Hillsborough Committee Primary Candidate: Jeffrey Wright

HILLSBOROUGH, NJ — Hillsborough's preliminary election on June 8 has four candidates running for three open seats on the Township Committee. Jeffrey A. Wright, 50, is one of two Democratic candidates running.

Wright currently serves on the Hillsborough Township Committee. He also is employed by Garden State Securities, Inc., as an Investment Adviser Representative and Financial Adviser. He previously worked for Merrill Lynch in those capacities. He also hold Series 7 (General Securities Representative), 63 (Uniform Securities Agent), and 65 (Uniform Investment Adviser) designations and a New Jersey State Life Insurance license.

Wright also has served on the Somerset County Planning Board, Board of Adjustment, Open Space Committee, Senior Citizens Housing Committee in Piscataway, prior to moving to Hillsborough in 2014, and Democratic County Committeeman, District 9 (Country Classics).

Wright is married to his wife Jennifer and they have four children. He has a Bachelor of Science in General Business/Finance from Norfolk State University, Virginia.

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

Jeffrey A. Wright

Why are you seeking to run for the township committee?

My parents were career union workers. My mother was a dedicated public school teacher for 45 years. My father was a union carpenter who spent his time off coaching my little league teams and showing the value of real leadership. I moved to Hillsborough in 2014 with my family in part because of Hillsborough’s reputation for great neighborhoods, schools, activities, and home values. Since then I have become acutely aware of neighbors’ concerns about tax increases, rapid construction and overdevelopment, and more recently, restoring the health and prosperity of our community after the pandemic. I am a registered Financial Advisor, and I feel that by having a deep understanding of our township finances, I can help make Hillsborough more affordable both for those who have lived here many years and for those who are just joining our community.

How would you address the affordable housing issues/overdevelopment in Hillsborough?

Well-planned growth helps a town prosper, and affordable housing helps families succeed in the face of increasing housing costs, the largest single expense for New Jersey families. In 2015 COAH was dissolved by then-governor Chris Christie, and judicial authority was handed over to the State Supreme Court. So Hillsborough is obligated to develop affordable housing per the New Jersey State Supreme ruling, just as other communities are. While most other towns submitted revised plans year after year, Hillsborough last submitted a formal plan for affordable housing in 2010. Now the Hillsborough plan is to follow the developer’s wishes and build at least six different for-profit large scale developments, rather than limit the building to the required affordable units. We are all seeing the result of this poor planning, with several disparate developments breaking ground with approximately 75 market rate units for every 25 affordable units, and other proposals failing approval. Instead, Hillsborough could have investigated rehabilitating some of our aging apartments and condominiums as a way to fulfill our obligation, or working with Habitat for Humanity to build some homes for veterans and other people in need. The sheer number of units we are building will put tremendous pressure on our infrastructure, particularly on our schools. Meanwhile we continue to build single-family homes, which in turn continues to obligate us to build more affordable housing.

In short, we need to be more attentive to our community’s needs and stop kicking the can down the road on Affordable Housing, infrastructure development, empty storefronts, and a walkable downtown. These are the issues we need to resolve now, as well as insuring that any future development is better planned.

Diversity is largely talked about in the township and country. How do you feel about the current status of the township in terms of diversity?

Hillsborough is a very friendly community with reputable schools and great neighborhoods. We are also increasingly diverse. Towns all over our state and country are realizing that to be at their best, they need to ensure that men and women of all ages, backgrounds, races, religions, and ethnic groups, can both serve and receive services fairly at the township level. At a recent Township Committee meeting, I introduced a proposal to my colleagues to establish an Inclusion and Equity Committee that would foster good will and cooperation and address bias in the community. I was told by my colleagues that the Municipal Alliance already addresses this. This is not true. I will continue to pursue this.

What other issues do you feel must be tackled in town?

In 2018, one of my campaign issues was our crumbling roads. The township then began a 5-year repaving schedule. While we will not be able to repave all 250-plus miles of roads, we will be getting to those that are most utilized that are also most in need. And further, under my leadership you will know where they are. I believe in giving our residents information on a "can-know" basis, not just a "need-to-know". But there is also "right-to-know" information, such as complete budget information, that residents should be able to access. Each year our taxes go up, usually with no additional services. All residents should know where there are tax abatements, exemptions, and payments-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILOTs).

As a financial advisor, I am very much looking forward to having input on next year's budget and finding places where we can either save money or improve services.

What sets you apart from the incumbent Republicans?

I believe in true government transparency, as well as greater diversity on boards and commissions, and the development of a volunteer corps to help with emergencies and ongoing crises such as Covid-19. Right now, power in the township committee and the major boards and commissions, is concentrated in the hands of a privileged few. The only way that we can serve all the people of Hillsborough, is to have excellent communication and allow input and assistance from all those who want to give it productively. Local government touches residents more closely than any form of government. They want to have a say about things like road repairs, open space, development, permitting processes, safety, public health, and most of all, where their tax money goes. And they want to stay informed. My running mate, Roger Koch, also cares about our community very much and believes in good governance. We both want to make our community the best it can be, and leave behind a safe, fair, and healthy environment for the next generation.

What else would you like to share about yourself or your campaign?

When I ran for Township Committee in 2018, I had the privilege of speaking to thousands of our fellow residents from across all political ideologies and opinions. I realized that there is so much more that we have in common than we think we do. We are all concerned about recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. We are all worried about the stresses that mismanaged development is causing to our schools, sports, open space, and community programs. We are all watching our tax bills rise while community services are cut and outsourced. We all drive past the deserted store fronts that could become the foundation of an exciting 21st century downtown destination for new businesses, industries, and investment. Great things are possible when communities unite around a common vision. I see a community that reaches with hope towards the future, while building on its strong past. This is the vision I want to bring to the Township Committee.

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