Toms River Council Primary Election 2021: Jason Crispin

TOMS RIVER, NJ — With Primary Day for the 2021 general election coming up June 8, Patch is sharing profiles of the candidates for local office.

Jason Crispin is one of two candidates seeking to be the Republican nomination for the four-year seat representing Ward 2 on the Toms River Township Council on the Nov. 2 general election ballot.

Patch asked each candidate the same questions. Here are Crispin's answers.

Your name: Jason Crispin

Age: 42

Town of residence: Toms River

Position sought: Toms River Township Council Ward 2 representative

Party affiliation: Republican

Family: Engaged to Cara Paolillo ( Wedding Feb. 20); Parents Lester and Diana Crispin (40-year residents of Toms River); Siblings, two brothers Michael and Nicholas, one sister, Samantha.

Education: Graduate of Toms River HS East Class of 1997; Ocean County Vocational-Technical School, Culinary Arts; Ocean County College Coursework in Business Management, Economics and Political Science.

Occupation: Instructor of Culinary Arts, Ocean County Vocational-Technical School

Previous elective office, if any: None

Do you or anyone in your family work for the state, county or local governments? I’ve been employed by the Ocean County Vocational-Technical School since 2008

Why are you seeking office? As a lifelong resident of Toms River, I value our town and the special quality of life we enjoy here. As your next councilman, you can count on me to preserve both. We must continue to protect our open space and prevent the overdevelopment that has impacted neighboring communities. On council, I will fight for our fair share of school funding to lower our taxes, stand by law enforcement and support our first responders.

What do you feel is the most pressing issue facing the community, and what do you want to do about it? We need to work on implementing public transportation options here in Toms River. We have a large group of seniors here who could benefit from affordable public transportation. With that said this isn’t something that should be funded locally. My objective would be to work and get our fair share from Trenton and Washington so that Toms River could benefit. We spend so much of our hard-earned money in tax dollars every year and I want to make sure we get some of it back here in Toms River.

I’m also concerned about school funding. Our township council under Republican leadership has done an excellent job keeping taxes flat for the past 5 years. However, our schools are underfunded and represent over 60 percent of our local property tax bill. We need meaningful support in Trenton to make sure Toms River schools get their fair share of state aid and federal funding. As a councilperson I can effect that type of change, and plan to start on my first day in office.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking to serve? Two words, integrity and honesty. My opponent, Dan Rodrick, has been a disgrace on Council. He was censured three times for "improper, unethical, and irresponsible" conduct. He is a lifelong Democrat, now running as a Republican, who ran together with Governor Murphy in 2017. Dan has repeatedly voted to defund local police operations and against much-needed street improvements in Ward 2. Our township fought to protect Toms River from overdevelopment. I urge voters to know the facts, and please don’t be fooled by the lies and scare tactics Dan Rodrick is spreading regarding zoning for houses of worship.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform. There are a variety of issues and areas where I want to focus. But to narrow it down we need to make sure we continue to fund our first responders. Ensuring that the professionals who keep us safe in Toms River have the tools they need is important to me. We have a councilman in Ward 2 right now who has voted to defund our police. It disgusts me, and it should disgust you too. I won’t stand for it, and when I’m elected I’ll do what I can to support the heroes who keep us safe. I also want to work with our partners in the business community to attract quality ratables to Toms River. Businesses that will enrich our community and provide good job opportunities for all of us.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you will be effective in office? As a teacher, I've become an expert in two things: Being a listener and understanding how to build consensus. Managing a classroom is tough, with the personalities and all the things kids bring to a classroom today. I’ve been successful with my students, and in today’s environment the ability to listen and let people vent is more important than ever. I’ll take those skills to township council and be the effective leader we all deserve. As a longtime member of the Zoning Board of Adjustment, I have to lead with vision. Each time we review an application I look at it from a variety of perspectives, making sure I weigh the impacts and the testimony of both the applicant and those who live in the community. Once I identify a choice as a zoning board member I then need to work with the other members to build a consensus. This is something that isn’t always easy but with a little give and take we arrive at a positive outcome for the community. Again, I'll use those same skills on the township council to serve the entire community.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions? I’m invested in this community. I grew up, and went to school here. I stayed here and put roots down with a career and a home in a community I love. I’ll be present alongside the residents at community events, meetings and wherever I’m needed. I plan to raise my family here, because we’re all in this together.

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