Candidate Profile: Olga Miller For East Brunswick Town Council

EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ — Olga Miller is quite clear about what she wants to achieve if chosen as East Brunswick’s next councilwoman. She wants to let the town retain its idyllic, comfortable, suburban characteristic while making sure residents are provided with all amenities. Miller fears the town might get overcrowded soon, resulting in increased taxes and an overburdened school system.

A warehousing and logistics leader by profession, Miller believes in working with colleagues from across the aisle for the interest of the people. Se wants to make the town affordable to live in, and be an inspiration to her children as someone who achieved the “American Dream.”

Read below to learn more about Miller and her platform for the upcoming elections in East Brunswick.

Name - Olga Miller

Age (as of Election Day) - 35

Position Sought – Councilwoman, East Brunswick

Party Affiliation -

Republican

Family- Husband and two children, a boy and girl.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education-

Bachelor’s in Political Science, Montclair State University In Progress - Master of Business Administration, Colorado State University

Occupation-

Global Warehousing and Logistics Leader

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office - None

Campaign website -

olgamillerforcouncil.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

I am running for town council because I love East Brunswick and I want to see it succeed. East Brunswick is a great town with rich history and beautiful landscapes. I do not think our current leadership is invested in keeping East Brunswick a family-friendly, suburban community that we all love and adore. I believe I represent a large group of residents here in our town and I want to ensure their voices are heard and represented within our governing body.

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

The single most pressing issue facing our community is the Redevelopment project. I, like many residents in this town, am concerned about the current plan to urbanize East Brunswick by allowing developers to control the conversation when it comes to redevelopment zones. What attracts many families to East Brunswick is our schools and with additional housing, proposed by current leadership, the town will be at risk of overcrowding our already busy schools.

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

Unlike my opponents, I am neither an experienced politician nor a career politician. I am a wife, mother and a resident who cares about the future of East Brunswick. The only thing at stake here for me, is the well-being of this town. I want to focus on preserving the suburban characteristics of our town while producing results and transparently managing costs.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency).

There is no doubt that the Route 18 corridor area is in major need of revitalization and it has become an eyesore for the residents of this town. The residents of this town have been presented with one option and that option is aimed at further urbanizing our town. The construction of 800 apartment units along Route 18 is daunting and, quite frankly, unimaginable, especially now, as high-dense housing can contribute to increased spread of infection throughout the community. Increasing this type of housing in our town will result in East Brunswick losing its suburban characteristics that many families considered when choosing our town to raise their families. Our current administration has promised a “downtown” like area along the rundown Route 18 corridor, but could it be another “Golden Triangle” fail as we witnessed in the past? As a member of the Town Council, I plan to focus on smart redevelopment while keeping the residents of our town in mind and upholding the values of our town, as well as working with the property owners who are stuck in the middle of the redevelopment zone and allowing to be part of the conversation and overall plan. I do not support further urbanization of our town which will drive property values down, increase taxes on current residents and overcrowd our schools and infrastructure. I believe, as a town, we should focus on further developing commercial real estate in order to attract high-quality family-friendly businesses to our town which, in turn, will create jobs, attract customers and deliver much-needed commercial tax revenue while alleviating the burden on our residents. The current administration is moving ahead with the much-needed redevelopment, however, things have not gone smoothly, to say the least. I support a two-party representation of our residents and will encourage members of both parties to find common ground to make sure we focus on the well-being of our town and its residents.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

My campaign is focused on keeping East Brunswick a family-friendly suburban town where residents can enjoy the town’s many amenities as well as strive to increase the small business footprint in our community. Some of those amenities include our open spaces and, for starters, I want to see our parks and recreational areas improved so families can explore the outdoors together in a safe and clean manner. Another issue that my campaign is focusing on revolves around keeping our town affordable for current and future residents. Our senior citizens have been neglected for far too long and they are feeling the increases in taxes while trying to survive on a fixed income. As a member of the Town Council, I will focus on serving the residents’ concerns and needs while producing results and transparently managing costs. I will work with the members of the administration to ensure the town operates in a fiscally responsible manner with our taxes and revenue is not spent on wasteful litigations, but directed towards improving quality of life for our residents.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I attended Montclair State University as an undergraduate where I earned a Bachelor’s in Political Science and I am currently pursuing a Master’s in Business Administration from Colorado State University. I have worked in New Jersey in the chemical manufacturing industry for the past 12 years, where I hold a global supply chain position. I spend my time developing strategies supporting our warehousing and logistics operations worldwide and ensuring processes are executed and followed by the teams. I believe that my strong business background and supply chain experience gives me the ability to solve complex issues when it comes to responsible spending and purchasing.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

"Be in Politics, but never be a politician." This is what I truly believe in. Always work in the best interests of the residents cutting across party lines.

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

I have always been interested in politics and have considered getting involved for quite some time. I want to shape a positive future for my children and be a role model of what it means to achieve the American Dream. As a working mom of two, I want to see my children grow up in a town that promotes family values, community programs and family-friendly events. As a resident, I want to see East Brunswick be a central destination for families to live, work, and retire, now and for future generations to come.

In anticipation of the upcoming election, Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns. We will be publishing candidate profiles as election day draws near.

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