, LaBelle

DISTRICT 23, NJ — New Jersey General Assembly Legislative District 23's preliminary election on June 8 has four candidates running for two open seats on the assembly. Nicholas LaBelle, 22, and Hope Kaufman, 48, are the two Democratic candidates running.

LaBelle currently works at NYP Corporation, a small family business and Kaufman as a strategic, regional and environmental planner. Previously, LaBelle was President of the Rutgers Student Body and Kaufman was an Environmental Commissioner, Chair of the Parks and Recreation Committee.

Kaufman is married to her husband, Gregory and they have an 8-year-old daughter Lily and two dogs. She has a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science from the University of Rochester, Masters in Landscape Architecture and Urban and Regional Planning, University of Colorado.

LaBelle comes from a family of six with two parents (Gerald and JP) and three siblings. One older sister named Celine, 22, who works in public health, and two younger fraternal twins, 17, who are entering their senior year of high school. He also has two cats.

LeBelle has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Analytics and Information Technology (BAIT), and Economics from Rutgers University.

Are you running for office in District 23? Contact Alexis Tarrazi at alexis.tarrazi@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate's profile and submitting campaign announcements.

Hope Kaufman and Nicholas LaBelle

Campaign website

hopeandnick.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

We are running because it's time we brought critical resources and infrastructure home to our District. We need strong, committed leaders that are willing to take action and get results on behalf of all the people they represent. We deserve to have leadership in Trenton fighting to ensure that our hard-earned tax dollars are brought back to our district to directly benefit our communities. Our district needs reliable digital infrastructure, better economic opportunities, cohesive regional planning that incorporates smart growth philosophies and tackles the realities of Climate Change on our aging infrastructure, a comprehensive emergency planning and preparedness plan, financially beneficial environmental preservation opportunities, and realistic tax policies. We have a lot to get done. This election is not about political parties, it’s about working together as a community to build the best future for every stakeholder.

The single most pressing issue facing our district is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

We believe our platform (see below) represents the major issues that Hope and Nick feel are the most pressing facing our district. At this time we are engaged in conversations and research on common sense solutions and approaches for remedying what we have identified as priorities. Responsible policy and legislation does not happen in a vacuum it requires consensus and input from stakeholders. We will work with all interested parties to create the best and most forward-thinking agenda as possible.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

We are dedicated citizens who are going to bring innovative, fresh ideas to Trenton whereas the current Assemblymen have lost the pulse of the district they have sworn to represent. We are not Trenton politicians, we are public servants. Our own political careers do not define how we will represent our constituents, rather the needs of those we have promised to help will guide our every action. Hope and Nick represent a broader portion of the electorate bringing voices from more diverse backgrounds that better the district.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

• Preserve and Prosper: Preservation of our natural resources is an imperative and the most important legacy we will leave for future generations. Preservation must be incentivized over development, as an economically viable alternative to private landowners. Mitigation banking, carbon sequestration incentives, and other preservation-focused economic policy needs to be at the top of any real regional planning and smart growth conversation for communities in LD23 and throughout New Jersey.
• Project Legacy: New Jersey must be positioned to lead the country in the development and deployment of green technologies. We can and must build a complete framework for economic prosperity and environmental integrity for generations to come.
• Safety First: We must not confuse the aims of a sportsman, or a collector, or gun use for personal home protection, and the aims of violent criminals. The dedicated hunters we know do not need high-capacity magazines, bumpstocks, and semi-automatic weapons to enjoy their sport. The basic rights afforded by the Second Amendment are not under attack, but our freedom to live without fear of violence against us and our loved ones at school, at work and at our houses of worship is.
• Focus on Resilience: Were we ready for a global pandemic, superstorms, hurricanes, flooding? Are we ready for the next disaster? It is time to look at our district and the state holistically to assess where resources need to be allocated in advance of a disaster. It is imperative that we understand and evaluate our regional capability in responding to crises before they happen.
• Bring it Home: It's not solely about advocating for the diverse needs of our Community; it's about reliably finding pathways to meet those needs. Communicating with the people we serve and being known as an effective resource to our Community. We are your boots on the ground, and we should be held accountable in our delivery of tangible and real assets that address the concerns, issues and day-to-day struggles of every person.
• Hard Line on Hate: There is no justification for hate based on color, sex, religion, nationality, gender orientation, sexuality, or philosophy. Intolerance of others and it’s by-products have no place in America. We are better than that. We all must be better than that.
• Financial Feasibility: New Jersey’s current system of taxation is not working for anyone. The tax burden New Jerseyans face from the municipal level up to the federal level represents a deterrent to further growth of our economy and for our families. We must find common ground on tax reform and work systematically to open equitable pathways to financial security while not overburdening individuals and small businesses.
• Effective Education: New Jersey has continually ranked as the best in the nation for our educational resources, yet we must look into whether those resources are translating into equitable outcomes. By sharing resources, we can create a promise of high-quality education for all of our children. No student should be left behind due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and every student’s promise of quality education should be fulfilled. For higher education, investing in programs that expand opportunities like Tuition Aid Grants and rethinking programs to manage debt are necessary to ensure that our graduates can stay and grow here as opposed to being overly burdened.
• Opportunity Knocks: We are at a crossroads in LD23; we cherish the dynamic intersection of our rural, suburban, and urban landscape. But we must acknowledge that we need to expand economic opportunity within that framework. That cannot and will not happen without a regional plan on technological infrastructure. The effects of COVID-19 on how we do business are just beginning to play out. It is essential we utilize the all available resources to immediately evaluate the options for expanding access throughout Hunterdon, Warren, and Somerset Counties. Our kids deserve it, our first responders depend on it, and economic success cannot happen without it.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Hope: Always have the conviction to stand for what you believe and the strength to stand by those convictions.

Nick: Prioritize service above self. We have an obligation to leave the world better than how we found it, act however you need to do that.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

LaBelle: Nick credits his family for his passion for public service. His mother especially instilled in him from an early age to ‘think of others, before yourself.’ To Nick, these were more than just words. It has become a way of life for him. As a young boy he volunteered at his local church, and later in high school participated in the YMCA civic engagement programs. As a proud Eagle Scout, Nick took on the project of restoring the Landsdown Trail in Clinton that so many of us enjoy hiking today.

Nick is well prepared to take on the challenges that face LD23. In addition to his business and economic studies at Rutgers University, he has taken on many roles working at his family’s textile business that his grandfather founded in 1946. Whether he was needed in the warehouse or in the office preparing invoices, Nick learned all aspects of the business. He understands the meaning of a hard day's work and like other small business owners is aware of the importance of having elected officials that you can depend upon for help and assistance in times of trouble, especially like the ones we experienced in 2020. Nick will utilize his business skills when making sound and rational decisions as your Assemblyman.

This past year during the COVID-19 pandemic, Nick took on a monumental challenge while serving as Rutgers University Student Body President. He was instrumental in creating the first COVID-19 student government relief program in the nation, acting before Congress, which has provided emergency relief to students needing assistance with rent or facing food insecurity. But Nick didn’t stop there and decided to take on an environmental challenge by encouraging the University through a student referendum to divest its endowment from fossil fuel investments. Together by helping to empower and connect a coalition of stakeholders, Nick played a key role in encouraging the University to take proactive steps towards Carbon Neutrality and Climate Resilience. Nick will bring the values of service from our state university to the statehouse.

Nick's family moved from Piscataway to Pittstown when he was a young boy. He can’t imagine leaving bucolic Hunterdon County and has continued to make Pittstown his home.

Kaufman: A New Jersey native, Hope and her family moved to Tewksbury in 2013. From the outset, she became a reliable, consistent, and knowledgeable asset to her community and beyond.

Through her involvement and commitment to Tewksbury, Hope has built a reputation as a dedicated, thoughtful, and collaborative leader on the various Boards and Commissions to which she has been appointed. She has served on the Tewksbury Scenic Roads and Bridges Commission and the Tewksbury Forestry Advisory Board and has chaired the Parks Committee to name a few. Hope is also on the Board of Directors at the Barat Foundation a nonprofit educational corporation dedicated to expanding creative opportunities.

Hope has always taken a careful and balanced approach to bringing functional policies and initiatives forward and to completion. For over 15 years Hope has utilized her expertise in strategic planning and program management to execute over 450 million dollars in environmental, parks, and infrastructure projects. Hope possesses a diverse set of skills that has prepared her to take on the role of an Assemblyperson in LD23. For too long, members of the community have been underserved by representatives who have operated under the style of “business as usual.” Hope knows that we have to have a game plan for the challenges that lie ahead and to re-think how things have been done in the past. It’s time to think outside the box.

Her mission now is to make sure your hard-earned tax dollars are spent effectively as we organize through the recovery from COVID-19 and she will fight to bring every possible resource back to LD23. Hope believes we must take every opportunity to preserve our small-town spirit. We also need to ensure viability in our downtown areas and support small and local businesses. We must find creative ways for economic growth and look for opportunities to enhance the quality of life for every resident. This must be our top priority. These are not unattainable goals; they are realistic and achievable with the right experience and voices advocating on the district’s behalf. This voice is Hope Kaufman.

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